The moment that I opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling. I remembered I was in a bedroom of the rest house where we stayed in. I began to scratch on my skin, feeling very itchy. I sat up and realized I was still wearing my gown, which caused this itch on my skin. I turned my head to the person, who was sleeping beside me.
Storm was still asleep. Nakapatong ang isang braso niya sa mga mata niya, kaya hindi ko masyadong makita ang mukha niya. Naalala kong may lagnat siya kahapon kaya naman inilapat ko ang likuran ng kamay ko sa pisngi niya para i-check ang kaniyang temperature.
"Still hot," I whispered.
I looked for my cell phone in my suitcase placed on the side of the bed. When I found it, I checked the time. Tinanghali na pala kami ng gising. I saw a text message from Kirby and opened it.
Kirby Dude
+6326****3242
5:32 AM
Enjoy your honeymoon!
Napaismid ako nang mabasa ko iyon. It was our honeymoon, alright, pero alam kong walang mangyayari sa honeymoon namin ni Storm. Umiling-iling na lang ako.
I got some clothes from my suitcase and walked to the bathroom. After I had taken a shower, I dried off and got dressed. I wore a simple black hanging blouse and white shorts.
When I went out of the bathroom, I saw Storm sitting on the bed while talking to someone on the phone. His gaze landed on me while he was speaking. "We have a three-day stay here... Okay... Yeah, let's just talk later... Thank you... Bye." He ended the call. "Nag-breakfast ka na―I mean lunch?" tanong niya sa akin. He probably realized it was already afternoon.
"Hindi pa," I replied.
He got off from the bed and headed to the bathroom. "Hintayin mo ako saglit," bilin niya bago isinara ang pinto.
Lumabas muna ako ng rest house na tinutuluyan namin. The fresh air brushed against my face the moment I went out. The place was peaceful - I could only hear the sound of waves from the sea. I took my cell phone from my pocket and set it on camera and then I took a selfie. I would post it on my Instagram later.
Matapos ang ilang sandali, lumabas na rin si Storm. He wore a plain white V-neck shirt and blue summer shorts.
"Let's go," he said and walked past me.
Hindi ko kilala ang beach resort na ito kaya nakasunod lamang ako sa kaniya.
Kung titingnan kami ni Storm, parang hindi kami mag-asawa. We were not even holding hands. There was a distance between us. Well, we were not lovers, in the first place - we were just married in papers.
After walking for a while, I noticed we didn't see anyone at the resort. Usually, people would flock in beaches like this.
"Bakit walang tao?" I asked him.
"Siguradong sila Mama ang may pakana nito," sabi niya habang umiiling.
We entered a restaurant located inside the resort. We saw no one there but a waitress and a chef. We sat at one of the tables there and ordered some food. Later, they served our orders. I wasn't really good at names of food but I knew them by their appearance so I couldn't tell what kind of food were these, except it was some seafood and meat.
Tahimik lang kaming kumain pero kalauna'y napansin ko ang mayamayang pagsulyap sa akin ni Storm. Hindi ko na lang pinansin at nagpatuloy sa pagkain hanggang sa matapos kami.
"Let's swim," aya niya sa akin nang makalabas kami ng restaurant.
I shook my head. "Hindi ako mahilig mag-swimming. Hindi rin ako marunong lumangoy."
"Parang mali yata ang lugar na napili ni Mama," he said as he wandered his eyes around. "Do you want me to teach you how to swim?" he asked.
Tumaas ang mga kilay ko dahil sa sinabi niya at mabilis na napalingon sa kaniya pero umiling lamang ako. "H-hindi na."
He heaved a sigh. "I know you're not comfortable with me because we don't know each other yet, but we should be open to each other as a husband and wife. We're now partners for the rest of our lives."
I looked away and shook my head again. "It's not like that..." I looked at the sea. "I'm scared of the sea, ocean or beach. I don't like them."
"I see." A smile formed on his lips. "I wonder why you fear them."
I rolled my eyes. "I won't tell you."
"Why?"
"You'll just laugh at me."
Ayaw kong ipaalam sa kaniya na sa tuwing lumulusong ako sa tubig, feeling ko may hihila sa paa ko at lulunurin ako.
"Fine," aniya. Nagsimula siyang maglakad muli. Hindi ako sumunod sa kaniya. Tila naramdaman naman niya iyon kaya lumingon siya sa akin. "Come on," he told me and beckoned me to him.
"Where are we going?" tinatamad na tanong ko.
"I'm sure you will love it. Just come with me."
Wala rin naman akong nagawa kaya sumunod na lang ako sa kaniya. "Ano naman iyon?" I asked while tilting my head.
"Basta," he said.
Hindi na lang ako kumibo, hanggang sa medyo malayo-layo na rin ang nalakad namin at nangangawit na ang mga paa ko.
"Malayo pa ba?" I complained.
"Nandito na tayo."
I stared at the sign posted at the top of the gate in front of us: Hidden Garden. He took my hand as we walked into that place. My eyes widened when I saw different kinds of flowers inside. They were arranged by their colors.
"Nang-aasar ka ba?" I told him while frowning.
"What?" His brows furrowed in confusion. "Don't you like them?"
"I hate them," I said in a serious tone.
Shock crossed his face. He gave me a look like he was saying, "Are you serious?"
I just rolled my eyes and got out of that d*mn Hidden Garden.
"Seriously?" Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala. Nakasunod lang siya sa akin.
"Yes, I am," I replied with a straight face.
"But, why?" he questioned.
I heaved a sigh before speaking. "Dahil sa mga alaalang iniwan nila sa akin."
"How?"
"Kapag ba namamatay ang tao, ano'ng marami?" I asked as I faced him.
"Pagkain?" he answered with humor in it.
I wore a poker-face. "Except food and people."
"Okay... Flowers," matinong sagot niya.
"That's why I hate them. I remember how I lost the people I loved whenever I see them. And I don't like their smell," nakangiwing pahabol ko sa huli.
"I see. But that's weird, huh? All girls love flowers," he commented.
I stopped walking when I saw the sunset on the horizon line of the sea and I couldn't take my eyes off that beautiful view anymore. Storm and I both sat on the sand and watched it. This was my first time to watch a sunset on the sea. The cold breeze and the sound of waves were dominant, and it felt so good and relaxing.
I took my cell phone from my pocket and took a few shots of it. "Can you take a picture of me?" I asked as I turned to Storm.
"Sure," he said.
I handed him my phone. Then, I stepped backwards so that he could take a picture of me. I smiled at the camera.
"One... two... three..." he counted before taking a few shots. I saw him smile while he was doing that. "Beautiful," he complimented.
Tila tinalaban naman ako ng hiya dahil nag-init ang mga pisngi ko. Muli niyang binalik ang cell phone ko sa akin.
"Thanks," naiilang na sabi ko. "Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng sunset sa dagat," pag-amin ko.
"Do you believe that God made it?" he said while his eyes were focused on the view.
Umiling-iling ako at binalik ang tingin sa dagat. "God isn't real," tugon ko sa mahinang tinig dahilan para mapabaling siya ng tingin sa akin. I felt his stare at me, seemingly surprised.
"How can you say that?" he asked.
"Because... life is unfair."
"Yes, it is," he paused, "Yes, life is unfair. But what do you think is the purpose why God made life unfair?"
"Oh, God made life?" I said with sarcasm.
"Yes. And you can never understand life, unless you ask the one who made it."
I looked at him sharply. "No one made it because life is ours."
He shook his head slowly. "I thought so, too... before," he said and smiled slightly, "But I was wrong." He glanced at me.
"What are you pointing out here?" inis na na tanong ko. "And who do you think He is to make it?"
I really hated it whenever I heard about God because it is nonsense to talk about someone who is not real.
Storm fell silent.
"When I was a kid, I was curious about Him; I searched about Him on my computer; and I even asked my Dad about Him. Based on my research, God is real. But my Dad told me, God is not real. I didn't know what to believe. But I have found the answer in my life. If God is real, my life shouldn't be like this," I explained.
"The truth about God doesn't depend on the situation of our lives. Sometimes, we want to hold our lives in our own hands, but the truth is... He is the one who holds it," he said calmly.
I smirked and stood up in annoyance. "You know nothing!" I snapped.
I walked away and left him.
Storm's life wasn't like mine. He could only say those because he was not in my shoes. My life was full of suffering!
I went back to the rest house and went straight to the bedroom. I plopped down on the bed and closed my eyes, thinking about what Storm told me: "You can never understand life, unless you ask the one who made it."
He's unbelievable! I thought.
Now, I no longer know how I could manage to be with him every day. This honeymoon was just a waste of time!