youngklang: YOUR HAIR IS FIRE!
sunnysideup: Omg Callie!!!!
nellieruiz: Wow. Nice hair.
amiars: Uwi na.
After I read the newest comments on the photo I posted minutes ago, a smile automatically curved on my lips. This shot was taken by Rhiannon kanina when we were padding our way to the beach front after stepping out of the house. Stolen photo lang naman using her phone, which she sent to me after, but it looked decent enough. Good, even.
I kinda liked how the sun accentuated the pastel colors in my hair, like I had jumped out of an art book or something. Dahil nga sa hair color ko, ang dami kong nakukuhang atensyon from the locals and tourists alike, but that was expected na. By now, I was used to it.
Before I could leave the app, another comment came— the username KalelSaves popped into my notification.
kalelsaves: 👋🏻🐱
It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant by that. Then it dawned on me and I ended up chuckling.
Hello Kitty.
Of course. Leave it to him to tease me until the bitter end.
"Cals! Tara na!"
Noah's shout distracted me from typing my reply. I swept my gaze around the tourist-packed waters and immediately spotted Noah who was waving an arm in the air.
I raised my arms and formed an X to indicate my refusal. Kanina, bago kami umalis sa accommodation, nag-inform na 'ko sa kanila na chill mode lang ako ngayon. Ayokong isipin ng girls na 'di ako marunong makisama but I didn't want to overexert myself beyond what I was capable of either. So I told them as politely as I could that I was an extreme introvert and already in danger of depleting my social energies. Kailangan kong mag-recharge, and they graciously understood that.
Even Noah did, being my friend for so long. But the extroversion in him was probably driving him to try and include me in their fun. In his mind, he couldn't help but think that my exclusion and silence meant I was feeling out of place. What I kept telling him though was that my exclusion was done on purpose. It was my own doing, and I revelled in it, so he had nothing to worry about and he really shouldn't be beating himself up trying to make me feel better either.
Pero naiintindihan ko naman. He couldn't help worrying any more than I couldn't help pulling away from too much activities. That was just us. That had been our dynamics for so long.
Noah's shoulders drooped at my response. Rhiannon pinched his cheek at his cute reaction and then brought his attention back to surfing by sitting on the surfboard.
With a soft chuckle, I double tapped Rhys's comment on my photo and placed my phone back down on the mandala scarf I was sitting on.
It had been ten minutes now since everyone rented their surfboards. As usual, Joaquin and Zylo were winging it. The girls were floundering trying to do it right, while Noah was content helping and watching Rhiannon ride the waves.
Mas maraming tao ngayon kesa kahapon. Packed na dito sa pwesto ko pero mas packed pa doon sa dagat. The crowd only began to thin out a bit after an hour when noon came and the sun completely peeked out from the clouds. All at once, it became so unbearably hot and bright that I had dip my bowknot hat a little to shield my eyes.
When I turned back up, Zylo was already peering down at me, the sunlight streaming from behind him, highlighting the contours of his physique. I was getting convinced the sun was his bestfriend kasi parang 'di naman niya iniinda ang kahit anong init. Though he was more tanned today than he had been yesterday. His skin was now glowing with the bronze beach tan he'd gotten, made more obvious by the droplets dripping down his body.
