Beauteous

Chapter 17

I got pretty occupied when the clock starts ticking by noon. Paano ba naman, Chimera's dragging me while nagging about how Constantine and Trina laugh together. Sumasabat pa si Stellar! I just can't help but to laugh over their petty theories.

We're on the shore now, relaxing our body on the cold and salty sea water of Amanpulo. The sun's directly pointing at us, giving us the blazing heat  that I never thought that I will relish. The three of us have our own little world, we're kind of separated to some of our co-models. We're just laying on the sand and letting the waves crash onto our body.

The other girls are playing, and the three of us? Well, I am busy reading my book. Chimera's probably asleep under her huge sunglasses, and Stellar's beside me, playing with the sand. We're all wearing our bikinis and very far from the other model. We liked it here.. It is peaceful..

I cannot blame Chimmy and Stellar for dragging me here, and not enjoying ourselves together with our co-models, ever since Mrs. De Dios named us as her "Aces", somehow they distanced themselves to us.. I don't know but I felt it, too.. It's like there's a barrier, and there's just professionalism between us all.

I dropped my book on the sand and removed my sunglasses. My eyes squinted with the view. They are playing volleyball, I just can't help but to roll my eyes when I saw Stan and Trina, watching and sitting together underneath the wide umbrella with their mango shakes and flirty smile on their lips.

“You know what, Brine.. Let's just swim to shake those jealousy blaze inside your body..” Stellar laughed and destroyed her little sand castles. I glared at her, she laughed more.

“Why would I be jealous?” tanong ko sa kanya. She shrugged and laughed meaningfully.

Inilapag ko sa isang lamesa ang mga gamit ko at nag unat. I think my cheeks are burning red now because of the sun. Mommy's gonna freak out with my sunburns, that's for sure. But she's not around, so I'll enjoy the burns.

Chimmy's really sleeping on the shore, nakadapa at basa ang kalahating katawan. Hinayaan namin siya ni Stellar at mabilis na lumusong sa tubig. She immediately swim like a mermaid. I tried to follow her and luckily, I did.

As the water embraced my whole body, I can't help but smile and devour the moment. Brine actually means salty water.. I don't know why Mommy gave me that as my nickname.. But I like it.

I resurfaced and brushed my hair back, I let myself float over the water. It's refreshing. Napatingin ako sa kanilang pwesto, I am surprised to see some guys with Stan. There's another four guys.. Almost huge as him.

Instead of looking at their ways, I once again dive on the water. The salty water is somehow painful for my eyes but I tried to opened it to see what's underneath. I saw three seashells and I collected it all. When I resurfaced, agad ko 'yon na tinignan. It looks pretty and small. The colors are different shades of pink turning into somehow orange.. It looks so pretty.

“What's that?” tanong ni Stellar at naglakad papunta sa pwesto ko.

“Seashells,” sagot ko at masayang pinakita sa kanya.

“We should create anklets with that,” she suggested.

Naglakad kami papunta sa dalampasigan. Chimmy's already awake, namumula ang kanyang likod.

“Bakit hindi niyo ako ginising?” agad na reklamo niya noong nakapunta kami sa kanyang pwesto.

“Look, Brine found seashells.” sabi ni Stellar. I showed it to her at pinagpilian naming tatlo.