Royals: Misfits

chapter sixteen

16: Do You Know Who I Am

ALEXID

"In the name of my life, Alli, just f*cking tell me what's going on! I need answers, not f*cking riddles or your stupid punch lines! Just stop being an *sshole and tell me!"

Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko sa mga sinabi ni Daryll. I'm surprised to see him... so angry.

He isn't usually like that. Well, lagi namang naiinis iyon, pero hindi sa ganyang lebel.

I felt guilt as I remember laughing at him, knowing he doesn't know how to swim... It reminds me of the days I cried beside him because of those motherf*cker's doings that made my life miserable.

"What the f*ck?! Are you kidding me?! This is f*cked up! You know what? Screw you!"

Those were his last words before parting ways. We all witness what happened, leaving Alli speechless. But she still had the strength to teach us the basics of swimming and diving underwater.

Pagkabalik namin sa sasakyan, the ride was silent. Tulog nga ang iba, pero nakikita ko ang malalalim na tingin ni Enrico kay Alli na parang kinikilatis. At dahil ako naman ang pumagitan sa kanya (since were on the same seat), agad ko siyang siniko.

"Uy! Napapano ka niyan?!" bulong ko sa kanya. Hopefully, Alli doesn't notice, specially her earphones are on.

"Ano bang ginawa niya kay Daryll? He looks so damn pissed earlier. And I can see her uncomfortable with it."

"I don't even know. But I guess it's Daryll's fear of water, more like drowning. 'Di siya marunong magswimming."

Natawa naman ang walanghiya. "Seriously?!"

"Oo nga! Na-trauma siya nung bata siya, sa swimming pool kasi nila..."

But then, I realized something. It was one of his worst days. "... muntikan siyang malunod! Alam mo namang yung mga ganoong experiences nakaka-trauma. Nagalit siguro iyon dahil parang nabalik sa kanya yung ganoong takot."

Narinig ko ang buntong hininga niya, at inilipat ang tingin sa bintana ng sasakyan. "She doesn't deserve those... words. Why call this f*cked up when in the beginning, we are all f*cked ups!?"

With the tone of his voice, I could tell he wasn't joking. Ramdam ko ang pagkontrol niya sa mga salita na para bang sasabog siya anytime. Pinili kong manahimik at makinig dahil sa mga salita niya.

'Cause agree with him. We are all f*cked ups.

"We're all *ssholes so there's no need to tell her that she's an *sshole 'cause he's being one right there! How could you even be friends with him, Alexid?!"

Somehow, I felt hurt. Hindi nila naiintindihan si Daryll. I know him more than anyone in the group, and I know to myself that he's a good guy. He just needed that shield so everyone wouldn't see the pain he's hiding.

"Because I know he's being true. Sa mga panahong nawala ako sa katinuan ko, he was there to guide me. Kaya nga sumali ako dito in the first place, it's because I know I'm doing this for my own good. He made me realize that I still have someone that time."

Hindi ko nakita ang galit sa boses ko, kung hindi ang awa. Naiintindihan ko rin naman kasi siya. It's easy to judge people who you've been with in a short span of time. But we all know, there's more than meets the eye.

"Kung nakita mo lang yung nakita ko kanina, Alexid..." bumalik ang tingin niya sa'kin. "Nasaktan siya, Alexid. Nakita ko sa itsura ni Alli na nasaktan siya! She was f*cking hurt! At first, I find it weird, but I knew... I just had to know..."