Beauty and Death

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
Sharks

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw is Andre. He was looking at me, just a few inches away from my face.

"Get off her face, Andre. You're too close." rinig kong sabi ni Alistair 'di kalayuan. Nang makitang nakamulat ako ay agad itong ngumiti at lumayo. "Damn you. She's awake!"

I breathed heavily as my eyes adjusted to the light. Bumangon ako at nilingon ang paligid. I'm still in the garden, sitting on the swing. Kagaya kanina'y para akong hinihele ng simoy ng hangin.

Alistair looked at me with his usual dark eyes. Ibinaba ang phone naka-tapat sa tainga niya kani-kanina lang. Mabagal siyang lumapit sa akin. Kanina pa ba sila andito? Ilang oras ba akong tulog?

My eyes turned to the group of flowers just behind Alistair. Those flowers I have been staring at before dozing off, the white ones, they are called daisy. My mom was named after it...

Flora Daisy and Lucio Julian Madrigal are my parents. I came from a family who runs a big sugarcane plantation, an orphanage, and a flower shop. My father is a respected politician.

Napatulala ako habang inaalala ang panaginip kanina. The dream was just brief but I saw vivid pictures of my childhood. Mostly with my parents.

I saw how we celebrated my birthday every year. How I play with the kids at my mother's orphanage. How I help her with arranging flowers. That's why the garden hits a familiar feeling within me because I grew up helping my mother in gardening while my father is busy at work.

Dahil pre-mature baby ako, I was always sick during my early years that is why I was home schooled. Na-enjoy ko naman iyon dahil tahimik.

My dream ended however, when I was just six-year-old, a visitor came to our house with his son, a few years older than me. Hindi ko mamukhaan ang batang lalaki. But I remember his mother asking for a favor.

"Flor, I know this is too much to ask but can you please take care of him while we are away? This is the closest to his school and we need to go back to Manila for the case..."

I remember my parents agreeing. And that's the end of it. Nagising na nga ako matapos noon.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Tanong ni Alistair nang huminto sa harapan ko. Bahagya pa siyang yumuko para magtama ang paningin. He looked worried, but he's trying to hide his worry with his usual cold attitude. I wonder if he's always been this cold.

Parang freezer. Walking freezer.

"OA ka, Alistair! Nakatulog lang naman si Amary!" singit ni Andre sa gilid.

"Ilang oras akong tulog?"

"Wala pa atang isang oras, Amary. Alistair is just over reacting. Akala ay nabagok ka o ano. Tinawagan agad si Yshan," Andre informed. "Sabi ko, paano kang mababagok eh para kang si sleeping beauty kung makahiga sa duyan! Sabi ko pa, halikan ka nang magising ka!"

Alistair gave him a side glare. Pakiramdam ko ay close talaga silang dalawa. Maybe they're friends or something. Mukha namang silang magka-edad.

"You did not answer my question," he said coldly. Lumingon siya saglit kay Andre at sinabihan itong bumalik na sa loob ng rest house. Andre complained for a moment but did what he was told.