Chapter 6

I was awoken by the chilly breeze coming from the open window of my room. I lazily opened my eyes coz with my gut feeling, I knew that someone was standing in front of me. I looked around the pitch dark room, but no one was around. I felt uneasy. I was sure to have closed the window before I went to bed.

'Was I just dreaming?' I thought while trying to recall the weird experience I had.

I checked the clock on my bedside table--- it was 4 am.

Sleep became elusive for the next couple of hours. Therefore, I decided to make a cup of black coffee and read a novel in my bedroom's balcony. I was so focused on the book I was reading that I didn't hear my mom's voice calling me for breakfast.

"Bradley! Breakfast is ready. Bumaba ka na," she called from the dining room.

The smell of fried rice, ham, bacon, and eggs mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee welcomed me as I was walking towards the table. There were slices of ripe mangoes, watermelons, and bunches of grapes arranged beautifully in a platter at the center of the dining table. Everyone was already there except Amanda.

"She's calling her mother," Shane said who seemed to read my mind. I nodded. We prayed before we started eating. My friends aren't as religious as my family, but they respect our tradition.

We were in the middle of our breakfast when Amanda arrived.

"Help yourself, anak!" my mom said while passing the plate. She smiled and thanked my mom while sitting down beside me.

"Shy.... do you wanna go snorkeling later?" I asked my sister when we were at the front yard to catch some sunlight after our scrumptious breakfast.

"I can't swim kuya," she answered.

"Your kuyas are all excellent swimmers and divers. Nothing to worry about," my dad encouraged.

"But..."

"Ei. Gwaenchanh-a. The reef is safe. No sharks. No venomous jellyfish," Owen told her while slapping his brother's leg resting on his thighs. Shane put the latest George R. R. Martin's novel, Winds of the Winter, he's reading on his chest before punching his brother's arm.

"Neo michyeoss-eo?" Shane yelled as he didn't want to be disturbed while reading the climax of the story.

"Hyeong! My legs went numb coz' your leg is very heavy!" Owen answered in a loud voice. Then, he grabbed the novel and tossed it to me, which irritated Shane more.

"Hesh! Jugeullae?" Shane said while throwing a punch at Owen who immediately jumped out of the hammock.

"Hey. Shut the fuck up, you boneheads! We are in the middle of an important conversation here," Luke yelled.

"Boys!" my dad warned. Everyone kept quiet.

"Sorry, dad!" Shane apologized.

My parents decided to go shopping as we all headed to the beach. It's half-past ten in the morning. We met Tamara and Keira while we were putting our snorkeling gears. They both look stunning in their swimwear. Tamara was wearing a black bandeaukini while Keira was in an olive high neck bikini under a multi-colored floral beach cardigan.

"What a small world ladies!" Luke exclaimed excitedly while welcoming the ladies with cheek- kisses.

"We are on an island, idiot!" Owen said as he pulled him away from Keira, who smiled at Luke's disappointment when he wasn't able to kiss her cheeks.

"Sorry, he turns into a mad dog when there are women around!" I said. We laughed.

"Don't believe them. Anyway, where's your sister and Diana?" Luke asked.

"They are suffering from a terrible hangover, so they're snoring on their bed at the moment for sure," Tamara answered as she stood still while Shane, who was standing behind her, tied her hair in a messy bun. Then, he turned her around to face him.

"You look pretty," he uttered as he tucked her loose bangs behind her ears. Then, he gave her a peck on her forehead.

Since that magical night, Shane and Tamara seemed to have a mutual understanding, blossoming into a beautiful relationship.

Amanda and Sheryl came. I nearly dropped the mask I was holding when I looked at Amanda in a pair of a sexy red two-piece string bikini.

"Oh, la la! Damn, Amanda... where have you been hiding?" Luke exclaimed. I threw my mask at him. He smirked.

"Kuya, sino sila?" Sheryl asked while gesturing to the ladies.

"Oh, sorry. Ladies, meet my PA, Amanda, and my younger sister, Sheryl," I said. The ladies shook their hands. After the introduction, we headed to the snorkeling site. We enjoyed the colorful coral reefs. We took photos with Nemo's family and other schools of fish swarming around us.

I was swimming towards my sister who took a photo of me with a group of damselfish when I felt excruciating pain on my leg. I couldn't move it and my eyes were blurred. With my hazy vision, I could see my sister in a panic.

"Help! Kuya Bradley is drowning," she screamed at the top of her voice or so she thought.

I could see the light becoming faint and I felt so cold as I sank at the bottom of the sea. The last thing I saw before I was unconscious were bubbles and a shadow of a person swimming away from me... then, darkness.

The faint aroma of a freshly brewed coffee tickled my nostrils. I wanted to wake up, but my eyelids felt very heavy.

'Am I dead?' I thought. Voices of people talking became louder and louder.

"Anak, wake up, please!" I recognized my mom's voice. I tried to move my fingers.

"Oh my gosh! Kuya is awake!" Sheryl shouted. I heard footsteps coming towards me.

"What? Are you sure?" Amanda asked.

I opened my eyes. I blinked to adjust my eyes to the blinding brightness of the room. Then, I saw everyone's worried faces.

"What happened?" I said with my coarse voice.

My friends looked at each other, but no one dared to speak. My mom held my hands tightly.

"I prayed religiously to God to save you from any danger and I am so relieved and thankful that He heard my prayer. Just take a rest first," my mom said gently while tears fell from her cheeks.

"Your mom is right! You need your strength back," my father added.

I nodded, but I knew that something wasn't right!

TAGALOG 101:

Bumaba ka na.- Go/ get/ come down now.

Anak- child Kuya- older brother Sino- who Sila- they

Sino sila?- Who are they?

KOREAN 101:

Gwaenchanh-a (괜찮아) pron: KWEN- CHA- NA- It's Okay.

Neo michyeoss-eo? (너 미쳤어?) pron: NO MIT- CHOS- SO? - Are you crazy?

Hyeong (형)- pron: HYONG - older brother- (this is used by a younger man/ boy to his older brother)

Jugeullae? (죽을래?)- pron: JU- GUL- LE? - Wanna die?