Beach

“Hey, where’s the food?”

“Are all the things here?”

“Check all your things, kids! We don’t want to forget anything!” Disaster. That’s the only word that will suit our situation right now. Cove’s family is here already and despite just meeting with my family they seem to be getting along just fine.

My gaze met Cove’s and we can’t help but laugh. They’ve been frantic to think that we’re just staying for the whole day in Subic.

“Let’s go! We don’t want to be stuck in traffic. So, hop in,” at last daddy said. We used our van since we’re just seven. While we’re on our way, mom and Tita Annastasia kept on chatting nonstop. Cove and I chose to play some music and daddy would sometimes jam with us insisting he’s “millennial”. Tito Eduardo would just laugh at daddy’s action. Awy danced to the beat of the song, I would sometimes play with her. She’s a really cute little girl; she’s the total opposite of Cove. She has fair skin, brown orbs, the ends of her hair curls naturally, a small pointed nose, rosy cheeks, and that smiley face. She has an aura that will make you smile once she smiles at you.

“How can you have such a cute sibling?” I teased Cove while combing Awy’s hair; she was busy playing with her Ariel doll.

“It runs in our genes, Kirsh.” I scoffed at his reply. He’s being boastful each and every day. Though he was right about their genes; they have been gifted with beautiful genes. Cove took after Tita's features. Tita Annastasia has hooded eyes, a small pointed nose, thin lips, and fair skin. At first, I thought he took after Tito’s features but it seems like Awy got Tito’s features. Tito Eduardo has deep-set eyes, a narrow pointed nose, long stubble, thin lips, tanned skin, and cleat cut hair. As well as Tito’s aura; Awy inherited it all. If only I could adopt her, I would. I need her cuteness in my life. I just can't wait for our baby girl.

After four hours of long drive we’ve finally arrived in Subic. The sun was yet to rise and the Inflatable Island was still close; so much for an early bird. We opted to eat our breakfast while waiting for the opening. I noticed that Awy’s having a hard time eating alone and so I finished fast because Cove was such a responsible older brother. He kept on saying that Awy’s of age and that she can properly use utensils, but I just rolled my eyes at him and fed Awy myself.

“Let her be, Kirsh. She’s 7 years old. She can do just fine by herself. Even my mom just let her do things on her own. It’s just you and dad who kept on babysitting her,” lectured Cove. Awy stuck her tongue out to Cove and Cove did exactly the same thing. How mature. He even make face at her till Awy’s lips were twitching; at the verge of crying. And so I hurriedly carried the child.

“You’re such a bully,” I pinched him on his side which he just laughed at, “Shush, don’t cry baby. We’ll get our revenge on him,” I console her as I wiped her tears.

“Bad,” and she pointed at Cove and this guy even stuck his tongue out, again, and so Awy cried harder.

“Cove!” I warned him before punching him in the head. I glared at him and so he forcefully stops, but he kept on murmuring things which I just ignored. I kept on walking with Awy in my arms.

Moments later the Island opened and they gave two wristband tickets, one for the inflatable access and one for the sunflower lounge. Awy excitedly ran on the sand and she was shouting for us to walk faster because she wants to swim already. All of us laughed at what she said. While we’re walking Cove gets the bag I’m holding. I told him that it’s fine since it’s not heavy at all, but he insisted and kept on pulling it so I just let him be. But moments later after he got the bag, I felt his hand touching my hand. I surprisingly looked at him, but he just smiled at me as held my hand.

I tried to pull my hands from his grip because our parents might see us but he won’t let go.

“Cove, let go. Our parents are just in front of us,” I hissed but he pretended not to hear it and continue smiling… and then he stopped in his tracks.

“Let them, Kirsh. I’ve been wanting to do this so just let me. Please,” he said looking intently at my eyes and I got tongue-tied. I got lost in those orbs. He took that as a yes and I guess… I want this too. I was looking at the sea while biting the insides of my cheeks trying my best not to squeal because of this foreign feeling he’s giving me. It’s just that my hand fits perfectly in his, and I felt him caressing my hand with his thumb. I stole a quick glance at him, and I saw him smiling but his glance was quickly directed at me. His smile was saying it all and so I smiled. He totally won.

After all the orientation and ensuring our safeness, Awy and I were about to run towards the sea when our parents called us for picture taking. The whole picture taking Awy was frowning and Cove started his teasing spree. After the whole picture thing Awy hurriedly ran towards me.

“Let’s go!” she excitedly said while jumping up and down. As we dive into the sea I carried Awy because the entrance to the inflatable was still far. Cove was behind us, supporting me. We were both holding Awy’s hand upon entering the inflatable and together, we, ran at the entrance. We all end up laughing because we haven’t taken more than 10 steps when we all slipped.

“Let’s go there,” and Awy pointed at the unicorn trampoline with people jumping. I looked at Cove asking whether for his permission and he just nods. We just can’t burst her bubbles and so we ran towards it. She joyously jumped like her feet have springs on them. Cove and I joined her and this prankster pushed resulting in me falling… bouncing up and down. That earned a laugh from Awy and so Cove pushed her too which she just laughed in return. I stood up and tried pushing Cove but he kept on dodging it and so I chased him while jumping.

Moments later Tita took Awy from us so that we could enjoy the other obstacles. Mommy and daddy were just on the shore since her tummy’s quite big already. We tried the giant tarzan swing, then the two ginormous slides. The first slide was long and very stiff there was a whistling sound once you slide down, and such gravitational pull that you can feel your soul separating from you. The second one was shorter but was 10 meters high; you’ll be thrown into the air and seconds later you’ll be dump in the sea. There was also this thing similar to a hamster wheel we tried that too, but all I did was to shout every time we attempt to take a step in order for that thing to move. We then tried the human launcher and it was so lit! One moment you’re lying down then later you’ll be up in the air—floating for a sec—then into the sea you go. It was so much fun though I pity the guy who’s jumping to the human launcher, he’s petite and he was going back and forth just to jump.

Cove and I had a race, the first one to finish all the obstacles available in the inflatable. And us being the competitive people we are, nobody wants to lose. Whenever one of us slipped or fall into the sea we just laughed instead of helping them; there were these things where you can grab on. In the end, Cove won the race. No matter how many times he slipped he was still able to win, screw his stamina.

“Kirsh, let’s try that,” he pointed at the triangular but with planar top inflatable and looks like a wall climbing. It also has holes that serve as its jumping point. I followed him and I thought it was easy to climb that thing but I was wrong. It was hard! I was aiming to climb the highest point, but since the stairs were placed at the sides I can’t make it; I was like being pulled downwards. And so I settled myself on the second circle, the one below the top. Cove was able to reach the planar top resulting in him being above me.

“Hey, let’s jump at the same time!” he shouted.Has he gone mad? If we’ll jump at the same time we’ll probably end up colliding once we fall into the sea.

“No! You might end up breaking my bones!” I shouted back. I heard him laughed, looks like he didn’t think of that probability. Since I’m still overwhelmed by the heights, I let Cove jumped first. He shouted when he jumped and even did a rock and roll sign when he resurfaced from the water.

“Jump already! It’s fun, I promise,” encouraging he said. I badly want to jump but I’m afraid like the sea will swallow me whole. But then I looked at Cove, he has this reassuring smile. That put me at ease. And so I breathed deeply, and then I counted one to three before shouting while jumping. When I resurfaced from the water Cove was smiling at me already. He put my hair in place and he held my face.

“Told you it was fun,” he whispered. I smiled back at him and he then pulled me saying we still have one last thing to try,

“No,” I replied like it was my instinct after seeing the 20 feet jump off. It was together with the two ginormous slides.

A girl jumped off from that thing and my eyes followed her till she falls into the water. I got goosebumps watching her jump from 20 feet high.

“C’mon it’ll be fun. We’ll not drown since we have a life vest,” he said trying to persuade me.

A little part of me wants to try it because honestly, it looks so cool and thrilling. But fear’s taking the best out of me. Maybe a little more persuading from Cove and then I’ll give in.

“You jump, Cove. I’ll watch you from here,” I half-heartedly said. I was expecting him to persuade me more but he just said okay and went on. I frowned at how he acted. Tss. I’m just playing hard to get. And because I was jealous and I just can’t let the opportunity bypass me, I swam to the rectangular platform which you can climb on to reach the orange cone-shaped with humps to serve like stairs and a rope to grab on. It was slippery, good thing I was wearing leggings so it was easier for me to climb, after that there was one more thing you need to climb; it was white this time. This one doesn’t have any humps; it’s straight with a rope to help you climb up. It was kind of scary for the reason that it was stiff and once you accidentally slip, and you’re not holding tightly on the rope you’ll end up falling on the orange part.

As I reached the top Cove eyes were on me already like he was expecting me. I rolled my eyes at him still pissed for leaving me behind.

“I thought you don’t want to try this,” he teased. I ignored his remark and just went on the guy who’s assisting since you still need to get down before arriving at the jump-off point, and there was a big hole so one wrong step and you’ll fall directly into the sea.

“Oh too chicken to jump now, eh?” Stupid Cove and his blabbering mouth. I might as well reject him.

“Ma’am, avoid looking down since it’ll really frighten you. Just look straight when you jump,” said the lifeguard guy.

I did exactly what he said and just then have I noticed the beautiful view we have. The whole beach and inflatable can be seen here. I was in awe of the mountain behind the inflatable; it was beautifully and perfectly formed. It was like a painting but a real one. Nature soothes my soul, with trees and small mountains on the upper left side, the shore having brown-greyish sand, the bean bags, and the sunflower lounge, and the calmness of the sea and its sound that’s like music to your ear.

I wasn’t able to appreciate this earlier for I was too occupied by Awy and was too excited to swim, forgetting to adore the whole place. But of course, there will always be a person who’ll ruin this kind of moment.

“What now, Kirsh you’ll just stand there? Stop this moment time already.” This guy sucks at timing. I gathered all the courage I’ve got and with deep breaths, I jumped. The moment I jumped there was a force pulling me down, the same feeling I had with the stiff slide. And when I landed in the sea, so is the water into my nose. When I resurface from the water I was coughing badly. I even saw Cove laughing from above while watching me suffers.

We ended up jumping twice since we really enjoyed it. We were about to do our third one but then our parents called us saying we need to go already. The sun’s about to set and they don’t want to be stuck in traffic.

While we were inside the van, Cove suddenly put his head on my shoulder. My eyes widened as an instinct I pushed him but then he just did the same thing.

“Cove, stop it,” I hissed. But he even adjusted his head on my shoulder.

“Please just let me. I’m beaten,” he said softly and that touch my heart since I can sense his tiredness from the sound of his voice.

He was so full of energy the whole day; he was like a child having so much fun playing.

I just let him be and I even caressed his head. I felt him hugged him me; I was startled by what he did. He sure knows his move, but I smiled at the gesture. Fudge, I’m like a high school girl getting all flustered with just a hug.

As I raised my head, I didn’t expect to meet my mother’s gaze on the rear mirror. My lips parted but then I noticed her smiling and so I eased up. Looks like mom has an idea of what’s going on.