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Fear, you can never say that you love someone wholeheartedly when you know you still fear what tomorrow holds. Unless, you love someone a little too much that you start to grow afraid of losing them. Fear of losing someone, the fear of living in a future where they are left as memories. Nothing but delineated memories.
Love, I never expected that in this world where I choose to play things on the safer side... I'll fall for someone who's unexpected, in the most uncertain time. In the time where I'm left unsure of how I want my life to go. Yet if I'm ever sure of something, it's the love I have for him.
Risk, it's something you'd have to try once you fall in love. I'd risk everything just to get the love I longed for. I'd risk all of me, I'd give everything to that person even if I barely have anything. With the strength that he showed me, I suddenly felt the urge to risk with him.
To learn, I have learned a lot from all of this. Ever since the situation grew more complicated, each day taught me something valuable that I'll continue to carry my entire life. With him, I learned to face my fears, to develop my own strength, he taught me to love with all my heart once I'm sure. He taught me how to see life in a better angle.
No matter how hard I try to deny it to myself, it's evident that I'm in too deep. Fell deeper... than how I wanted to. The warmth that his loving gives, makes me want to risk and scorn my fears... my doubts, to choose love all over again. I liked him and now, I'm starting to fall in love with him.
After he said all of those, Korics slowly puts me down. The smile on my face never faded, my heart was swelling with so much joy. I covered my face with both of my hands as I sat on the ground, trying to function despite the excessive warm fuzzies.
"You..." He raised his eyebrows along with a smirk forming on his face. "I... love you."
"What?" He started laughing, I realized that I bluntly said those three words so I started cursing myself in my head. "Can you please say that again?"
"Say what? I didn't say anything..." I avoided. "Let's just go over there." I pointed out to the spot where Amee and Gaeb are. "Everyone's there, let's go."
"If you say so..." He eventually followed me after that, when it was finally time for us to go, we all decided to go swimming on the beach in front of the hotel. I stopped by at the room to drop my bag, I don't want any of my valuables falling into the water, again...
Warm skies, calm seas and a beautiful view of endless coconut trees right in front of us. As expected, there are a lot of tourists here at the beach, some are sunbathing, children are swimming, a group of teenagers scattered around the vicinity taking photos.
I stopped, they're all busy taking photos but since I dropped my phone in the kiddie pool and it stopped working... as much as I want to take a lot of photos, I don't have a working phone. It literally won't turn on, which bugs me.
It's almost sunset, I sat on the shore just close enough for the water to reach my toes. I wanted to wait for the sunset before I dive right into swimming, Vrylle ran ahead and sat beside me. She rested her head on my shoulder.
"Care to tell me what's going on between you and Kor?" She teased. "You didn't tell me about it, you never keep secrets from me.."
"I'll only tell you... if you also tell me about what's going on between you and Gaeb's brother. What's his name again? Vern.." I said, she immediately shifted. "Hmm?"
"Nycho, we're okay? I don't know much about him..." She started. "But, I want to know more. Ever had a feeling that you're suddenly drawn and interested on a stranger you just met earlier?"
"No, but for sure that's what you're feeling right now. Am I right?" I asked. She nodded. "So, how is he?"
"Mysterious. Just like Gaeb, I feel as if he has a lot to hide. I don't know him yet, that's why I'm investing my time to get to know him." She says. "I want to get to know him more, out of curiosity I guess."
"Just be careful." That's all I said before we approached everyone else, as the sunset's coming. We sat on the sand, waiting for it. Korics sat beside me, the sun slowly setting.
Every sunset reminds me on how beautiful life could be if you end your day knowing you've done something for yourself. Today, I did something for myself that I never expected I'd bear the thought. I opened my heart, and opened a door for me to accept changes and for me to risk for love.
I smiled as it ended, it's getting dark now so I ran to test the waters. It's lukewarm, I started swimming alone just to enjoy the luxury of paradise. After the stressful days of preparing for the Sapient University annual fundraiser event, we truly deserve this weeklong vacation. All thanks to Venylie's mom for arranging this for us.
We met a lot of people along the way, and some stayed more than how we expected. Just like Gaeb, no matter how distant and cold he used to be, now he's opening a bigger door for us to get to know him. Kyve, who taught us many things about Siargao for our journey and Nycho, whom we just met earlier but is now slowly trying to know us more.
"Are you hungry?" Korics asks while he's on his way towards me, I shook my head to say no. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, I just wanted to be alone for a while that's why I distanced myself a bit." He went in closer to look at my face a little clearer. "I'm just using the opportunity to relax because after this we'll have a lot of schoolworks."
"Don't stress yourself too much, let's just enjoy this vacation." He tapped my shoulder. "Upset about your phone?"
"A little." I said, he nodded before laughing hysterically. I look at him with a frown on my face so he shuts up. "Just stop teasing."
After swimming, we all headed back to our rooms to prepare for dinner. The hotel continuously serves us special meals for some reason, well... it all started when Gaeb arrived and then Nycho.
"Hey Sav! What happened earlier? When we were rock climbing!" Amee along with exaggeration in her voice. "You guys were so cute, gosh my heart!"
"Gosh Amee, I just slipped and then he caught me. Nothing much." I reasoned. "How about you and Gaeb?"
"We're good." She smirks and then looks at Vrylle. "So Gaia, how are you and Nycho?"
"We don't know each other. You guys should stop teasing me about him, I'm not interested when it comes to love. I just want to know him a little more, it's just curiosity." She says. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"Aren't you going to ask about me and Kyve?" Theia laughed, we all did too. "Just kidding, nothing serious. How about you Ven?"
"I'm the only one who doesn't have a partner and I don't freaking care okay?" We all laughed as she rolls her eyes. "Okay, let's just change quickly and then go to the shore."
"Shore?"
"Nycho told me he'd put up a set near the shore, a table setup so we could have dinner there." Venylie says, we all got excited. "He says it's his way of saying thank you for letting him hang with us."
"Wow, these Flores brothers are very thoughtful." Theia says while fixing her hair in front of the huge mirror in the room. "Is Nycho older than Gaeb, Vry?"
"Why are you asking me?" Vrylle says while searching her bag to look for her earrings.
"Because you guys look like you're getting along." We all giggled while teasing Vry. "So, is he?"
"Yes, he's three years older than Gaeb. Meaning he's also three years older from us." She says. "He told me very few details about himself, just like how Gaeb was with us before."
"They really are brothers." Amee says. We all nodded to agree. After chatting in the room, we all stood up to have dinner near the shore.
When we got there, there's a beautiful table setup with various dishes and majority of it are seafoods. Although they ordered grilled pork for me since I don't usually eat seafoods because of certain allergies.
The setup looks like there's a lot of effort on making it, the decorations look very fancy and expensive. What do I expect? A Flores made this, they're always too extra when it comes to setups.
I sat in the middle part of the long table, beside me is Korics and on the left side is Vrylle. We all started digging into the food since we got very hungry because of the activities for today.
"Guys, let's go surfing tomorrow?" Nycho asked, we all agreed. "Great, I'll take care of the fees no worries. I'll have it all taken care of. Right Kyve?"
"Yeah, I'll drive us there of course." Kyve puts his thumb up. "Let's surf at Cloud 9, the most famous waves and best place for you to learn how to surf."
"I'm excited, I never tried surfing before so tomorrow's my first time." Vrylle says, Nycho then responds.
"Then I'll guide you." He smiled at her, we looked at them silently. "I know how to surf, I'm good at it too."
"Yo dude. Stop being boastful, Vern." Gaeb suddenly says, we all laughed. "He's not that good. He's like, average."
"Oh come on Angelo, don't ruin my mood here." He lets out a laugh. "Let's just enjoy the food everyone, so we could all rest."
We had dinner, and we did enjoy. These Flores brothers are very much thoughtful and kind even if they don't show it. I could sense that they aren't as close as how Gaeb and Gav are. There seems to be a wall between them.
"Do you need help with that?" Korics asks as he notice how I'm having trouble cutting a huge chunk of meat. I shook my head because I wanted to slice it myself. "Seriously, I could help. Don't force it, you might get hurt."
I handed him my plate so he can slice it for me, I smiled at him before saying thanks. I thought we were all done with dinner when suddenly Nycho raised his hand to order alcohol.
"You guys drink?" He asks. We nodded, especially Theia and Vrylle. Theyy the ones who drink a lot. "Nice, let's drink."
I don't drink that much because It's not really my thing, but because Nycho offered and I'm shy to say no and turn it down. I drank a few shots.
A few shots... but what happened? It was not a few shots at all, I drank more than how I expected I could. It was so chaotic, the others aren't drunk yet but I'm starting to feel dizzy and see double, maybe even triple.
"Is it just me or you have three heads..." I bluntly says while pointing at Korics. He held my wrist to stop me. "What? I'm sleepy..."
"You're drunk." He says, Korics suddenly stands up. "Go to your room, the girls are still drinking but you can't. You gotta stop, that's too much alcohol for you to consume."
"No. I'm alright." I hesitated. "I can still sit here and just look at you guys."
"We're alright Rox, go sleep." Vry says while putting another shot into her glass. She just won't stop, Theia too. "You're head's going to hurt badly tomorrow."
Everyone kept telling me to sleep so I had no other choice to just go with Korics since he won't stop warning me. I stood up, and as we were walking to the room I've been walking very stiffly.
I can't see clearly anymore and my head was hurting, when we arrived at the room he assists me so I could sit on the bed. He then checked to see if I was okay alone.
"I'm fine... just go have fun with the others." I said when I bellyflopped on the bed. "I'm alright, just go."
"Okay, goodnight." He says. Then he looked down on his watch. "Oh, it's not even night anymore."
"Good mornight, Korics." I said, laughing a bit. "Now go, have fun. I'll be sleeping here."
"Good mornight, love."
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