Kai’s POV

“Now it’s just you Xy.” I said and smirks at her and so she does.

“Oh yeah… try to tug me if you can.” Lumangoy na ako palapit sa kanya pero lumangoy siya palayo sakin. I keep tugging her but she’s so fast. Everyone was cheering for her. Pumaitaas ako sandali para kumuha ng hangin at bumalik din pagkatapos. I saw her at the bottom of the pool. She’s standing there and just… standing. Why she isn’t moving? Parang tulala lang siya at nakatingin sa kung saan. Magpapahuli na ba siya? Medyo mataas ‘tong pool. This was 6 feet and she was just 5’ 4’’, I guess. Malapit na ako sa kanya when I saw her close her eyes and let out some air.

Sh*t! What she’s doing? Trip niya bang matulog sa ilalim ng tubig? Nagmadali akong lapitan siya at hinawakan ko siya agad. Nakapikit parin siya. I slapped her face slightly at niyugyog ko narin pero nakapikit parin siya. Bigla nalang siyang naglabas ng marami pang hangin. The F?! She loss consciousness. What happened to her? Parang ang ayos niya lang kanina ah? Niyakap ko na siya at binitbit pataas. Ang hirap pa namang lumangoy pag may mabigat kang dala. But for you Xy, I would offer my life for you. F***! Ang tagal bago ko marating yung taas at agad akong lumanghap ng maraming hangin.

“You tug her?” Tanong nila agad pagkaahon ko. Does it look like I tug her? Eh wala ngang malay ‘to!

“Help me! She drowned!” I yelled at agad tumalon yung iba at inalalayang ihiga ang walang malay niyang katawan sa gilid ng pool. Buti naman at gising si Lay.

“What happened?” Tinulungan akong umahon ni Kris.

“Ewan! Di ko alam. She was just standing at the bottom and let out some air.” Paliwanag ko. Nakapaikot lang kami sa kanya.

“What do we need to do?”

“Is she alive?” Hinawakan ni Lay yung pulso niya at tumango.

“I think we need to do the first aid.” Lay said. Nagkatinginan kaming lahat. Mouth to mouth resuscitation you say?

“I’ll do it!” Sabay-sabay naming sabi. Nagsukatan pa kami ng tingin.

“I’m the doctor here so I’ll do it before it’s too late. No malice.” He said. Labag sa kalooban ko sa totoo lang. It’s like he’s kissing her right? Paano kung first kiss ng prinsesa yon? Aish! Bakit ba hindi nalang ako nagdoctor?! Lay suddenly put his hands together and pump her chest. He holds her nose and mouth and do the mouth to mouth resuscitation. Lintek na M2MR na yan! Sino bang nag-imbento niyan at hindi ginawang nose to nose nalang?!

[A/N: I don’t know if I would laugh because of Kai or I would hit his head. How would it be if it was in the nose? Tsk! Really?! Stupid Kai!]

He do it for two times until the princess cough with water. Inilabas niya na yata lahat ng tubig na nainom niya pati yung mineral na ininom niya sa baba. She suddenly holds her chest and cough hard. Bigla nalang siyang napaupo and gasps for some air.

“Thank God she’s alive.”Everyone murmured. Tiningnan namin siyang lahat at yung pag-ubo niya ay nauwi sa pag-iyak.

“Hey. Hey. Why you’re crying?” Tanong sa kanya ni Luhan. She looked at us as she bit the back of her palm. Tuloy-tuloy lang sa pag-agos ang mga luha niya habang umiiling. We all hug her. If she can’t tell it to us… we do understand. Baka may naalala lang siyang masakit na nangyari sa nakaraan niya. We helped her go to her room and Bel helps her until she fall asleep. Nasa labas lang kami ng kwarto niya’t naghihintay ng biglang lumabas si Bel.

“How was she?” Tanong namin agad.

“Pagpahingahin nalang muna natin. Baka natakot lang yon.” She said and walk away pero sumunod lang kami sa kanya hanggang bumaba siya’t pumunta sa sala. We all sat on the sofa. I know Bel know something about what Xy can’t tell us.

“Spill it out Bel.” I said and she sighed.

“Okay, but don’t tell her about this okay?” We all nod.

“It happens when she’s 7 years old and we still don’t know each other back then. Her cousin just told me this story.” Nakikinig lang kami sa sasabihin niya.

“It’s their family reunion and they’re having a beach outing. At that time, Xyla doesn’t know how to swim kaya naman nung lumangoy sila, may salbabida pa siya. It was just her and her cousin who was close to each other and their father’s cousin’s sons and daughters was so envy to both of them because they were quiet popular to all their parents and they both received the praise given by everyone.”

“So, when their second cousins decided to swim, niyaya nila si Xyla pero wala noon ang pinsan niya kaya naman para maging close siya sa iba ay sumama siya pero may bitbit siyang salbabida samantalang yung iba ay wala. Naglaro daw sila sa dagat ng kung anu-ano hanggang nagsuggest yung isa na maglaro sila ng ‘Unlock yourself’” Unlock yourself? Anong klaseng laro yun? Parang ngayon ko lang narinig.

“They all tied their one foot to one another. The rule is, unlock yourself from being tied and swim away or you’ll be out. At first they enjoy it, dahil kahit na nakatali ang mga paa nila sa iisang lubid ay tinutulungan nila si Xyla na makalayo sa taya pero that was all set. The plan was… swim away with Xyla and left her alone in the deep part of the sea. Iniwan nila ang kawawang si Xyla sa gitna ng tubig at bumalik ng wala siya. She was so scared that time when her cousin told me the story.” Anong klaseng mga pinsan yon?

“She tried to loosen the tie on her foot pero biglang naalis yung salbabida niya kaya nabalot siya ng takot at sinubukang lumangoy but she can’t. We all know that when you’re covered with fears in the water, walang mangyayari at lulubog ka lang. That happened to her and the worst… yung tali sa paa niya, sumabit dun sa mga coral reefs kaya mas humigpit yung pagkakatali sa paa niya. Di ko na alam yung buong pangyayari basta sabi nung pinsan niya, nakuha nalang daw nila siya ng walang malay and they were all thanks that she’s still alive.” Nakaramdam ako ng galit at pagkaawa. Ilang mga pangyayari pa ba ang pinagdaanan ng prinsesa ko noong bata siya? Noong una, nakidnapped at muntik marape. Ngayon naman, nalunod. Ano pa ba? Namatayan pa siya ng lola. Tsk! Bakit naman lahat ng nangyayari sa kanya noong bata siya, nangyayari ulit sa kanya ngayon? Tsk! Puro hinanakit at kalungkutan nalang ang nararanasan niya.

“And one more thing, don’t pull her foot when she’s in the water.”

“Bakit?”

“Natatakot siya at mas naaalala niya lang yung nangyari sa kanya.” Napatingin lahat sakin maliban kay Belinda. Napakamot nalang ako ng ulo. Kaya pala galit na galit siya nung hinila ko yung paa niya. Ang sakit nga nung sipa niya sa mukha ko eh. Hindi ko naman alam na may trauma pala ang prinsesa ko.