Chapter 13: The Swimming Dead

Arya's POV

Believe it or not, mabilis nakamove on ang mga kasama ko sa aksidente. Napagdesisiyonan nina Lynch at kuya Nero na hindi na lamang sabihin sa mga magulang nila ang nangyari at pinauwi na lamang ang mga kaibigan nila. However, Marky and I stayed in their mansion and will be joining them at Hannah's Beach Resort.

Nagising ako sa tunog na parang ritual na nagyayaya ng bagyo. Pero seryoso, may kumakanta ng out of tune at napakalas na Chandelier. Kahit na medyo sound proof ang kuarto dito at nasa dulo pa ako ng bahay, dinig na dinig ko ang nakakairitang tunog. Hindi ko na kaya kaya lumabas ako sa kuarto na hawak hawak ang tsinelas ko.

"I'M GONNA SWIIING FROM THE CHAND-"

"LETSE! TUMIGIL KA KUNG AYAW MONG PASUBSUBAN KITA NG TSINELAS KO!" Ibinanta ko na ang tsinelas ko sa isang Marky na sumasayaw sa kusina. Bakit ba hindi pinatigil nina Lynch itong letseng neto?

Oh, that's when I remembered. Pumunta pala sina Lynch sa bus station para sunduin ang parents at lola nila. Bukas kasi kami pupunta sa lugar na Hannah's Beach Resort na nasa Pagudpud.

Saktong ititira ko na sana ang tsinelas ko nang narinig ko ang tunog ng koste na pinatay ang engine. Shit! Nandito na sila. I stayed still, anticipating the rest of his family's arrival.

"Arya? Marky?" Narinig namin ang boses ni Lynch kaya sumagot ako na nandoon kami. Behind him stood a woman, about my height, who was sporting a short hair and she looked like the feminine version of Lynch, she looked really pretty. There was also a man beside her, who I am assuming is his father. He, too, looked like Lynch except for the hairstyle and mustache.

"Hi po, ako si Arya Ramirez." Nagwave ako sa kanila habang si Marky na paepal ay pumunta at pinaghahalik ang pisngi ni tita at nakishake hands kay tito, "Tita, namiss kita. Ang ganda mo ngayon. Tito, kamusta? Gwapo natin ah?"

The scene was really hilarious. I managed a small chuckle as Lynch rolled his eyes, coming over to my side. "Mahimbing ba tulog mo?"

"Mahimbing ang tulog pero nasira nang pagkagising ko..." Sumimangot naman ako dahil sa sakit ng ulo na ibinigay ni Marky sa akin.

Ngumisi naman siya, "Dahil wala ako?" Na dahilan kung bakit ko siya pinalo sa ulo, "Loko! Dahil yung boyfriend mo nayayaya ng bagyo." Itinuro ko si Marky na hanggang ngayon ay nakikisyoso sa mga magulang ni Lynch.

"Psh, namiss mo lang talaga ako." Sabi niya habang pinisil ang mga pisngi ko. Bigla naman kaming tumigil nang umubo ng malakas ang isang matandang babae. Nagblush ako, well, kaming dalawa, dahil hindi namin alam na pinapanood pala kami nilang lahat, except kay Kuya Nero dahil wala siya dito. "Magandang dalaga ang napili ni Lynch, ikaw na ba ang mapapangasawa ng apo ko?" Tumawa naman silang lahat.

"Meemo! Hindi ko siya girlfriend!"

"Naku! Hindi ko po siya boyfriend!" Sabay naming sinabi ni Lynch, naikinatawa na naman nilang lahat. Si Marky nga ay muntik nang mamatay sa kakatawa.

"Magandang umaga nga po pala, lola. Ako si Arya Ramirez." Nagmano ako sa kanya nang matapos na silang lahat ipahiya kami ni Lynch. Hinila niya ako papalayo,  "Nonsense! Call me Meemo, magiging grandmother-in-law mo rin ako sa kalaunan." Damn these cheeks! Uminit na naman ang mga pisngi ko, buti na lamang ay inialis niya ako mula sa kanila at pagkatapos niyang makita ang reaksyon ko, iniwan niya ako sa malawak na sala.

"Cute pajamas." Narinig ko ang boses ni Kuya Nero kaya lumingon ako sa kinatatayuan niya. Oo nga pala! Nakalimutan ko na hindi ako nagbihis kanina bago ako bumaba. For the third time today, I blushed in embarrasment. "Sorry, hindi kasi ako nakabihis kanina bago ako inistorbo ni Marky."

"That's okay, I think you look cute." Wait, what? Is this guy hitting on me? "A-ano?"

"Sabi ko, ang cute mo. Cute, talented, and smart. Just my type." He winked at me before going upstairs. What the fuck just happened?

All day, hindi ako bumaba dahil ayaw kong makita si Kuya Nero. Lynch, however, must've noticed my absence.

I was in the middle of watching Gravity Falls Season 2 nang may narinig akong katok sa pintuan, "Bukas ang pinto!"

"Are you alright?" Isiningit niya ang kanyang ulo sa pinto bago niya sinipa ito ng magaan at pumasok na hawak hawak ang isang tray ng pagkain. "Hindi ka kasi naglumch kaya nagalala ako." Lumapit siya sa kama at umupo dito.

"Lynch, you didn't have to do this."

"I know. But I wanted to." He gave me a cheeky grin which looked cute on him. "Why do you have to be so adorable?" I couldn't stop myself from saying that. I really wish I didn't say that because he was now smirking at me.

"I'm irresistible, baby doll."

I rolled my eyes, "And now your head just grew up. And don't call me baby doll, it makes you look like one of those fuckboys."

"It was just a joke. Calm your self, woman!" He laughed at me, teasing me without uttering a word.

"So...Do you plan on leaving the room soon?"

"I don't want to, I just want to hang out today. Besides, you're watching Gravity Falls, I'd say that that's pretty inviting." I didn't answer his question because I leaned into my laptop to play the movie.

Hihiga na sana ako nang hinila paupo, "What are you doing? Kumain ka muna." Kinuha niya ang kutsara at nilagyan ito ng kanin at putahe tapos itinapat sa aking bibig, "I can feed myself, Lynch." I groaned, slightly annoyed that he was treating me like a baby.

"I know. As I said earlier, I just wanted to." Lynch Garder Hidalgo, you are killing me softly.

Marky's POV

I really needed to see Arya because I heard something very interesting. But, I was busy exploring the place after lunch so I didn't immediately went out, looking for her,

Bumalik ako sa mansion nagmula sa Makina, isang lugar kung saan nila binabayo ang mga palay para ilagay sa sako at ibenta. Alas tres na ng nakabalik ako dahil ipinasyal ako nang mga taong nakakaalala pa sa akin, and of course, pumunta ako kina Tita Claring para humingi ng mga pagkain na linuluto niya, food for the gods kase eh, kaya hindi ko napigilan sarili ko.

Anyway, dumeretso ako sa kuarto niya at kumatok pero walang sumagot sa akin. Kumatok muli ako nang marinig ko ang mga hilik niya. Wait! Dalawang hilik ang narinig ko. Binuksan ko ang pinto nang mahinhin para hindi ako marinig, and BOOM! Something was playing on the laptop, a tray of dishes was on the floor, and there on the bed was Arya, sleeping soundly in Lynch's arms.

Shit! Ang cute nilang dalawa. Ito na nga ba ang bago kong OTP?

What's even cuter was that they were hugging and that Lynch's head was on top of Arya's. Ehmeghed! Nakekeleg si akesh! I couldn't resist taking a picture.

"Ano yan?" Nabigla ako sa boses sa likod ko na naging dahilan kung bakit nahulig yung cellphone ko. "Wala po." Tanong ko kay Kuya Nero na dahan dahang pumunta sa gilid ko.

Hindi na ako nagulat sa ginawa niya, he growled in anger. Yung parang aso talaga. "Stupid boy!" And after that, he stormed off. To be honest, I heard what he said. That was why I was about to tell Arya something I heard from Nero.

I didn't want their day to be ruined so I left and just packed my clothes for tomorrow.

When I woke up, everyone was rushing in and out of bathroom. Shoot! Nakalimutan ko ang lakad namin.

In less than half an hour of rushing and running all over the mansion, all of us were finally dressed and seated in the car, well we took two cars. "Marky, dun ka sa harap." Sabi ni Lynch sa akin nang nakita niyang si Nero ang magmamaneho. Honestly, I didn't like being ordered much but for the sake of my OTP, pumunta ako sa harap. "I want Arya in front."

"No!" Growled Lynch. Seriously, these two have got to stop growling like rabid dogs.

"Lynch..."

"Nero..."

And because I consider Lynch a friend more than Nero, I just quietly sat in front. All throughout the ride, you could literally feel the tension. All the way down to the beach resort. I had to be the one to break their fights, though Lynch stops when Arya tells him to behave.

Still, even though my three companions had frowns etched on their faces, nagawa kong ngumiti nang malawak pagdating namin. Tumingin ako sa likod ko at nakita na nandito na rin sina Tita Lina at Tito Danilo. We went to the reception area and got our keys to our own rooms, sponsored lahat ng parents nina Lynch.

"Yas!", sigaw ko nang tumalon ako sa kama at yinakap ang mga unan at bedsheets. Oo, ganon ako ka weird. Deal with it.

"Baka mabuntis yung unan, layuan mo nga." Outside my room were my two sidekicks, Arya and Lynch. "What do you want?"

"Nagyaya kasi si Arya na pumunta tayo sa beach. Bumili pa kami nang maraming pagkain...Sayang naman kapag hindi ka sasama."

"You had me at food, bruh."

Minutes later, napalakadlakad kami sa lugar. Ang ganda nang tubig, may variation pa nang kulay. Nakasaksi din kami nang nagzizipline at sumasakay nang banana boat, mukhang nageenjoy na gustong umiyak, hindi ko alam, basta nakakatawa yung mga expressions nila.

Napatingin-tingin ako sa gilid ko nang may puwersang bumangga sa akin at hindi ko inexpect kaya natumba ako. "Aray!" Sigaw ko habang minasahe ang masakit na puwet ko na ngayon.

"Sorry." Napatingin ako sa mala-anghel na boses. Her features made her look very innocent. Nabigla ako kaya hindi ako sumagot at kinuha ang kamay na iniabot niya sa akin, "Thanks." Tiningnan ko siya nang maiigi, hindi yung tipong pangmabilisan dahil tinitigan ko siya nang matagal na matagal. At tinitigan niya rin ako.

"Sa tingin mo, may plano si Marky na damputin siya?"

"More like kainin."

"Sino ang unang bibigay?"

"Depende. Baka magkatuluyan sila." Nagtawanan naman sina Lynch at Arya kaya tumigil ako sa pagtitig sa babae.

"I'm Shelby, by the way." She offered her hand.

"Marky." I shook her hands and smiled apologetically. "See you around." She waved and run off to somewhere.

"Uy, luma lovelife kana." Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko, I shoved my hand in front of them and gave them my middle finger.

I sat alone on the sand while my two companions went swimming. To be honest, hindi ako marunong lumangoy kaya hindi ako sumama sa kanila. At tsaka, nakakathird wheel silang dalawa.

Minsan nga ay nacornyhan ako kanina sa mga pinagsasabi nila na muntik ko nang isinigaw na Just kiss already, but knowing Lynch, he's probably in denial kaya hinayaan ko na lamang sila.

Inubos ko ang banana cake na inireserve ni Arya para kay Lynch, he need not know, kahit na alam ko na kapag malalaman niya na kinain ko ay papatayin niya ako. Seriously, that guy's been addicted to banana cakes but hasn't even eaten a raw banana for years.

"Aaargh! Tulong!" Nabigla kaming tatlo, umahon pa silang dalawa at napunta sa tabi ko. Kahit walang umimik sa amin, tumakbo kami sa banda na nagmulan ng sigaw, na ngayon ay napapalibutan na nang tao.

Right there, sprawled on the sand, lay a girl in a waitress uniform. Yup, that's right. She is dead, D-E-A-D. Medyo napatigil ang aking paghinga. Ever since namatay si Marion, I just can't handle death and dead people that well. But even normal people can't handle death well. Well, except for Arya and Lynch but they're not exactly normal so hindi considered yan.

"Everyone, please step out of the way." Dinig na dinig ang authoritive voice ni Lynch na kahit ako ay napagilid. Hindi naman halata na ka-18th birthday lang niya dahil medyo mature ang pagmumukha niya, lalo na yung mga stubles sa panga niya.

Sumama ako sa kanila, "This isn't an accident. This is a murder."

"Strangled. There were signs of struggle. But she was submerged in water so maybe she died because of the water or someone choked her or both."

Sumama naman ako sa deduction nila, "Yeah, and judging by the waves and the time it arrived on land, medyo matagal na siyang patay at pinatay siya sa bandang doon," itinuro ko ang island sa east side namin, "and even her neck, hindi buo ang bakas nang kamay na nagstrangle sa kanya, therefore, the murderer was wearing atleast two rings, one on each side. Medyo maitim-itim din ang kaniyang mga pisngi so, she was also gagged."

Yung scrutinizing gaze na binugay sa akin ni Arya, parang tumubo ako nang dalawang ulo. Alam ko ang iniisip niya, she didn't expect me to look that hot while giving a deduction. I know that look too well.

"Yes, he can deduct. I never told you because I forgot that Marky is good at detective stuff too, but not as good as me." I rolled my eyes, as if naman na ganon kalayo ang agwat namin. I almost surpassed him. ALMOST.

"Asa."

"Enough, you two. Look at that, above her hand." Lumapit kami ni Lynch, "Kelp? belp? belb? Ano yan? Hindi ko maintindihan." Ang tanging letrang naintindihan ko ay E, medyo napugas na kasi nang alon ang iba.

"Looks like she didn't die immediately after she hit land."

"It says help." said Lynch.

"But why would she write help? That doesn't make sense." True, but then, she couldn't even scream because she was gagged.

"Why don't we go look for evidences first?" Lynch took some photos and afterwards, he pulled Arya's hand and walked away, wala naman akong nagawa kundi sumunod.

Pero syempre, isinuot ko muna ang shades ko dahil sa liwanag at lumakad papalayo.

I'm just too hot that even the sun is attracted to my particles.

A/N: Sobra talaga akong nageenjoy kapag si Marky ang gunagamit kong POV pero paminsan minsan ko lang siya ginagamit dahil sobrang 'hot' niya daw.😂😂😂

Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to Microwavableicecream  dahil birthday niya kahapon at siya ang inspiration ni Marky, lol😂😂😂. Savage kid kasi siya😂😂😂👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

Next week pa ang susunod na update dahil we are currently having our departmental test kaya busy kaming lahat...I'm ded😭😭😭

Okay, I hope you enjoyed this chapter...K. Goodbye, review na ako.

~Candy 🍭🍭🍭