-----HeyLa guys so it's taking me so long to update. And I'm so sorry. I was just wondering if there's still here reading my story. I know I fail you all again.  But hopefully, you still forgive me. You guys can find me on my FB. Just search Rheiza Salazar Calimlim.

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Syd's Pov

                As we walked towards the banana tree, which I suggested to get our food, I couldn't resist stealing glances at the guy walking beside me, noticing how his face flushed every time his stomach rumbled.

He caught me looking and smirked shyly. "My tummy is staging a full-on protest," he quipped, and I couldn't help but chuckle in amused agreement. It seemed like we were both hungry enough for our stomachs to start making their demands known. I'm glad di ako pinapahiya ng tiyan ko sa mga oras na ito. Oh dahil kaya lang talaga makiayon sa akin ng tiyan ko. I mean sino ba matutuwang kumain sa ganitong situation. 

bigla ulit ako napalingon kay Harry.

Oo nga pala sino pa nga ba syempre itong kasama ko. 

Out of nowhere, an uncomfortable hush settled in between us. Honestly, I still preferred sticking to small talk or avoiding too much conversation with him. 

I'm not used to it.

"Feeling all good now?" he questioned out of the blue, and I found myself swallowing unintentionally, feeling the tension rise again.

I nodded in response, not trusting my voice to convey the mix of emotions swirling within me. Despite my nod, I knew that things weren't entirely resolved between us, and the unease lingered like a shadow over our interaction.

"That's good," he replied with a quick gaze in my direction. I noticed the tension in his expression, mirroring the unease I felt inside.

I began to breathe deeply, feeling as though the air pressure in my lungs was trying to escape. Each exhale seemed to carry with it a sense of release, yet the weight of guilt still lingered between us, palpable in the air.

I glanced at him and then at the ground, feeling a pang of guilt wash over me. "A-and you? How's your head?" I asked, my voice carrying a hint of concern.

He gave his noggin a quick tap, and I could see a flicker of discomfort in his expression. Suddenly, the weight of my actions settled heavily on my shoulders. It was clear that my earlier actions had caused him some discomfort, and I regretted them deeply.

Di ko naman ginusto maging agresibo nung mga oras an yun. Nagtaon lang talaga na di ako sanay na may ibang male human being ang magkakaroon ng ganun closure  sa akin. Like hello lumaki nga akong alof.

"I'm fine," He said smiling simply.

"T-That's good," I said, battling the urge to shoot him a guilt-inducing glare. I never imagine na magkakaroon kami ng ganito ka casual na paguusap. Not that we're divulging extensive details about our personal lives, but at least now the nature of our conversations is devoid of any hint of animosity or irritation that had characterized our interactions before, To the point where I almost wanted to kick his ass out of our lives.

And for some weird reason, I felt a little bit comfortable. Knowing that we can have this little chit-chat without arguing mixes with annoyance

Wait what??? comfortable agad agad? seriously Sydney are you out of your mind? Stay cool and keep it casual.

Pasimple ko sinapok forehead ko dahil sa naiisip ko.

"So, How long have you been here?" Bigla ako natigagal. Caught off guard by his question, I hesitated whether to delve into more personal details. I had just told myself moments ago to stick to small talk, to avoid any potential discomfort or tension. Bigla lang ako napalingon ng mabilis sa kaniya.

"Ah, my bad... No worries, you don't have to answer my question," Bigla niyang sambit. Napansin kong bahagya din siyang napakamot.

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Harry's POV

"So, How long have you been here?" I asked. trying to break the silence. But then, suddenly I couldn't help but notice her hesitation, her struggle to respond. It was clear that my question had struck a nerve, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had overstepped a boundary or if she simply wasn't ready to open up.

Observing her silence, I realized that perhaps I hadn't made as much progress in earning her trust as I thought. It is possible that she still harbours doubts about confiding in me, hesitates to engage in deeper conversations, Or maybe she simply prefers to keep things light and casual, sticking to small talk as a way to maintain a comfortable distance. 

 Regardless of the reason behind her silence, I made a mental note to tread more carefully, respecting her boundaries and allowing her the space to open up at her own pace. Not that I'm planning to have a deeper connection with her. But at least try to be nice and casual with her. After all, it's all my fault why we're here. Doing this could save me and my lads to stay here, to buy more time to find our way home. To not give any chance to our killer to think of another plot twist to take our lives. 

 "Ah, my bad... No worries, you don't have to answer my question," I mumbled, the words escaping with cautious hesitation. A cloud of doubt lingered over my inquiry, and I couldn't help but feel a touch of embarrassment colouring my expression.With a gentle sigh, I scratched my neck nervously, a silent acknowledgement of my misstep. It was clear that I had overstepped a boundary, and I silently chided myself for not being more mindful of her comfort. Despite my best intentions, I had inadvertently made her uncomfortable, and I vowed to tread more carefully in our future interactions, ensuring that I respected her boundaries and allowed her the space she needed.

Silence stays between us.

As we reached the first banana tree and eagerly hopped into it, my excitement turned into frustration as I attempted to grab a bunch of ripe bananas. What I had anticipated to be an easy task quickly proved to be more challenging than expected.

The branches seemed to sway just out of reach, teasing me with their tantalizing fruit. Despite my efforts, I struggled to grasp the bananas securely, my fingers slipping on the smooth surface of the fruit.

With a sigh of exasperation, I realized that picking bananas was not as effortless as I had imagined. It was a humbling reminder that sometimes even the simplest tasks could present unexpected obstacles.

"I think we need to find something sharp to cut it on the stalk," she suggested, her practicality cutting through the frustration.

"Brilliant idea," I blurted out, grateful for her quick thinking. We both started scanning our surroundings, searching for anything that could serve as a sharp tool to help us collect the bananas.

Branches cracked underfoot as we scoured the area, our eyes scanning the ground for potential objects. After a few moments of searching, I spotted a fallen branch with a jagged edge, just what we needed.

"Over there," I called out, pointing to the branch. With renewed determination, we made our way towards it, eager to put our plan into action and finally collect the ripe bananas dangling just out of reach.

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Sister Carmen's PoV

    "Malapit na po tayo sa Isla." Biglang sambit  ng matandang katabi ni Manong Mandong na nakakita kina Sydney sa Bangka. At tama nga siya tanaw na namin ang Isla. 

   "Sigurado po ba na dito po napadpad mga bata Manong?" Tanong ko ng may halong pagaalala. Sa tansiya ko ay napakalawak ng karagatan at posibleng hindi dito mapadpad ang mga bata.

Pero wag naman sana. 

Isa ako sa mga buhay na katunayan kung gaano kabuti ang mga apo ni Senyora Adelaida. Sa tagal ng mga batang ito dito. Nakikita ko kung gaano sila kadetermindado na matapos ang kaparusahan na pinataw sa kanila. Nakakalungkot lang na wala silang mga sariling desisyon para sa mga sarili nila.

"Ipagdasal nalang po natin Sister na dito nga sila dinala ng malakas na alon." Sambit naman ni Manong Mandong. Hay Diyos ko po sana ay mahanap na namin sila.

"Oo nga ho, wag naman sanang sa ibang direksyon ng isla sila napadpad." Buong pusong panalangin ko. 

naramdaman nalang namin ang unti-unting pgsadsad ng bangkang gamit namin sa bungahin. Hudyat na kami ay nasa Isla na. Panginoon gabayan mo kami nawa at sana ay mahanap na namin ang mga bata.

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AUTHOR'S SHORT NOTE:

     ➡️ Guys alam ko medyo natatagalan kayo sa mga updates ko. Gusto ko sana makabasa ng mga motivational message mula sainyo. Naguumpisa na namn ako magbreak down. Please it will help me a lot. Thank you po sa mga nananatili. God bless po sainyo kahit para halos de kada na ito. 😭😭😭😭😭

you can all message me sa akin mga social media. To remind me about the update. Thank you again. ANY question ay open sa comment section. Sige bash niyo na toinx..