Chapter 7 Overturn

• Chantria
• On our second day, the three of us splashed around together in the water. At first, Carleigh refused to descend to the water, but she should be with us. We went here to enjoy, not to sulk. That was the reason why when we dragged her, escaping wouldn't have been possible. At the latter, she joined us swimming under the scorching heat of the sun.
• "What?" Chanel exclaimed. "Carleigh beat someone last night! What happened?" She was drying her hair while sitting under an umbrella after we paddled.
• "Yup! The guy might be dead by now. He must be thankful since I was able to stop her." I still shrugged as if nothing had happened. I was very annoyed yesterday, however, the man's words didn't affect me at all now. I know myself more than anyone— that I am not a gold digger.
• "Wait! Why? Did he hit you or something? Tell me everything.”
• I sat between Chanel and Carleigh before telling her the story. "That guy marched in my direction, fuming mad, and accused me of something I didn't even do. I don't even know who he is! And I guess, what triggered Carleigh was when he called me a gold digger.”
• "What! He did?" Chanel looked at Carleigh. “Good job, Leigh. That guy deserved it! No one should call you two inappropriate names. And gold digger? Really? You should have slapped him with your money.”
• "I don't have money, Chanel. Dad has. But well, I was too stunned at that time. He didn't even let me explain. He was too mad to listen to anyone."
• "What did he say? Is he drunk?”
• I drank from my glass of juice before answering. "He's not drunk. But he keeps on saying how I embarrassed him at the bar. When I told him that I didn't know what he was talking about and I didn't even go there, he accused me of lying. Hell, right?”
• When Chanel didn't answer or speak at all, I looked at her. Her lips parted and she bit her lower lip as if she realized something.
• "What?" asked.
• "I... ahm... I guess I owe you an apology." She bit her lower lip before she cried. "It's my fault. I'm so sorry!” She pressed her palms together while closing her eyes.
• That was when realization hit me. "You're the one who embarrassed him, didn't you!" My eyes almost widened from the realization. Why didn't I immediately think that was possible?
• She nodded with her palms still touching. I knew one day that this would happen. I knew I would be destroyed because of what she did. It was not too dangerous, I know, but it might happen again in the future. It was not far from happening and something worse might happen.
• “He f-cking called me a gold digger, Chanel! If it wasn't for Carleigh, only God knows what that man did to me. What if he is a bad person and intends to hurt me?"
• "I said I was sorry! Don't speak in Filipino too fast, please. I can't follow.”
• I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath. I need to be calm in this situation. But that doesn't mean I would let go of what she did.
• "Okay. Listen, Chanel. I know that you're still young. The three of us are. You want to do what you want no matter how reckless they are sometimes. But please, bear in mind that other people might get hurt because of it. Not just with me or with Carleigh, but with other people as well. Dad could get hurt too, especially when we go out there and introduce ourselves as his daughters.”
• While I was scolding her, she just bowed her head in front of me. Carleigh was the one who usually does this, but I think I should be the one to preach this time. Not to mention that I am also the first born.
• "I'm really sorry. It was an accident, really," she explained. "I accused him of being a pervert when he accidentally touched my butt. And when I confirmed that it was indeed an accident, I didn't want to embarrass myself, so I told my friends that he groped me. The bouncer kicked him out and people were already looking at him angrily. I can't blame him for that."
• I sighed. "Well, what's done is done. You apologized then I accepted your apology. The guy was at fault too since he was barking at the wrong tree—with an accusation without confirming it. But we can't blame it on the guy alone since he doesn't know that you have two twins"
• "Let it go." We both looked at Carleigh when she spoke. "Whether he knows or not about the two of us, he doesn't have the right to call anyone he just met inappropriate names. I don't feel sorry for what I did to him."
• I just shrugged. There was nothing we can do if that's how she really feels about what happened. I guess I just have to pray that we won't see that guy again. I don't want the problem to grow anymore.
• "Like what you said," continued by Leigh, "we need to enjoy this vacation. Forget about that guy. If he still messes with us after this, I'm going to sue him."
• The rest of the day went well. We never saw that man again, thankfully. He seemed to have left because we went around the island earlier but we didn't see him. That was the reason why we really enjoyed all the activities here.
• And on our last day, we stayed at the spa to relax after our day of sightseeing. It felt so good that I almost fell asleep while Channel was still snoring.
• Chanel groaned. "Time is so fast here! Our vacation is already over. Can't we have an extension, please?" she asked particularly no one.
• I couldn't agree more. Honestly, I was also really hung up on this vacation. To think that we are going back to our normal life, which is just home and school, makes me want to go back and jump into the sea again. It was like I just closed my eyes here for a few seconds and now I'm awake again to face the reality.
• Chanel continued to complain until we boarded the plane. It was a good thing Carleigh was next to her now because I might hit her for making noise. Apart from the fact that I really enjoyed those three days, I was also tired. At least I could bury some good memories from this trip. I could only wonder when our next vacation will be like this.
• I will be busy after finishing college while managing the company that will be passed down to me by my father. Carleigh was definitely going to study in Maryland so she would be away from me. Meanwhile, Chanel will go to college where I study.
• She would be with me for a few years. How many years would the two of us fool around again? As far as I know she would take some fashion courses. I didn't know anything about what that was so I didn't ask. I'll just ask her when we get to the university. I would understand that better when I see what she actually does.
• Dad's private car picked us up but he was not with us. He seemed to be busy again, as usual. Sometimes it was just really sullen.
• "We didn't celebrate our birthday with Das again," I said while snorting and looking down at the window. I watched the building we were passing which was not yet familiar to me. We were still quite far from the city where we live.
• "I know, right? He hasn't spent our birthdays with us ever since Mom left. He always sends us gifts, but you know, it's still different when he's with us physically."
• "Dad's just busy," Carleigh interrupted. "You know that this is the only way Dad can cope with his loneliness ever since Mom died. Let's give him what he wants. I know, for sure, that he'll invite us when he's ready."
• “Right!” Chanel beamed. "We all have the time in the world—"
• Chanel's voice was suddenly muted, and everything spun around me. I immediately grabbed my head to protect it but I still felt it hit the window of the car. I just closed my eyes and waited for the world to finish spinning.
• And suddenly, I feel hot. I couldn't move my whole body, but I was conscious. I tried to open my eyes only to see an unpleasant scenario.
• Chanel and Carleigh were lying on the ground like I do. The three of us were under the overturned and smoking car. Both their faces were bloody, and I felt something trickling down my own cheeks.
• That was when I realized it was my blood.