6 KEEPING IT TO HIMSELF

"I'm home!" Rexana opened the bamboo door of their small beach hut enthusiastically, making her parents startled.

"Oh, I'm glad you are home. You were gone almost the entire day." Rita said with a very worried expression. Although Rexana been outside and has always been on the sea too much that was the first time for her to come home that late. Most of the time she was already home before the sunset. Since they had always been reminding her that.

"Mang, it's true I was just diving pearl then I walk all the way to the end of the shore to find customers to sell my pearls." She replied calmly as she put down the pack of foods she brought on the table.

"Hadn't we warned you not to go that far? And, what's that?" Andri asked, slowly he tried to get up from the bamboo bed. He wasn't feeling well that day and even failed to go out fishing that morning. Also one reason Rita had no fish to sell for that day.

Since their daily income is just quiet enough for them to get over a day. They haven't had enough food reserved if they miss a day of no sales. It wasn't just Rexana who missed a meal that day, her parents did too.

With the delicious smell of the food the Rexana brought home, the couple got so intrigued and excited to check on it and they eventually forgot to continue scolding Rexana.

"Rexana, had you been diving so much and got a lot of pearls sold to bring us back home a feast?" Rita asked wondering, she was also worried if Rexana had been stressing herself too much. She knew her daughter only took one pearl shell every time she dive. And, selling them in the locals it wound't sells that much for Rexana to buy all those foods.

Besides, those foods looked new to them. They hadn't seen something like that sold in that place, not even in Aunt Pina's Eatery.

"No mom, I just got one pearl shell today as always." Rexana smiled widely as she said, her eyes wandering over the ceiling as if she was dreamily reminded of something.

"And then?" Rita asked again to catch Rexana's attention back, after noticing her daughter halted and seemed to be out of her mind for a moment.

"Yes!" she said trying to gain back her composure. "I went all the way until I reach the secluded part of the shore near the big building, they call a resort. And then, that pig Bruno saw me and he want to buy my pearls with money this time but he want to kiss me."

"What? That pervert? What did he do to you? I'm gonna kill him?" Andri, forced himself to stand up from his bed with his anger. However, he fell back to bed wincing in pain.

"Pang! Are you okay?" Rexana abruptly ran toward her father, with Rita behind her. They were both worried about him.

"I am fine, but that Bruno. I have to kill him!" he gritted his teeth in pain and anger.

"Sssh, pang, don't worry I am fine. He hadn't done anything to me, someone came to help me. My prince in shining armor," Rexana smiled melting again over the memories, with her both hand on her face. But that was just for a moment, she collected herself as she was being reminded that she was in front of her parents and continued her story.

"And he punch Bruno on his face and he stumbled down and punch him again until he ran away. Aaaw he is so strong and so brave and so so handsome." She couldn't help swooning over her thoughts on Daerin even in front of her parents.

"Rexana, who is he?" Rita furrowed her brow, confused and worried by how Rexana acted it was the first time for them to see Ana acting that way and it was making them worried. She looked like she was starting to be crushing on someone.

"His name is Daerin, he is the son of the owner of that building they call the resort."

Rita and Andre looked at each other, at that moment they knew that one of their fear had arrived.

"And is he the one who bought all your pearls?" Andre asked, he was a bit composed, however, there was a little fear that he had to keep deep inside. Although, they didn't want Rexana to feel their worries.

"No, Pang, he didn't buy it. I give it to him. He is so kind to me and he saved me and even my pearls weren't enough to give him. I was even planning to dive more pearls and give him every day."

Rita nodded, "What you did is right. But, where did you get all these foods?"

"He give it to me, and we went to their kitchen. It was so big, so beautiful, so clean…"

While Rexana was busy talking to Rita about Daerin and what happened to her that day. Andre on the other hand was grabbing hard the sheets of his bed in pain. He had been feeling a very terrible pain that he had been dealing with for weeks and even months. He was worried yet still hoping that it wasn't something serious and would just simply pass by in time.

Nevertheless, at that moment the fear started to fill his heart. With the kind of pain that he felt. He already got a feeling that it wasn't just a simple illness, he was even scared that he might die of it.

Hearing Ana's story worried him even more. He was worried that he wouldn't be capable to protect her. He knew that one of these days people might hurt her or even use her, especially if her secrets would be exposed.

He knew he had to heal, but it was impossible to let himself be checked by a doctor. He didn't have enough money for that. So, he preferred not to let them know and handle his problem by himself.

Note: Mang and Pang are words Rexana used to address her mom and dad.