Anthony's Forbidden Melody

Chapter X

Rosette woke up with a hand around her waist. Collin never left her alone last night after they ate. He was scared of what might happen to her especially in the dark.

Her mind jumped to the curse. She fell asleep last night so she did not hear the bell rings at six nor the broken melody that follows. And she forgot to ask Collin about it.

I hope there's no bad news today.

She lifted up her body with her left elbow and gently shook the man beside her. She was not a fan of sleeping with a man before marriage, even if nothing happened to them, but their situation forced her to.

"Morning, babe. It's time to eat." She kissed his cheek and stared at his perfectly sculpted face.

"Five minutes, babe," he said without opening his eyes.

Rosette went into the bathroom and did her daily routine. When she stepped out, Collin was already up with a towelette on his shoulder.

"Wait for me. I'll be quick." He protruded his lips, waiting for her to kiss him.

She acted like she did not see it and walked passed him. But a hand gripped her elbow. She stepped backwards as he pulled her until she was facing him again. And held both her arms.

"You think you can escape, huh?" Collin smirked and smacked his lips to hers.

"Nah... I 'm thinking that people in a relationship should not do this often. It's addicting and could... you know." She raised her shoulders momentarily to dismiss the topic. She can't even say the intimate act that most couples do.

But Collin was not done with his teasing yet. "So, you admit that you are addicted to my kiss?"

Rosette felt her cheeks heated up and playfully slapped Collin's cheek. "Will you just wash your face now? And please, include your mind." She batted her eyelashes at him then sauntered to her bed.

Collin did not keep her waiting for too long. Just right after she had finished fixing her bun, he went out from the bathroom.

They simultaneously walked in the hallway with linked hands and bumped into Joven. The guy was holding a tray and was going to their way. Rosette and Collin greeted him.

"Where's Clarisse?" she asked Joven.

He smiled to them but it did not reach his eyes. "She won't come down. She was impatient after what happened to Melvin and wanted to go home. She was scared that something could happen to us," he explained.

"I see..." Rosette nodded. Her heart silently cried knowing that they would be leaving soon.

"Have you contacted his family?" Collin inquired.

"Nope. They just kept his ashes until someone would look for him. Nobody has his family's contact info." Joven shrugged.

The islanders have decided yesterday that they should burn his body. There was no embalming service in the island and it would take more than two hours before they could reach the city.

And most of all, no one wanted to ship a dead body across the sea as they believed that it would curse the owner of the boat.

Later that day, Rosette looked for Mang Rolly. She wanted to ask him about the puzzling enigma about how Anthony appeared in his room and the girl in Collin's phone.

"Where is he?" she asked Sally about her Father's whereabouts when they were a line in the kitchen.

"Why do you want to see him?" She stopped cutting the veggies and looked at her.

"I want to ask him about something... about Anthony and," Rosette paused as she clicked her phone and faced it to Sally, "...this girl."

Rosette saw how her eyes widened when she saw the picture of the girl. It caught her interest.

She believed that Sally knew something. She waited in anticipation as Sally's mouth opened but did not say a word. The woman shook her head instead.

Rosette's shoulders fell along with her hopes.

"I'll just ask your father, then. Where is he again?" she asked as she put her phone away.

"He is probably at the back. Axing the coconut husks." Sally pointed the backdoor.

Rosette thanked her and followed the path to the door. She opened it and looked for the old man.

The back part of the hostel were full of coconut husks. Mang Rolly had collected it to use as kindles when they cook.

"What are you doing here?" Mang Rolly came from somewhere and walked towards her with fresh coconut husks in his hands.

"I want to ask you about Anthony and this girl." She pulled back her phone and faced its screen to the old man.

He narrowed his eyes to see clearly. His forehead drew some lines as it creased.

"I do not know the girl," he said firmly, shaking his head.

"Then what about Anthony?" she insisted. "I looked for him yesterday but he was not in every corner of his room. But when I stepped out, I saw him there."

"Have not I told you to stay your feet away from Anthony?" He darted his sharp eyes to her and moved to get his ax.

Her whole body trembled in fear. She stepped back as the old man walked slowly towards her. He stopped midway, in front of a log.

"You better go now and stop asking about Anthony." He swayed his ax on a husk and got one. He positioned it on the log.

"I told you already, he does not want to be disturbed," Mang Rolly added as he started his work.

"What about his melody? Anie and Melvin died because of it. And we have the right to know!" Rosette was persistent regardless of what he was holding.

The old man paused for seconds to wipe the sweats that started to multiply on his forehead. "The melody has nothing to do with them. They ended their life on their own will." He gazed at her for the last time before he continued chopping the dried husk.

"No. You're lying." Rosette smiled bitterly. She was sure that there was something odd in them. That they knew the answers to her questions but hid it purposely. And she was eager to find it.