Whisper of Summer | ✓

Chapter 20: Fishing

Chapter 20: Fishing

For me, losing someone is the most painful thing in the world.

Life is somehow too deep for me. Life is like a weather. If there's a storm, there's a rainbow after that. Everyone deserves to be happy after the storm. But we can't live happily ever after.

We can't compare our life in a fairytale, because fairytale is just a story in which improvable events lead to happy ending.

We don't know what will happen in the future, if our life have happy ending or sad ending.

Life is full of challenges, obstacles, and sacrifices. Without it, we will never learned how to be strong, brave and wise. We just need to enjoy our life, because this is not a rehearsal.

That's how life works.

Nandito ako ngayon sa aking kwarto, nakahiga sa aking higaan at nakatitig sa kisame habang malalim na nag-iisip.

"What is volleyball to you... Aishie?"

Bahagya akong nagulat nang marinig kong may nagsalita mula sa labas ng aking kwarto. Mabilis akong lumingon sa aking pinto. "Lola..." Nakasandal siya sa hamba ng aking pinto at nakahalukipkip habang nakatingin sa akin.

Ngumiti ito sa akin at nilapitan ako. "I heard from Dahlia that you played beach volleyball." Anito.

"Yeah." I smiled at bumangon mula sa pagkakahiga. Tumayo ako at naglakad papuntang balkonahe. Sinundan naman ako ni lola. Nang makalabas kami ay bumungad sa amin ang malamig na hangin at malaking buwan. I leaned in the railings and stared at the full moon.

"Sa loob ng dalawang taon, iniwasan ko ang volleyball. I don't want to face it... because I'm scared. Every time I touched the ball, it feels like I'm drowning in the deep sea. It was so dark and scary." Pinatong ko ang aking siko sa railings at tumitig sa malaking buwan.

"But... today, when I watch them playing volleyball, I saw how much fun they had while playing it. And I asked myself, why are they having so much fun?" Napangiti ako habang inaalala ang laro nila kanina. "And then, I suddenly remembered my first time playing volleyball in high school. The sensation in my hand while spiking the ball, our teamwork, and determination to win, everything! It was so fun."

"That's why I told myself that I need to face volleyball. Head on." Nakangiti kong sabi.

Tumawa si lola at bahagyang ginulo ang aking buhok. "That's good."

Volleyball... you cannot play this sport alone. Because, volleyball is... a team sport.

Matapos naming magusap ni lola ay umalis na ito sa aking kwarto. Ako naman ay nakatitig lang sa malaking buwan nang tabunan ito ng makapal na ulap. Nagulat nalang ako nang biglang bumagsak ang malakas na ulan. Napagdesisyonan kong maanatili sa balkonahe para magpahangin at panoorin ang ulan.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa aking bulsa at pinagmasdan ang picture naming dalawa ni ate Rosetta, nakasuot pa kami ng jersey at may pawis pa sa mukha. We are both smiling while looking at the camera.

From now on, I'll have to live my life without her.

***

"Aishie! Good morning!" Bungad sa akin ni Dahlia pagkalabas ko ng aking kwarto. Pansin kong inaantok pa ito at halatang kakagising lang.

"Morning." Bati ko sa kaniya.

"Where are you going?"

"Magjo-jogging." I answered.

"At the beach?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay."

Pagkatapos nun ay umalis na ako at tumungo na sa dalampasigan. Nang makarating ay hinubad ko ang aking tsinelas dahil buhangin naman ang inaapakan ko. I was wearing a blue sports bra and shorts kaya ramdam ko ang lamig ng hangin. It's already 6:00 o'clock in the morning kaya wala pang init.