Lean On Me

CHAPTER 13 - Getting To Know Each Other

The sky is still dark. The silence deafening.

Ayu tiptoed down from her bedroom. She wanted to take this time to walk by the beach and see what she can do about the fish sanctuary in front of the vacation house. In a couple of hours, the sky would glow like the color of the ocean.

She opened the door as stealthy as possible when she heard someone called out her name.

"Ayu."

She was startled. How can he wake up at this hour?

Hanz walked close to her. "Where are you going?" His voice deep and curious.

It would be nice to go out alone, but she can't just ignore him. Ayu considered the time.

"I want to walk outside." She said looking at Hanz.

"I will go with you." He did not wait for her answer. He opened the door wide and hold the door for Ayu.

The morning breeze was not blowing wildly unlike in the summer. But the early morning temperature sure is cold that seeps in through the skin. Hanz saw Ayu rubbing her arms. He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulder.

"Thank you." Ayu looked at him meaningfully. She just realized that she wasn't prepared for the early morning walk.

They continued walking. Hanz let her lead the way. Then, they heard roosters crowed. They looked at each other and laughed at the fact that it is way too early for the walk.

"Why are you up early?" Ayu took the initiative to really break the silence. She looked down and picked up a twig.

"I think I had enough sleep already. It was way too quiet here that my body, I think, immediately relaxed and had enough." He looked at Ayu. He copied her when he saw a twig not far from him. "You?" He wanted to ask Ayu about her phone call yesterday. He already knows that she was upset after talking to her father. But thought twice about it.

"There's just so many things in my mind. I woke up early as well and could not go back to sleep." Both were not sure of what to talk about. The only thing that they have in common is that they want to know more about each other. At least, Hanz surely does.

Ayu took a deep breath. Hanz was watching her. Two nights ago, he got a confirmation that Ayu really just came back from Brussels. It was her. It would not be hard for him to know more about her but he already knew Ayu even before they met in Manila.

She was at the airport where he arranged to meet Ned before coming to the Philippines. She has a pink luggage in tow and talking miserably to someone on the phone. Her eyes red and distracted. He was never nosy but when he saw her that time, it was hard not to notice her looks. She was exuding strong aura for a female, but her face showed so much blues. He felt pity that he wanted to meddle into her business. Only that her friend came before he could walk over to her.

Before Brussels, he also saw her in Netherland. Her pink luggage has a blue cloth ribbon and a small stuffed toy that looks like a dolphin. He also noticed her luggage at the airport conveyor when they volunteered in Sri-Lanka few years ago. He was not able to see her but he remembered that one luggage, the ribbon tied to it and the small stuffed toy that seems to guard everything she treasures inside.

There were also few formal occasions where she was invited for her research about giant clams. And another was a night for the collaboration of the research institute she was once hired in with the famous book illustrator for kids that wanted to feature her underwater photos. All these, Hanz recalled only when he saw her at Brussels airport. He was not the type to mind others business specially those of females.

His left hand holding a twig and the other in his pants pocket. His eyes looking at Ayu. Both walking at the beach with the company of the early morning cold. It would take a while before the sky would cover them with a new color.