Wish on the same sky

chapter 10

Kinatok ko ang pinto papasok ng skating rink dahilan kung bakit napalingon ang isa sa mga tingin ko'y coaches noong napadaan ako dito last time. I stopped myself from reminiscing what happened that moment and just gave a little bow towards her. Nag-umpisa akong mag-lakad na papalapit sa kanya habang kinukuha ang ID ko sa bulsa ng blazer ko. Unlike last time, iyong babaeng coach lang ang nandito, na binigyan ako ng tipid na ngiti with a hint of questioning look dahil unang una ay hindi naman ako parte ng team. She turned to my direction fully habang lumalapit ang distansya namin.

Her distance from the door isn't that far pero the time was enough for me to look around the room. It's pretty chilly here, well obviously dahil sa ice, another reason could be because I think it was only me and the coach in here right now. Nasaan kaya siya? Okay not like that's important right now, nakakapagtaka lang dahil ang alam ko ay training time ngayon.

"Ah, good afternoon po. Sa newspaper club po ako," pagbati ko sa kanya nang nakalapit na ako sabay angat ng dala kong org ID, which was included na sa welcome kit namin. I reminded myself to paste my 1x1 photo to it once I get home later. "Vien Diaz po." dugtong ko kahit na nakasulat na sa ID ang pangalan ko. Tumango tango naman siya realizing the reason why I was here and stretched her hand towards me na agad ko rin namang tinanggap. Her hair was up in a clean ponytail kaya naman kitang kita kung gaano kakinis ang mukha niya. Her stern look was still evident even though she was smiling. Sa tingin ko ay nasa mid to late 30's siya kaya naman nakaramdam ako ng kaunting inggit dahil tila mas young-looking ang balat niya kesa sa'kin. Kapag tinanong ko kaya siya kung ano'ng skin care routine niya ay seseryosohin niya iyon?

"Oh, hi Vien, Coach Kim nalang," sagot naman niya nang nakangiti. "So ikaw ang assigned sa figure skating, bago ka ba? Parang ngayon lang kita nakita." ibinalik niya ang dalawang kamay niya sa likod na tila default stance na niya dahil sa gano'ng position ko rin siya naabutan kanina at noong nakaraan. I put my ID back in my pocket at tinanguan siya.

"Ah yes po Coach Kim, bago lang ako." she nodded some more acknowledging my answer, now with a wider smile.

"Sabi na nga ba eh, halos naikutan na kasi ng newspaper club members ang figure skating kaya medyo nakabisado ko na ang mga bata doon. Good luck, hija! I'm sure mage-enjoy kang i-cover ang team." masiglang sambit niya. I crossed my fingers there, nawa'y mag-dilang anghel siya na ma-enjoy ko talaga ito at huwag nang madagdagan ang embarrassing encounters ko at this point. I smiled at her shyly.

"Thank you po, coach."

"May featured ba tayo? Let me guess, si Felix ano?" she checks her wrist watch and looked at the other side of the room, doon ko na-realize na nasa kabilang dulo pala ang team habang ginagawa ang stretching nila. Binalik ko rin agad ang tingin ko kay Coach kahit na the other part of me wanted to look some more and just nodded as a confirmation. Vien, focus. She seemed like she expected it already, is Felix like an ace member or something?

"Really deserving, that kid. Talagang dapat lang na mas makilala pa siya dahil sa talent niya, I'm counting on your articles about him ha." tila pabiro namang sinabi ni Coach iyong last part dahil tatawa tawa pa siya sabay tapik sa braso ko. I just laughed along and involuntarily looked at the other side of the room again, this time seeing where Felix is already na nakikipagkwentuhan and at the same time stretch.

"Mukhang magaling po talaga siya based sa request niyo coach." I jokingly said din, sabay balik ng tingin kay Coach. Mukhang strict talaga si Coach Kim, that's true, I mean I think all coaches should be really strict one way or another, pero noong hindi ko pa siya nakakausap ay talagang parang nakakatakot siyang i-approach. I mentally patted my back as a kudos to myself dahil usually, I can't keep a conversation going kapag ganito. Pero ngayong may conversation na kami kahit papaano ay napaka-gaan lang niyang kausap, nakakapagbiro na nga ako agad.