"Good afternoon, Sir Gaven," malambing na bati ni Erah. Sabay silang tumayo ni Charlotte.
"Good afternoon, Erah, Coby," he said in a very engaging tone of voice. Pwede na nga siyang maging host ng children show, e.
Gaven looked at me without any hint of surprise, as if he knew I would be here.
My body temperature dropped to the freezing point. It was as if someone pressed the pause button on the remote control at me. I couldn't blink, think, or move. If I could put a loading icon above my head, I'd definitely look like a buffering computer in complete dysfunction. My eyes were fixed on the man in front of me. And I should be thankful that I was still able to breathe.
"Ready na kayo?" Bumalik siya sa mga bata.
"Opo!" Masiglang sagot ni Erah.
Ako? Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin matagpuan ang daan pabalik sa reyalidad. There's no way Gaven was behind our frequent, unexpected meetings. Should I blame the constellations or Mercury Retrogade?
"Hi," kaswal na pagbati sa akin ni Gave.
Those two letters were enough to bring me back to consciousness.
"H-hi," pagbati ko pabalik.
I better learn to stop thinking that everything is about me.
Hindi naman siya nandito para sa 'kin, bagkus sa mga bata. At isa pa, maliit lang ang Glorieta. Talagang malaki ang tiyansang magtatagpo kami. Hindi ko lang lubos maisip kung bakit halos araw-araw. The universe must have done their calculations wrong. Pero hindi na dapat ako masurpresa sa mga ganitong kababaw na dahilan.
•••
"I'm going to let you go now, okay?" pagpapaalam ni Gaven kay Erah.
Si Erah ang nauna at buo ang loob ma lumusong sa pool, kaya kanina pa siya naroon kasama ni Gaven. Si Charlotte naman ay nasa gilid ng pool habang pinanonood si Erah, na nasa kalagitnaan ng pagkatuto sa paglangoy.
"Okay," hindi pa rin nawawala ang sigla ni Erah sa kaniyang mga boses.
Talagang nakakahanga ang confidence niya. Parang wala siyang inaatrasan. Kabaligtaran naman niya si Coby, na kanina pa nakakapit nang mahigpit sa laylayan ng rash guard ko.
"Hey." Yumukod ako nang kaunti para pantayan ang height ni Coby. "Kinakabahan ka ba?" I asked in the most comforting way.
"Pa'no kung mag-sink ako?" It was as if a thick, gray cloud of fear took Coby as its hostage. Nalulunod sa pag-aalinlangan ang kaniyang mata nang tingnan ko ang mga 'yon.
Hinawakan ko ang dalawang kamay niya at banayad itong hinaplos gamit ang mga hinlalaki ko. "You won't. Sir Gaven is trust-worthy. He won't let it happen, okay?" I gave the brightest light of assurance to cast his fear away.
He forced a smile. Bumalik ako sa pagkakatayo at sabay kaming tuminging muli kina Erah at Gaven.
Paunti-unting lumayo si Gaven kay Erah, na nanatiling kalmado at malayang lumulutang sa ibabaw ng tubig.
"Well done, Erah," papuri ni Gaven nang may sinserong ngiti.
That kind of smile was so contagious that I didn't notice I was already smiling too. Agad ko rin iyong binawi nang makaramdam ako ng pagkailang.
Nagtagal si Erah sa pagpapalutang-lutang sa ibabaw ng tubig. Ilang minuto ang tumakbo, nakaramdam din siya ng pagod. Inalalayan naman siya ni Gaven na makatayo nang tama sa tubig bago lumangoy patungo kay Charlotte.
BINABASA MO ANG
Dive Deeper
Romance"You're the arsonist who set my heart ablaze. I will do everything to keep the fire burning." ••• If Cerulean had to dive the deepest ocean to win against his rival, Gaven Miguel Zafra for the regular libero spot, he would do it. He thought it was t...
