Clara's Journey

The Journey [48]

Chapter 48

He brought me to the pool area.. Surprisingly, walang tao doon.

Nakaupo kaming dalawa. Si Ethan nakatingin lang sa pool. He looked innocent, calm and happy as he looked at the waters. Since he came back, ngayon ko lang napansin na gwapo nga pala talaga sya. Ngayon ko lang tuluyang natanggap sa sarili ko. LOL. Ang rosy ng cheeks nya.. His eyes were deep brown. Ang ganda pa ng ilong nya.. And his lips.. His lips.. MANYAK ALERT! Hahahahahahaha!

His Hispanic features looked angelic against the sunlight.

Although may pagkaweird ang ugali nyang isip bata, immature, makulit, etc. When he was silent like this, he looked more like a man.

I stared at him some more until he spoke, “Ohh.. Tama na yan. Mamaya sobrang titig mo sa akin hindi mo mamalayan..” He met my gaze this time.. “Nahulog ka na pala.” He said as he winked.

I immediately looked away. My cheeks burning red. Sh-t.

“HAHAHAHAHA!” I laughed hard and nervously. “What are you saying? Who’s gonna fall?”

I saw him smile from the corner of my eye.

“Ba’t mo ba ako dinala dito?” Usisa ko naman hoping to change the subject.

He stared at the waters again.. “Alam mo ba kung bakit ako naging swimmer?”

I shook my head. No, I never knew why he became one.

“You know how I lost mom..” he said weakly. I know of course. She was my ninang after all. She died by saving Ethan when he almost got drowned. I could still feel his longingness for his mother. “I should’ve been the one who drowned that day.. But she saved me and it caused her her own life. Mula non, natakot na akong lumapit sa dagat o sa pool o sa kahit na anong body of water. I’ve been a loner then. Wala akong kinakausap. Wala akong pinapansin sa school. Dad decided to transfer me to another school. But I didn’t change. I remained to be a sad little kid..” he stopped at shifted his gaze to the skies.

“One day in my new school.. Habang naglalakad, I happened to pass by the pool area for the bigger students and I saw a group of girls. I got close to them but I hid myself behind the big acacia tree. As I listened to them, I realized they were bullying the other girl. They were scolding her, but she didn’t cry. I thought that she’d be okay.. So I left. Nung lumingon ulit ako, panay ang tawa ng mga bully at yung nabully.. Nasa pool na.. Desperately yelling for help and grasping for air. It was obvious, she didn’t know how to swim. I was afraid of the waters too.. Pero walang mahingian ng tulong sa paligid. At sa pagkakataon na yon.. I had no choice. I ran back to the pool area and jumped into the water. Ewan, nawala ata lahat ng takot ko sa tubig. Adrenalin rush siguro. I was so surprised because I saved her.  Mula non, I decided to be a swimmer. Gusto kong matutong lumangoy at maging magaling na swimmer.”

I kept quite as he finished his story. “Ano nga ba ang mapapala ko kung matatakot lang ako? Magmumukmok? Mom saved my life. Why would I waste it? I learned to swim in memory of my mom. Gusto kong maging magaling.. dahil sa batang niligtas ko nung araw na yon.. I wanted to be her hero.”

 Hindi ko alam na may ganito palang nangyari sa buhay ni Ethan. Well, hindi ko na kasi matandaan ang details dahil nga bata palang kami non.

We were silent for a moment hanggang sa may tumawag kay Ethan.

“VALDEZ!”

Ethan and I raised our heads. Yung Coach ng swimming team.

“Coach?”

“Come here for a while! I have something to discuss with you..”

“AISSH!” Parang bata ulit na angal ni Ethan.

I poked him. “Tawag ka ni Coach oh!”

“VALDEZZZ!” tawag ulit ni Coach.

“AAAH! Nakakainis naman e. Lexie, bumalik ka na lang sa room. Baka matagalan na naman kami dito. Ang epal talaga ni Coach kahit kailan! Tsk.”

“Oo na.. Pumunta ka na don.”

“See you later!”

I smiled at him. Tapos, Ethan ran towards coach.

I felt hollow after listening from Ethan’s story. Medyo nagbalik yung pagtingin ko sa kanya. I mean.. Yung kung paano ko sya ituring nung bata pa kami. Mula kasi nung bumalik sya, he seemed like an irritating guy. Ang kulit kasi masyado! Isip bata pa. Pero after nya akong kwentuhan ng swimmer tale nya.. Parang bumalik yung tingin ko sa kanya na.. ‘hero’ sya. Nung bata kasi kami, para sa akin.. Sya ang hero ko. Lahat yun nagsimula nung i-save nya ako sa pool— Oh sh-t. The kid whom he saved.. AKO BA YON?!