Mister Villain

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

           

Beauty is not what you see when you attend elegant soirees and see women fluttering about, embellished in jewels, painted with the most luxurious make-up, and dressed to the nines. It also is not what you see when you open your monthly subscription of your favorite posh magazine and their latest fashion spread jumps right at you begging for you to salivate over it. It isn't what you see when you watch shampoo commercials and hair cascades down the television set like lavish silk.

That is exquisiteness. That is glamour. That is resplendency.

Beauty, in its highest form, is what you see when you wake up in the morning and find a pair of sleepy eyes greeting you good morning despite the fact that they haven't gotten enough rest. Beauty is what you see in the pair of hands helping you up and down a flight of stairs as they carry all of your weight with them, smiling and joking as though they aren't the ones who suffer more from having carried you. Beauty is what you see in the sheen of sweat being wiped from the forehead of that person who walks with you as you struggle with all your might to bring strength back to your legs and just take a step... even just one tiny step.

Maine, looking at her therapist and taking one deep breath so she can push to the end of the parallel bars, reminded herself of this.

She reminded herself of the beauty she will continue to see in the simplest and most commonplace moments because in seeing that beauty, she feels her heart race and her blood run.

She knows how much she should not take for granted and her struggle at this very moment is beautiful.

"Let's go Maine!" Lexi, her therapist, told her with a smile "Last leg!"

She nodded and with all the strength she could muster, she took another step.

Iilang tao ba sa mundo ang nagkakaroon nang ikalawang pagkakataon na mabuhay? At iilang tao ba ang nabibigyan nang pagkakataon na siguraduhin na sa ikalawang chance na ibinigay sa kanila e magiging tama na ang lahat?

She will push through this.

Hindi niya iisipin ang sakit.

"GO MAINE!!!!" Derrick screamed enthusiastically.

"Kaya mo yan!" Jake shouted along.

"Kung titigil kayong kakasigaw, mas mabilis niya matatapos to" Patring scolded them, shaking her head at the pompoms both men held on to and waved vigorously.

Hindi alam ni Maine kung matatawa ba siya o magagalit sa mga ito sa totoo lang.

Every time they came with her on her therapy sessions, they were sure to create scenes.

Kris and Derrick always cheered for her so enthusiastically, the others in the gym would laugh. Kanilang idea din ang magbitbit nang pompoms. Josh, probably being the most reserved sa grupo nila, brought his glasses with him and read books in a corner (which utterly distracted any woman who passes by). May nakita na si Maine at Lexi na nadapa na nurse kakatingin lang kay Josh. Ruru and Gab, who often came together would exchange stories at minsan e dahil napapakwento din siya o di kaya si Lexi e tumatagal lalo ang session nila. Patring and Sam often stuffed her and Lexi with so much food that Lexi already created a reminder for the couple na Maine cannot be eating an hour and a half before and even an hour after her therapy. She can drink tons of water pa siguro pero kailangan hinay-hinay sa pagkain. Si Jake naman... he flirted with ANY living thing in the gym. Nakwento na nga ni Lexi na malapit nang mag-tayo nang fangroup ang mga kasamahan niyang bakla para dito.

He could charm the pants right off anyone.

"Pat, wag ka na magalit" Jake responded, as though he could read Maine's mind and just had to prove it "Masyado kang maganda pag nagagalit e. Pinangako ko pa man din sa sarili ko na hindi ako manliligaw nang may asawa na. Pinahihirapan mo ako na gawin yun."