Defying Gravity

II

According to Isaac Newton's Universal Gravitational Law it is a physical law that describes the attraction between two objects with mass.

In simple example, parang soul mate. The attraction increases from the two mass, the distance decreases. Which ends into a bond or a relationship between the two masses.

I stopped at my thoughts when someone on my back talked. Agad ko naman ito nilingon upang makita ang isa sa mga staff ng tutuluyan ko habang kinukuha ko ang isang malaking traveling bag  sa trunk ng kotseng sumundo sa amin. There are ten guests na kasama kong kinuha nila sa pier.

"Ako na po ma'am," at agad nitong binawi sa pagkakahawak ko ang malaki kong travel bag. Agad naman akong tumango at ngumiti sa lalaki na ngayon ay buhat buhat ang bag ko.

Contrasting to what my Auntie Lina blabbered last night with the silly catching up on my cousins, agad akong umalis sa hotel na tinutuluyan namin na hindi nagpapaalam. As much as possible, if I can avoid talking to them, ginagawa ko. Wala rin naman akong sasabihin sa kanila.

My family and relatives, they are both fucked up. Di ko alam kung me mali sa pagpapalaki nila Lola at Lolo sa mga anak nila upang ang mga magulang namin ay humantong sa ganito. We live like there is a freaking competition inside our clan.

I roamed my eyes at the lounge area. The place was cozy and welcoming. It wasn't air conditioned since open area ang style ng kanilang lounge. The windows are opened and only curtain were used para maging harang ng bintana.

"Good morning ma'am," napatingin naman ako sa babae na nakatayo sa likod ng reception desk. She was wearing the same uniform as the guy who carried my bag with the print on her left chest the name of the camp.

Tumango naman ako sa kanya at ngumiti. "Welcome to Hike Camp!" Masiglang bati nito sa akin making me see her crooked teeth.

Hike Camp was known for its adventurous offers yun nga lang mukhang pili lang ang nakakakilala sa lugar. They have five different  extreme sports to offer for their guests at kung ayaw mo naman salihan ang kanilang mga sports nila, Hike Camp location would make you have your soul searching o kahit sa kadahilanan lang na gusto mong kumawala sa ingay at pollution ng siyudad. It was amazingly calm, magandang gawing escape to reality, ang mga nagtataasang puno na nakalibot sa lugar ay nagbibigay lilim sa init ng panahon. This is one of the reason why I chose this place.

"Hello. I would like to have an available room for four nights," agad na tumango naman ito sa akin at ibinaling ang atensyon sa harap ng monitor ng computer.

***

The place is amazingly  majestical. The birds are chirping, the night was even starry. I didn't know why the place wasn't famous, kung me ganitong lugar akong pag-aari, I would turn it into a star-class camping site.

I breathed in the cold air when I felt the coldness of the air hugging my tiny frame. I stand 5" 7, sa magkakapatid ako na ang pinakamataas. I don't have fair complexion since mas babad ako sa mainit na panahon, at hindi talaga ako natatablan ng kung anong paputi. Buti nalang kahit nognog ang kulay ng balat ko, salamat sa lotion ay naging smooth naman ito.

The whole afternoon, all I've done was sleep. Hindi ako masyadong nakatulog kagabi dahil na rin sa hindi ako komportable sa laki ng higaan. The bed could fit two-to-three persons with an average body size. Isama pa ang mga iniisip ko sa pamilya at ang nangyaring kasalan ng kapatid ko.

The wedding was a hit! It was the talk of everyone.

I smiled at my sister happy face on my memory.

The night was undeniably relaxing. Habang naglalakad ako sa paligid ay me nadadaanan naman akong nagkakasiyahan na mga grupo. Most of the guests come by group or by partner. Ako lang ata ang nag-iisa. Not that it matters, pero mas maganda naman talaga ang me kasama. In my case, I have no one whom I wanted to be with in this solemn vacation. Ang tatawagin kong stress free vacation.

****

8:00 A.M.

The sun on its majestic shine. Today, I'll be doing one of their extreme sports. The rock climbing.

I was never an adventurous person. Ikalawang pagkakataon ko lang ito na gagawin ko muli ang rock climbing. Pero ika nga, you are only living your life when you're doing a life changing activity.

Getting ready, I wore a sport short that ends at my mid thigh and a racer back as my top. Pinaresan ko rin ito ng jogging shoes at ang iba ko pang gagamitin na nilagay ko sa maliit kong bag.

Getting out of my room, I was greeted by the sun. I slowly roamed my eyes at my surrounding. Kung gaano kaganda ang lugar pag gabi ay ganun din pag umaga. It was amazingly taken care of. Wala rin masyadong mga sasakyan na bumubuga ng usok, they have golf cart parked near the guests room. Ito ang ginagamit ng mga guest kung pupunta sa malayong lugar ng camp site but most of the campers choose to walk the distance.

As I walked my way for the cafeteria since they don't have restaurants inside the camp site, me nakakasalubong naman akong nagjo-jogging. The guests are even friendly, not toxic. They would smile at me which I would kindly return the smile at them. Mostly men are the guests since wala naman masyadong adventurous na babae.

Since the cafeteria is in walking distance from the room I was in, agad akong nakarating rito. The place wasn't crowded. Mabibilang lang ang mga tao na kumakain ng kung anong naka display sa food cart ng lugar.

Today's breakfast menu was fried rice, egg, hot dog with a liquid variance of hot chocolate, coffee, juice or water to choose from.

After getting the food I ordered I went at the vacant table far from the other guests eating.

****

Papatayin ako nito! Yan agad ang naisip ko pagkakita ko sa aakyatin ko. Ang una kong experience sa rock climbing ay hindi ito gaano ka taas at nasa loob lang ng facility which is me nakahanda ng tatapakan at hahawakan to reach the top end. Habang ito, I never thought it is actually the real rock climbing.

Kung mahuhulog ako dahil namali ako ng tapak, mamatay ako! Though there are safety belts used for the climbers, nunca akong magtitiwala kung gaano ito ka safe! This is nuts!

Watching the other climbers fall down turned my intestines into knots! Di ko ata kaya. Magso-soul searching nalang ako, di ko pa pala gustong mamatay ng maaga.

Turning my back in haste ay hindi ko na namalayan ang pagkabunggo ko sa isang malapad na katawan. The person perfume immediately attacked my nostrils. The smell was a mixed of after shave and a man's perfume.

Frowning and touching my forehead, I looked up at the guy's face. I stopped at my track when I saw the man's face. His eyes were brown, his forehead in crease, his nose is amazingly pointed and those lips! He is an absolute definition of a Greek beauty! Was this even possible?!

I stopped tracing his face when he coughed. Agad naman akong napalayo rito na parang napapaso.

"Watch where you're walking," and he walked passing me.

I was left dumb founded. His voice even gave justice to his face! Seconds left when I followed where he went. His back facing mine and damn too because his body was even fit. Yung katawan na alam mo talagang inaalagaan at pumapasok sa gym.

Napailing nalang ako. Hindi naman talaga ako namamangha sa kung gaano kaganda o kasarap hawakan o pisilin ang katawan ng lalaki. I was born with my male cousins boasting their gym bodies. I was immune with these type of body but with that guy, di ko maiwasan na mamangha sa kung gaano ito ka perfect tignan.