Agape Me, Darling

15

Naglakad ako papunta sa may tunog ng nagtatampisaw na katawan sa may gym. Hinawakan ko rin ang strap ng bag ko.

Pagkapasok sa loob ay umupo ako sa mga bench na  naroon. Pinili ko ang upuan na kung saan ay nalipasan na ng araw ang parte na ito at alam kong hindi na ito babalik sa direksiyon ko. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa minuto na maramdaman kong hindi mainit ang bench na 'yun. Nilagay ko ang dalawa kong kamay sa may lap ko.

In times like this—kapag bored ako o walang ginagawa—I would read a book or either do my homework in advance. But no, I did none of those things. Nanatili ako sa kinauupuan ko habang  ang mga mata ko ay nasa harap lamang at hindi ko ito tinatanggal doon. Wala rin akong balak.

Pinanood ko ang mga tao na lumalabas ang braso at bumabalik sa ilalim ng tubig. I counted the rows that was present in my eyes. Nang mabilang ko ang panglima, hindi ko na tinanggal ang mga mata ko roon. Kasi alam ko na naroon siya. Hindi ko na alam sa tao na 'yan, palagi na lang siyang nasa fifth row kapag nasa practice sila. Pati rin pala kapag nasa competition nila. Parehas lang sa jersey number niya... I guess I never knew the puzzle pieces of this man.

I watched with my eyes intent. Pinanood ko kung paano niya sinasabay ang agos ng tubig sa katawan niya. Parang ang tubig at siya ay iisa at walang kahit anong bagay ang makakapaghiwalay sa kanila. The body of the water hugged him tightly like their heart beats for him and only him.

His arms got up and down and down and up. He wore the strokes in the water like it was his second skin and his normal clothes. He thrusted his feet like a turbulence in the middle of the ocean, like a submarine, in the wild trying to explore the depths on the oceans. He was doing everything with that rociferous paddling and his arms, vivaciously appearing. He was paddling across the pool with amplomb that could beat the oceans deep and he swam like he was on wanderlust.

Ang mga mata niya na nagtatago sa ilalim ng googles niya ay sigurado akong nakatingin sa destination niya tungo sa dulo.

Ang ingay na ginagawa niya gamit ang paghampas niya ng paa niya at ng mga braso at kamay ay ang tanging ingay lamang na naririnig ko. Iyon lamang—sa kaniya lamang at wala ng iba. The choruses of other swimmers going in with him, faded in the background like the lights in a movie. He didn't care that pool was small, as if in his mind, he thought that it was just something unfettered.

Tinaas ko ang kilay ko. I saw him swimming out of the pool in just a second and he was also second in the group.

His body got drenched in blue chlorine water. Umupo muna siya sa may taas ng pool at binabad ang paa niya rito. He got rid of his goggles as soon as he sat down. He gasped for air and breath. In and out. Again and again. Pinanood ko ang pagbaba at pagtaas ng chest niya habang ginagawa niya 'yun.

Para bang kinukuha niya ang lahat ng hangin na nasa paligid namin habang sinusubukan niya lagyan ng hangin ang loob ng lungs niya at punuin ito. He breathe as if he was on his knees to beg the world a respile. Nang makuntento na siya sa paraan ng paghinga niya, tinanggal niya ang kaniyang head cap. His curly black hair bounced off and I'm sure they had a smile on their faces—if they had one—because they are now freed from the suffocating surfaces of that cap.

He sensed—he must have—that my eyes are onto him. Kaya heto siya ngayon, nakakunot ang ulo papunta sa akin. Pero... hindi ko alam ang nagbago o pumasok sa isip niya, pero ang alam ko ay nakangiti na siya sa akin. I know that because his teeth that always show with his inane smile, flashed over the rays of sun causing it to shine more than a mirrorball in the disco.

Inahon niya na ang paa niya sa pool at naglakad na siya papunta sa duffel bag niya. Kinuha niya ang towel niya roon and he started to wipe himself down. Tinanggal niya ang lahat ng tubig na kanina pa humahaplos sa kaniya, simula nung umahon siya sa tubig. My eyes are keen and my mind was fastidious as I watch him.