Drastic Waves in Bondi

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Even though things went great for me these past two days at the training, I'm still bothered by the fact that Valerio knows that I'm on the training because I wanted to interview him—just like the first few times we've seen each other and that doesn't change.

Though I'm trying to change his perspective on me. Kung mabago ko man iyon then it would be a good thing, but seeing how things look now. It's terrifying to think that at the end of this training, I will be failing.

Big day at big deal para sa akin iyong nangyari no'ng nakaraang araw. It does make sense dahil doon ko pinatuyan ko sa sarili ko na kaya kong gawin ang ginagawa ng karamihan. Just because I mostly do the stuff behind the task it doesn't mean I'm less capable of what they are doing. It's like... I'm coming out in the right time.

Huminga ako nang malalim. Iniangat ko nang dahan-dahan ang kamay ko at ikinuyom upang kumatok sa pinto, pero agad ko ring binawi iyon dahil sa pagdadalawang isip. I'm not really sure how to do this. We never talked personally out of the training so in the few days had passed, I couldn't get the thought away that Valerio hated me—for real.

"Screw it," I uttered. Nilakasan ko na lamang ang loob ko at sinimulan kong kumatok sa pinto.

Hindi pa nga ako sigurado kung nasa tamang lugar at bahay ko. I just know this place he would be dahil dito ko siya nakitang nanggaling noon. But if someone else's lives in this house and it's not Valerio, I would run as fast as I can. That would be a total embarrassment for me.

"No one's gonna open up the door for you."

Para akong nabato sa kinatatayuan ko nang marinig ko ang boses niya. Mabilis din akong napalinon sa likuran ko kung saan nanggaling ang boses. When I found him standing so tall in front of me, shakes my body internally. As our eyes met, sobrang seryoso no'ng mga tingin niya sa akin.

Agad kong iniwas ang tingin ko sa kanya at umiling.

"This is wrong... I shouldn't have come."

I was about to pass him by when he immediately caught me by my arm. Natigil din ako sa naturang pagtakas ko sa kanya. Malamig ang kamay niya. Hindi ko sigurado kung galing siya ng beach this time. Weekend ngayon, from his usual routine, palagi siyang pumupunta ng Bondi beach to spend his time surf boarding and there's nothing wrong with it.

But I noticed his clothes and basically, he didn't come from the beach.

"Nice to see you, Valerio... I'm going home na."

"No, you're not," sagot nito sa akin. Hindi pa rin niya binibitawan ang pagkahahawak sa akin. He then turned his body toward me. "Why are you here?"

Huminga ako nang malalim saka ako umiling. "Nothing..."

"It isn't nothing," he clarified as if I'm saying the wrong thing which is true naman. "You came here for something."

Wala pa rin akong sagot. Pinipilit ko pa ring iwasan ang tingin niya.

"And how did you know where I live?" he questioned, squinting his eyes as if he needed to feed his curiosity. "Are you stalking me, Carseldine?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. That's a big accusation and I'm not gonna let go if it. "No, I'm not!" depensa ko, but I really do sound so funny. Halatang may itinatago. "No... I'm not," pag-uulit ko sa mas mahinahong tono.

Pero tumaas lamang ang kilay niya sa sinabi ko. Of course, hindi siya maniniwala ro'n Who would even be so crazy na puntahan siya sa bahay niya nang hindi niya nalalaman? Ako lang naman. I already played the situation out in my head, pero ngayon bigla akong nablanko. Mas gusto ko na lang umalis just to get away with this.