Drastic Waves in Bondi

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Five years ago...

The Ratcher family visits North South Wales, they all come their way from Perth to visit their relatives on their father's side on Waverly where the famous beach of Bondi is.

Valerio has two younger siblings—Amara who is twelve years old and his younger brother who is a five-year-old. He wasn't really that close to his siblings since the gap is too far, especially to Benji. But he tried so much to hang out with them, but sometimes, he just don't feel like it.

Hindi rin gano'n ka-close si Valerio sa mga pinsan niya dahil hindi naman niya gaanong nakauusap ang mga ito. Madalas pa nga niyang makausap iyong mga pinsan niya sa side ng mother niya na nasa Pinas. So when their family has to stay in the town for a week, Valerio think of what could possibly be done in the course of the week.

It's summer and he doesn't have to think about his papers from college.

"We're the same age, right, mate?" tanong ng lalaking pinsan nito.

Tumango naman si Valerio. "I think so... I just turned 19 a week ago."

Bigla namang pinatong at pinalibot ng pinsan nito ang braso sa balikat niya. "Barely an adult, but we can still have a lot of like we were teenagers. Well, basically we are. There's still teen in our age."

Napangisi naman si Valerio. "Yeah, but I don't think I'll be able to do things around here."

"Are you saying Waverly is boring?" he questioned. Valerio pursed his lips and shook his head to disagree with what he said. His cousin, Georgie, taps his shoulder as if he had a plan crumbling into pieces in his head. "On Friday, my friends and I will be on the beach. You should come with us. It'll be fun."

"Oh... okay..."

"Do you know how to swim, right?" tanong pa ni Georgie.

Confident namang tumango si Valerio. "Of course, I do. I do know how to swim."

"Alright! That's a date, Rio. I promise you will enjoy it."

That kind of assurance, iyon ang ayaw ni Valerio. Kahit na niyaya siya nito, pwede naman siyang hindi pumunta. But coming along with his cousins is one of the ways to get closer with them. He's been living across states away from them so he thought it would also be a good time to hang out even though it's not his thing to do.

Valerio mostly spends his time in their room. Georgie's family let them stay for a week since hotels could be expensive for them to go to. They'll be only there for a week or possibly they could extend it until Christmas.

As the day goes by, there's nothing else he could do, but do what his parents said and play with his siblings. While he's with his siblings on their room, may kumatok sa pinto ng kwartong tinutuluyan nila. Valerio excused himself to see who's knocking behind the door. Pagkabukas naman ng pinto ni Valerio ay bumungad sa kanya si Georgie.

"Do you need anything, Georgie?" Valerio asked.

But Georgie's face was so lit up, Valerio couldn't guess what's happening.

"I need you," Georgie said. "I need you to come with me."

"Oh, I'm looking after my siblings. My parents went out with yours so I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"I'll call Geneva, she'll look after them," he suggested. Geneva is his 17-year-old younger sister. "Geneva! Come here!" sigaw nito. Ilang saglit lamang ay nakasimangot na dumating ang kapatid niya at agad nitong sinabi na bantayan muna ang mga kapatid ni Valerio.