Chapter 26

I tried to act normal when we got back to the training. Iisipi ko na lang na walang nangyari nitong weekend at magfo-focus na lamang ako sa training namin. We only have two weeks left and after that, we'll be able to know kung makapapasa ba kami na maging isang ganap na Bondi lifeguard.

Though what I had in mind, matanggap man o hindi, I'll be going back to college. Iyong punto ng pag-interview ko kay Valerio, na-set aside na since I respect his private life and I wish to do that for him.

Hindi naman ako tinigilan ni Kuya Emmett at may sinabi pa itong aasarin niya ako all day which when we get on the beach, I started avoiding him. Ayoko namang ipaalam sa ibang trainees kung anong nangyari kast weekend. I'll keep it a secret as much as I can.

I'm sure some of them would assume that I am making my way up to the top so I can get Valerio's approval. I'm one step ahead of them and before they could even think of that, they would shut the assumptions down.

And as far as I notice, hindi naman niya pinapasok ang personal stuff niya during his shift and take everything all in professional level so I don't think something like that would happen.

As I report into the tower, Valerio was there. Nagkatinginan pa kaming dalawa sa mata at naghihintay kung sino ang unang magsasalita.

But I know I had to break the silence. "Good morning, sir."

Nginisihin naman niya ako. "Sir? When did I tell you to call me sir?"

Napakibit balikat ako sa tanong niya. "Uhm... nothing."

"Here's your task today." May inabot siya sa aking folders. "Please do sort all that out and when you finished, tell me so we can proceed to your physical training."

"Am I doing some desk jobs again?"

Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay niya. "Are you questioning my order, Carseldine?"

I immediately shook my head. "Oh, no... my bad."

"Good. And Brendan told me something you will be joining the others for the final assessment."

"Oh... okay... that would be fine."

"No, it's not. It isn't training, it would determine your fate to your training. If you didn't pass the final assessment, you have a high chance of failing. So, we'll catch up and I hope you'll bear with me for this week, but I'll be tough on you."

Napalunok na lamang ako ng laway ng sabihin niya 'yon. Tumango na lamang ako bilang pagsang-ayon sa kanya. Wala rin naman akong choice kung hindi ang sumunod sa kanya.

Naghanap naman ako ng pwesto saka ko sinimulan ang unang ipinapagawa niya sa akin. Habang sinusubukan ko namang mag-focus sa pagso-sort ko ng papers, nag nanakaw naman ako ng tingin kay Valerio na busy sa pakikipag-usap sa radyo.

Hindi kasi ako nakadalaw ng beach nitong weekend pero ang rinig-rinig ko ay jampacked daw ito. Halos nagsisikan sa ilang area at sa puntong iyon, hindi rin naiwasan ang iba't ibang klase ng insidente at aksidente. Sa dami rin ng turista ngayon sa Sydney, hindi na nakapaninibago iyon.

Mabilis ko namang natapos ang una kong gawain. Wala si Valerio sa loob ng tower kaya lumaba ako para hanapin siya. Napansin ko rin naman na wala rin ang ibang trainees sa paligid so finding that out, malaki ang chance na iba-iba ang ginagawa ng bawat isa.

And here I am... figuring out what to do next.

May sarili na akong radyo, though connected lamang ito kay Valerio. I have to report things directly to him kaya siya ang unang makakaalam. Sinubukan ko rin siyang i-radyo ngunit hindi niya iyon sinasagot.

I was wondering where he goes... sa north or south side of the beach ba?

Hindi ko naman pwedeng lakarin ang north to south dahil nakapapagod iyon. If I have the patrol car.

"Valerio, this is Aesthesia. Are you there?" I spoke on the radio.

Saglit lang din naman ay may pumasok na static sound ngunit walang boses na nagmumula kay Valerio. I responded back, but I get nothing. Hinayaan ko na lang din naman muna ito dahil baka may ibang pinagkaaabalahan si Valerio.

Maya-maya lamang habang naglalakad ako ay napansin ko ang isang papalapit na patrol car sa direksyon ko. As it gets closer, nakilala ko naman kung sino ang lulan nito. Nginitian ko naman ito saka niya inihinto ang patrol car sa tabi ko.

"It looks like you're lost," Robbie said, chuckling.

"Well, kind of. I was looking for Valerio since he said after I'm done sorting out the task he gave to me, we'll proceed to the physical training."

"Ah, I see. So, are you also joining us on the final assessment?" he asked.

I nodded quickly. "Yes, that's what he told me earlier so he's kind of preparing me for it again. But I'm confident with all the things I've done even though I mostly stayed inside the tower. This is where all the things I needed to remember to go." Pagturo ko pa sa utak ko.

He smiled, nodding. 'Okay, I'll take that. I'm sure you can make it. I've seen you act and respond to some of the emergencies and you quite leveled to where Alexis is."

"Wow, that's a huge comparison, but I'll take that, too. That's a big deal for me since Alexis is a very much physically attributed person so there's a quite differential with that, but thank you for saying that. I appreciate it, Mister Rogers."

He chuckled. "So, you're gonna continue looking for Valerio?" he asked, raising a brow.

I nodded. "Yeah, I tried radioing him, but he's not responding."

"So, you're heading to the south beach now?"

"Uh... yeah, probably, but I think not all the way down. It's too far."

"Get on the car," he said.

Napakunot naman ang noo ko. "Huh? What?"

"I'll take you to the north beach. I came all the way from the south beach and didn't see Valerio there. He's probably on the north. Get on the car, it'll save you some time and energy."

"What about you? You might be busy."

Umiling naman ito. "No, I was tasked to do the patrolling until two so I've got time."

"Okay, you say so."

Sumampa naman ako sa loob ng patrol car sa tabi ni Robbie. While we're heading towards the north beach, panay rin naman ang tingin nila sa paligid bilang parte ng task niya ngayon. In-observe ko rin naman ang bawat nadaraanan namin. Baka malingat din ako kay Valerio na tipong nalagpasan na pala namin, hindi ko lang napansin.

"So, what did you do during your Christmas and new year's celebration?" he asked.

"Huh?" I mumbled, but I heard what he had said. Natuon lamang ako sa pagtingin sa paligid. "Oh... yeah. I celebrated it with my family. Kind of a normal Filipino-Australian celebration. It was great to be with them and all."

"That's great," he commented.

"What about you?"

"Because I wasn't able to go back home with my family, good thing I have great friends who invited me to their home on these past celebrations. I'm glad they have thought of me so I'm contented with that."

"I'm so happy for you. I'm sure after this training and you'll become officially a lifeguard, you'll have a new family—a bigger one actually."

"I am anticipating for that moment to come," he said, smiling, maybe imagining it. Pero napakunot naman ito, saglit na nilipat ang tingin sa akin at binalik muli ito sa dinaraanan namin. "Why does it sound like you're saying you're not gonna become a lifeguard after this training?"

I shrugged off. "There are always uncertainties and that's one of it."

He smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you'll make it. I believe in you."

"Well, I should say that to myself as well." Ngisi ko pa.

Hindi naman katagalan ng makita namin si Valerio na hawak-hawak ang isang lalaki. Nagtaka naman kami ni Valerio kung anong nangyayari kaya naman nang mapansin niya rin ang patrol car na parating at makita kaming dalawa ni Robbie ay inihinto ito ni Robbie saka kami tumungo kay Valerio upang tingnan kung anong nangyayari.

"What's happening here?" I asked.

Hindi sumagot si Valerio pero nang lumipat ang tingin niya sa lalaking hawak niya ay masama ang tingin nito. Wala siya sa mood o kaya naman may hindi magandang nangyari. Nang may marinig kami radyo mula kay Valerio na nagmumula sa tower ay dinala niya ito sa patrol car at pinabantay kay Robbie.

"Those perverts," he disgustingly said. Napaanga na lamang ako nang banggitin niya iyon. "One got away and I couldn't look for him. I kept that one until the police arrive."

"Oh... I see..."

"What are you doing with Robbie?" he asked.

"Uhm... I was just looking for you because I finally finished the task you gave to me so maybe I can move on to my physical training now?"

"But why were you with him?" seryoso ang tono ng boses nito.

Napakunot ako ng noo. "And why not?"

"He should be patrolling on his own and not picking up girls."

"I'm not just a girl," I corrected him. "I'm also a trainee and we met when I was about to go to the south beach to look for you and he said he didn't find you there so he invited me to go on a ride with him on the patrol to go here. I don't think there's no problem with that... or are you jealous?"

He laughed. "Dam Carseldine. Why would I be jealous?"

"Well... it was just a thought. Don't take it seriously."

He shook his head. "I am taking it seriously. That's an accusation, Carseldine."

Napalunok ako ng laway. "Oh... okay..."

"We'll talk about it later," he said as soon we heard on the radio that the cops are coming on our way.

Saglit lang ng dumating ang police patrol mobile at sila na ang kumuha sa lalaking nahuli ni Valerio. Pinaliwanag naman ni Valerio sa mga officer kung anong nangyari. May dalawang babae naman na turista ang tinawag ni Valerio where these perverts are trying to sneak a photo of them. The girls also confessed to the officers that the guy Valerio caught, went dipping on the water, following the girls and bump with them intentionally. They've got their own ways and it's disgusting.

The cops took the guy and somehow made the girls secure about it, though they decided to leave the beach already.

Tinawag naman kami ni Robbie at nagpaalam ito na magpapatuloy na siya sa kanyang pagpa-patrol. Naiwan na naman kaming dalawa ni Valerio at bigla akong iniwanan nito.

"Hey!" pagtawag ko at paghabol ko sa kanya. "Where are you going? Are you heading back to the tower?"

"Yup," tipid na sagot nito sa akin.

"Hey, don't be so rude." Hindi pa rin niya ako. Pilit ko pa rin namang hinahabol iyong mabibilis niyang paglalakad. "Are you mad just because I ride with Robbie there?" Wala ulit akong natanggap na sagot mula sa kanya. "He's not even my type."

Narinig ko ang pagngisi niya pero hindi pa rin ako nililingon hangga't sa naisipin kong kumuha ng buhangin saka ko sinaboy sa kanya. Ako pa iyong natakot sa ginawa ko dahil biglang tumigil si Valerio sa paglalakad at mabilis akong hinarap.

"Why did you do that?" he questioned.

But I stood up like I did nothing wrong. "I didn't do anything."

He let out a sharp breath. "You know what to do next, Carseldine."

"Huh?"

"Huddle up, Carseldine!" sigaw nito at saka siya biglang tumakbo at iniwan ako.

I panicked and basically didn't know what to do, but to run behind him. Kung ano man itong ginagawa niya sa akin ngayon, this could be a part of the training... or not. But the conversation we had is confusing.

Whatever might happen after this training, there are still things I'm looking forward to seeing.

***

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