Epilogue

(Valerio's POV)

When I almost lose my life, I know I have to do something. I cannot be that man who let himself drown that day. I know it was an accident, but I could lose everything there. So, I started changing my point of view.

This is not the usual stuff I would do. I would rather lay in bed or play PS5. I don't wanna be around many people. I hate interactions, but there's also a voice in my head right after that incident that I need to get out of my comfort zone.

I know I just need to do it.

So I joined Bondi lifeguards. And I know that it was the best decision I've ever done.

They thought it was a ridiculous thing to do, but what happened at the beach changed me. I cannot be afraid of the water. I shouldn't be scared of drowning again. I have to get this over so the trauma won't reside in me for too long.

"So, what do you think about your first week, Valerio?" Brendan asked.

"I'm still trying to keep up to everything."

Napangisi naman si Brendan at tinapik nito ang balkat ko. "You've been doing great at your training and as far as I can see, you're doing a great job. I must say, I'm so proud you choose to be part of us. Your family might be back in Perth, but you have a family here on the beach."

I smiled and nodded. I don't know if there's something I could do more, but while I'm here, I'm just going to make the best out of it. And for five years on the beach saving people's lives at all costs and helping them even in small things, it help me move forward.

And that was all about five years ago. I could still remember what happened five years ago, but I've passed all that things. It might remind me of that trauma, but I won't be here if it isn't because of that accident and now, I'm going to see these new trainees be one of us. And seeing all these trainees, I have high hopes that there will be many passers from this batch.

I can see strong men and those two women who joined the training.

When I got on the tower coming from the south beach—encountered a child who almost choked up on eating the sand. I'm glad that I was able to catch that up or it'll get worse, Brendan called my attention.

"Someone submitted an application form for the training," he said, handing over the paper to me. I took it from his hand and review the form. I squinted my eyes and look back up at him. "Carseldine? I believe we already have a Carseldine on this batch. This could be a duplicate form."

He shook his head. "No, this isn't the Carseldine we have already have in the team. This is a woman."

"Oh... really?"

He nodded. "Yes, and I believe these Carseldine's are siblings. They looked like each other so I'm asking you to do the training for this woman by yourself."

"Huh? No! I can't, Brendan."

"This is final." He patted my shoulder. "She'll be starting tomorrow so you gotta prepare yourself."

"But why can't she join the others?" I asked.

"We already started training for the others and maybe she couldn't keep up. It doesn't seem like she can keep up with everybody so I hope you'll make her get the best out of her. Can I trust you on this, Valerio?"

I took a deep breath and give him a confident nod. "Sure, I'll try my best."

"No, don't try. Do your best," he said. "Okay, I gotta get back to the trainees."

When Brendan left, I heaved out a deep sigh. I scoop my phone out of my shorts and try looking for this woman on any social media and the funny thing here is, she sent me a follow request on Instagram. I didn't accept her request but went to see her profile, and then I just realized who it was when I found her photos.

"You gotta be kidding me," I uttered, shaking my head. If I'm not mistaken, this is the girl who bumped into me the other day and that girl who came to me asking me to do an interview with her. I don't know what her intention is, but I feel like she's just going to get into my skin to get what she wants.

For the rest of the day, I tried ignoring the fact that she'll be joining this batch of trainees and gotta spend the month of training with her. Thinking about the day that will come by, I feel like giving it all up already. She exhausts me already.

The next day, I was surprised that she showed up before me. I still had her intention in my head, but I tried not to think about it in front of her and must ensure about the business we should do. And for the first day of her training, she didn't show any repulse action towards me or something that I would hate on her.

But with her kind actions towards me, I can see that she didn't join just to get to me, or she's just warming it up?

Over time, she grew on me. I never thought I'd go with someone I don't have an intention to get close to. At the start of the training, I highly believe she won't pass the training. She's weak, thin, and really has no potential to be one with us. But I just can't disregard her efforts and actions to fulfill every task she was ordered to do.

We only talk if it's about the training. We barely talked about anything else. I don't want her to think that just because I was the one who trains her doesn't mean she'll be able to do what she wants from her. That's not how it works, not until she slowly came out of her shell and prove to anyone that she can do what the others can do as well.

Slowly, I believe she can make it to the end. Surprisingly, she invited me to their Christmas eve dinner. I was about to get to know her personally and her family which I never thought I would come into. I've got to hang out with her brothers which were fun. They didn't treat me like an outsider and Henry mentioned that if I'm going to date Aesthesia, they were cool with it until I've got heard him saying to her that if she got the chance to interview me.

Hearing that from Henry and seeing Aesthesia's reaction, disappoints me. I really don't know what to say or react to her. I just left their house so much disappointed. And I feel like I don't wanna even see her in the few days of training. But just to make it all professional, I acted as nothing happened.

During training, even though we never talked about it, she apologizes so many times that she didn't want it to end that night that way. She admitted that it was her motives when she joined the training, but over time her intention changes, and respect my privacy. We made a deal she won't write anything about me so I let that go because I believe in what she said.

That time, I was just hoping I made the right decision.

She invited me again to join them at their dinner on new year's eve. A friend of mine already invited me to their house and I cannot bail on them. They invited me first and I don't know what to say to Thesia so I never promise to come to their dinner. I still don't know how to look at her.

She came into the house pleasing me. With her eyes looking at me like that, it's hard to ignore it, but the last time I was there, it wasn't good as I thought it would be. And as the night goes by, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I feel like I'm failing her by not going to their house. When midnight strikes, I made a decision. I just get on my bike and ride it all the way to their house.

I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or this is the best thing for me to do, but I couldn't get this woman get out of my head.

So, when she saw me in front of them, a mix of surprise and shock was plastered on her face. I let her come with me... and I'm still not sure if I can trust her, but I brought her to the place where I spend my new year almost every year and told her more about me.

I've got to know her family which is very important for me. it's not hard to get along with them. Her brothers treated me so fairly and her parents... I think they love her for me. I'm not assuming, they told me.

At that point, I started trusting her, but I know I still have to control what I'm feeling inside because after all, she's my trainee and we could be in trouble as result of that.

And for the last two weeks of her training, we've gotten closer which I didn't expect would happen. And I've noticed he's also been getting closer to some of the trainees like Robbie. Though I see no competition. I'm not even sure if Aesthesia looked at me the same way I look at her.

I just know... I like this woman.

And on the day of her final training, an unforeseen accident happened. Even though I had my ankle sprained that day, when I've heard from the radio that someone might be drowning and a high chance that it was a trainee—and then her name has been said. I ran out of the tower rushing towards the direction where she drowned. I didn't mind the pain on my feet, it feels like I'm so numb that I just need to save this woman.

I need to save Aesthesia at all costs. So I did and I thought I'd almost lose her.

She made it out alive. I cannot lose her because of drowning. That almost happened to me and she cannot go through that situation. What she didn't tell me after that accident is that she incurred trauma from it. She didn't tell anyone and kept it for herself since she believe that she could only pass that trauma if she can carry it without thinking of dying.

At that moment, I just hold her hand and tell her that she doesn't have to do it alone. I'll be by her side and help her go through it. She doesn't have to go through it all alone. She really doesn't have to go through it. Because of her persistence to get closer to me and get me for an interview, it happened to her—I'm not saying that it was her fault. Maybe in some other time, if I actually accepted her interview, she wouldn't have to go through this.

But on the other end, we wouldn't be able to get to know each other. And I cannot imagine a world where we don't know each other. But I'm glad in this lifetime, fate happened... or maybe the drastic waves of Bondi made it all happen.

If I didn't drown five years ago, people wouldn't know my story—Aesthesia wouldn't pursue looking for me. I will never be a lifeguard and live a boring life in Perth. These drastic waves changed my life and I couldn't ask for more.

It was bad—it was really bad, but it made me who I am today... and I guess, that lead me to pursue something real with Aesthesia. Things might still be on the surface, but we're ready to go deep down and see where our relationship goes.

This is not the end... summer just ended. Autumn is here and that awaits new beginnings.

END

end of World Trip Series 8

End of World Trip Series 1st Generation

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

#DrasticWavesInBondi #DWIBEpilogue #WTS8

Interact with me on Twitter >>> @Imjacobxoxo