TW!!: Pickpocketing, bullying

Elisse Anne

I yawned as I made my way to the gym the next day.

Despite working the night shift, I always see to it that I still stay fit and healthy.

I live alone. I stepped out of the comforts of my home when I was starting my college life.

I longed to be independent and it wouldn't help at all if I will be lazy and let the helpers do their thing.

I need to learn to live on my own.

Wearing my tight fitting black leggings and pink sports bra, I sashayed to the rubber mat at the center of the training studio. I heard the usual whistles and catcalls of my jerk friends and showed them my middle finger. They just laughed and I raised an eyebrow at them.

I did my routine and ignored their tiring discussions on who got the best improvement on their body.

I was busy with the stationery bike when an unfamiliar guy entered this part of the training room.

The guy was hot. His well-toned arms glistened under the lights of the room. His abs can be seen underneath his muscle sando.

This guy has the body to-die-for. And oh, his looks also complemented it well.

His face is like a Greek God who can be seen in movies and magazines. He has the intricate jawline which makes him even more attractive. He also has the eyes who seemed to be of green emerald shade.

Oblivious to everybody around him, he dropped his gym bag on the floor and began to sit on the rubber mat. It didn't take me long to realize that he has started stretching and doing his warmups.

"Like what you see?" A voice distracted me out of reverie. I turned to see who it was.

It was my friend and training coach, Russell Norman. He grinned teasingly at me.

I rolled my eyes and stopped pedaling on the stationery bike. I wiped the sweat off my face and neck using the towel I draped over my neck.

"You're late." I said simply and got off the bike. I went to do my chest pressers routine and he gladly assisted me.

"I wasn't! I was assisting the other beginners at the opposite side of the gym." He reasoned out and I ignored him and focused my attention on my workout. I exhaled as I do so.

After my routine, I went to do the leg exercises starting with goblet squat and squat jump. As soon as I have finished my set, I headed to the locker room where I kept my gym bag. I strutted to the shower room and bathed quickly.

Shortly after, I headed out of the gym with my bag on my hands. The journey to my apartment is a thirty minute walk from the gym.

I do this every weekend. Walking the early hours of day.

It is both comforting and relaxing watching people going around our area, jogging, walking their dogs, enjoying chitchats over breakfast with friends and so on.

But what fascinates me most are the pedestrians crossing the streets especially those who are not used to struggling between cars passing by in the last minute.

There are some areas around the neighborhood where the stoplight is malfunctioning. There were news about pedestrians being hit by cars so it adds to the tension and struggle of crossing the streets.

I still don't know why the government isn't doing anything to fix it.

I shook my head and as soon as I saw the stoplight turned red, I looked left and right before I stepped forward.

But something stopped me from doing so.

I saw a guy walked beside an oblivious lady who was probably on her way to work and whose bag was freely accessible to her side. He made one swift movement and did something unimaginable.

My eyes widened when he expertly walked away with his hands inside his hoodie pocket.

Just then, folded pieces of paper as well as a couple of coins fell from her bag.

Thankfully, there were no cars around. Only passersby.

"Miss! Your bag was slashed!" A concerned citizen helped her picked up her things while I remained frozen on the spot.

I saw it. And the person beside me saw it too.

I was taken aback by the crime that has happened seconds ago. It was both disappointing and frustrating.

Disappointing that people resorts to such things just to gain something without doing their efforts. Frustrating because the woman wasn't cautious of her things.

The woman was crying as she clutched her bag tightly as she tried to contain her things due to the hole that was formed on one side of her bag. She found an empty table and rummaged through her stuff.

I let the stoplight turned green and red again before I crossed the street, this time, gripping tightly on my bag. I happened to walk at her area and learned that her wallet was stolen along with her IDs.

I shook my head and stopped by the fastfood chain near my apartment. I bought my favorite comfort food and went home.

It was only when I was about to doze off for a nap when I remembered how I first witnessed a crime before.

I was around ten when I saw almost the same thing happening to someone.

Me and Dad were about to fetch Mom from work and was about to ride a jeepney when I saw the exact same method the pickpocketers used. Slashing bags and acquiring things that they shouldn't be doing.

Dad even told me to be cautious everytime I commute on the way to school and even as I grew up.

I shivered as I recalled how vivid it still is.

I frowned when I realized something.

I saw some tattoo on their hands. Or was it wrists?

It was more of a code? Or numbers?

Shaking my head, I decided to close my eyes after I set the alarm on my phone for this afternoon's agenda.