Chapter 2: Get away
Curiosity would be the death of me.
But I hadn't been so enticed to know someone from such a lame club; naming it would be a great offense to what we call the 'Too Cool' code, for the Aquaculture club was an ensemble of weird people who had the affinity on preserving Talaba- the sea near our community- and making the Mangroves be forested again. Yet with such club taking too much pride on their resolve, they're all dime-a-dozen that the impression they had left were just weird boat lovers, fish suckers, and mangrove fuckers. The list can go endlessly, and my face would be still stuck in their glass door.
They didn't appear to be busy, I didn't think they'd be busy at all since the room wasn't the usual occupied setting; there's someone blocking the window, and the body that had forbidden the entry of the sunlight was covered in a dark blanket. I shouldn't be here, but Mandy Ferrer told me that her cousin, Nick, was affiliated at the Aquaculture Club. Not that he was overtly enthusiastic with the sea, but as Mandy had said, it's a form of reconnection to what he wanted to retrieve there. Talking about Fantasy-something bullshit, but I dared not voice out that the Nicolas person was weird as much as he was a fag since Mandy was so fond of him.
I had summoned up my courage to knock at the glass door, but the entry of the thud didn't do much for the sleeping man- or a dead body- who was still motionless, stolidly fixated on the huge window where the curtains served nothing but trouble. "This place is getting weirder by the second." I said, trying as much not to scrutinize the vast space of peculiarity that seemed to appeal to no one. "Why am I doing this?" There's nothing for me to do here: their plans were the least of my interest even though I loved boating; I'm too cool for everyone inside this place combined, and I hadn't had planned to do something about the fishes unless it's a mermaid; and trust me, when I said they're weird, it's true. The beaded room; the walls were adorned with blue beads that the light was refracted, creating a weird rainbow-scale like pattern, the sequins were on the curtains, clamoring a loud fuss whenever the wind gushed and the tables were cluttered like there's a repetition of the Touhou Earthquake here. I didn't even know how would I respond to their variety of fishbone collection and they had even preserved a body of a Blue Marlin, and probably, the only normal part of their place were the aquariums filled with fishes.
But as I was absorbing the weirdness, I realized that this place had accomplished something. They had a number of certificates strung on the corner, some dog-eared and some preserve, and while the others seemed nullified by the dark. I heard they were active on a lot of things, but seriously, could they have defined things specifically?
I sighed for the nth time. I guess this would be the part when I should walk away. The dwindling sunlight slowly breaking the darkness, and the wind, out of all things that seemed natural, created a whirlwind of curtains that the sound of sequins resonated even outside the lulled room. The by-the bay environment was nothing shabby, the smell wasn't revolting, and even here you can practically taste the salinity of the sea air.
"Is there something you need, sir?" came a deep yet polite voice.
I turned my head as quickly as possible, facing the source of the sound. It must be their leader, his body covered by a towel and the prized smile that seemed to cost millions with the porcelain-like appearance it had were on display. I faced him with a subtle curiosity pounding out of my sight, he was unexpectedly good-looking, not that I was dazed with his physical appearance, but to say that he was uncool would be a lie, and even claiming he's cool would be an understatement.
"I'm looking for someone actually," I said, making the balls of my heels turned less suspicious. I saw a small smile played along his bright cheeks, and was too jovial that he hadn't minded my lack of reasons. "A certain Nick Ferrer."
Appallingly, the man jostled as if flinching with what I had said, his amber orbs were saucer-wider and his smile was nowhere to be seen, not that he was frowning or grimacing but his mouth formed a huge 'o' shape and then was nodding like it had only made sense just about now. "Are you sure?" he inquired, but he seemed not warranting any answer that he had slid the door to the side, not looking whether I'm sure or not; but I did nod, nonetheless. "Nick wasn't really the type of person you'll look for; he's very notorious must I say."
I nodded yet again, but was caught up to think that the guy I'll devastate was a prolific something-bad, like a serial killer or so. "Was he? I heard that he was really reticent, aloof and as if he eschewed everything that involved socialization. Even my friends were annoyed mindlessly when they were talking to him."
"Well," he said, taking off the towel. I was about to close my eyes when the stark nakedness I expected was actually sporting a red underwear. "He's not really gregarious, and isn't really the most eloquent. He'd rather be holed up in the port than to talk to us, but he's a great boater; though, he had the widest collection of flags in our group."
"Do you think he's open to have friends who had the same interest in boating as him?"
"I don't know," he retorted. "But he sure know what he needs, and when he needs it. I guess he's alright being an island for now."
"Was that meant to discourage me?"
"I don't know what it sounded to you, but if you played buddy-buddy with him. You're bound to experience disappointment because he'll just act as if you didn't exist the next time, and you practically can't drag him around out the vicinity of Ville-Franche, he's agoraphobic, I heard."
"What? Was that something of a convenient memory loss? Hey! Are you pulling my leg?"
"Of course not, I did try to befriend him a number of times." the flare of happiness in his face suddenly turned downcasted, it was as if he would be summoning up rain clouds in those vibrant amber. "But I always end up not being remembered, and I think he was doing it on purpose, and last time, he had called me a moron." there's no sign of anger in him. He looked way more upset than he was livid. "I never expected he'd talk to me that way, but I guess Connor did engrave a lot of whatever on his mind so he could turn against me."
"Wow! That Nick was a total tool!" I exclaimed, furious about what I had heard. "The club members should stand as one, but he was holing himself away from you guys. Unbelievable!"
"Don't bear such grudge with him, anyway, back to business. What brought you here?" the downturned crescent lighted up and there he was, blinding me with the same smile.
"Oh! I came here to join the club." I did? What the hell am I saying? As far as I could remember, I planned to play with the heart of that Nick person, but upon seeing Mr. Amber eyes, I'm nothing but interested. Just nice! Am I turning into a fag now? But I can't just take what I had said back. "Yeah, I am. Were you still accepting midterm members?"
"Is that true?" he said. Slightly abashed that he had squinted his gaze to me from head to toe, making it hover from my parted lips to my eyes. "You don't seem to be the type of person who is interested with our plans." I supposed myself to deny the apparent accusation, but what should I say? That Jesus had shown himself to my dreams and had revealed that the Aquaculture Club would play a huge role in my life? No way! I didn't think he'll buy that kind of reason, or I had encountered the future me, and he said I'll win three-thousand pesos and a pat on the back from Josher if I had made myself be a boonie at the said club? Give me five-thousand and a pat on the back from the President of the Philippines, and I still won't join this boring of a heck club. "I hope you're not being forced to join here," he added, eyes scanning me like a doting mother would. "for the sake of quitting the Go-Home Club."
He already had a pair of pants, and a black tank top with him; covering the taut muscles that seemed pulsating with every motion. This was bad, why am I ogling Mr. Amber eyes like he's the protozoan in our Microbiology Class awhile ago? But I admit that it's difficult not to look when he was just underwear-cladded awhile ago. Was it shamelessness or boldness the main criterion to join here?
I shook my head and said: "Well, I really want to leave the Go-Home Club, and it just occured to me that my father have a spare boat that I can use so what's most fitting for it: The Aquaculture Club it is," my words struck him good; his eyes flicked towards my direction, and it goes from a solid amazement to the now welling enthusiasm. "and speaking of my father, I guess he'll be proud that his youngest son is starting to take a keen interest on the sea."
He had rummaged his drawer, papers were properly arranged and though rummaging, you can see how careful Mr. Amber eyes was as he picked; slender fingers running through a number of color-coded papers, and palm balancing the paper so it wouldn't topple nor be crumpled. "Found it!" he said, sniggering like a child.
"What's that?" I asked, looking at his back. His face mere inches to mine. He smelled like the sea, yet it wasn't revolting. In fact, the way his body smells was of musky wood-like pleasantness.
"Your application paper," he stated, "fill this up, and while you're at it. You can also look at our boats; see also the one you wanted to befriend." flashing me a boyish grin that I had returned ten-fold. Was he aware that he was attractive? Maybe he's not because he started fumbling when I looked at him longer than necessary.
"Of course," I exhaled. "Please excuse me Mr. Amber eyes." I turned to my back the moment I realized that idiotic response. Yet instead of apologizing, I turned the balls of my heels forward and trekked at the back. Face flushed and visibly shaken, but glad, nonetheless. Left to marvel what kind of impression I had left to him.
As I was snickering to myself, the loud splash of water echoed at the whole place, and it was alarming. I didn't know what would it be; the sound was of a body, I'm sure. And the fall didn't appear to be of a proper dive. It was a fall, a deliberate one and if one wasn't careful. It could cost a good future due to drowning.
Panic had revitalized my giddy mind, and I had thrown my shoes and coat, setting loose on my tie, before I mindlessly plunged in the water.
At 6 feet deep, the still blue water was cloudy in its vast glory that I couldn't see the one who had fallen. I penetrated to the deep and meet the most inquisitive blue eyes; curiously gazing to my grey ones; and there I had done the unexpected.
Grabbing him from the nape, bringing him back above, and hugging him. Deeply... As deep as the sea that I feared drowning him.