Weight

Weight is the force with which a body is drawn towards the center of the Earth.

For more information concerning the four forces of flight, see: AUTHOR'S NOTE: IT IS NOT MAGIC: THE FOUR FORCES OF FLIGHT.

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Bahagya akong kinakabahan ngayong magkatapat kaming nakaupo ni Sage, samantalang tahimik lang na namamangka ang aming bangkero sa may likuran ni Sage. Wala naman akong ibang magawa kung hindi ang titigan si Sage na siyang tahimik lang din na nakatitig sa akin.

"Na-try mo na rin ba dati magsagwan?" tanong ko sa kanya, para lamang magkaroon kami ng conversation at para hindi maging awkward ang katahimikan. Panigurado ay mukhang awkward na para sa boatman namin na umupo kami na magkatapat imbis na magkatabi.

"Isang beses lang. Napagtanto ko na hindi para sa akin ang maging seaman sa araw na iyon," sagot niya kaagad at bahagya siyang ngumiti. "Noong nag-Boracay kami ng mga ka-batch ko as our graduation celebration. Jetski ang banana boat lamang. Negative pagdating sa kayak, surfing or wake boarding."

"Pero 'di ba magaling ka mag-skateboard? Naalala ko noong high school tayo—" Kaagad ko naman pinutol ang dapat kong sabihin. Napakagat ako ng labi at handa na mag-sorry sa kanya, since napag-usapan namin na hindi na namin ibabalik pa ang mga memories na iyon.

He shakes his head. "Noon lang iyon. Nahilig ako sa sasakyan kaya tinakwil ko na rin 'yon. Baka kapag pinag-skateboarding mo ako ngayon, wala ka nang mapapala sa akin."

"Siguro dahil mas malapit ang pag-dridrive ng sasakyan sa flying, kaya gano'n."

"Iyon ang allegory mo pagdating sa flying? Siguro alam mo na malaki-laki ang difference."

"Well... Sa madaling salita, alam ko naman na ibang-iba. Pero para sa iba na hindi alam, alam mo naman na ganoon ang thinking nila," giit ko.

He chuckles lightly. "Let them, and I swear that they'll be using the control column para lumiko ang eroplano on ground, not knowing that it is all in the pedals. Hindi lang brakes, but also as rudder controls."

"That's true. Nalaman ko na lang lahat ng iyon din during my flight training." I sigh heavily before looking on at the water as our boat move onward. "Ang dali lang sabihin na madali maging piloto, and bilang isang air traffic controller, parang ang daling sabihin na 'cleared', 'turn', 'climb' or 'descent'. Pero sa piloto, mahirap masunod ang lahat ng mga katagang iyon."

"Paano mo naman nasabi? Batas nga masyado ang mga ATC pagdating sa ganoon."

Nagkibit-balikat ako bago tumingin muli sa kanya. "Na-realize ko lang ngayong sinabi mo na ang laki talaga ng difference between flying and everything else. In every takeoff, I know that pilots wish to be on ground where it is safe; and in every landing, I know that they wish to be on air where they are happy. Tapos those two things are the most crucial phases of flight. Most accidents... and bad things happen during those times."

"Never compromise safety, as always." Sage leans back and laughs before smiling softly. "That's the golden rule of the industry. It seems like you're into something."

Tumawa siya... and it seems so precious. These past few days, he had been so genuine with everything, and I love... I have the best seat in the whole universe to see it.

Slowly, nawala 'yong pakiramdam ko na ang awkward namin sa isa't isa. Kumalma na rin ang puso ko habang tinititigan ko siya ngayon. Kung 'yong old Yvie ang nandito ngayon, panigurado ay kanina pa nawala ang composure niya dahil sa tuwa at sa hiya.

It's more than him being cool. It may be taking it's time, pero unti-unti ko na nararamdaman ang sarili ko na na-aattract kay Sage mismo...

"...Ganito rin ba ang nararamdaman mo dati?" biglang tanong niya sa akin.

I blink. "Ano?"

This time, when I look around us, I realize that we're now in the middle of the lake. The view of the Hotel d'Oriente in the background habang tumigil saglit ang bangkero namin.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" I lean closer to him and whisper.

"Kahit saan man tayo dalhin ni manong... o kahit ako pa mismo ang mamangka nang mamangka para sa ating dalawa, pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko mapaliit ang distansya natin sa isa't isa," batid niya. Lumapit din siya sa akin sabay dugtong, "Sobrang lapit natin sa isa't isa, pero hindi ko alam paano mawawala 'yong pagka-lonely ko."

"Sage..."

"You know, I..." He stops himself for a second, hesitating. When he looks back at me, I notice a flame burning in his eyes this time. "Alam mo ba na ayaw sana kitang pauwiin noong isang araw. Iyon 'yong unang araw na naisip ko iyon for any non-physical reason."

"Non-physical?"

"Masaya akong panoorin ka na nag-enjoy sa linuto ko na pagkain. I feel like I could watch that forever," he explains in a rush. "Tapos noong nakauwi ka na, naramdaman ko kaagad na something inside me was torn apart. As much as I asked myself, hindi ko alam kung bakit. Hindi ko mabigyan ng pangalan 'tong nararamdaman ko. I've been thinking about it this whole time at hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ito. And then, I finally realized what it was when the sun rose." He lowers his voice this time, much more earnest in his words than ever. "Maybe... this is what liking someone feels like."

Wait, what?! Ano 'yong sinabi niya? That... this is what liking someone feels like? Ako ba talaga ang tinutukoy niya?

"I think... I really like you, Yvonne," remarks Sage as he looks into me straight to the eye, much intensly this time. And then, he adds, in a much dignified and sure tone. "That's why, let's do it. Date. Go on a date with me. For real." He gulps in hard, suddenly becoming insecure with his words that it is almost laughable to hear such words from him. "Will you go out with me?"

Wala naman ako kaagad nasabi kung hindi mabanggit ang kanyang pangalan. "Sage..."

A gentle wind blows over the water's surface, lightly swaying the boat. Habang nakatitig ako sa kanya pabalik, pinilit kong maalala at i-sink in sa utak ko ang sinabi niya.

"I really like you, Yvonne. That's why, let's do it. Date. Go on a date with me. For real. Will you go out with me?"

Anong nangyari at nag-coconfess siya sa akin ngayon?

Siguro ilang minuto na ang lumipas at ang awkward na wala akong ibang sinasabi kaya tinanong niya ako, "Nalilito ka ba tungkol sa lahat ng ito?"

I bite my lower lip and nod once. "Yeah, actually... Paano 'yong pustahan natin?"

"Ayos lang sa akin matalo."

"Talaga?"

He shyly turns away. "...Hindi ganyan ang inaasahan ko na reaction mo. May problema ba?"

Hindi ko alam kung may problema ba. Alam ko na kung narinig ko ang mga katagang gusto ako ni Sage ay paniguradong over the moon na ako. Well, dati... I mean, I feel like doon din patungo pero, to be honest... Naguguluhan talaga ako. Para sa akin, parang bigla-bigla?

I've been suffering from unrequited love and pining for so long na hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin regarding sa sudden happiness. Pero ang pinakakinatatakutan ko ay hindi ko magawang ma-imagine ang sarili ko na nakikipag-date kay Sage as his girlfriend.

Ngayong mas matanda at mas nag-mature na ako, alam ko na hindi lang ang mahalin niya ako at ang magkaroon kami ng label ang nais ko. Sincere ba talaga ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya para ang tanging isipin ko ay kung ano ang magpapasaya sa kanya?

Kung tunay nga na reliable at trustworthy 'yong Venus Match, then, 'yong almost perfect compatibility namin... Lahat-lahat ay nandito na. Not bad, not good. But, siguro, iyon din ang dahilan that we can make it happen.

"Sabihan mo ako kung bakit ka natatakot," sambit ni Sage. "I'll make it all go away."

Hindi ako kaagad naka-imik.

"Yvonne."

"Sage, sabihin na natin na—"

"Whoa!"

I lean forward to emphasize what I'm about to say, but the action puts the boat off-balance and rock slightly. Sage, and even the boatman, tries to steady the boat, but the swaying just grows worse.

Medyo nag-panic naman ako kaagad. "A-Anong nangyari?"

"Kalma lang po, sir and ma'am," insist ng aming bangkero. "Mas magiging mapanganib kapag mas lalo kayo nag-panic."

"Pero—Ah!"

The next thing I know, I am ceremeniously thrown out of the river. Or hindi lang ako, since when I surface with a gasp, I notice that even Sage and the boatman hurriedly swim over to me. And to our capsized boat.

"A-Ayos lang po ba kayo? Sir? Ma'am?" tanong kaagad ng bangkero sa amin, halatang mas nagpapanic siya ngayon, since this is certainly not part of their safety protocol.

"Ayos ka lang ba, Yvonne?" batid naman ni Sage noong nalapitan niya ako.

"Ayos lang ako. Hindi naman ganoon kalalim," sagot ko.

"Come on. Grab on." Sage holds out his hand toward me habang nakaagapay siya sa bangka.

"Ayos lang ako. 'Wag ka mag-alala." I ignore his hand, instead opting to grab the boatman.

Sage's deep sigh matches the disappointment he can't keep off his face as he whispers, "...Not good enough yet, huh?"

Anong pinagsasabi niya?

Napansin naman kami ng iba at kaagad na may tumungo na staffs para tulungan kami. Sage and the boatman give them a sign that we're okay.

"There's a first for everything, I guess..." bulong ko sa sarili ko.

"No kidding." Sage scoffs.

"Hindi ko alam bakit nangyari ito. Wala namang wave or what para mangyari ito. In short, hindi dapat talaga mangyari."

"Totoo. Normally, it wouldn't."

Tinitigan ko siyang maigi at napansin ko na bahagya siyang ngumiti. No way... Hindi niya naman sinadya na mahulog kami sa tubig upang pigilan akong i-turn down siya, ano?

"Sage, tungkol doon sa sasabihin ko kanina..." panimula ko. "Pasensya na, pero—"

"Oh, a piranha," he interrupts.

"A-Ano?!" I move away from the boat and cling to his neck in a panic, and he very easily adjusts his hold.

He laughs. "Ha, got you. Sa tingin mo ba talaga may piranha rito? And, for the record, siguro kailangan mo na tigilan ang panonood ng mga pelikula na hindi naman makatotohanan."

I pout. "...Sage, I think we should—"

"I could make you shut up with a kiss?" he inquires out of the blue.

I knew it... Pinipigilan niya talaga ako na i-turn down siya! Hindi ako makapaniwala na sasadyain niya lahat ng ito...

Huminga ako ng malalim. "You got me..."

Ngumisi naman siya lalo. "Well?" All the fight drains out of my body. As if noticing, Sage moves his hand around my waist in support as he asks, "You finally fall?"

"I did." I nod, cheeks flush. "I lose."

"'Nice'... is what I'd say kung hindi ako ang unang natalo." Sinuklay niya ang basa kong buhok gamit ang kanyang mga daliri at tinitigan akong maigi. This time, when he looks at me, it is no longer that mischievous and playful one, but the gentle and bared emotions na gusto niyang iparamdam. "I love you, Yvonne. I've completely fallen for you."

"Sage..."

"Madalas na na-didisappoint ako kapag natatalo ako sa mga bagay-bagay, pero... sa tingin ko okay lang sa akin matalo sa iyo."

"Natalo rin naman ako. Sa simula pa lang naman, alam ko na wala rin akong pag-asa manalo sa iyo. I've always loved you, Sage. Purely and much more since then," nahihiya kong batid.

"Then, our little match ends in a draw." He leans his lips close to my eyebrow. "Is 'start going out' a reasonable prize?"

"Yes. Iyon lang talaga ang dapat maging prize after everything," I reply.

His smile lights up his whole face. No childish innocence and none of the cold sarcasm. The new smile I see looking back at me is overflowing with genuine love and passion.

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"After you." Sage holds open the door, leading me inside. Dahil sa nangyari, as an apology, the management had offered us a hotel room for free, and I'm more than a little overwhelmed.

Not only are we in the costly Las Casas, but we're in one of its best casa! Sobra-sobra ito para lamang magpatuyo ng mga damit namin!

"Okay ka lang?" tanong niya sa akin.

"Ah, oo. Ayos lang ako." Kahit medyo nag-hesitate ako, I still step into the casa. Afterwards, the loud thud of a closing door reverberates in the room.

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A/N: Hasn't it been a hectic week? 'Di na lang ako mag-talk. If you're following me on twitter, you'll certainly know where I stand. Okay, don't get me wrong. If ever it had been truly the voice of the people, then there's nothing to do but accept it. However, as always, I'll not be loyal to anyone at all: My underlying loyalty will always, and only be, to God and the Philippines.

I'll never be a fan or pledge my allegiance to any person, especially to the government. What I can promise is I'll always be critical of the good and bad governance. History will always serve as a reminder, and we've certainly failed our generation; and we'll also never forget it.

But, what do you think of the Latin phrase: Vox populi, vox Dei? Do you agree with it? To be honest, I am quite torn about it. Often times, we people thought that we're guided by the will of God, but we are humans usually tempted by the Devil. Also, it is true that too many of us love to romanticize the Bible than loving Jesus, who've been against lies.

Anyway, what's done is done. We'll continue being observant and be vigilant. Our pens will continue bleeding the truth; and if they take it from us one day, even in death, know that there are no regrets.

Follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates, trivia about the story, aesthetic boards, and etc. Love, love, love! <3

UPDATED: 28 May 2024 | 1447H

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