Meriedeth Salazar
Everything feels so surreal. Is this truw? I'm here, wearing a one piece swimsuit and the goggles is hanging around my neck.
I opened the door, Shelanie was the only one outside. I immediately went to the shower and opened it. The water is running through my body.
The familiar feeling of excitement is with me. But, fear is there.
I don't trust myself. Fuck this.
"The competition is starting, Salazar."
I looked at Shelanie, she gave me a robe for me to wear, she also gave me a swimming cap. I stared at her.
"Nagsisimula na ngayon ang competition, Salazar."
"I'm only doing this once. There are no next times."
Before she can say anything I went out of the bathroom. I saw Rovic and Eryx. Tss. They are grinning, happy much?
Are they very happy? Bullshit.
"What kind of emergency did Andrea attended?" I asked them.
"You'll just be doing two events—"
"I'm only doing this once, Fuentabella. Only one event!"
The three of them stared at each other, then Eryx faced me.
"Alright, then, you can chill here, or do you want to watch outside?"
"Tss," I rolled my eyes because I'm pissed off.
"Actually, Andrea joined two events. Well, your specialty is freestyle so we are going to register you at the freestyle competition."
"When is the freestyle event?"
"Uyyy, Shark Girl is interested," Rovic teased.
"Shut the fuck up," I rolled my eyes at him because of irritation.
"You're too much," I heard him murmured.
"If I'm not mistaken, it's the first event? But, the men's competition are the first one. After the butterfly competition of the men's competition, the women's competition is automatically next."
I don't know if I will be happy or not. Tss. I wish I did not attend school today.
Yeah! I'll be absent tomorrow. I'll tell Kuya that I'm sick. Basic. Problem solved.
"Let's go outside," Rovic said. "We should register Shark girl."
"I thought you are going to play? Why don't you just back off?" and I raised a brow at him.
"Why don't you calm yourself down, Shark girl? Let's go outside, guys."
I just silently followed them as we walked outside. There are only a few people here, much better.
"Do you want to sit down for now, Salazar?" Shelanie asked.
I just nodded and we sit down at the bleachers while Eryx and Rovic went to the table at the other end. The teachers who are assigened for this event are sitting by the table.
Like what Eryx said the event is starting. There are people who are cheering behind us.
Its irritating. It makes me lose my will.
"Salazar,are you okay?"
"I'm not good, Shelanie," I looked at her, I saw her gulped. "To be honest, I really don't want to get involved in swimming. Anything that involves this event. I fucking hate this."
"I'm really sorry, Salazar. Andrea isn't here y—"
"Just shut the fuck up, Shelanie. Why don't you join Eryx and Rovic over there?"
She just nodded, I saw her wiped her tears as she walked away. I don't care about everybody right now. Everything happening around me makes me irritate. I want to curse a lot until I calm down.
The cheering around me, the sound of how the swimmers make with the water, the way people clapping. Every kind of sound makes me irritate.
I stood up and went inside to the indoor pool area. I sat at one of the benches there. The sound of the people cheering are fading and that's good.
Breathe in, breathe out.
I found myself doing some stretching. I don't want to have any pain in my body tomorrow after swimming.
Warm up, warm up.
I heard the cheering went wild. The heck. It make me irritated.
I closed my eyes and stretched. Breathe in, breathe out.
"It's your fault! You should have help your cousin!"
I can hear Uncle's voice.
That's not treu. Calm down, everything will be fine—
"You're a swimmer, right? You should have rescue your cousin! What's the use of your swimming skills when you can't use it to save your cousin?!"
I sighed. I stood up and fixed my robe. I squished my cheeks to keep me awake.
"You're a swimmer but you were not able to save your cousin. You are useless, the money your parent are paying for your swimming class is a waste!"
Until now, they still blamed me. I don't want to talk to them. They look disgusted when I'm around. Treating me like something that brings bad luck. Who needs family when they are like that?
I can still remember how I tried to explain myself. That Marjorie was the one who went there first and not me. The ending?
Why Marjorie would invited me to jump at the cliff when she doesn't even know how to swim?
Well, we have the same question, why?
But, nobody believe me. I tried telling them that I was trying to rescue Marjorie but no. nobody believe me, they think that I'm just boasting because I'm a swimmer.
The fuck. Did they even have any idea what happened to me that day?
Fuck everyone.
"Salazar."
I looked at the person who called me. It was Eryx. I raised a brow at him, I noticed he is wearing his swimming attire. He is holding his swmming cap and goggles. I also noticed that he is wet because of pool water.
"Your event is almost up. You should go."
"How many meters?"
"100," he answered.
I went out of the building without saying any word. I felt him followed. The event that is happening now is the butterfly event for the men's competition. I sat beside Shelanie, I did not looked at her.
I looked at the partcipants of the event. The buzzer sounded, a signal that the event is going to start. They dove into the water and start swimming.
The girls behind us are shrieking. Tss. Is it their first time watching somebody topless and swimming?
Irritating animals.
"All of your competitors will be afraid of you," I raised a brow at Eryx.
"Shut the fuck up."
"Are you that irritated of us that you even curse while talking to Shelanie?"
I saw Shelanie glanced at us and lowered her head. I just sighed.
"I'm just doing this because the three of you are irritating me. You are forcing me even if I don't want to do this! Tss."
I saw him gulped and brushed his wet hair with his fingers. He glance behind us. I don't care about the attention we are getting, I want to finish this once in for all so that it will be gone.
"If Andrea is here, we will not disturb you," he calmly said.
"Whether she is here or not, the three of you will still force me to swim. Stop acting like the three of you we're not forcing me to swim last week."
"Eryx, stop it," I heard Shelanie said. "We're really sorry, Salazar—"
"Your sorry can't do anything. You already registered me for the event, right? Your effort is going to be wasted."
We heard the announcement calling the participants for the freestyle event for women. I stood up and took a deep breath.
"I can't believe your attitude could be this worse, Meriedeth Salazar."
My gaze met Eryx's gaze.
"You don't know me, Fuentabella. You only know my name."
"Guys! Did you saw it? First place, men!" we looked at Rovic.
I just walked away, it's my turn. I want to end all of this right now. We are in a total of four participants for this event. Some sections and years don't have representatives. Only four of us are swimming for the freestyle event, that's what the committee said.
I put my robe inside the basket. I went on top of the platform like the other participants. I foxed my goggles, we heard a signal. I crouched down preparing for a dive.
I want this to stop. Lahat.
Basic, I'll not do my best. Duh.
A lot of thoughts came into my mind, the voice of Uncle Mario that is shouting at me, voices of from my childhood. Flashbacks of holding a medal and a trophy.
"Congratulations, anak! When is your next competition?"
"It's still far away, Papa. Three months from now Coach said."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to attend."
"It's okay po, Papa. I was able to bring home the medal!"
Papa..
As I heard the buzzer, my body move on its own. I dove into the water and swim. I know people are cheering but I wasn't able to hear it.
I don't know who is leading right now, I'm just focusing on swimming. Kicking my legs underwater, rotating my arms as I swim forward.
All of my emotions inside mixed up.
Fear.
Pressure.
Everything.
I want it all to stop.
"Goodluck, Anak. I know you can win your event this time! I'll make sure that I can attend next competition."
Fuck that accident.
You'll not see anything, Pa. Because I don't want it. I don't want to become a swimmer.
I did a turn when I reached the other end. I swim my way as fast as I could as images from the past start flashing in my mind.
I heard the buzzer when I touched the wall. I hold at the edge of the pool and took off my goggles. I heard a particular spot of the crowd cheered.
I was about to go up when I saw a pair of hands offered me some help. It was Rovic and Eryx. I ignored them and went out on my own.
"Congratulations, Shark girl!"
"Congrats, Salazar!" Shelanie happily said while she's behind them.
I frowned because of what she said.
"Congrats?"
"Yep, you got first place," Eryx answered.
I looked at the scoreboard. My eyes widen as I covered my mouth because of the results.
I'm at first place.
Damn.
Why?
Shit.