Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2015 07:38:57 -0700
From: Ederson Suarez <edsuarez062196@gmail.com>
Subject: A Solitary Blue Chapter 2

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.