Kabanata 09
Coastline
Kahit isang linggo lang akong hindi nakapagpalipad ng eroplano dahil sa trip ko sa Denmark ay ramdam ko sa sarili ko na sobrang miss na miss ko ang pagiging aviator na nananalaytay sa dugo ko. Pagpasok ko pa lang sa flight deck, halos amoyin ko lahat ng sulok at halikan ang cockpit. It feels like I just got my energy back pagpasok pa lang.
The way I touched the monitor, those one-week vacations I took felt like years to me. It feels like the hollow inside my heart has been filled. The sunny skies and crystal-clear water on a Denmark trip have nothing to do with it. Ragged coastline, stunning beaches, and ancient history aren't enough to take my breath away. I am still craving one thing while in that place—the aviation world. This is the home for me—huge, beautifully made, and visible from the sky.
"I miss you!" mahinang usal ko habang sinusuri ng mga mata ko ang loob. Narinig ko ang boses ni Devon na natawa, kaya nilingon ko ito.
"Ang eroplano ba talaga ang namimiss mo o ang co-pilot mo?" Devon giggled. Nakahilig ito sa pintuan ng flight deck, kaya pinanlakihan ko ito ng mga mata.
Mas lalong natawa si Devon dahil sa reaksiyon ko at agad na kinindatan si Arshed na nasa tabi ko lang, nakangisi, kaya ngumuso ako.
"Manahimik ka nga riyan, Devon, itutulad mo naman ako sa 'yo!" I rolled my eyes heavenward. She then gasped.
"Hindi ko mamimiss iyang co-pilot mo, Captain, e araw-araw ko ba namang nakikita ang pagmumukha niyan, sa tingin mo hindi ako magsasawa?" Bumungisngis si Devon. Arshed groaned beside me kaya bumaling si Devon kay Arshed na ngayon ay nakanguso na. “Did you hear what she just said, Officer Salvaleon? Your captain didn't miss you. Payag ka no’n? Ikaw namimiss mo siya, tapos siya, hindi?” Hindi ko napigilang matawa dahil sa pangga-gaslight ni Devon kay Arshed na mas lalong ikinasimangot nito.
Ganito ang routine ni Devon araw-araw bago magsimula ang biyahe namin. She’ll come here in the flight deck as soon as she sees us inside, and then starts annoyed, Arshed hanggang sa makapasok na lahat ng mga pasahero sa eroplano.
“Stop gaslighting him, Devon,” saway ko sa kanya kalaunan.
“I’m not gaslighting him, I am just stating the fact that while you were enjoying your one week vacation in Denmark for being an Aviator Of The Year, and even enjoying while talking to some handsome aviators there, someone is missing you here,” palatak ni Devon. The happiness in her eyes was evident while she tried to irritate Arshed.
“Of course I enjoyed talking to some aviators there. Socializing is part of my business there, that is why I needed to talk to them too—”
“So, your saying that talking to the handsome man you were with is just part of your job there as the representative of QIA?” ulit ni Devon sa sinabi ko kaya umismid ako.
“What’s your point of repeating my words, Devonshire?” I irritably asked her na mas lalong ikinatawa nito.
“Wala. I was just making sure. Baka kasi may isa riyan sa gilid-gilid na nagmumukmok na kasi may kasama kang gwapo at nakipag-picture pa sa ‘yo while you're fulfilling your job as an Aviator Of The Year.” She then glanced at Arshed’s side, kaya nilingon ko rin si Arshed na nakatingin sa akin. He then hissed because of what Devon said.
“Tigilan mo nga ako, Devon, kung ano-ano na lang iyang pumapasok sa utak mo.”
“At least sa utak pumapasok, hindi da bunganga.” Tumawa ng malakas si Devon dahil sa sinabi, kaya napangiwi ako.
I sat down on my chair—beside Arshed— before I busied myself on the monitor. Nanatiling nakatayo si Devon sa may pintuan ng flight deck at inaasar pa rin si Arshed. Na kung hindi pinapatulan ng isa ay sisimangot na lang din.
Sanay na ako sa kung ano-anong kabaliwan ni Devon, at kahit si Arshed ay alam kong nasanay na rin. Araw-araw ka ba namang bwisitin, sa tingin mo hindi ka masasanay?
"Alam kong magaling ka sa eroplano, Captain, pero mas sigurado akong mas hustler ka mag-eroplano," ilang sandaling saad ni Devon at sa akin naman binaling ang atensyon. Binalewala nito ang sinabi ko kaninang tigilan ako at nagkibit-balikat pa.
"Pardon, yah!" I hissed. Kinunotan ko ng noo si Devon sa sinabi nito. I can't get it, pero nang tumawa silang dalawa ni Arshed, ay unti-unti kong na-realize kung anong eroplano ang tinutukoy ni Devon.
"Devon!" Nanlalaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa inis sa kanya, pero mas lalo lang silang tumawa. "Siktir git!" (Fuck off!) inis na bulyaw ko.
"Kita mo ang hitsura mo, Captain? Hahaha." Patuloy sa pagtawa si Devon na mas lalong ikina-inis ko. "Kung hindi ka maalam mag-eroplano, Captain, ligwak pa rin ang pagiging Aviator of the Year mo." She then continued laughing.
Hindi pa rin matigil sa pagtawa si Devon at Arshed. Ramdam ko ang pag-iinit ng pisngi ko dahil sa pinagsasabi ni Devon. I pursed my lips again and looked away.
"You're referring to a different plane, Devon. Bwisit ka!" I hissed at her, na mas lalong ikinatawa ni Devon.
"At least now, you know." She even winked at me!
I glared at Arshed. Natatawa ito, pero nang makitang lumingon ako ay biglang sumeryoso ang mukha.
"Tigilan mo ako, Devon, kung ayaw mong e-landing ko ang eroplano sa noo mo," I hissed at her. Ngumuso si Devon sa akin, pero nagpipigil naman nang tawa si Arshed sa tabi ko.
"I'm out with it." Arshed imaginary zipped his mouth when Devon's eyes darted to him.
"Ang pangit mo talaga ka-bonding, Captain. Tsaka ikaw, Officer Salvaleon, kanina kakampi mo ako, tapos ngayon naghugas-kamay ka na dahil kay Captain," pag-uungot ni Devon, kaya inirapan ko ito.
“You know that I always chose my captain’s side, Devon,” balewalang sagot ni Arshed at nagkibit pa ito ng balikat. Talia groaned.
"At least, hindi ang mukha ang pangit." Sabay ngisi ko. Sinenyas ko sa kanya ang mga pasaherong paunti-unti nang umakyat.
"Uff yah!" reklamo ni Devon. Umirap pa muna ito sa akin bago tumalikod.
I shook my head. Arshed and I silently started to check the cockpit, just like the usual thing, habang hinihintay na maka-board lahat ng mga pasahero. I will surely miss this after a week of hellish vacation.
Sana lang ay hindi kami mag-away ni Mommy pagdating ko ng Pilipinas, ayaw kong pagsisihan na nag-take ako ng leave para lang makipagsagutan sa kanya. I am really up to my neck hearing my parents' tantrums. I don't know how much more I can take it; it's kind of infuriating to hear their whims.
I don't want to stay where they want me to. I want to fly where my dreams take me, take off, and have a great day. I don't want them to have control over me. I am so done with it. Them, meddling in everything their children's business does makes me hate them. They don't even ask us if we like what they want us to be. They didn't even bother to ask how we were doing. If we're still breathing fine after all the pressure they're putting up with us.
I sighed when I saw the last passenger board. Nakita kong seryosong nakatitig si Arshed sa akin, kaya tinaasan ko ito ng kilay.
"Ne?" (What?) I asked and tilted my head.
"Hiçbir şey, Kaptan." (Nothing, Captain.) Arshed shook his head. Naupo ako ng maayos at tinitigan siya.
"Hazır olun; bulut hattının üzerinde uçacağız." (Get ready; we'll fly above the cloud line.) I smirked at him.
"Sizinle bulut hattının üzerinde uçmaya her zaman hazırım, Kaptan," (I'm always ready to fly above the cloud line with you, Captain.) I glared at Arshed dahilan para matawa ito sa akin.
We took off. Just like our usual flights, wala namang technical problem na nangyari hanggang sa nag-landing kami sa Istanbul, Türkiye. Katulad noong huling flights ko rito, the snow bricks are now piled up in the corner, and while I lined up the airplane's nose on the ramp, the workers are still busy cleaning the runway.
I took my jacket and went outside the flight deck. Arshed followed me. Passengers were going outside already, assisted by the flight crews. Nakita ko si Devon na may kausap na lalaking pasahero. The two seem to know each other from the way they talk and laugh, kaya ipinagkibit-balikat ko iyon. Nang makalapit kami ni Arshed ay agad na nagpaalam si Devon sa kausap at tuluyan na iyong bumaba sa eroplano.
I tilted my head toward her, trying to convey the question in my head: who was that guy?
"Ah! It's Rico, Captain; he's a friend of mine. Gwapo, hindi ba?" Devon giggled after she said, kaya iningusan ko ito. Tumanggo ako at sumenyas na bababa na kami na agad namang nakuha ni Devon.
Naunang naglakad si Devon, samantalang nakasunod pa rin si Arshed sa akin nang maglakad din ako.
"Hindi hamak na mas gwapo naman ako roon." I heard Arshed’s murmur behind me, kaya nilingon ko ito.
"Ne?" I even stopped walking to face him.
"Huh?" Lutang at nagtatakang nakatingin si Arshed sa akin nang lingunin ko siya. At kung hindi pa nga ako nakahakbang paatras ng isang beses, ay sigurado akong bumunggo ito sa akin.
Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Arshed. He cutely scratched his head and let out a sweet smile.
“Pardon, Kaptan." Umirap ako. "Yah, bana kızma." (Don't get mad at me.)
"Ewan ko sa 'yo, Officer Salvaleon, kung ano-ano iyang tumatakbo sa isip mo kaya ka lutang." I sneered at him at tumalikod na para maglakad ulit.
"Ikaw lang naman ang tumatakbo sa isip, Captain," reklamo ni Arshed habang nakasunod sa akin, kaya hindi ko napigilang magpakawala ng ngiti. Tangina talaga nitong si Arshed.
"Ah... kaya pala pagod ako kasi lagi akong tumatakbo sa isip mo?” natatawa kong asar kay Arshed kaya ngumuso ito. “Sabihin mo iyan sa mga babae mo, Officer Salvaleon," I retorted and shrugged.
Nang nakalabas kami sa eroplano ay agad akong nakaramdam ng ginaw dahil sa nagkakapalang snow sa paligid. But on the other side, I can see the dramatic view of the sky. I'm not sure about a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but there is certainly a beautiful halo of golden light around it.
A trail runs through the city, which is covered with snow, but the sun is shining brightly in the sky. The dark and cold winter may have arrived, but the sun can sometimes still be seen shortly on the horizon, casting a magical orange glow onto the coastline.
My smile gets wider as I slowly take a step down from the airplane. This is the time of year when pure white snow covers the landscape, but it still makes this city beautiful in a breathtaking way.