The Burning of Summer

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Five

"Hi! I don't think we've met.." ani ng lalaki at saka naglahad ng kamay. "Yvo.. Vivienne's husband" he uttered.

I felt a knot squeezed inside of me. What? What did he say?

"Summer.." sabi ko naman saka mabilis ding binitawan ang kaniyang kamay.

"Are you friends with one of my cousins?" naka-ngiting tanong nito.

My mind is going crazy by this sudden revelation that I couldn't form an answer.

"Babe I think I need a moment with her.." narinig kong sabi ni Vivienne sa lalaki. Yvo, kissed her forehead before leaving us two. "You shouldn't have seen that." kaagad niyang sinabi nga kaming dalawa na lamang naroon.

He said that he's Vivienne's husband. I'm pretty sure I heard that right.

That explains all this. Everyone giving me a warm welcome. Their family treating me special and accepting me so easily and yet, no one, not one person in this house even bothered telling me that. Including Reid.

The knot inside my chest became tighter. Everyone in here let me to believe that Reid and Vivienne are married!

I crossed my arms between my chest and tilted my head to the side a bit as I waited for her to say more. I am so angry that I opted not say anything because I might just spit some awful words at her.

"You do know that I'm married right?" she said then showed me her left hand, natuon ang mata ko sa kaniyang palasingsingan.

"Of course I know, you announced your engagement more than six months ago.." I said full of sarcasm.

"That's the thing.." she trailed off. "It's a long story and I don't really know how to say this but... I don't know if I should be the one to tell you about it.."

Pumikit ako saglit.

"It's fine.. it seems like Reid enjoys keeping me in the dark anyway.." sabi ko saka muling dumilat. "Congratulations by the way.." sarkastikong sabi ko. "And at least let me borrow your phone.. I need to make a phone call." utos ko.

I do not want to sound rude pero parang ganoon tuloy ang naging tono ko ngunit wala na akong pakielam doon.

"Sinong tatawagan mo?" tanong niya habang inaabot sa akin ang kaniyang phone.

I ignored her question and dialed our home telephone number. I waited for more than three rings before someone answered the call.

"I don't care who this is but this is Summer, better tell my cousin, Pierre to come and find me as soon as possible.. my stay here has been long overdue." sabi ko sa kabilang linya saka tumingin kay Vivienne. Hindi magkamayaw sa pagsaslita ang nasa kabilang linya hanggang sa pinatay ko na ang tawag.

"You cannot leave yet, you and Reid need to talk first."

Umismid ako.

"I've been telling this to him since day one.. no, we do not have anything more to talk about." mariin kong sabi.

"He loves you, sincerely."

"His actions speak otherwise." that was the last thing I said to her before turning my back on her and walking out of there.

"I've been looking for you." namataan ako ni Iñigo habang pababa sa hagdan.

"You're not, nasa kwarto lang ako maghapon kaya alam mo na naroon lang ako at doon mo lang ako makikita."

Nanunuksong ngiti ang kumawala sa labi nito dahil sa sinabi ko.

"Hey I am, really.." sabi nito kahit halata namang hindi ito nagsasabi ng totoo. "You look adorable by the way."