The Burning of Summer

Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Where are you taking me?" Sigaw ko ng buhatin niya na lang ako bigla at magsimulang maglakad.

Nagulat pa ako ng pumasok kami sa hotel kung saan ako nakachecked in at mas lalo pa ng huminto kami at ibaba niya ako sa tapat mismo ng kwartong inookupa ko. What the hell, paano niya nalaman?

"Open the door."

Imbes na sundin ang sinabi niya ay nanatili lamang ako sa pwesto. But the blazing fire of anger in his eyes looked at me as if saying that this is not the time to be stubborn.

I sighed before taking out the key from my bag and opening the door.

"Bakit ka nagpa-iwan dito? And without your car how do you plan to go back? Anong pumasok sa isip mo at naglalakad ka sa labasan ng mag-isa? You know how those people can be when they see you!" he exploded when we got inside the room.

He is so furious that I can't even say a single word to defend me.

"This is a safe place.." sabi ko na lang at mas lalo lamang sumama ang tingin nito sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganyan na lang ang reaksyon niya sa mga ginawa ko ngayon araw.

"A safe place? There is no safe place when it comes to criminals who are wandering around Summer!"

"But I'm safe as you can see." I said calmly. Naisip kong nakakapagod nang makipagtalo dito at kung magtataas ako ng boses ay alam ko namang hindi rin ito papatalo. Nang hindi ito sumagot sa sinabi ko ay muli akong nagsalita. "Paano mo nga pala nalaman kung nasaan ako?"

Bigla itong nag-iwas ng tingin.

We stayed silent for a while. I don't know, maybe he's trying to calm himself down. I stood up and went to the mini-fridge inside the room to get some water. Habang umiinom ay tumingin ako dito. His fists are clenched tightly and so is his jaw.

"I came with Lianne this morning.." sabi nito ng ibalik ang tingin sa akin. Bigla akong nasamid sa iniinom dahil sa narinig. Mabilis itong lumapit sa akin at nilabas ang panyo bago pinunasan ang paligid ng bibig ko na nabasa sa tubig.

He was there? How come I didn't see him?

"You said you do not want to see me again so I didn't show myself..." dugtong niya sa naunang sinabi.

Sineryoso niya pala talaga ang sinabi kong iyon sa kaniya? Natulala ako sa kaniya.

"But why? Bakit nandito ka pa rin hanggang ngayon?"

Pumikit siya ng mariin at huminga ng malalim. When he opened his eyes again, they were bloodshot, filled with a pain that echoed my own.

"How can I leave when I know that you're alone here?" Lumakad ito ng ilang hakbang palayo sa akin, a distance felt like a million miles away. "You think I'll let you stay here all by yourself?"

"But why did you show up now?" 

"Because I couldn't find you!" he exclaimed, his voice breaking. "I thought I lost you..." The whisper of his confession felt like a dagger, slicing through the tension between us.

My breathing hitched, and my heart felt like it would burst any minute now. Umupo siya sa couch na naroon, I can feel the urge to be near him becoming stronger. I sat at the wooden table in front of the couch, taking a deep breath as if preparing for a storm.

"Look at me..." utos ko, ngunit nakayuko siya, nagkukubli ng kanyang damdamin. I waited, but he only shook his head, and the sudden pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

"You got me worried so bad..." bulong niya, halos hindi ko marinig. Doon niya inangat ang tingin sa akin, at halos atakihin ako sa puso dahil sa ekspresyon sa kaniyang mata—puno ng pagdaramdam at pag-asa.