Cruel Summer

9th Cruel Summer

While driving towards our location, I told Stephen the story of the Capas National Shrine.

"Capas National Shrine, the sight was a former concentration camp, and then there's a wagon in the park, kung saan nilagay ng mga militar ang mga tao, I think there were 80 people in that one small wagon, and nilagay nila during those hot summer days, they were in there without food and water, then there's a monument dedicated for those who died during the death march, there are three big marble walls in the shrine where they engraved the names of all the people who died, and there's a creak there connected with a hanging bridge, doon kami madalas mag filming kapag may project sa school."

"The place where we're going seems like there's a lot of tragic history." Stephen said.

"Yes there is, and this is my favorite place here in my hometown, it is a historical place with tremendous happenings, I don't know what would happen if it didn't existed."

"It seems like you love history?" He asked, while looking on the road, I looked at him then, shifted my gaze on the window right beside me, "I do love history." It was a short answer, but it was true, I don't know how to further explain my love for history, I just don't know how to explain such things that I like, as long as I like it, it's fine by me.

"So where do I go next?" He said, breaking the silence in the car.

"You should go left after passing this long fence, there's this big entrance in the shrine, do you have your ID with you?"

"Yeah I do, why do you ask?"

"There's an entrance fee, twenty pesos for students."

"Oh okay, thanks for the heads up."

Once we arrived at our destination, he insisted that he will pay for my entrance fee in the shrine, I said I can pay for my own, but he really did still pay for my entrance fee.

What a nice guy...

"Do you want to park here near the entrance? Or do you want to park your car in the middle of the shrine?" I asked him because if he would park his car near the entrance, we would have to walk a long way before we could get near the monument, unlike when you park in the middle of the shrine, there would be a short walk to all of the places here.

"I don't know, what do you prefer?" He asked.

"Well, I do prefer it that we would park the car here, near the entrance, I like taking long walks towards the monument." I happily said.

"Then we should do what you prefer."

What?

"Excuse me, we should do what I prefer?" I asked him again.

"Well, yeah, you heard me right, we should do what you prefer." he repeated.

"Well, uhm... Let's go then." I said with an awkward smile, he just silently laughed at me, my gosh Delilah, why would you make a fool out of yourself like that?

I took my seat belt off, then I got a hold of my phone, and DSLR bag because we are here for a photoshoot only, and maybe a little getting to know each other, I think...

I was about to open the car door when Stephen stopped me from getting out, after stopping me, he rushed out of the car then opened the door for me, he held his hand out so that I can use it for leverage, to be honest, that made me blush, never in my 19 years of existence had a man do this for me, I was in shock for a few seconds, but I instantly recovered from my dazed mind, I held his hand, because, it would be rude of me not to take it, but when I held his hand, I got an instant spark from it...