HIP #2: Summer Of Love

Chapter 47

We took our usual seats for dinner. Mom was on the right side, dad was in front of her, and I was in front of the empty visitor's seat. I held the spoon and fork as I pushed my plate a step forward since it almost fell from the table. One thing that mom hates about dad is being clumsy. And I guess that's what I got from him. He placed all the dishes on the table and tried his best not to make a mess but he still did. "Honey... be careful!" Mom rolled her eyes as she scolded him. I find it cute sometimes when they're having small arguments over little topics.

Dad gave a downward smile and fixed his seat as he served the spaghetti to me with the I know you're hiding something look which always makes me nervous like right now. "I still don't know what happened to Mr. Anshan." He removed his eyeglass and started twirling in a fork the pasta on his plate. Come on! That was two months ago already. I already fell in love with Peter for the second time and dad still hasn't gotten over what I did to his toy. "At least your toy-" He cut her off like I expected him to.

"He's not a toy!" He complained. Oh no! Here we go again. I rolled my eyes sarcastically and leaned closer to the table as I forked the pasta as dad did earlier. Mom didn't say a word next to his complaint instead, she just continued eating. The house was filled with silence while we all let the foods melt in our mouths and swallow them.

"So, umm, how was your summer camp with Peter? Chaotic, huh?" That's proof that I can really trust my mom when it comes to keeping secrets. He hasn't even told dad about what really happened to my heart. "How can you say it's chaotic?" I grabbed the glass of Coca-Cola in front of me and took a sip while he answered. "Because I figured out Britney and Shane didn't come this year since they were busy and you ended up spending it with only the guy you're least close with. Summer of chaos?"

I shook my head with a half-smile on my face. Flashback began when he mentioned the summer of chaos. Because that's what I expected but it wasn't what I got. "Umm, no. It's not a summer of chaos. To be honest, it was a summer of love."

He frowned with a small smile. "Summer of love? What does that suppose to mean? I didn't know you were with Chance." Mom watched us talk with our mouths full. She used to hate this habit we used to have but right now, it's like she's enjoying the way we do it.

"He wasn't."

"Then how can you call it a summer of love?"

"Because... I loved Peter in the wrong way still, it was love."

"Umm, how can I unhear that?" He giggled but I was too serious to laugh at my own statement.

"You can't unhear something you heard like how you can't unlove someone you loved and how you can't unmiss someone you miss."

"Unmiss, unlove? I don't think those are real words..." I wiped my face with the table napkin and took another sip from my Coca-Cola.

"I don't know," I stated after resting my arms on the table. I waited for my mom to react to it like she used to but she didn't. She watched me lean my head on the table which she calls very rude. She looks like she doesn't even care about my behavior. When I sighed, I felt my dad's thick hands rubbing my back as I heard his deep voice. "Just one tip, don't do anything you know you'll regret in the future." I peeked up and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, we, humans already know when we're about to regret one thing but we still do it. So I hope that if you know you'd regret one thing, don't do it. Or if you know you'll regret not doing one thing, do it immediately!" I faked another smile.

"Thanks, dad," I said as if it helped me. It actually hurts me more. He made me realize that I would regret leaving Peter. I hope I won't but I know I would. Suddenly, my phone rang and vibrated beside my empty plate. The number was unregistered so I rejected it.

After a minute, it called again and I rejected it for the second time. "Why aren't you answering it?"

"The number was unregistered."

"You're not going to figure out who that caller is if you're not going to answer it."

"I know but maybe I'll call them back later."

"Why not right now?"

"I know the rules, mom. No phones during dinner."

"You already broke three rules. Talking with your mouth full, arms on the table, and head too. Why would you hesitate to break another one while I'm not in the mood to scold you?" As I expected she didn't notice all of those, she did.

"Okay," I responded.

I turned my phone on and my fingertips met different buttons such as the pins and call back. I placed it beside my ear and waited for someone to pick it up while it was ringing. "Hello?" It sounded like a middle-aged woman crying.

"Umm, hello? Who is this?" I asked.

"Charlie, this is Peter's mom."

"Umm, oh, hi! Why did you call ma'am?"

"I'm sorry for calling at night but..." when she froze, I heard more sobs. Something's wrong. Something wrong is going on.

"Umm, but what?"

"Charlie, you need to see Peter."

"See Peter? Why? He hasn't sent me any messages or chats about it."

"He can't." Her voice became more unclear as she sobbed harder, holding her tears back.

"What's going on? Where's Peter? Why do I need to see him?"

"Peter's... Peter's... He's... He's in the hospital right now..."

"Hospital, hospital? What happened?"

"Please just come." He's in the hospital? I think I already know what's going on. I dropped the phone to my surprise when I realized one thing was possible. "What's wrong?" Dad asked. I gulped and didn't answer. Without even picking up my phone I stood up and rushed to the door.

"Sweetie, where are you going?" Mom screamed.

I turned around to face them, "Peter's in the hospital."

"Hospital? What? Why?"