SUMMER
"Fuck you, Milan. Get out." Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang mapakinggan ko ang boses ni Florence ngunit patuloy pa rin ang panginginig ng kamay ko at pagtulo ng mga luha ko. I was also feeling a little bit dizzy.
"Look who’s here. The one and only Florence Chastity. How’s your mother doing?" Milan provoked her.
I could see Florence clenching her fists. Anger and fear evident in her face. Kung ako ang nasa posisyon ni Flo ay magagalit din ako. Milan’s joke was already below the belt. Ewan ko nga kung joke pa ba 'yon o sadyang sinadya ni Milan na sabihin "yon.
Florence’s mother was involved in a car crash. Ang mas nakakalungkot pa, hindi ito binigyan ng pansin ng mga awtoridad. They just threw Tita’s case out of nowhere.
"You are not yet welcome here, Maria Milan. Don’t even think of involving my family here after everything we have done. Kayang kaya kitang labanan sa korte." sagot ni Flo.
Both of Florence’s parents’ side are a bevy of well known lawyers and prosecutors. Kaya hindi na rin nakakapagtaka nang sabihin iyon ni Flo laban kay Milan. Ngunit hindi pa rin ako mapanatag. Knowing the justice system here in this country, I doubt that Flo has a chance to win against Milan’s family.
Ika nga nila, when money talks, the truth is silent.
Milan laughs again with no humor. Nanatili akong nakatungo at pinapakiramdaman ang paligid.
I heard footsteps entering our apartment. Papalapit ito nang papalapit hanggang sa tumigil ito sa gilid ko.
"He’s back."
Who’s back? I glanced at Milan. Her face dropped. Her eyes started to widen and fear was slowly reflecting from her orbs.
"W-What?" hindi makapaniwalang sambit niya.
She was trembling tremendously. And so am I. Kahit wala pang sinasabi ang lalaking iyon ay parang alam ko na agad kung sino ang sasabihin nito. But the truth is, I don’t have any idea at all.
"He’s not happy that you’re here, Maria. You crossed the line." the same voice said.
"K-Kuya.." Milan whimpered.
A voice message was played across the room from phone that the unfamiliar man was holding.
"Come home, Maria."
Breathing became more painful when I heard that voice. Who is he? And why does hearing his voice hurts me? He is so oddly familiar that it makes breathing hard for me when I was perfectly fine a while ago.
My breathing started to hitch until my sight became blurry.
"Summer!" I heard Flo calling me.
I was more preoccupied with how painful exhaling was than how worried Florence’s voice sounded. Rinig ko naman ang yabag ng mga paa ni Maria Milan na tila ba para siyang tumakbo papalayo.
"Florence.. is that.. her?"
"Russel! 'Yong kaibigan ko!"
All the voices kept echoing in my head. It feels like every breath I make triples the voices inside my head. The voices, it equates the pain in my chest.
Masakit. Sobrang sakit. I don't know which is hurting but I know I am suffering, not just physically.
Memories soon flashed one by one in a speed of light. Ang mga natitirang alaala na hindi kinuha sa akin ng aksidenteng iyon.
I feel like I was floating. Something inside me was longing for someone I didn’t know. Na parang ang lahat ng alalang nakikita ko ngayon ay hindi kumpleto. Like there was someone that I should remember but can’t.
