Summer is my Favorite Season

Chapter 4

After that day, Jacob explained everything about his ex-girlfriend. Napag-usapan nga nila na magpapahinga lang sila pero noong napunta na siya rito, saka niya lang na-realize na ayaw niya na talaga. And suddenly, he met me.

Tatlong araw na magmula noong nag-away kami. I don't want us to fight again at ganoon din naman siya. Noong una ay galit siya kay Ethan. Sasabihin naman daw sa 'kin ni Jacob, inunahan lang siya ni Ethan.

Naglalalakad-lakad kami ngayon ni Jacob sa dalampasigan habang pinapanood lumubog ang araw. Nakahawak ang kamay niya sa may bewang ko.

"Can you tell me about your family?" I asked him.

Wala pa kaming nagiging kwentuhan tungkol sa pamilya namin. Hindi ko siya tinatanong dahil baka may personal problems sila or what, pero ngayon ay nacu-curious ako.

Tumingin muna siya sa 'kin at ngumiti. "Uh, I have an older brother and a little sister. She's sixteen now." he said. "My parents are separated, but they spend time with us."

"How old were you when your parents got separated?" I asked him.

"I was twelve," he said. "It was ten years ago. Actually, I don't care about how I feel at that time. I was worried about my sister. She was just six years old when my dad left us. She doesn't have a father figure, so basically, my brother and I are her brothers and dads."

I smiled. "That's so sweet. She's so lucky to have you and your brother." I said.

"Yeah. We're lucky to have her, too," saad niya. "She's sweet, caring, and a strict sister." he laughed. "Pinapagalitan niya ako kapag may babae akong dinadala sa bahay." he added. "Kahit maldita 'yon, mahal na mahal namin 'yon."

I smiled bitterly because I didn't experience that feeling. I'm wondering how it feels. Being treated like a princess by your brothers—I'm sure that's the best feeling ever.

"How about you? Tell me about your family," he said.

"Oh, uh... I have two brothers. They're both older than me by, like, five to seven years." I started.

"Parehas lang pala tayo, e." Jacob said.

Pilit akong ngumiti. "Yeah, but unlike you and your brother, my brothers don't treat me well." I said. "They never talked to me, like, ever. They never ask me if I'm fine. They never touched me when I was sick." I added. "And when I was little, they never helped me when I was struggling with my assignments."

"Why is that?" he asked.

I looked at him. "I'm their half-sister," I said. "They don't want to accept me as their sister, because they said I'm just a mistake... Because of me, they don't have a complete family."

Jacob hugged me. "Don't think it's your fault, Cali. You didn't do anything." he said. "You're so precious, you don't deserve them."

I hugged him back. "Do you want to know why I'm here?" I said and he nodded. "We had a fight... akala nila ako 'yong nakasira ng gamit nila. Isa sa girlfriend nila 'yong nakasira no'n... I don't know why she blamed me. Hindi na ako nakipagtalo pa dahil alam kong lalala lang 'yon." I started to cry. "They said those painful words, I can still hear their voices in my head." I said. "Sinabi ko kay mom na dito na lang muna ako pansamantala."

"Kung gano'n naman pala ang pakikitungo sa 'yo, bakit hindi nalang kayo bumukod ng mom mo?" tanong niya.

I shook my head at humiwalay sa pagkakayakap. "My dad doesn't want us to be away from him. Papayagan niya lang daw akong bumukod kapag graduate na ako." I said.

Ngumiti siya at pinunasan ang luha ko. "Kukuhanin kita kapag naka-graduate ka na. We can live here," I said. "Shh, tahan na. Magiging okay rin ang lahat pagbalik mo."

"Thank you... you really helped me, Jacob. Thank you kasi nandyan ka." saad ko. "Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko kapag wala akong nakausap tungkol sa problema ko."

"How about your friends?" he asked.

"Actually, I don't really share my problems. Sa 'yo lang ako nakapag-open. Most of the time, kini-keep ko na lang sa sarili ko 'yong mga problema ko," I said.

Inakbayan niya ako at nagsimula kaming maglakad. "You can tell me everything, Cali. I'm always here." sabi niya.

Nakabalik na kami sa bahay nila at nagpahinga kami saglit. Siya ang nagluto ng hapunan namin at pinapunta naman namin ang mga kaibigan namin.

"Uy, alam niyo ba nagkakamabutihan na sina Ethan at Rana?" sabi naman ni Fiona. "Pustahan next week sila na!"

Julian smiled at Fiona. "Tayo rin naman nagkakamabutihan na." sabat niya naman.

Hindi nakasagot si Fiona kaya hindi na nagsalita. Nagkwentuhan na lang kami roon tungkol sa kung ano-ano. Isa-isa sa amin ang nag-share about sa worst experience namin sa buhay.

We had a fun night. Kahit papaano ay nalimutan ko rin ang problema sa bahay namin. I'm so happy that I have them. Especially Jacob... I hope our story won't end after the summer.