Summer Rain

Chapter VI

I was swaying. Levitating. Floating.

A cold gust of wind roused me from my slumber, and a fiery orange sky welcomed my still-tired eyes.

The cerulean, azure ocean remained as wild as it had been the night before.

The sound of the waves crashing on the lighthouse was lulling me back to sleep, but voices arguing drew my attention.

"Kanina pa kayo hinahanap ni Annie. Ano ba'ng pumasok sa isip mo at dinala mo si Gracie dito?" tumaas na ang boses ng isa sa mga nagsasalita.

"We just wanted to have some time alone. I know it's wrong. Dapat kanina pa kaming alas tres nakabalik but we lost track of time."explain naman ni Mario.

"And you know how much trouble you'll be in kung nakita kayong dalawa na halos hubad at magkatabi pa?", paksi naman nito.

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon at halos kainin ng lupa ng maalala kong wala nga pala akong damit maliban sa aking undies.

Dali-dali akong tumayo and with that, two pairs of eyes looked at me. Mario's who's apologetic and Keno's who's angry.

Like a sheep caught on headlights, I managed to say. "M-magbibihis lang ako."

And with that, I ran up the stairs.

The walk back to town was excruciating. Nauna nang umuwi si Annie at iba pa naming kasama which means alam na ni Nana na hindi kami nakabalik ni Mario sa sayawan.

Abot langit ang pagdarasal ko habang binabaybay namin ang kahabaan ng driveway papasok sa ancestral house. If there was any consolation, ito ay ang paghawak ni Mario sa aking mga kamay.

Maya't maya ay tinatanong niya ako kung okay lang ako and to reassure me that everything will turn out fine.

Tahimik namang naglalakad lamang sa likod namin ang pinsan niyang si Keno. Napatingin ako sa kanya kanina and he's deep in thought.

Isang pindot ko pa lamang sa doorbell ng pinto at bigla itong bumukas. Bumungad ang seryosong mukha ng aming abuela.

I can feel the tension in the air at hindi maikakaila ang galit ng matanda.

"Gracie, umakyat ka na muna sa kwarto mo."

I looked at Mario. He nodded his head and mouthed the word, "Go."

Dire-dretso akong tumakbo paakyat sa hagdan pero bago ko pa man masara ang pinto sa aking kwarto, narinig ko si Annie na lumabas sa kaniya.

"Are you okay?" pag-aalala niyang tanong.

I just nodded and closed the door at her face. Wala akong ganang makipag-usap ngayong araw kahit kanino.

I stepped out onto the balcony, hoping to hear what was going on below, but all I could see was Nana's disappointed face and Mario's remorseful expression.

After a short while, Nana shut the door and Mario and Keno left.

In my mind, I'm willing Mario to turn around. To at least see me or wave farewell. Instead, it was Keno who did it. 

He gave me a small smile as they continued on their way.

Ako'y nakaupo lamang sa veranda at nakatanga sa kadiliman. I raised my feet over the terrace railing and inhaled deeply for the thousandth time tonight.

Hindi ako bumaba para kumain. Iniwanan lamang ako ng sandwich at juice ni yaya Norma sa labas ng pinto kanina.

Kinuha ko naman kasi nagugutom na akong talaga. The last meal I had was last night before we went to the bayle.