Every Summertime

9th Summer

Philip's POV

"This is not a competition, Keifer. She's not a prize to win. You can have her if you want," I said while looking at my cousin.

We're here at the garage while talking about Sunny. And yes, he confronted me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ba pinag-uusapan pa namin ang ganitong bagay.

Tumaas ang kilay n'ya dahil sa sinabi ko at saka ngumisi.

"Talaga lang, ha? Kailan ka pa natutong magpaubaya?" he asked then chuckled.

"I'm not finish yet." I stood up.

"You can have her if you want, but I'll die first before it happen."

We stared at each other for about half a minute. I meant it, as long as I'm still breathing, I will never give Sunny to anyone even to him.

Siya na ang unang nag-iwas ng tingin. Tumawa lamang siya at umiling pagkatapos marinig ang sinabi ko. I wonder what's so funny about what I said.

"Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago, insan. Kung ano ka noong mga bata pa tayo, gano'n ka pa rin hanggang ngayon," he said.

I smiled when I remembered those times while we're little. We were actually best buddy.

Matapang siya at malakas, habang ako mahina at lampa. Marami kaming pagkakaiba pero nagkakasundo kami sa maraming bagay.

Marami ng nagbago sa amin, pero iisa lang ang  alam kong hindi nabago sa sarili ko. 'Yon ay ang hindi ako mabilis sumuko, na hindi ako nagpapaubaya basta-basta.

"Yeah, just like you," wika ko.

"Grabe ka naman sa 'kin! Nagbago naman ako, hindi na ako dugyot," he complained that made me laughed.

"Of course, I'm so proud of you because of that."

Pareho kaming natawa dahil doon. Nakakatuwa lang isipin na ang mainit na usapan namin kanina ay bigla na lang gumaan nang walang kahirap-hirap.

We never argue actually. Nag-iisa siyang pinsan ko aawayin ko pa? At saka kapag magkausap kaming dalawa, we know how to understand each other.

"Pero seryoso, insan, alam kong magiging masaya si Sunny sa'yo. 'Wag kang mag-alala, papalayain ko siya para sa'yo," biglang sabi n'ya.

I looked at him and weigh if he's really serious about that. Sa nakikita ko ay walang halong biro o sama ng loob sa mga mata n'ya. And I'm glad that he do, ayaw kong masira ang samahan namin ng dahil sa babae.

"Thanks, bro," I said.

He just nodded and patted my shoulder.

"Basta 'wag mo siyang sasaktan."

"I never hurt anyone."

We do our handshakes before he went inside to take some shower. Naalala kong hindi pa rin pala ako naliligo, na kay Sunny pa 'yong towel ko.

I'm planning to go to her house when I saw my towel outside the gate. My eyebrows furrowed as I pick it up.

**

I asked her parents if where she is, sabi nila ay nagpaalam na pupunta ng simbahan kaya nandito ako ngayon.

Natanaw ko ang pigura n'ya sa loob ng simbahan, nakaluhod, at mukhang taimtim na nananalangin.

I went inside and sat beside her. I stared at her while her eyes were close. She's really beautiful.

When she finished praying, she almost jump when her eyes landed on me.

"Philip! Ano ba naman?! Gusto mo ba 'kong patayin sa gulat?" She was holding her chest as she sat beside me.

I chuckled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you. I'm looking for you actually."

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin.

"B-Bakit naman?"

Why is she stuttering? Maybe she was thinking of something or. . . is she avoiding me?

"Are you okay?" I asked out of nowhere.

"O-Oo naman. Bakit naman hindi ako magiging okay?"

"You heard my conversation with Keifer, aren't you?"

She fell silent. And that gives me an answer. But if she heard us, why does she looked tense and distant? Did I said something bad?

"Sunny, talk to me can you?"

Hinawakan ko ang mga balikat n'ya at saka ko siya hinarap sa akin.

"Tell me what's wrong." I touched her face.

Later on I saw her smile. She removed my hands from her face.

"Ito naman hindi ka na mabiro! 'Yong narinig ko sa inyo ni Keifer? Asus, wala 'yon, ano ka ba?"

I smiled when I heard her chuckled. I thought she's mad at me.

"Really?" I asked.

Tumango naman siya. "Oo naman."

I breath a relief.

"Bakit ka pala nandito bukod sa hinahanap mo ako? Magpe-pray ka rin ba?" she asked.

I looked at the aisle. What should I pray now? Give me a long life? I think that's impossible.

"Maybe a little favor for me to accomplish my goals if ever I didn't make it," I said, as a matter of fact.

"Kagaya naman ng ano?"

I shrugged.

"Like. . . falling in love, I guess?"

She smiled a little. I looked at her and put my hand on my chest.

"Do you think I can still do it?"

"Oo naman. Lahat naman ng tao malayang magmahal. K-Kanino ba?" she asked.

I chuckled. She's really cute, I know that she knows whom I want to fall with. She already heard it earlier.

Pero sige sasakyan ko ang trip n'ya.

"Guess who?"

She smirked and scratched her head.

"Pag-iisipin mo pa ako. Oh, sige ano pa ba 'yong goal mo? Isa-isahin natin."

I think for a while. What else?

"To meet my mom once again. Siguro 'yon na ang last. So that before I close my eyes, I still have the last chance to tell her how much I misses her."

When I remembered the time that I saw her with her new family, I felt pain and hate, yes. But I realized that she's still my mother after all. And I actually regretted being a coward back then.

But if God will give me a chance to meet her again, I swear that I will not waste it.

She hold my hand.

"Sasamahan kitang i-accomplish 'yang mga goals mo na 'yan."

Sunny's POV

Bumaba ako sa tricycle nang makarating na ako sa bahay kung saan nakatira ang mama ni Philip. Humugot muna ako ng malalim na hininga bago ako maglakad papasok sa compound nila.

"Tao po!" tawag ko ngunit walang sumagot.

Sumilip ako sa bukas na pinto ng sala nila ngunit wala akong nakitang tao roon. May narinig akong nagtutungga ng bomba sa likod kaya naman doon ako dumiretso.

Nakita ko roon ang isang babaeng nakasuot ng daster habang nakaupo sa bangkito at naglalaba ng damit.

"M-Magandang umaga po," bati ko na s'ya namang nakapagpalingon sa kan'ya sa direksyon ko.