A season to feel the love, to have a fresh start, rainbows and sunshines. But there were also times where we experienced summer with tears, heartbreaks, thunders, and hurricanes.
Discover a kaleidoscope of tales brimming with warmth, adventure, and...
There is always something exciting for Julie whenever the second semester of college academic year ends. Aside from the fact that she could come home and finally leave the room she rents, it must be the headlights of cars and motorcycles, the honking of horns by the jeepneys, and the drivers calling possible commuters. Her last day in the campus is spent taking examinations without a grain of assurance if she passes or not and submitting projects that the education department requires. A group of student are loud going out, as if being in a closer proximity with the ones they talk to is not enough. And, they walk very slow.
Julie hates it. She is irritated with these kinds of people. She is frustrated due to the minimal delay of time. She could have been sitting now on her favorite spot in the jeepney if it were not because of them. While she is on a rush, they seem to be oblivious to their surroundings, so she walks faster, hoping to get ahead of them. Then, her worn out shoes successfully exit the campus, Oh, eager is she to go back home.
Wait, oh, wait!
The yellow food stall across the road catches her attention, especially the kind of drink largely printed with black pearls at the bottom. Good timing, yes? Definitely. Julie has been stressed out for weeks cramming to review and rushing to finish activities and projects. The sun has been scorching hot all day that it prickles her skin like stingy needles and causes waterfall of sweat on her forehead and back, and it is embarrassing to make any more movements for her shirt is drenching wet especially in the underarm area. She hopes they do not assume that she has a poor hygiene. The weather only seems like a trial to hell.
She walks on the pedestrian lane to have an assurance that she would not spend any penny just in case of being hit by a reckless driver. As she sits on the stool, she faces the saler. “Ate, may milk tea pa po?”
“Oo.”
Julie's eyes read the available flavors on the menu. ”Isa po. Small, red velvet.”
The milk tea saler takes her order and restates it but as soon as she finishes, somebody slumps on the stool beside Julie.
And by the mixed scent of pumpkin and vanilla, she cannot help but to look at her – Gwen, and Julie's fists clenches on her lap out of frustration and awkwardness. How she wishes to bring back time. She should have never looked at her!
“Isa rin po. Gaya sa kinuha niya.” Her lips point at her. “Pero gusto ko po ng marshmallows kaysa sa bobba. Salamat.”
Now, Julie cannot take her eyes off Gwen – that girl who added her on Facebook without having any interaction in personal; that girl who always reacts and comments on her posts and she replies to; that girl who always blows up a lot of heart reaction on the selfies she uploads in her stories; and that girl who she waited to approach her last summer when they saw each other in a tourist spot during their family outing but never did.
Actually, Julie shares a lot of posts related to being a lesbian and coming out. And the latter is the first one to always reacts 'love' on it. She knows! But then, Julie is too shy to even strike a conversation regarding gender preference with her online. More so, in person (because Gwen is more intense and intimidating than a social media profile picture).
Still, Julie cannot cast away her glances, especially that Hyacinth does not seem to care about others' ogling eyes by taking off her thin cardigan, only leaving a white sports bra. It emphasizes her curvy waist as her jeans show up. And she smirks as she catches Julies stare. The latter's cheeks burn in crimson yet shameless in looking at Gwen that shines more as the solemn rays of the setting sun hit her skin.
No one is backing down at the sudden staring contest. Hyacinth places her thumb and forefinger on her lips, playing it a little bit unserious. Julie's breathing hitches at the sight. She gulps as Gwen's eyes bore into her at the moment she is dressed unpresentably. Yet, she feels like she is wanted. She is admired. She is desired.
The tension between them heightens that when the two orders of milk tea are already done and are placed in front of them, they do not care to notice, until Gwen breaks the eye contact by poking the straw in the drink, and sips on it. Slowly, with Julie's shaking hands, she does the same on her drink.
Gwen shifts on her seat and faces Julie. “Masarap itong may marshmallow. Tikman mo!”
A sudden rush of nervousness churn in her chest. Why is she talking to her now? With hesitation, Julie accepts it. Indirect kiss! Indirect kiss! Alert, alert! She actually ignores the warns that pops up like an ambulance in a rush in her mind. She sips on the straw that Gwen also sipped on earlier. “Oo, masarap din,” she nods.
Gwen smiles. “Ngayon lang kita nakausap. Tagal ko nang gusto, e.”
“Bakit naman?”
Julie has a hunch but she wants a clear answer. However, never did she imagine that Gwen prefers to do this upfront.
“'Di mo ba narinig? Gusto nga kita.”
‘Gustong ano? Maging kaibigan? Kausap? Makasmaa uminom ng milk tea? Ano? Gustomg ano? O gusto mo talaga ako?’
Julie's mind is still clouded with questions when a motorcycle stops in front of them. A good-looking guy is riding on it and his eyes immediately finds Gwen. Wait, is he a boyfriend?
“Shit. Nandiyan na siya,” Gwen whispers. Annoyance is laced in her tone. She bites her lips and gives Julie a smile again. Unfortunately, the latter is too dumbfounded to respond and even hear Gwen's words as she bids goodbye. All that Julie has at the moment is confusion. Then, a pinch of betrayal.
It is a bitter pill to swallow that Gwen wants nothing than drinking a milk tea with her once, because just how fast the fire melts a marshmallows, she is gone in a blink of an eye. No, she did not vanished. She is just on her way home riding a motorcycle with a guy she hugs so tight. And while Gwen thinks on her way home that it is a start of blooming hearts as she daydreams on the back of her brother, Julie's chest is filled with pain as teardrop falls and traces her cheeks.
It is a summer break and there is no room for clarification. When Gwen reaches home and hits the wave button, Julie ignores. She never responded even after that summer.
