First Rain Of Summer | COMPLETED

Thirty Four

THIRD PERSON'S POV

"I was born to love you." Xavier whispered as he wrote those words on the card.

He's planning to ask Therese to be his date on their graduation ball. He planned to give her a bouquet of flowers and a letter. Nasa kaligitnaan pa lang siya sa kaniyang liham nang bigla ito napatayo dahil naalala niyang magkikita pala sila ngayon sa café.

He left the unfinished letter on his desk. Umalis ito ng silid at sinilip saglit ang harden na ginawa niya. He built the garden and the reason behind it is Therese. He realized he's falling for her when they were at the mall, picking some furniture for her own place.

He realized that if he gave her flowers, it would match her place. But it took long for the flowers to fully bloom as he started from scratch. That was also when he realized he wanted to be a botanist. He's not wealthy just like her to buy flowers for her every two days. He thought, maybe it's better to plant those flowers himself.

Nagmamdali na kinuha ni Xavier ang kaniyang bike at pumadyak. He's running late and he doesn't like it. Nang marating niya ang café, mabilis niyang pinark ang kaniyang bike. He cleared his throat and combed his hair using his hand.

When he entered the establishment, there was the girl he'd fallen in love with. Every time he's near her, he has to compose himself and be careful because he doesn't want to suddenly hug Therese every time his heart flutters.

He already memorized Therese, not only her physical appearance; her long and silky hair, her pointed noise, her heart shaped lips, whenever her eyebrows furrowed, even how small her hands compared to his. He memorized her fear, her dreams, her bliss, and her hope.

He left his bike at the café and of course, Therese didn't know that. Since they've become friends, he offered to walk Therese home. Most of the school days, he bikes to school and he'll go back to school to get his bike after he accompanied her. He unconsciously did that every day without Therese knowing.

Pagkatapos niyang ihatid si Therese, naglakad na ito pabalik sa café para sana kuhanin ang naiwang niyang bike pero isang kamay ang humila sa kaniyang braso. Fear enveloped his system when he recognized the scent. His heart throb as he tried to get loose from the hand of his father. Nasa isang madilim at mabaho silang eskinita. Lumubog na ang araw kaya halos hindi mapapansin kung may tao ba sa eskinita.

Isang malakas na sampal ang natamo ni Xavier na halos mabingi siya. Just like old days, he raised his hands to block the incoming of his heartless father.

"Anak kita pero ang lakas ng loob mong bigyan ako ng restraining order?!" Even his father's voice echoed through the wall, no one can hear them. People are busy chasing something, and they definitely wouldn't notice.

"Si Lola ang nagdesisyon no'n!" he shouted back at him.

Napaluhod si Xavier nang tumama ang isang malakas na suntok sa kaniyang tiyan. I'm still hopeless, he thought. Pilit niyang pinoprotektahan ang kaniyang mukha at ulo mula sa ama, ngunit hindi pa rin sapat iyon.

Xavier got manlier than he used to be. His body transformed and got some muscle but that still isn't enough compared to his father's strength. Another punch he couldn't avoid and that made him cough blood.

"Anak kita kaya wala kang karapatan na pagbawalan akong makita ka. Ako ang nagpalaki sa 'yo. Wala kang utang na loob."

'Hindi proket siya na ang nagpalaki sa 'kin, may karapatan siyang gulpihin ako hanggang sa hindi ko na kaya,' Xavier wanted to slap these words to his father's face.

It's a déjà vu, Xavier felt like dying from the punches and kicks. He can't stop his father who is in outrage. He silently prayed, pleading to God to at least let him alive after all of this. However, he's now on the floor, weak and coughing blood. His father left and moved on when he's done abusing his own flesh.

"I wanted to live..." Xavier cried as he tried his best to crawl just to get out from the narrow alley. With his face covered with blood and bruises, and an aching body, he managed to get out of that alley.

Why do parents intentionally ruin their child's dream and life? Why is it so easy for them to hurt their child, abuse them, and then claim that they were the one who brought them in the world and they'd demand respect.

"Can someone save me this time?" he whispered. Xavier is desperate to be saved. He wanted to live, but instead her future flashes before his eyes.

Not his past, not the moment he's lying on the ground, but the future where he's with Therese. It's summer and just like the promises they made with each other when they were in Japan. The promise that they'll come back there in the summer. The future where they stood side by side as they received their diploma, a proof they've survived high school. The future where they dance happily and laugh with awkwardness as he doesn't know how to dance.

The future he always dreamt of.

With his shaking and weak hand, he reached his phone inside of his pocket. He smiled when he saw his wallpaper. His cara. He was speechless when Therese made her picture as his wallpaper and ever since, he hasn't changed it. He loves seeing her allure and genuine smile. It really suits her.

'My heart aches as I try to fathom the bliss that I'm feeling inside me because I got a chance to live in the same lifetime as you. But if we existed in another lifetime and I ended up with the same fate as now, I hope our path won't cross. You've been in pain, cara, yet I added more.'

'I hope I won't search you in the sea of people. You deserve to be happy, not just for a moment but for the rest of your life. Without me.'

– THE END –