A Summer to Forever

16

I put my phone inside my bag and went downstairs. I was planning on texting RJ through Sam's phone so I wouldn't have to see my accidental text to him. However, to my surprise, RJ was already in the living room talking to Sam.

He stood up from where he was sitting when he saw me come down. He looked calm and collected like nothing happened. I felt my face blushing. I didn't have the guts to initiate a conversation so I looked at the floor while walking to them.

"Aba, saan punta natin?" Sam looked at me and then back at RJ.

"Teka, aalis kayo?"

"Oo, sinabi ko nga sa'yo 'di ba? Kaya ako andito." RJ said.

"Kaya ka pala naka-porma ngayon," Sam looked at RJ from head to toe. "Saan mo dadalhin ang pinsan ko?"

"Wow, bro, biglang naging protective? Akala ko mag-kumpare tayo?" He joked.

"Oo, pero syempre, pinsan ko na ang ide-date mo, 'no!"

"Date?" I said shyly.

"Eh ano pa nga ba?" Sam answered.

RJ curled his eyebrows at Sam and went to me. "Tara na?" He was smiling at me.

"Okay," I smiled back.

Sam went with us, talking non-stop about the guidelines when it comes to dating. He sounded like an older brother to me. I was thankful that my goofy and playboy cousin was protective of me for once.

"Opo, kuya Sam," I said. "Ano bang gusto mong pasalubong?"

"Ayyy, 'yun naman pala, eh. May pasalubong naman pala," his overprotective tone turned into a friendly tone. "Kahit ano, basta alam niyo naman gusto ko."

RJ and I both smiled at Sam and went to his car that was parked on their side of the house. We saw Sam go back inside. RJ, being the gentleman that he is, opened the passenger door for me and waited for me to get inside until he closed the door. He hurriedly went to the driver's side and got inside the car as well.

There was an awkward tension inside the car that not only I could feel it. I bet RJ was feeling the awkward vibe as well. His hands were shaking a bit as he was starting the engine.

"So... Saan tayo?" He glanced at me.

"Akala ko manonood tayo ng movie?"

"About that... I checked the movie schedules. Puro pelikula ni Will Smith ang palabas. Tapos 'yung isa naman, pambata. Alin mas gusto mo dun?"

"Pass." I laughed.

"Sabi na nga ba, eh," he laughed as well. "So, anong gusto mong gawin? Maaga pa, wala pang tanghali actually." He pointed at the clock in his car.

"Hmm, kahit ano. Ikaw, what do you have in mind?"

I looked at him and saw that he was smiling to himself, mustering the courage to say what he was thinking of.

"I was thinking of something crazy nga, eh."

"What kind of crazy are you talking about?"

"Well," he looked at his window side then back at the road in front of us. "Medyo malapit lang ang Batangas port dito. How would you like to go on a daytrip to Puerto Galera?"

My eyes widened in surprise. But I felt excited.

"It's just a few minutes away lang from Batangas port. If we leave now, I guess we can still catch the 11 AM trip, then balik tayo ng 6 PM later." He looked nervous while waiting for my answer.

"Wow, never ko naisip na sobrang adventurous ka pala! Akala ko puro games lang nasa isip mo," I chuckled.

He looked at me, confused. "So is that a yes or a no?"