A Summer to Forever

17

After a few moments of not doing anything but sipping on our wine cups, I felt completely at ease with RJ already.

"Sobrang chill talaga dito. Best day of summer ko so far!" I told RJ while looking at the sunny beach.

"Ako rin," he looked at me and I felt his smile. "Himala ata at 'di ka masyadong gumagamit ng phone ngayon?"

"Sobrang ganda kasi ng view, sobrang perfect. I don't wanna miss anything. Mamaya na 'yung pictures," I looked at him and smiled. Yes, sobrang perfect talaga ng view. Isama mo pa ang dimples mo.

"Ang sarap namang pakinggan 'yun galing sa isang taong akala kong 'di kayang mabuhay ng walang cellphone."

"Aba! Ikaw rin kaya 'di mo kayang mabuhay ng wala phone mo!"

"Kaya ko naman, minsan props lang 'yun," he said as he sipped on his wine.

"Paanong props?"

"Wala, 'pag kunwari ayoko ng kausap ko. O kaya 'pag gusto kong makinig ng mabuti sa pinag-uusapan ng ibang tao."

"Oy, masama masyadong chismoso, ha!" I laughed.

"Sus, 'wag mong sabihing hindi ka chismosa?" He laughed.

I paused. "Speaking of chismosa... Hindi ba magagalit 'yung girlfriend mo na kasama mo ako ngayon?"

RJ almost spat out the food from his mouth then he looked at me. "Wala akong girlfriend."

"Weh."

"Wala nga. Pa'no mo naman nasabing may girlfriend ako?"

"Eh sino 'yung babae na nakita natin sa mall dati? Ang sama kasi ng tingin sa'kin nun, eh." I sipped on my wine. "At may kausap ka dati sa phone, 'beb' nga tawag mo."

He laughed. "Si Beb? 'Yung pinsan kong tomboy?" He laughed some more. "Beverly pangalan nun, gusto mo ipakilala pa kita dun ,eh." He laughed louder.

"Ohhh, okay..." I looked at him. "Pero sino 'yung babae sa mall dati? Don't tell me 'yun si Beb? 'Di naman mukhang tomboy 'yun."

He put down his wine, faced me and grabbed my hand.

I didn't expect him to do that so I put down my wine as well and tried to straighten my sitting position. The wine must've kicked in to his system.

"Maine, wala lang 'yun. Si Danica 'yun. Naalala mo nung sinabi ni Sam na may na-meet kaming babae sa bilyaran? Siya 'yun. Wala akong gusto doon. Hindi ko gusto sa mga ganung klaseng babae."

I swallowed and turned my body facing him. "Ano ba ang mga klase ng babaeng gusto mo?"

"'Yung katulad---"

My phone rang and interrupted what he was about to say. I removed my hand from his hand, and took out my phone from my bag. It was Baste. Wow, what a moment ruiner.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mengmeng! Nasaan ka ngayon?"

"Huh? Bakit?"

I looked at RJ and he was sipping on his wine while enjoying a few snacks.

"Wala naman, 'di ka kasi nagre-reply sa mga texts ko, eh. Nandito ako sa labas ng bahay niyo"

"Ah, sorry. Wala kasi ako sa bahay ngayon, nasa labas ako."

"Nasan ka? At ano ginagawa mo?"

"Uhm, nasa beach ako. Kumakain lang."

"Saang beach? At sino kasama mo?"

"Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong? Usap na lang tayo mamaya."

"Huh? Pa'no a---"