That Summer When She Cried

That Summer When She Dealt With Me

Nababaliw.

That's what people may think of him while he stayed in the resort. Sa unang oras pa lang na nasa resort sya, he has already called the front desk thrice to see as to who will answer.

Mabuti na lang walang caller ID. He wasn't really meaning to call. Rather, as soon as someone picks it up, he would disconnect it if it's not her. Her, whoever she is. Hindi naman ito nagpakilala sa kanya at hindi din naman nya tinanong. He does not need anything but he would make up one as soon as she picks up. Hindi pa man sya tapos sa pagdial ulit when someone knocked on the door. He opened it and saw her waiting.

Tameme.

"Why do you keep on calling the front desk area Sir?"

"A-Ako? I'm not calling the front desk. I d-do not need anything," he lied.

"Sir, I'm sorry but we have a system that allows us to see who calls our number. Kahit na ibaba mo yan ng isang ring, alam namin sino ang tumawag. Nagpunta ka ba para lang magloko at gumamit ng telepono o nagpunta ka dito para alilain kami?" she asked.

"N-no. Nadidisconnect l-lang ako pag may s-sumagot. I don't n-need anything at this point. N-Nakita ko na yung t-towel," he stuttered.

He finally got what he wanted. Nakita nya na si Pocahontas.

She took a deep breath, trying to be patient. "Imposible. Ginamit ko yan last time ng walang problema," she answered. "Pero sige, sabi mo e. Pagbibigyan kita. At saka yung towel nakapatong lang sa table. Hindi ko alam bakit hindi mo nakita. Eto din Sir yung bintana sa tabi ng pinto in case hindi mo makita."

Yun nga lang, speechless na sya, nasopla pa.

"Kung wala kang iuutos, pwede na ba ako umalis dahil madami pa akong gagawin?"

*

She found him cute.

She was surprised when she saw him standing inside one of the rooms that she likes best. Si 'Kuya in Baby Blue Jacket', as how she calls him in her mind, was the one renting the room for seven days. The same guy na nakatabi nya sa bus. Wala naman itong kasama and Karl wondered why he was there.

Pero lahat ng paghanga nabura when he started acting like a madman dialling the number for the front desk and releasing the call pagkasagot. Harold, the one staying at the front desk that time, reported it to her.

She didn't have a choice but to see him. Customers may be right but only at a certain degree.

When the day ended and her work was done, Karl immediately headed to the area where she plays table tennis. Wala syang kalaro but she plays against the wall. She has been there for the past thirty minutes when she heard some noise coming from their basketball court. It was past 10 PM and normally, wala ng naglalaro ng ganoong oras. She left the area bringing her racket with her.

She saw a guy wearing a black jersey, dribbling and shooting. She watched him move and even if she isn't a fan of the sport, she knew he moves really well. His shots all went thru and he knew his positions.

"Wag ka ng tumanga dyan. Kung gusto mo sumali, halika dito."

*

He went there not to swim but to relax and take his mind off things.

But he was glad that the resort has a basketball court available for use. Hiniram nya ang bola and he started playing alone. Walang naglalaro when he saw it.

He has been shooting around for the past hour at kanina pa sya pinagpapawisan but he continued. Until he realized he wasn't alone.

"Hindi ako naglalaro. Limited lang ang roles na pinoprovide namin sa resort na ito pero wag ka magalala. Sasabihin ko na sa susunod, samahan ng pwedeng makalaro," she answered and approached him.