That Summer When She Cried

That Rainy Day When The World Crashed

"Sandali lang!"

Karl shouted from the inside. She was having a good sleep when she heard her doorbell ring twice. It has been there for the longest time but no one uses it dahil ayaw nya. She grunted and felt Jeron's heavy arm around her waist.

"Botch, wait lang," she told him sleepily.

He moved a little, freeing her. His eyes were only half open. After they had swimming, they had their lunch and he felt sleepy he preferred to just spend some quiet time with her. They stayed on her room and the moment they laid down, they both fell into a deep slumber without any word said.

"Sino yun?" Jeron asked her.

"I don't know," she answered and looked for her bedroom slippers.

Jeron stood up and walked freely inside barefoot. "I'll do it, Mahal," he said at his most sleepy tone. When he got to the door, she already found her pair of fur slippers.

"Sino yan botch?" she asked.

"Wait, I'm still opening the door. Oh, there you go," he said and turned the doorknob.

May dumaan bang anghel at natahimik ang lahat, pati ang alon ng dagat? Kanina lang madidinig mo yung aircon pero ngayon, tila nasa isang pelikula sila na nafreeze ng nanonood ang DVD player.

"Kuya?"

He found his brother standing outside Karl's room. It felt as if a drum of water filled with buckets of ice has just been spilled on him. It made him fully awake, eyes wide open, heartbeat dead.

Jeric on the other hand stood like a monument outside Karl's bedroom door when he saw who opened the door for him. It seemed as if his soul fled for a while.

His whole body stopped functioning for a few seconds. It was as if he went thru the series of fight or flight response.

Fuck.

That was the very first word that crossed his mind as soon as his soul went back to his body. And then a lot of questions raced on his mind.

What is Jeron doing on Karl's resort? Specifically on Karl's room?

What did they just do?

Jeron's wearing a shirt. Baka naman natulog lang. Pero bakit dito pa of all places?

Why is he here?

"What are you doing here?" Jeric finally found his tongue to speak. "Akala ko ba pupuntahan mo yung girlfri-"

"Botchie?" Karl then appeared from behind, her hands landing on Jeron's left side of his waist. When she saw who was outside, she felt why Jeron was stiff as stone. "Jeric?"

"Karl?" he mentioned her name. He suddenly felt a pang of jealousy coming from the core of his heart but he knew it wasn't right. His mind was screaming what the hell was going on but his heart was still trying to make an excuse.

It was Jeron who recovered first. He laughed. "I'm sorry. We all look stupid right now with this encounter," he said. Karl formed a smile on her face while Jeron's hand held her on her waist. "I know you guys know each other and this is too awkward as it can be but Ahia, meet Karl, my girlfriend. Mahal, meet Kuya. He's my Ahia Jeric."

Karl's smile flashed. She laughed with him. "No need for introductions, botchog," Karl said. "We know each other, right? It has been a while. How have you been Jeric?"

"Ah..." he stuttered. He thought he lost his tongue somewhere. Hindi nya alam na may pagkakataon pala na wala kang masasabi dahil kahit anong salita, wala ka ng maalala.