That Summer When She Cried

That Summer Night When She Danced

Chances are times in our lives that are either wanted or not, it comes because it's meant to happen. Fate? It's something that I do not know what means. But if you see someone you've been dying to see for reasons unknown, even if the possibilities were one in a million, should I call it a chance or fate?

-Jeric

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"TANYA!"

Marlow's scream reached Mariah's decibel when she sang Never Too Far. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut as if it will change a thing. I'm already deaf.

"Marlow, alas-tres pa lang ng umaga. Parang awa mo na, kung tao ka talagang bakla ka, hahayaan mo akong matulog ng payapa," I told him in the sleepiest form.

"Wala akong pakialam kung alas tres ng umaga o katapusan na ng mundo. Kailangan mong gumising dyan sa kama mo, Kamahalan," he told me, too lively.

"Please naman, inaantok ako talaga. May naging trabaho ako kahapon. Umuwi ako ng 11 PM, inabutan ko si Luke na gising, nakipagkwentuhan sakin yung anak ko, natulog ako ng ala-una. May pasok ako mamaya. Pagbigyan mo naman akong maging tao," I begged him.

Marlow is one of those rare people who understands me well. Kahit na naiinis sya sakin sa lahat ng pagkakataon, he never left me.

Kahit na lalaki pa nya ang pinaguusapan.

"Natural naman na kailangan mong kausapin ang bagets. Pero kailangan kita ngayon. May magandang magandang raket ako para sayo. Mahahasa natin ang talent mo sa pagsasayaw," he said excitedly.

"Ano na naman yan? Malaki ba kikitain ko?" I asked her. Him. It. Kahit ano. I was silently thinking at the back of my mind the bag I fell inlove with a few days ago sa Mango, the underwear I saw at La Senza, the pair of shoes at Charles and Keith, the shirt I saw at Marks and Spencer.

"Hindi lang malaki, matutuloy pa natin yung plano natin na pumunta sa pink sand sa Zamboanga!" he screamed.

That was enough to make me stand up from the bed and talk as professional as I can. It has been almost three months since I went out of town. Dahil sa limited budget, I preferred to stay at home with my old maid twin and my ever good looking boy.

Well, not really limited because I managed to complete my payment for my tuition fee and buy myself two pairs of shoes when I saw them.

Then I remembered the robot Luke wanted. Five thou more needed.

Sigh. Bakit ba kasi wala yung demonyong tatay nito?

"Ano ba gagawin ko? Magpapagahasa? Ganun kalaki?" I asked him which caused my bestfriend to laugh.

"Gaga! Hindi kita ipapagahasa kahit kelan! Ako pa ba magpapahamak sayo?" he told me. "Simple lang. May party kasi mamaya yung tatay nung kaibigan ni boylet. Engrande. Gusto nila may dance party. Bilang ang majonda e dancer nung kabataan, lahat ata ng sayaw gusto nya merong dance number sa program. Yung una nilang kinuha, ayun, jontis pala kaya hindi na pwede."

"So? Pagsasayawin mo ako ng pandanggo sa ilaw, ganun? Kaya ginising mo ako ng 3 AM?" I said sarcastically.

"Hindi naman pero kailangan mong magpractice para naman hindi tayo mapahiya at makaulit pa tayo," he said excitedly. "Ako ng bahala sa damit mo."

"Magkano cut mo? Magkano take home ko?"

"Yung cut ko, ilibre mo lang kami ng one night ni boylet ko, okay na ako. Hindi na masama yung Richmonde Hotel," he answered. "Ang take home mo, hindi naman na siguro masama na gisingin kita ng 3 AM para sabihin na kikita ka ng Php 25,000 sa isang gabi di ba? Tax free?"