That Summer

01: The Summer of April

Chapter One

April 27, 20**

Dear Diary,

Finally! We are going to my grandparents' family house that I always dreamt of. I'm so sick of Mama telling me stories about that house and never bringing me there. She said that it was near the beach and I'm so ecstatic to see the house. I bet there's a built-in library in that place because that's what I pictured when Mama said there were plenty of books I could read. A vintage one! I hope Papa's here to be with us because Mama said that's the place where he ask my mom to be his wife. Romantic right? I also heard that we're staying there permanently because Lola's pretty sick right now and the house is too big for her. I hope I could cope with this life.

Love, Aia.

"Are we near the house already?" I asked as I close my diary and put it back in my bag. She looked at me through the rearview mirror and smiled. She's sitting shotgun while Tito Sid, her brother, is the one driving the car. Tito informed us about him, visiting Lola Fely so we decided to tag along since that's where we are heading.

"Bakit? Bored ka na ba? You can sleep if you want" She said which made me sigh.

"I just woke up" I complained and rolled my window down. I can see the beautiful scenery of Mama's hometown, so far from the place I grew up with. Living in the States is not that bad but I'm often being targeted by the bullies at school so that's when Mama decided to go back here and also for my Lola's sake. Her health is declining so as her last wish to see her children together, we need to go there.

"Medyo malayo pa, Aia. Libangin mo na muna sarili mo kung anong pwedeng mapaglibangan mo dyan" Tito Sid said before looking at mama whose chuckling on her seat.

"Want me to open the radio?" I nodded at Mama's suggestion and lean my head on the window. I put out my camera and tried to capture some scenery along the way.

Don't dream it's Over by Crowded House played on the radio. I forgot that it was Sunday today and all the retro music will be played.

The warm summer breeze brushed my pale skin as I sang along to the radio. That was Papa's favorite song that he used to sing to me when he was alive.

We lost him in a car accident in California two years ago while we were heading to my aunt's wedding that day. He forgot to bring his wallet as remembered it when he dropped us at the venue. He drove back to our house and that's where the accident happened.

That was the most nerve-wracking day of our lives because we don't know if we are going to be happy because my aunt was happily married or sad because my dad got into an accident and was declared dead on arrival on the same day.

When the chorus was on, I silently sang as I took a picture of a beautiful church that we passed by.

"Ang ganda na ng plaza" I looked at Mama whose smiling as she looked out the window. I took a picture of it that made her glare at me jokingly which I just laughed at. "Namiss ko dito"

I look at the window again and rapidly took some images of the people walking and talking while enjoying every moment they spend with their family.

I wiped out the sweat that build up on my forehead before continuing to capture some images. I'm not used to the weather here since it was my first time here in the Philippines.