Before The Last Sunset [Before Trilogy #1]

01

This was the beginning of the end.

For the past 18 years of my life, everything seemed fast paced. Mabilis lang lumilipas ang mga pangyayari sa buhay ko, may mga bagay at tao na dadating at mabilis lang din na mawawala. It was all the same. Everyday, things changed. It was the only constant thing in the world. 

Life never waited for me, so I taught myself to never get attached to things that were temporary. 

Each day passed in a blur. At a blink of an eye, I graduated from high school and it was the first day of my last summer.

How ironic it was to experience a first for the last time. Summer was my favorite time of the year- walang iniisip na problema sa school, walang stress, dalawang buwan lang kasama ang mga kabarkada. I was always known to take school very seriously, kaya tuwing bakasyon lang ako nakakahinga ng maluwag at nahahayaan ang sarili na maglibang. 

Nakalulungkot lang talaga na ito na ang huling pagkakataon na mararanasan ko 'to kasama ang aking mga kaibigan. Matapos ang dalawang buwan, may kanya-kanya na kaming buhay dahil tutungo na kami sa iba't-ibang mga kolehiyo.

 I will never be ready to leave my comfort zone, pero it was a part of growing up. 

Pagbaba ko ng hagdanan, bumungad sa'kin ang amoy ng almusal. Napangiti ako ng makita 'ko si Chelsea na nakaupo sa sala, hawak-hawak ang paborito niyang teddy bear. 

Her eyes lit up and her lips curved into a big smile. "Kuya!" 

Natawa ako at binuhat siya mula sa sofa. "Good morning."

"Good morning Chasey!" bati niya ng nakangiti. She was only seven, that's why she was much smaller than me. It made it easier to carry her weight in my arms.

We ate our breakfast in content, my parents discussing something about a new patient. I was really lucky to be close with my parents, I know that it was rare to have that kind of relationship these days. Maswerte talaga ako sa kanilang dalawa. Even if doctors sila parehas, nahahanapan nila kami ng oras ni Chelsea. 

Umupo sa tabi ko si Chelsea at nilapag ko ang plato niya sa kanyang harapan matapos ko hatiin yung ulam niya. 12 years yung age gap namin, she was a complete surprise in our lives. Pero kahit bata pa siya, may mga times na mas mature pa siya sakin.

"Simula na ng summer break niyo anak ah," sabi ni Dad matapos niyang uminom ng kape. 

Tumango ako. "Opo, dad. Hanggang end of May po ako dito bago lumipat sa Manila." 

"Oo nga pala. College ka na nga pala." Dad chuckled at umiling na parang 'di makapaniwala. "Iiwan na tayo ng panganay natin, Gen. Big boy na siya." 

Mom sighed. "Parang kahapon lang akay-akay kita sa mga kamay ko. Ngayon si Chelsea nalang baby ko." 

"Uuwi naman ako kapag may breaks, Mom. I'm not gonna leave you guys." I smiled despite the sinking feeling in my chest. 

"I'm not gonna go all sappy and give you a goodbye speech yet. Saka na para hindi tumulo luha ng mommy mo sa kinakain niya." biro ni Dad at tinignan siya ni Mom ng masama. 

"So, ano balak mong gawin habang walang pasok?" Mom asked. 

I fought off a smile and casually shrugged my shoulders. Tumango siya at tumuloy sa pagkain ng almusal.