Cruel Summer

LXI.

EXT. BEACHFRONT — AFTERNOON

Ares and Aphrodite are both sitting on the sand. The small waves crash over their feet, making it wet. They are both waiting for the sun to set.

ARES
Everyone's probably worried about us. Kahapon pa tayo hindi nagpaparamdam sa kanila.

APHRODITE
I'm sure they are. I'm just not ready to turn on my phone yet.

Ares looks at Aphrodite with love as he puts an arm over her shoulders. Aphrodite leans closer and kisses his jaw. Ares moves forward and tilts her head before planting a soft kiss on her lips.

ARES
Masaya ka ba?

APHRODITE
Oo naman.

ARES
Tingin mo, sapat na 'to para sa mga bagay na tinalikuran natin mula kahapon?

Aphrodite remains quiet. She couldn't find an answer to his question. They both decided to run away yesterday but is it all worth it? For this little happiness?

ARES
Hindi ko kayang ibigay sa'yo ang mga ibinibigay ni Sid. Hindi kita kayang ibili ng 16 million na bag. Hindi kita kayang pagawaan ng vacation house...

APHRODITE
Hindi naman 'yon ang minahal ko kay Sid.

ARES
Eh, ako? Mahal mo ba ako?

APHRODITE
Ares...

He sees the hesitation and confusion in her eyes. He's sure that she's having doubts. They both are, with the weight of their impulsive actions, with the weight of its consequences.

ARES
Ano ba tayo?

APHRODITE
Masaya.

ARES
Hindi naman sapat na masaya lang tayo ngayon.

APHRODITE
Alam ko.

Ares tightens his hold of Aphrodite, afraid that if he lets go even just for a little bit, he will lose her.

ARES
Alam mo, hindi naman ako ganito dati. Hindi ako perpekto at maloko pero... lagi kong sinusubukan gawin ang tama.

ARES
Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa'yo, hindi ako makapag-isip ng tama. Alam ko namang mali 'to, eh. Hindi ko lang magawa 'yong tama kasi mas gusto kita kaysa maging tama ako.

ARES
Pero mali 'yon, 'di ba? Mali 'to.

APHRODITE
Are you regretting this now?

ARES
Magsisinungaling ako kung sasabihin kong hindi.

APHRODITE
At maiintindihan ko. Hindi biro 'tong ginawa natin, Ares.

ARES
Alam ko. Parang parusa ng langit.

APHRODITE
Parang parusa kasi mali. Kasi hindi dapat.

Aphrodite quietly cries on Ares' shoulders as he bites his lower lip. Ares knows that this was all an impulsive decision. That even though it was her who asked him to run away, he doesn't have the heart to see her leave everything behind for him. Not when she's still unsure.

ARES
Kung sigurado na tayo, hanggang kailan tayo ganito? Hanggang kailan tayo magtatago? Hanggang kailan tayo tatakas? Kasi kahit anong layo, kahit saan, hindi naman talaga tayo totoong magiging malaya.

Ares bravely looks at the wedding ring on her finger. She was not wearing it when they first met. But now, she has brought it with her. Unconsciously, but it still stings.

ARES
Hindi pwede na palagi na lang tayong tatakas, magtatago. Gusto ko rin maging malaya sa nararamdaman ko para sa'yo. Gusto kong hawakan ang kamay mo sa harap ng maraming tao, gusto ko rin na kaya kong ipagmalaki na kasama kita...

ARES
Kaya kung tutuloy tayo, pag-isipan mo. 'Di ba sabi mo, itago ko muna ang phone mo? I opened it while you were in the bathroom. Sid wrote you a letter. Read it. Tsaka mo 'ko bigyan ng sagot.

Aphrodite hesitantly takes her phone from him. She's scared to face her husband, her best friend, her family. But if she had the guts to walk away, she should also have the guts to accept what they will say. Their anger, their disappointment, the way she hurt them.

Ares remains quiet as she reads the important messages from her inbox. From Jamie, from Sid, from her personal assistant. They were all looking out for her, and protecting her still. A pain shot through her heart. She's sure that they are disappointed in her.

APHRODITE
May nakakita raw sa atin sabi ni Jamie, but they already cleared it up...

APHRODITE
Sid left our house...

ARES
Read his letter.

Aphrodite nods and shifts her focus back to her phone. She saw the scanned letter of Sid that Jamie sent. Her hands are shaking as she opens the file. She quietly reads her husband's letter while stifling a cry. It pained her so much that Sid is also suffering because of her selfish and impulsive ways. It pained her so much that Sid is still trying to put her happiness first even though she just ran away from him without anything. Not even a goodbye.

ARES
Now, I'll ask you again. Mahal mo ba ako?

Aphrodite only cried harder. It's too much... too much that there's literally a pain in her chest right now. How can this summer be so cruel to her? To them?

She couldn't even give him the answer that he wants to hear, because she knows that deep down, she'll always find a way back to her home, back to Sid.

APHRODITE
I'm sorry, oh my god, Ares. I'm sorry...

ARES
I understand, and I don't want to keep secrets just to keep you so this will never work. But I do love you, and isn't that the worst thing you've ever heard? Because we both know you can never say it back. Mahal mo pa rin si Sid. You just wanted a distraction, an escape. Because I understand, because I am your 'simple and normal', because I humble you down.

ARES
Our story was never meant to have its happy ending. We sinned, Aphrodite. The heavens will never allow us to be happy without asking for its price.

APHRODITE
And this is the price that we have to pay.

ARES
But I'll always be thankful that I got to share this summer with you. No matter how cruel it may seem.

APHRODITE
Maybe in our own breakable heaven, in another universe, we can still be together.

ARES
And that is enough for me.

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, as his tears finally streamed down his cheeks. She will always be his loveliest dream, yet she's also his most painful nightmare.

ARES
It's time for you to come home.

He hugs her once more and for the last time. It is not as tight like his hold of her earlier. It is just enough. Enough for her to breathe, and enough for him to let go.