Before The Last Sunset [Before Trilogy #1]

08

"Aray! Joke lang eh!"

Napahawak ako sa ulo ko nang bigla akong batukan ng malakas ni Summer. She laughed at my pain and stuck out her tongue to mock me. "Mangarap ka lang, Javier." 

"Bakit, ayaw mo nun? May venue na tayo para sa kasal, hindi na natin kailangan magchurch hunting. Kulang nalang yung catering, guest list-aray! Tama na, charot lang!" 

She aggressively pinched the side of my waist in response to my teasing. "'Wag ka nga magbiro ng ganyan. Tinatanong ka ng maayos eh." umirap siya at sumimangot. Pikon na nga, nananakit pa! Nagbibiro lang naman ako eh! 

"Mamaya maniwala ka ah, joke lang 'yun." inasar ko siya. Alam ko naman na alam niya na hindi seryoso sinabi ko. Sanay na siguro siya sa ugali ko dahil madalas na kami nagkakasama. "Tara na, pasok tayo." aya ko.

We walked inside the church and I watched Summer take in the interior. The ceiling was filled with paintings of saints and angels, as chandeliers were hanging from above. Despite the rustic exterior, the inside looked very modern. Dito kami nagsisimba bilang pamilya tuwing linggo, pero madalang lang kami nakakapunta kasi kadalasan ay may trabaho ang mga magulang ko. 

Umupo kami sa may bandang likod upang pagmasdan pa ang lugar. Kami lang ang tao sa loob, kaya tahimik lang ang paligid namin. Madalang lang na walang laman ang simbahan, kadalasan ay madaming nabisita dito. Ngayon ko lang naranasan na kami lang ang laman nito. 

"You never answered my question." Summer spoke in a soft voice, not wanting her voice to echo. "Ba't mo ako dinala dito? Yung seryoso na sagot ha." 

I chuckled and looked at the altar before answering her. "This is Iglesia de La Paraiso, the only church in this small town. It's been here for almost a hundred years and it was the first infrastructure that was ever built here." 

"This is the building that inspired me to want to become an architect." She looked at me, surprised I shared something personal.  I gave her a small smile. "This was the first building I drew on my sketchpad at the age of 11. Now that I remember it, the lines and shading wasn't that good." I chuckled lightly at the memory. Ilang araw ko pinagpuyatan ang pagkopya ng simbahan na 'to. Hanggang ngayon ay nasa akin pa ang drawing na 'yun. 

Summer returned my smile. "It's a beautiful place, I see why you were inspired by it." She glanced at the cross in front before turning to face me. "Do you mind if I pray?" 

"Sige lang, magdadasal naman din ako." 

We kneeled down and prayed in silence. Hindi kami nakasimba noong linggo, kaya I said a short prayer in my mind before I took my seat. Summer was still praying when I finished, mukhang malalim yung pinagdadasal niya. I never expected her to be religious, that's why I was skeptical of bringing her here. She proved me wrong once again. 

This girl just keeps surprising me every day. 

Pagtapos niya magdasal, she stood up and faced me with a small smile. "Tara na?" 

I nodded and lumabas na kami ng simbahan. Sinuot ko muli ang salamin ko ng salubungin kami muli ng init at pinatong din ni Summer ang sumbrero sa kanyang ulo. Naglakad kami palapit sa fountain at kumuha siya ng barya mula sa kanyang bulsa. 

"Bakit ka naglalabas ng barya?" nagtatakang tanong ko. 

She raised the one peso coin to my face. "Magwiwish ako sa fountain." 

"Ha?" Bakas sa mukha ko ang aking pagkalito. Wish? Bakit siya magwiwish sa fountain? May ganun ba? 

She gasped in surprise, acknowledging my confusion. "Don't tell me you never threw a coin in a fountain to make awish."