Before The Last Sunset [Before Trilogy #1]

23

My mind went blank.

My eyes repeatedly ran over the words in my hands. The truth was slowly sinking in my system the longer I stared at it. I felt my heart drop to my stomach, my head started pound. I was waiting for myself to wake up, hoping everything was just a bad dream. But no, this was reality. All of it was real. 

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Passport

Boarding Pass: From MNL / Manila, Philippines, To LHR / London Heathrow, United Kingdom

Passenger: Corbyn / Summer Madison

No, I refuse to believe it. This had to be some sick joke. 

My head turned to the door when it opened. Summer stood by the entrance, all the color from her face drained once she saw what I was holding. Her reaction just confirmed that all of this was true. That all along, she had been lying to my face. 

Here in my hands were the answers I wanted. The saying must be true then. Be careful what you wish for. If I knew that this was the truth, I would rather choose ignorance. Knowing the truth hurt much more than knowing nothing at all. 

As I stared at her, everything started to make sense. Of course, how could I be so naive? How could have I ignored the slight accent whenever she spoke English? How come I never noticed the faint British features in her face? How did I overlook those things? 

God, I never felt so betrayed. I didn't even recognize the girl in front of me anymore. 

"Bitawan mo nga 'yan," she snatched the plane ticket and passport out of my hands. She put it back in the drawer, shutting it close. 

I couldn't even face her. I felt frozen in my spot. "Tell me this isn't real...tell me that wasn't yours," I whispered. 

I waited for her to deny it. I waited for her to say that I was wrong, that she had been truthful to me. I waited for her to say that the Summer I knew was who she was all along and the Summer on the paper was the lie. Seconds passed, nothing. She was just silent. 

"You're not going to say anything?" I shook my head in disbelief. "I...I have to go. Excuse me." 

Nilagpasan ko siya at nagmadaling bumaba ng hagdan. Naramdaman kong sinusundan niya ako ngunit hindi ko na siya nilingon. Hindi ko na siya kayang tignan. Baka kung nagtagal pa 'ko dun, hindi ko na mapigilan ang galit na namumuo sa dibdib ko. 

Sinundan ako ng tingin ni Savannah. Nanlaki ang mata niya sa gulat ng makita akong naglalakad paalis. "Oh, Chase! Did you find the charger?"

"I had an emergency," I lied. "Thank you for accommodating me, Ate Savannah. I have to go." 

I didn't wait for her reply. I heard Summer dismiss herself to her sister behind me, but I kept on walking. My chest started to tighten as my mind kept flashing the ticket I just read. Summer was calling out my name, but I refused to stop. I didn't want to talk to her. I just wanted to get as far away from her as possible. 

My hand reached to open the door of my car, when it was harshly shut by a hand behind me. I sighed and tried to calm myself. It took all the strength I had to look at her. Her face turned red, looking at me with blazing eyes. 

"Hindi ka aalis," she hissed. "Mag-uusap tayo."

"Wala tayong dapat pag-usapan," I tried to open my car again but she stopped me. My jaw clenched in anger, holding on to the fine string of self-control I had in my system. 

"Stop running away," mariin niyang sinabi. 

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do," mapait ang tono ng boses ko. "Let me leave."