Before The Last Sunset [Before Trilogy #1]

31

I wasn't romantic. I never attempted to be. But when it came to Summer, I was willing to do anything to make her feel loved.

I knew it was hard for her to accept love in her life. She said so herself. That didn't stop me from wanting to show her how much she meant to me. I wanted to do that because it what she deserved. She let me into her life knowing well and good that this was only temporary. She trusted me and has always been there when I needed her. I was lucky enough to be with her right now so I knew I had to as much as I could to make it count. I wanted to be the man she deserved. Summer was too precious too give her just the bare minimum. No, she deserved more. She deserved the very best of everything I could give her. 

I let her towards the blanket as she was still staring at the set-up I've prepared. It looked like I rendered her speechless. I chuckled as I pat the area next to me, indicating for her to sit. She slowly took place beside me, still clutching the sunflower in her hands.

"Is this...really for me?" she asked in a bare whisper, still not being able to take in everything that was happening. 

Mahina akong tumawa. "Para kanino pa ba?"

"S-sorry it's just," nag-tama ang tingin namin at nakita kong dumaan ang matinding emosyon sa kanyang mga mata. "Why did you do this for me?"

"Why not?" I smiled. 

She looked around in awe, hugging the pillow tightly to her chest. She still couldn't believe that someone could do this for her. It was the least I could do. I won't let her leave without giving us both good memories of each other. If there was anything I would want her to remember of me, I would want her to remember that I made her happy. I really hoped I did. I wanted the both of us to look back at this point in our lives and just be thankful that we had each other. 

"It would be too much work if we went to every single beach that we went to. So I thought that we just make new memories in a brand new one," I explained. "Palagi kasi tayo magka-aaway kapag nasa beach tayo. At least ngayon, nakapunta rin tayo na pinapansin natin ang isa't-isa." 

Summer let out a laugh. "Oo nga naman. By the way, how did you set this up? Buong araw tayo magkasama ah. Paano mo nagawa 'to?"

"Well, I asked some help from our friends. They agreed with the help of a little bribing," napa-iling nalang ako ng maalala ko sila. Kailangan ko pa manlibre dahil dito. "Oh, I asked Ate Savannah's help too."

"Ate?" she look so confused, until faced me with confronting eyes. "Kaya pala kinukulit niya ako  kagabi na tapusin pag-iimpake ko agad! She knew! At talagang kinutsaba mo pa kapatid ko ah."

"She was more than willing to help. Actually, she was the one who gave me the idea to do this." I remembered how excited Ate Savannah sounded on the phone when I told her the plan. She was practically screaming the whole time we talked. 

Tumawa si Summer nang ilapit ko sa kanya ang pinic basket na hinanda ng ate niya. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit may pa basket pero hinayaan ko na dahil puno ito ng mga paboritong pagkain niya. Tuwang-tuwa naman siyang kumain habang nakikipagkwentuhan. Hindi ata siya nabubusog. 

Habang abala siya sa pagnguya, nilabas ko ang cellphone ko at pinuntahan ang convo namin. I scrolled until I found the text I was looking for. It took a while since it was on the very top, the first messages she sent me. 

"Things to as a girl," I read out loud. "Her views of the world, her fears, her dreams and what inspires her." 

She looked at me, amused. "That sounds familiar." 

"Sabi mo 'yan ang tanungin ko sa babae kasama ko sa date. Kaya ayan, tinatanong na kita."

"Wow, ang genuine talaga. Sobrang original ng idea," she said sarcastically.