One Summer's Day

Insects

"The air's really nice isn't it Sunny?" Mom said as she proceeded to look outside her window.To me one thing I truly hate about the Philippines is the summer weather. Humid and unforgivably hot. A thousand needles raining down to prick you best describes the situation right now despite mom's optimism. Reclined in a speeding car does not help either. Swivels of air would sometimes enter the vehicle and I consider that a blessing.

Folding a newspaper in half, I fanned myself and began to think about the trip. It's been 6 hours since we left Manila and a lot has change since then. What was once a highway is now a humble road passing through plots of rice fields at both sides. The rattling of our luggage has now become the soundtrack for the trip. Any signs of urban life has also declined greatly; a  rookie mistake for mom to have stopped at a gas station only once. Indeed the surrounding area was now dominated by foliage and gas was running low.

"We're almost there honey." Mom told me for the umpteenth time, probably worried due to my lack of enthusiasm since this morning. All I could do is murmur in response, my energy sapped by the scorching sun. Resting the newspaper over my eyes I decided to sleep for the whole trip, letting the rattling luggage be my lullaby.

" The village is really nice you know..", Mom called out, interrupting my nap.

" Really....What's in it?" I said nonchalantly. 

"Well...It's a mountain village..But I heard a lot of people visit every summer. It's quite famous for its hot springs and scenery."

 I scoffed under the newspaper." Hot springs? It's already hot enough to cook an egg and they still want to boil themselves?" 

"Well maybe they want to immerse themselves in relaxation..."Mom responded. "People are desperate these days to live in peace and quiet." 

*The Irony..* I thought.

"Oh! Wake up Sunny we're here!" Shouted Mom. I quickly jumped up and stuck my head out the window (way to ruin my "cool" image). 

It was quite a sight. The endless mountain range stood proudly, watching over the village, like a giant turtle protecting it. Houses and farm plots scattered on the ground as well as on the mountains which seemed to be intertwined by telephone poles.The people seems to be working on the fields, looking like ants the further they are. 

" No wonder people visit here every summer..." I mumbled.

"Grandma says it's right up this road" Mom muttered as she drove uphill to the mountains. Birds and insects drowned my ears as the car was engulfed by the forest. My window now displayed streaks of green in different shades,whizzing past my face. It was a bumpy ride, not helping the butterflies to settle down inside me. The anticipation was too much.

" What was it going to look like? What will I do there? What will happen next?"

 The car then slow down as it entered grandmas place.

I was at awe with the the inn. Humbled by the surrounding forestry yet it quietly display a sense of vastness and comfort to its customers. Mom and I slowly got out of the car as we looked around the place.Grandma loved Japan evident with the Japanese style gardens spread across the front of the inn accompanied by streams of water.Must be bigger at the back. The plants caught my eye though. Every single one, down to the tiniest leaf was dripping with water. Whoever it may be ,must care enough to save the plants from dying in this weather.

"MOM!!!!!!" My mom shouted at the inn.

 It wasn't long before grandma came out, a hunchback petite lady in her signature floral dress. Her  skin wrinkled like raisin, parralled the wispy white hairs on her head. Nevertheless, it was her bright wide smile that I remembered the best.

Without hesitation, Grandma ran at mom in an embrace, a surprising feat for her physique.

" Oh how I miss you girl.." Grandma laughed.

"By the way you should eat more, your looking like the village scarecrows." 

Mom just laughed it off." I'm on a Pia Wurtzbach diet mom, just watching my figure..."

Grandma scoffed at her daughter."Diet shmiet, I did not raise a beautiful lass, worked my butt of for your college fee just so you can starve yourself!" Both women rolled their eyes at each other before looking at me. 

"My, haven't you grown Sunny!"Grandma called out."My beautiful gran-daughter come to granny..' 

Before I could decline, she pinched my cheeks with her talon like nails and began stretching it and bathing me with compliments about how good-looking I am. Keeping a poker face, I managed to mouth the word "help" to mom only to be mouthed a "no".

"Hey Sunny  why won't you bring the luggage to our room." Mom decides to save me just right after my cheeks were bruised red.

"Oh yeah!" Grandma said."Here I'll let someone help you, DONNY COME HERE!!!!!" A young man came from the back of the inn. Wearing a green sleeveless shirt and brown pants, he approached us whilst taking of his gloves. 

"This is Donny, he helps around the inn, especially at these times when tourist will be coming soon. 

I think he was gardening just a minute ago....."* So it must be him who watered the plants..* I thought as I watched him bow to grandma and mom before going to the trunk and getting our luggage out. 

"I'll be going now as well..." Saying my goodbyes to both women and following Donny to the back of the inn. Walking through the open hallways I finally get to take a proper look of the boy. My first impressions was that he was exceptionally tall. His skin was sun kissed probably by spending too much time outside. The toned muscles on his arms depicted the hard work he must have undertook. He was glistened with sweat and smelled strongly of leaves suggesting he must have been working with the plants all morning.

I must admit, he was quite cute. He had doe-like eyes and a slender nose, contrasting his strong eyebrows. His lips was very plump, like he was sucking on a strawberry or something.

Moving back to reality I decided to try and talk to him. Heck I'm spending 4 weeks here, probably best for me to make friends..

" So...How's life?" I asked awkwardly which left me facepalming myself mentally.

 He just ignored me, opening the door to my room and starting to place the luggage inside. I was quite offended for him ignoring me but I quickly dismissed that thought. 

"Must be the loud insects" I murmured as I began to raise my voice to call him.

"Hey can you hear me!?" I shouted. 

Still no response. 

"Hello!?"

Silence.

"Hey can't you hear me!?" 

I walked closer to him to tap him but not before I tripped on the last remaining luggage falling on him.

"THUD!" 

Both our bodies landed on the wooden floor, me on top of him.

"Curse my clumsiness..." I thought just before looking up, much to my embarrassment. 

There I was resting my head on his damp shirt, both hand embraced on his neck. Donny's face was beet read, constantly panting hot air on my face.With one quick push from Donny, I landed back first on the floor while stood up and ran from me.

"Well there goes a friend..." I cringed In pain from the fall. Embarrassed and now depressed, I retired to my room and collapsed on the floor, tired for the day...