When It Was Summer

Chapter 2

It's just 4:50 in the morning when I woke up the next day, and the wind feels breezy. At dahil hindi na ako makatulog muli, nag-ayos na lang ako ng sarili para magjogging.
                     
I shuffled my songs and plugged in my earphones, and started jogging. Hindi ko namalayang isang oras na akong tumatakbo at napadpad pa ako sa tambayan ni Marc. Pansamantala akong tumigil at nagpahinga sa batong inupuan namin kahapon.
            
Sumigaw sigaw ako habang nagi-inat, dahil sa pagod. Uminom ako ng kaunting tubig at tinanggal ang earphones ko. I felt the wind blow against me.
        
Ang lamig pala, but it's coldness feels warm.
                          
I hugged myself as I continue feeling the wind. Matutuyuan pa yata ako ng pawis, lagot ako nito kay Mommy.
                     
I was still hugging myself when someone suddenly covered me with a polo. I looked at the person who gave it, turns out it's Marc.
                            
"It's cold, early in the morning. Tapos, galing ka pa sa pag-joggging, pneumonia abot mo niyan." He slightly joked around.
            
"Hmm." I hummed as I feel the warmth of his polo.
       
Ang bango pa! Shems!

"Aish!" Napailing-iling ako sa naisip ko at napatawa.
             
"What?" Tanong niya.
                   
"Huh? Wala." I said then he slightly nodded. "By the way, anong ginagawa mo ngayon? Paano ka napadpad dito?" Tanong ko, para maiba ang usapan.
                  
"You forgot? Tambayan ko 'to." He chuckled. And I just nodded awkwardly.
               
How come I forgot? Geez.
                   
"Ano pinapakinggan mo?" Tanong niya at kinuha ang earphones at mp3 player ko. He plugged it in his ear and played a music, while his eyes are closed.
                   
"Hmm." He slightly smiled and faced me. "Kpop, huh?" I just nodded. "Hmm... People nowadays are really into kpop. Why are you?" He asked.
                  
"Ahh... Kasi gusto ko. I just like it, no --I love it." I answered casually.
                    
"Hmm.. Okay." He plugged out my earphones and disconnected it from my mp3 player. He let out his phone and connected my earphones there, and played some music.
                       
He handed me one part of the earphone. "Here. Listen to these songs, it's english." He chuckled.
                         
Isinuot ko ang earphone sa left ear ko, since he's sitting at my left.
                 
"Hmmm..." We both just hummed and listened to his playlist.
                
"ARTM fan ka?" I asked him.
                  
"What's 'ARTM'?" He gave me a weird look.

"A rocket to the moon." I simply said and he laughed.

"Obviously no. But, I like their songs. It's kinda chill." He answered and I just nodded slightly.
              
Anong oras na?
                    
Tiningnan ko ang wrist watch ko at malapit na palang mag-alas syete.
                     
"Hey, it's nearly seven in the morning." Sambit ko at tumingin naman siya sa orasan ng cellphone niya.
                
"Hah. Yeah." Hindi makapaniwalang aniya. "So, you're going?" He asked while removing my earphones from his phone.
                 
I slightly nodded. "Oo, baka kasi hinahanap na ako." He handed me my earphones and got up.
               
"Hatid na kita." Aniya at naglahad ng isang kamay. Tinanggap ko ang kamay niya at tinulungan niya akong tumayo.
                  
"Let's go?" I nodded at his question and we started walking towards my cabin.
                            
                 
Nang makabalik ako, sunod sunod na tanong ang binato saakin ng mga magulang ko pagkaalis ni Marc. Pero lahat ng tanong ay bumabagsak sa "sino siya?".
                  
"Mom, Dad. Will you please calm down?" I faced my mom. "Hindi mo po ba siya mamukhaan? Or you just don't know? Siya yung anak ng friend niyo, Ma. Siya yung anak ng may-ari ng resort."

Then I faced Dad. "And no, he's not my suitor. He's just a friend." Sunod-sunod na paliwanag ko sa harap ni Mommy at Daddy. Good thing, gumagala si Kuya. He's the worst in assumption.
                     
"He's just a friend?" Mataray na tanong saakin ni Mommy at tumango lang ako. "Make sure, okay? Ayoko pang magka-boyfriend ka."

I'm old enough, Mom.
                              
"Hon, she's already at the age of dating. Having a suitor is not a problem. Maganda ang anak mo." Pagpapakalma ni Daddy kay Mommy. Humarap si Daddy saakin. "Just be safe, Leila. We're still your parents, getting worried." I just nodded at what he said.

I know they are just worrying for me. But I won't do anything bad. Even falling in love, I can't see myself falling for someone, so Marc isn't a problem.
                                         
Nang matapos kaming mag-usap nila Mommy at Daddy, naligo at nagbihis ako. Gumala ulit ako para magpahangin. I hugged myself while walking at the sea shore.
                            
"Hmm. This is really relaxing." I thought to myself.
                         
Patuloy akong naglalakad habang niyayakap ang sarili ko. Hindi naman malamig, pero yun palagi ang nararamdaman ko tuwing pumupunta kami sa beach dahil malakas ang hangin. Good thing, I have a polo on—

wait what?!

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad at kinapa ang sarili ko.

I still have Mark's polo! Holy hell. I thought it was my jacket! SHIT!
            
"Sa'n ko naman kaya yun makikita?"  Tanong ko sa sarili ko.

At dahil wala akong Mark na makita, nagpatuloy na lang ako sa paglalakad sa isla, habang sinisipa ang mga buhangin. I took pictures while walking around and my feet brought me to the back of the island.

Baka andito si Mark. I thought.
                        
I calmly sat on the stone while roaming my eyes, searching for Marc's presence.

I seem to be excited.

Pero wala.
                          
I waited for I don't know how long, but I did for minutes or maybe almost an hour. Pero wala.

I don't know how long I still waited while kicking the sand and taking random pictures, but no Marc appeared.

Maybe he's busy? Maybe he is. He's afterall gonna be the one to take over the island.

Gabi na nang makabalik ako sa cabin namin. Mabuti nga at nakapagpaalam na ako kay Mommy at Daddy kanina. Nang makabalik ako, naabutan ko silang naghahapunan sa kubo-kubo.
                                 
"Where have you been?" Tanong ni Kuya habang kumakain.
                               
"Somewhere." I shrugged, that made Kuya question more. Pero binalewala ko na lang siya at kumain na rin.

"Saan ka nga galing?" Patuloy na pangungulit sa akin ni Kuya. Nang matapos kaming maghapunan hanggang makapasok kami sa cabin, hindi niya ako tinigilan sa mga tanong niya.
                    
"I already told you. Somewhere." Ito naman ang paulit-ulit na sagot ko kay Kuya.
                  
"Hmp! What did you do in this somewhere?" Pag-uusisa ni Kuya.
                 
"Something." I shrugged, again.
            
Kuya gave me a look of disbelief that made me laugh. "Just somewhere, doing something." I continued smiling at him.
       
"Why smile? You're creeping me out. Geez!" Umakto si Kuya na parang kinakalibutan at inirapan ko lang siya at humiga na sa kama ko.
                          
"Goodnight Kuya! Sleep tight!" I winked at him, then turned my back.
                 
Another day tomorrow. I smiled before sleep fully took over me.

'Hope I could see Mark again.

So I could return his polo.