Ever Summer

Chapter Three

Soraya.

Soraya is a well known figure not in only in PCC but also in other schools in the university belt, particularly among the community of militant students. Her beauty, intelligence and no-non-sense persona have sent guys scrambling for her favor. But having a boyfriend at this point in her life was the last thing on her mind. She even had very few close friends. At 19, she never had a boyfriend. She didn’t care. Her priority was her studies. She was consistently on top of her class ever since; a valedictorian in primary and secondary school. She was focused on finishing her four-year course in commerce under the school’s scholarship program.

Soraya came from Gapan, a very laid back township in the province of Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon Hers was a simple family. Her father was a farmer as her forefathers were. Her mother died in the summer she was twelve years old. She only came to Manila to get a college degree. Her natural caring and nurturing character; her innate sense of fairness and respect for humanity made it natural for her to be a member of Kamanyang..

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Gerard

The last thing on his mind before he fell asleep was the girl at the play. A kind of strange feeling, something unknown to him in all his 19 years, was bothering him . He struggled to get her out of his mind, telling himself she was just another girl. And girls came easy for him .

Gerard lived with his grandma in an upper-middle class exclusive subdivision in Quezon City. His parents were based in America. His father is an architect and his mother is a doctor of medicine. Their plan was for Gerard to follow them after he is done with college.

Though he had always been at the top three in his class, Gerard’s life was not all studies. Together with Alex, they frequented parties, rock concerts. They too, had their fair share of girls and booze.

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As the anti-Marcos supporters grew in number, and protest rallies became frequent and widespread , violent skirmishes between the demonstrators and the government’s anti-riot personnel became part of the scene. Both camps pointing to each other as the instigator of trouble. At times, schools around the university belt had to suspend their classes during big rallies in anticipation of a violent outcome. Either that, or the students themselves would stage a mass walkout from their classes.

On a day that classes were again suspended , Gerard found himself walking toward the PCC. It had been almost two months since he and Alex were there. It was just a spur of the moment decision. He was alone. His friend Alex didn’t go to school,

The performers of Kamanyang had just left for Malacanang when Gerard arrived. He was about to leave when he heard gunshots amidst screams and frantic cries. He turned and saw a sea of people running towards him. “Run run run. The pigs (anti-riot men) are coming” They shouted.

Sensing danger, Gerard knew he had to seek cover as he was caught amidst the stampeding mob.

It was then when he saw Soraya.

She was sitting on the sidewalk, pain mirrored on her face as she held her ankle. Still, she refused help from those who stopped to check on her, urging them instead to keep going. On an impulse, he rushed towards her. Soraya was totally taken by surprise. Gerard had already scooped her and carried her before she could even say a word.

Gerard barely managed to squeeze in past the door of a small cafeteria just before it closed and the owner sealed the room. The place was jampacked with demonstrators and bystanders. He could almost smell the fear and anger permeating the room.

Outside , all hell broke loose as the pitch battle raged. Marcos police armed with shield and truncheons swung indiscriminately at everybody and anybody , woman, the old and the young not withstanding . Several gun shots were fired, (government claimed to have used rubber bullets but demonstrators alleged otherwise.) The protesters fought back with stones, molotov cocktails and wooden clubs while retreating amidst the suffocating smoke of tear gas.

They were no match against the anti-riot police.

Gerard was oblivious to the chaos outside, nor the light gas fume inside the room. His mind was on the stubborn girl whom he unceremoniously dumped on a small table.

“What you did was stupid. Why did you refuse help . You could have been seriously hurt there. ?” Gerard glared at her while not so gently massaging her ankle.

“Thank you, but I didn’t ask for your help. I could have managed by myself” Soraya glared back at him defiantly as she tried in vain to shake Gerard’s hands off her ankle.

“Oh yeah?! How conceited to think your charm will spare you the truncheons. “

She kept quiet.

“I can’t understand you people, risking life and limbs and for what.? What are you trying to prove.?! He added.

“Bourgeois like you will never understand. The ruling class doesn’t give a damn about what happens to our country as long as they are well entrenched in their lofty position. “ She said, her anger rising as she sized up Gerard’s appearance.

“So, its my fault now.” He said acidly, his hands deliberately heavy on her ankle.

“Ooouch, you’re hurting me. ” She cried.

“Ooooops sorry” Shiiiit . He thought , she’s really something, Feisty and fiery but very beautiful. This girl has character.

“Gerard Montesser” He offered his hand

“Soraya Luna” For a while, she looked deep into his eyes before she took his hand.

As their hands touched, a warm glow enveloped their being..a sense of foreboding that their fate was sealed and will forever be entwined.

“You can leave me. I’m okay now, thank you.” She said. For the first time, she felt self-conscious beside a guy.

By then, all was quite outside, the activists were either safely inside the compound of the schools around the area or have vanished in the maze of side streets and alleys in the university belt. The police were back to their position with their unlucky “captives.”

“No, I’ll see you home, I insist” Gerard said.

“No its alright, my dorm isn’t far from here. I can manage.”

“Then, I’ll walk you home. End of conversation”

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