Chasing Sunsets

Chapter 4: A walk to remember

Summer's POV

I froze.

He froze.

We're frozen, let it go~ let it go~

Rain, of course, did not. Baka rain yan, naka smirk pa nga eh.

“Oh, hi Zeke!” Rain said, way too casually, as if she didn’t just spend all morning hyping me up for this moment like a sports coach.

Ezekiel looked at her, then at me. His jaw clenched just slightly. “Hey,” he said, voice low. “Empanada?”

Seriously?

Eight years of no contact and empanada ang pambungad?

Not even Hi, Summer. Long time no see i miss you? Ay charot lang, ang rupok.

“Uh... thanks,” I muttered, taking one.

Our fingers brushed. And I wish they didn’t.

Because for 0.5 seconds, my stupid heart did a backflip.

“You’re... still in New York?” he asked, finally meeting my eyes.

“Sometimes,” I said. “Sometimes I’m in denial.” sometimes i cry~ sometimes i hide~

Damn. So corny, Summer. Stupid.

Rain snorted. Ezekiel blinked.

“Joke,” I added quickly. “I’m here for the reunion. Obviously.”

“Right,” he said, nodding. “Good seeing you.”

Then he walked past me, his cologne lingering in the hallway like he paid rent there.

As soon as he disappeared, Rain grabbed my arm like she was about to conduct a medical emergency.

“ATE. OKAY KA LANG?! YUNG PUSO? NANJAN PA BA OR... NASA KANYA NA ULIT? YIEEE!”

I stared blankly at the empanada in my hand. “Parang gusto ko ’tong ihagis sa bintana.”

“Si Ezekiel?”

“No. Itong empanada. Pero puwede ring siya. Wait... where the f**k is Winter? Don’t tell me she’s eating the turon again. Hindi na naman ’nya ako titirhan!”

“Kalma, Ate,” Rain said, trying not to laugh. “pumunta agad s'ya sa kusina after ka ayusan kanina, at mukang mauubusan nga tayo ng turon.”

I groaned dramatically and stomped down the stairs like a heartbroken telenovela heroine.

Nakita ko na nga ex ko naubusan pa me ng favorite kong turon.

Nadatnan ko si Winter sa kusina. She was mid-bite, happily munching on the last piece of turon.

“Nakaka-inis ka,” I said, glaring at her.

“Gutom ako, okay?” she said with zero shame. “At wala kang karapatang mang-angkin ng turon kung heartbroken ka pa rin.”

Rain joined us and plopped into a chair. “Grabe, ngayon pa lang parang pelikula na ang reunion na ’to.”

“Pelikula mo, mukha mo,” I muttered, grabbing a glass of water and chugging it like it could drown my feelings. And eat the Empanada. Bawat kagat at nguya ko ng empanada may halong inis, nakagat ko pa nga dila ko, nakaka inis.

“Seriously, though,” Winter said between bites, “anong plano mo? Lalandiin mo ba siya o magpapaka-misteryosa kang parang hindi ka pa rin invested?”

“I’m not invested,” I said way too quickly.

They both stared at me like I just said I didn’t like rice.

“Stop this nonsense na nga,” I huffed, waving them off dramatically. But just as I was about to throw more shade, my phone rang.

I glanced at the screen. It was my manager.

“Uy, si Madam Manager,” Winter whispered. “Work ba agad? Kakauwi mo lang ah.”

I answered the call and tried to sound like I wasn’t emotionally unstable and covered in turon crumbs. Thanks to winter, so makalat kumain.

“Hello, Summer here,” I said, sipping water to sound composed.

“Summer,” my manager's crisp voice came through, “I know you’re in the Philippines for your little family thing, but Vogue Philippines wants to shoot you next week. We can’t say no to this.”

My heart did a mini flip. “Wait... Vogue? As in, VOGUE Vogue?”

“Yes. I already said yes. You're welcome. You'll need to be in Manila by Monday. Can you make it?”

Rain and Winter were now leaning in like tsismosas on full alert.

“Uh... yes. Yes, I can make it,” I said, trying not to squeal.

“Thank you, I’ll prep.”

As soon as I ended the call, I let out a small scream.

“Ano na naman ’yon?” Winter asked.

I grinned. “Vogue Philippines. Next week. I'm doing a shoot.”

Rain shrieked. “Ate, WHAT?! That’s big!”

“Gusto ko nga sana muna manahimik,” I said, “pero kung ganito ang pasabog ng universe... Game.”

Winter leaned back with a proud smile. “The comeback is real.”

Rain smirked. “So... modeling by day, confronting your ex by night?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. Just... modeling by day. Ex who?”

“Nice try,” they said in unison.

“Teka, naiihi ako sa kilig... VOGUE PHILIPPINES! OH GOSH!”

“Pupunta ka na agad sa Manila bukas?” Winter asked.

I nodded, a wide smile plastered on my face. I’ve done big projects in New York, sure but there's just something different about getting booked in your own country. It hits different. It feels different.

“I have work na rin Tommorow. Flight attendant things,” Rain chimed in, casually fixing her nails. “And oh, pati nga rin pala si Captain Ezekiel.”

She wiggled her brows at me.

My eye twitched. “And why’d you say that?” I asked, raising a brow suspiciously.

Rain shrugged. “Nag-check ako ng schedule kanina. Same kaming airplane. Siya yung pilot.”

She said it so nonchalantly, then casually took a bite of Winter’s turon like she hadn’t just dropped a nuclear bomb on my emotional stability.

Winter glared at her. “Talaga ba, Rain? Hindi ka man lang nagtira para sa feelings ni Summer at sa turon?!”

Too late. Rain was already chewing like a criminal with no regrets.

“And you, Winter? How’s being a lawyer at the age of twenty-four?” I asked, turning to her with a smirk.

Winter looked up from her phone like I’d just asked her to recite the Constitution backwards.

“Exhausting,” she deadpanned. “May kliyente akong tinanong kung puwede ba raw ang trial by sabunutan.”

Rain nearly choked on her water.

I blinked. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish,” Winter muttered, rubbing her temples. “Sabi ko, ‘Ma’am, court of law po ito, hindi barangay beauty pageant.’”

Rain burst out laughing. “Grabe, proud of you though. Parang noong isang taon lang ‘yung thesis mo na ginamitan mo ng highlighter based on your mood swings, tapos ngayon attorney ka na.”

Winter flipped her hair. “Highlighter strategy works, okay? Pink for panic, green for ‘go girl’ mode.”

I chuckled. “Teka, silipin n’yo nga kung andoon pa ‘yung bwisita... este bisita sa sala? Pagod na akong tumambay dito sa kusina. Wala namang turon kasi inubos ng isa diyan.” I looked at Winter pointedly.

She raised both hands in mock surrender. “Gutom ako! Emotional support turon ’yon.”

“Support mo mukha mo,” I muttered, standing and stretching like I’d just finished a full-day shift sa modeling kahit na emotional exhaustion lang talaga ’to.

Rain tiptoed toward the kitchen door and peeked through the narrow opening. “Yup, andoon pa. Si Ezekiel, nakaupo lang, kausap si Tito Gabe. Hindi nagsasalita masyado, pero... hot pa rin. Like, annoyingly hot.” nag sama pa talaga yung dalawang napaka seryoso sa buhay. Tito gabe was Winter's father btw, asawa ni tita Aurora.

I groaned, grabbing Rain’s towel and smothering my face with it. “This is why I need to go back to New York. Immediately.”

“Or,” Winter said, still scrolling on her phone, “we take this opportunity to emotionally torture you for our entertainment.”

Rain gasped dramatically like she was in a telenovela.

I threw the towel at her.

“This is not funny. Nakakainis,” I said, crossing my arms.

“Asus, eh nung mga bata pa tayo, binabakuran mo nga si Kuya Zeke noon!” Winter teased.

“No, I’m not!” I protested, but my voice cracked like I was caught stealing cookies from the ref.

Rain snorted. “Girl, you used to make ‘Reserved for Summer’ signs and tape it sa upuan ni kuya Ezekiel kapag may salu-salo!”

“Grabe kayo, that was like... a phase.”

“A phase na tumagal ng eight years? Since you were grade 3 crush mo na si kuya zeke. Partida grade 5 lang s'ya non.” Winter raised an eyebrow. “Tsaka umamin ka nga noon sa diary mo na gusto mong maging Mrs. Villareal. Don't make me bring receipts.”

“Oh my gosh, you read my diary?!”

“Technically, you left it open. On the bed. With ‘DO NOT READ’ written in glitter pen. That’s an invitation.”

I buried my face in my hands. “I hate everyone in this house.”

Rain laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “Buti na lang we love you enough to remind you of all your embarrassing past decisions.”

“Thanks. That’s so comforting,” I said dryly.

Winter smirked. “Anytime.”

I suddenly remembered it.

All too well...

“Eh kasi naman, akin yang eraser na ’yan eh!” singhal ko sa isang Grade 4 na lalaki na pilit kinukuha ang Hello Kitty eraser ko. Kalalaking tao, Hello Kitty ang trip?!

“Akin na ’to!” sagot niya sabay tulak sa akin.

Tumalsik ako. hindi naman kalayuan pero sapat para sumakit ang pwet ko. Halos mangiyak-ngiyak akong tumingin sa pangit na batang ’to, pero bago pa ako makapagsalita, merong sumigaw.

“Hoy! Anong ginagawa mo sa babae?! Lalaki ka, ah! Bakit mo siya inaaway?”

Sabay kaming lumingon.

It was a boy. maputi, medyo singkit, mas matangkad sa amin. Medyo mas matanda rin siguro.

At yes, pogi.

“Sumagot ka! Bakit mo siya inaaway?” tanong niya ulit, sabay lapit sa akin para tulungan akong tumayo. Pinagpag pa niya ’yung palda ko.

“Okay ka lang?” tanong niya.

Hala.

Ang bango niya.

Amoy baby powder.

Tumango lang ako, sabay turo sa pangit na bata. “Kinuha niya ’yung eraser ko.”

Tumingin si pogi sa bata, halatang irita s'ya. “Babae ka ba? Bakit mo kinukuha ’yung gamit na pambabae?” angas niya, grabe.

Napaatras tuloy ’yung batang bully, sabay takbo palayo. Binitawan n'ya naman yung eraser.

“Ayan,” sabi ni Zeke, ngumiti s'ya, may dimples syaaa! “Balik ko na sa ’yo ’yung eraser mo.”

Inabot niya sa akin ang Hello Kitty eraser ko.

Hindi ako makatingin sa kanya.

Kasi una, crush ko na siya in 2 minutes.

Pangalawa, baka makita niyang namumula na ako.

At pangatlo... gusto ko siyang gawing bodyguard forever.

“Ako nga pala si Ezekiel,” sabi niya. “Ikaw?”

“Summer,” bulong ko.

He grinned. “Ganda. Bagay ah. Para kang mabango.”

“Eh mabango naman talaga ako, hindi ako amoy araw,” sagot ko, nakabusangot pa.

Tumawa siya. Yung tawa niyang may kasamang slight head tilt at squint, yung tawang nakakakilig.

Bakit ganon? Imbes na magalit ako sa ginawa ng batang bully, eh ngayon...

“Anong grade mo na?” tanong niya habang inikot sa daliri niya ang strap ng backpack niya. Cool na cool talaga, parang commercial ng Milo.

“Grade 3. Ikaw?”

“Grade 5.”

“Ang tanda mo pala sa’kin,” sabi ko, medyo nakakunot ang noo. Parang ang laki ng agwat.

“Tanda agad?” tumawa ulit si Ezekiel. “Mas matanda lang ako ng konti. Pero puwede pa rin kitang alagaan.”

ALAGAAAAAN?!

kiiwivyy