Summer Medicine

Chapter 2

Pat's POV

I woke up late on my second day because I went to the bonfire last night. Emma invited me and I'm glad I went. I met Ms. Fee; Emma told me that she's like the mother of this place because she's always here. Unlike us, who can only stay for a month, she can stay here whenever she wants because her sister owns this place.

Max was not there. Remember? The stranger who came up to me yesterday.

I'm currently cooking breakfast. It's just an egg and bacon at dadagdagan ko na lang ng bread with strawberry jam later because I don't really like eating rice for breakfast.

As I was cooking, I heard a knock.

"Coming!"

I shouted.

I flipped the egg and bacon and ran towards the door. I opened it, and I was shocked to see Max.

"Hi, good morning."

He greeted me with the brightest smile.

"Um, good morning."

I'm glad I washed my face. It would be a shame to face him with my just woke-up face.

"I'm here to give you this."

Iniabot niya sa akin ang dalawang pirasong bulaklak.

"Wow, um, thank you."

"I got it from the garden."

It's a white daisy. He was hiding it from his back kanina.

"Oh, I haven't been there."

"We can go if you want."

"Yeah, sure."

"You like it?"

He asked pointing at the flowers he just gave.

"Yes, thank you. It's beautiful."

I want to ask him why he was not at the bonfire last night, but I don't want to sound weird and clingy because we don't really know each other yet.

"What's that smell?"

He asked then I suddenly remember the bacon and egg that I am currently cooking.

"Oh shoot!"

Mabilis akong tumakbo papasok at nang makalapit ako sa niluluto ko kanina ay kaagad kong pinatay ang apoy.

Luckily, it's not that burned yet.

"Is everything okay?"

Max asked.

"Yeah, um, just a moment."

Nagmamadali kong inilagay sa plato yung pagkain at nilapag yun sa maliit kong table.

Pagkaayos ko nun ay nagmamadali kong hinarap ulit si Max.

"Sorry about that."

That's embarrassing.

"No, it's okay. Sorry for disturbing you."

"No, you're not disturbing me. Um... do you... want to come and eat breakfast with me?"

Nahihiya kong tanong sa kanya.

"Nakapag-breakfast ka na ba?"

Tanong ko.

"No, not yet."

He answered.

"Come in."

"Thank you."

He took off his shoes and went inside the house.

Pasimple ko pang ipinasok sa loob ng bag ko yung bra ko na nasa ibabaw ng kama ko pagpasok niya. Buti na lang at nakita ko kaagad.

"Please suit yourself."

I said and opened his seat. I'm not going to lie. I'm not very comfortable with him being here inside my house. We just met yesterday, so I think it's normal to feel this way.

I opened the small cabinet on the side of the table where all the plates are. Nilinis ko na lahat ulit kanina because it's a little bit dusty.

"Smells good."

Komento niya sa luto ko.

"Really?"

"Yeah, smells delicious with a little burned flavor."

He joked and I chuckled.

"Just kidding."

He added and I just smiled.

Inabutan ko siya ng plate, spoon and fork at nilagyan ko na rin ang baso niya ng tubig.

"You're very caring."

Komento niya ulit.

"Yeah, I got it from my mom. Lagi niyang inaasikaso yung mga bisita niya kapag dumadating sa bahay. She always make sure that there's no dust left around the house when the visitors arrived."

"Same with my mom."

Max said.

"Moms."

We said in chorus unintentionally and we both started laughing.

We started eating and then talking more about random things about us. We have a lot of things in common. We both like pastel colors and we both like the sound of a piano, but he likes the sound of a guitar more. We both like cold seasons and we love cats.

"What's the name of your cat?"

He asked.

"Milo."

He's more like my son.

Sa ngayon, yung kapatid kong bunso yung nag-aalalaga sa kanya while I'm gone. I only trust my sister when it comes to taking care of my cat.

Kami lang naman kasi yung pet person sa bahay.

"Milo, like the drink?"

He asked.

"Yes, but I didn't really name him after the chocolate drink."

"Oh, I thought you did."

Pagtawa niya.

"Baliw. I named him Milo because it means my love."

Mi means my, lo means love.

"Oh, that's very nice."

"What about your cat?"

"Oh, I don't have one."

"Oh."

Bakit ko nga ba tinanong yun? Maybe because he said he also loves cats.

"I have one cat that I feed every day, but she's not really mine. I'm not her real owner."

We used to have cats like that at home, but they stopped coming over one day.

"How is she like?"

I asked.

"She's a sweet cat. All white with a red collar and white bell on the center of it."

"Sounds fancy. I want to see her tuloy."

Based on his description, I can't help but think about that one cat on Tom and Jerry. The one that Tom is courting.

"I'll try to kidnap her for you for a moment someday."

"Baliw."

"Did you go to the bonfire last night?"

He asked.

"Yeah, I didn't see you there."

"Were you looking for me there?"

He chuckled kaya medyo nahiya ako.

"I'm just kidding. I already went there multiple times kaya hindi na ako pumunta."

"Ahh."

Oo nga pala, he's not new here.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagkain. Sinumulan kong tanggalin yung yolk sa sunny-side up at itinabi yun sa gilid ng plato na mukang napansin ni Max.

"You don't eat the yellow part?"

He asked.

"Yeah, I don't like it."

"Just in sunny-side up?"

"No, all."

"Do you mind if I eat it?"

"Yeah, sure. Sorry, I know it's a waste of food. I don't have Milo here to eat the yellow part."

"It's fine, I'll eat it, so it won't be a waste."

He said and I smiled.

"We all have something we don't like eating."

He added.

"What's yours?"

"Any fat part of the meat."

Yeah, I don't eat that too.

"How long are you staying here?"

"Max."

I answered.

"What?"

Huh?

"Oh, I mean, max, 30 days."

I said and he started laughing and so am I.

"My bad."

I chuckled.

He thought I was calling him.

"You?"

Tanong ko rin sa kanya.

"I don't know yet. Hey, can I ask you something? It's okay if you don't want to answer it."

"What is it?"

I asked.

"Why are you here?"

"I... um, I just feel like I need to be here."

I chuckled to not make it sounds too serious.

"Hmm?"

But he seems serious about it.

"I don't know to be honest. I don't know if I'm depressed or just lonely. I always can't stop myself from thinking."

From overthinking.

"Hmm."

He answered.

"Are you not going to ask me back?"

He asked.

"Can I?"

"No, I don't want to answer it."

"Eh bakit mo pa tinanong?"

This guy is silly.

"Because I want to know if you're curious about me."

I guess I am.

"And what if I am?"

"You'll know the answers. Not now, but you will."

He said I look like I'm full of mystery, but it seems that he is more than I am.

Nang matapos kaming kumain ay nagpaalam na si Max and left.

Kumuha ako ng isang baso at nilagyan yun ng tubig. I put the flower that he gave me there and put it on the center of the table.

I also took a picture of it.

It's pretty.

I started washing the dishes and after that I decided to finally take a shower para makapaglibot pa lalo mamaya.

I haven't seen the whole place yet.

The bathroom is small, but it's okay because I'm not a big person. Maayos naman akong nakakaligo so it's all good.

After taking a shower, nag-ayos ako nang kaunti to look a bit presentable. I applied very light makeup and left the house only with my phone.

I'm a self-conscious person, so I always care about how I look.

I started walking around here and there nang may babaeng kumausap sa akin.

She's a bit old. I'm guessing like 45 years old.

"Are you looking for something? Someone?"

She asked.

"Oh no, I'm just walking around."

I smiled.

"Baka mawala ka mamaya. Magpasama ka dapat sa iba."

"Ah, sige po. Salamat."

Ngumiti lang siya sa akin at naglakad na palayo.

I looked around and thought that the lady is right. Pwedeng-pwede nga akong mawala sa dami ng puno sa paligid na mukhang magkakapareho lang.

Who should I go with? I only know two people here that I can ask.

Emma can't surely come with me because she works here, so the only option left is Max.

I started walking back to the houses hoping to find Max and it was not even five minutes yet when I found him.

He's literally everywhere.

I saw him talking to Ms. Fee and they were laughing together.

I walked towards them at nagmano kay Ms. Fee.

"Good morning Ms. Fee."

I greeted.

"Good morning Pat. How's your first night here? Did you sleep well?"

Ms. Fee asked.

"Yes, po. I slept very well last night."

The place is so peaceful that it will help you to fall asleep fast.

"That's good."

"Um, Max, are you busy?"

"No, why?"

He asked.

"Magpapasama sana ako sayong mag lakad-lakad. I'm not familiar with the place and a lady just told me na baka daw maligaw ako kapag ako lang mag-isa"

Pagpapaliwanag na sagot ko sa kaniya.

"Ah, I see. Sure, I'll come with you."

"Thank you."

I smiled.

"Alis po muna kami Ms. Fee."

Pagpaalaam ni Max kay Ms. Fee

"Alright, take care."

"Babye po."

I waved to Ms. Fee then we started walking to the woods.

"Thank you for coming with me."

"Nah, don't mention it. If you get lost ako rin ang maghahanap sayo. It's better to go with you."

Max answered and smiled.

"You can hold my shirt when it gets slippery on our way."

"Hmm, thank you."

I answered.

"Saulado mo ba 'tong lugar?"

"Yes."

He confidently answered.

"Oo nga pala..."

"What is it? Did you left something?"

"No."

I suddenly realized something.

"'Di ba you said you stayed here since June?"

"Yes."

"But you can only stay here for a month. How come you're still here?"

It's August now.

"I'm special."

He smiled.

"Is that why you know the place so much?"

"Yes."

He answered and offered his hand to me nang makarating kami sa parte na medyo may kataasan at kailangang akyatin.

I grabber his hand then he pulled me to him dahilan para mabangga ako sa dibdib niya.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

He smiled again.

Every time I look at his face, I want to stare at it for some unknown reason, especially when he smiles.

There's something about him that I want to know.

It's only the second day, but I'm already interested about him.