Beneath the Summer Sky

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20

“Huy, Rica!” Mahinang tawag sa akin ni Sammy sabay sundot sa aking tagiliran. “Bakit ganun ang itsura ng boyfriend mo? Para siyang nalugi.”

I almost choked on my drink and shot her a look. “Sammy naman!” I hissed, lowering my voice.

“Sammy naman, parang ngayon ka lang pinanganak. Syempre may isang jowa ang hindi napagbigyan!” sabat ni Bea na nasa aking kaliwa. They both burst out laughing, their giggles bouncing off the walls of my unit.

It was supposed to be an intimate birthday celebration—just me and DJ, enjoying each other’s company, and savoring the peace of a quiet night. But then these three girls came barging in, crashing our little moment and meddling as usual.

I took a moment to sneak a glance at DJ, who was seated stiffly on the couch. He was leaning back, one arm resting on the armrest, while the other hand idly swirled the drink in his glass. He’s talking to Shana, whom I introduced earlier, but there’s no denying the tension on his face. The way his jaw tightened and his brows furrowed made it clear—he wasn’t in the mood.

Nagi-guilty tuloy ako.

Sammy and Bea continued their teasing, unfazed by my unease. “Aba, Rica, ang lakas mong magpaselos ah! Kaya siguro ang sungit ng vibes ni DJ ngayon,” Sammy teased, wiggling her eyebrows. Pinagsasabi ng babaeng ‘to? Kung alam lang nila ang totoong dahilan…

“Girls, sobra na kayo!” I snapped, my voice laced with exasperation. But before I could say more, Shana appeared out of nowhere, placing a firm hand on Sammy’s shoulder.

“Girls, tama na yan. Baka mamaya umiyak na si besty,” Shana said with a laugh, shooting me a knowing smile.

I sighed in relief as Sammy and Bea finally backed off, giggling as they grabbed the plates of food and carried them to the dining area.

Now alone with Shana in the kitchen, I could sense she had something on her mind too. She leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed, her eyes darting to DJ before turning back to me.

“Besty,” she started, her tone soft but serious. “Mukhang hindi okay si DJ. May nangyari ba bago kami dumating? Nag-away ba kayo?”

Mabilis akong umiling, nagdalawang-isip kung sasabihin ko ba kay Shana ang dapat sanang mangyari kanina.

“Come on, besty. Huwag ka nang mahiya…” She smiled sweetly, her voice gentle but playful, as if coaxing me to spill the beans.

Hinawakan ko ang kanyang braso at dumistansya kami ng konti upang hindi marinig nina Sammy.

I looked at her, noticing the patience in her eyes as she waited for me to speak.

“B-Before you guys arrived… we were…” I cleared my throat and nervously glanced around. “We were having a… moment.”

Her brows arched in curiosity. “A moment? Like, what kind of moment?”

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. “Y-you know… an intimate one,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “It was supposed to be just the two of us, enjoying some quiet time together. Kaya lang…”

She smirked, instantly catching on. “Kaya lang dumating kami.”

I nodded, biting my lip. “Hindi ko naman sinasabi na kasalanan n’yo. Pero syempre, DJ was looking forward to some uninterrupted time with me. Alam mo na, ilang buwan din kaming hindi magkasama. And then, boom! You guys showed up and completely threw off the mood.”

Shana chuckled softly and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Oh, besty. Naiintindihan ko. Kaya pala medyo off ang mood ni DJ ngayon. Pero huwag kang mag-alala, bibigyan namin kayo ng space mamaya.” She winked, and I tried to hide my face, feeling the undeniable warmth creeping up.

The teasing eased the tension a little, but I knew she wasn’t finished.

Bumalot sa amin ang katahimikan, but I broke it. “Let’s go? Kumain na tayo?” aya ko sa kanya at akmang mauuna nang maglakad.

Shana stopped me by grabbing my hand. “Naalala ko lang, Rica…”

I looked at her, puzzled. Her playful expression shifted to something more serious.

“W-What?”

Naningkit ang kanyang mga mata habang tinititigan ako. “Akala ko ba ayaw mo ng ganitong set-up?”

My brows furrowed. “Set-up? What are you trying to say?”

“‘Di ba ang sabi mo noon, hindi mo muna isusuko ang bataan hangga’t hindi ka pa kasal?” Her brow arched, and her smirk returned, teasing yet pointed. “But it seems you’ve surrendered since you were in the resort.”

I bit my lower lip, suddenly speechless. Shana was right—I had said that before, and it used to be a firm belief. A flash of memories hit me: Enzo calling me “boring,” his coldness whenever I refused his advances, and the bitter truth that he sought satisfaction elsewhere because I wasn’t enough.

“S-Shana…” I stammered, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I love DJ so much. I know I’ve gone against my own principles, but I don’t regret it.”

Shana’s teasing smirk softened. “I get it, Rica. Hindi ka na si Rica na minamaliit ng kuya ko. You’re with someone who actually sees your worth.”

Her words brought a flicker of comfort, but it didn’t erase the nagging doubts in my heart. I looked down at my hands, feeling a wave of shame wash over me. “Pero… paano kung mali pa rin ako? Paano kung ginawa ko lang ‘to dahil sa takot na mangyari ulit ‘yung nangyari kay Enzo? Na baka… mawala siya?”

Shana’s expression grew serious as she reached out to hold my hand. “Rica, I understand where you’re coming from. Trust me, I do. Pero kailangan mong alisin ‘yang mindset na lahat ng mali sa past mo ay ikaw ang may kasalanan. Kuya didn’t leave because of you—he left because he didn’t value you enough. And DJ? That man treasures you for who you are.”

Her pause made me feel the weight of her next words. “Pero…” she trailed off.

“Pero ano?” I prompted, my voice barely above a whisper. My heart clenched, preparing for her truth.

“Siguraduhin mong hindi lang pagmamahal ang bumubuo ng relasyon n’yo,” she said gently but firmly. “Kasi kahit gaano kalaki ang pagmamahal mo, hindi ‘yon palaging sapat. Respect, trust, and understanding—it’s a whole package. And I can see DJ values all those, but make sure you do too.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I replayed DJ’s tired yet tender eyes earlier. Was I truly giving him the respect and trust he deserved? Or was I letting my insecurities make me cling too tightly, afraid to lose him like I lost Enzo?

Just as we were about to start eating, the doorbell rang outside my unit. Lahat kami’y natigilan.

“Rica, baka si Terrence na ‘yan!” Bea squealed in her usual high-pitched voice, her excitement almost palpable. “I remember the days—”

Sammy quickly elbowed Bea, cutting her off mid-sentence. She stopped singing abruptly, her expression a mix of guilt and annoyance.

Nagkatinginan kami ni DJ. His demeanor shifted, and I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of whoever was at the door. His jaw tightened subtly, and his usually warm eyes held a flicker of irritation.

Tumayo ako. “E-Excuse me.”

I walked towards the front door and took a deep breath before opening it. Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay si Terrence nga ang dumating at may dalang isang box ng cake at limang 16oz cup na salted caramel macchiato. Marahil ay hindi pumasok sa kanyang isipan na kasama ko si DJ?

“Happy birthday, Rica! Look, dala ko ang mga paborito mo!” masayang bati sa akin ni Terrence at niyakap ako.

I felt DJ’s gaze boring into my back, the tension in the air so thick it was almost stifling. “T-Thank you, Resty,” I said, pulling away quickly and gesturing for him to come inside. “Pasok ka.”

Ngumiti siya sa akin bago pumasok at makipaghalubilo kina Bea. Matapos kong isara ang pinto, nahuli kong tumingin si DJ kay Terrence bago sa akin. His look wasn’t one of anger—it was disappointment laced with wariness, a silent question I wasn’t sure I could answer.

I awkwardly smiled at him and took my seat beside him, but the tension around the dining area was unmistakable. Terrence’s cheerful banter blended into the background noise as my mind raced.

Should I have drawn firmer lines with Terrence? Was DJ questioning my loyalty, or was I projecting my own fears onto him? I stole a glance at DJ, silently hoping he wouldn’t misinterpret the situation. But deep down, I knew I needed to address this—both with DJ and with Terrence—before it festered into something worse.