Beneath the Summer Sky

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18

“I didn’t know you and Enzo had broken up. And you didn’t tell us there’s already someone new making you happy. Nagsinungaling pa ako kanina na lagi mo siyang kinukwento sa amin.”

I offered an awkward smile as I slid the glass of soju across the table toward him. Settling down on the floor near the edge of the small table, I folded my legs beneath me, positioning myself directly across from him. Now, we were face-to-face, the quiet tension between us mingling with the faint clink of glass and the low hum of the setting sun’s golden rays spilling into the room.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago sumagot. “Eh, ‘di sana tumahimik ka na lang.” I glared at him but immediately retract and avoid his gaze. “Sorry, hindi ko nasabi agad sa inyo. Mabilis kasi ang pangyayari.” Tipid akong ngumiti at inalala ang mga panahong nagdaan. “About Enzo,” simula ko. Ininom ko muna ang alak na hawak ko bago muling magsalita. “Huli ko na nalaman na sa limang taon na magkasama kami, wala pala talagang pagmamahal na nabuo sa kanya.”

Nakita kong napakuyom ang kanyang kaliwang kamay bago sinimot ang bigay kong soju.

“And now you’re seeing someone? Sigurado ka ba na hindi ka niya sasaktan?”

My heart skipped a beat. Sa ilang taon naming magkakilala, ngayon lang siya nag-react ng ganito. He didn’t bother to talk to me like this when he learned about my relationship with Enzo. But now? It’s weird.

“Rensy… hindi mo siya dapat pagdudahan. He’s a good man, malayong-malayo siya kay Enzo.” I assured him.

He doesn’t look convinced. He let out a weighty sigh and ran his left hand on his hair. Ramdam kong may gusto siyang sabihin ngunit pinipigilan niya lang.

“Alam kong concern ka lang sa akin, Rensy. But I swear,” I paused as I raised my right hand to act like I was swearing to a legal personality. “He’s different.” I added.

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango at kinuha ang isang slice ng pizza.

“He better treat you right, Rica. Dahil kung saktan ka niya, babawiin kita sa kanya.”

***

Kalahating oras na ang dumaan at hindi ko na nagalaw ang pagkain. Dalawang bote na ng soju ang naubos ko ngunit walang naging epekto sa akin, ‘di ako nalalasing.

Terrence words still lingers in my head. What does he mean by that? As far as I remember, he has a girlfriend so he already moved on from me.

“Ughhh!” I groan frustratingly while leaning my back to the sofa. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Kinuha ko ito sa ibabaw ng mesa at inaasahang si DJ ang tumatawag at gustong mag facetime, ngunit mali ako.

“Oh, bakit parang pinagsakluban ka ng langit at lupa? Sa reaction mo parang hindi ako ang gusto mong makita, ah.” saad ni Shana ng sagutin ko ang tawag.

“Sorry.” I sit up straight.

“I heard you have been harassed, okay ka na ba?” Umupo siya sa silya at binuksan ang kanyang laptop, it seems she’s in a hotel room. She adjusted her phone so she could see me properly, tumango lang ako sa kanya. “Pasensya na besty, wala ako dyan. May biglaang business trip na naka schedule at kailangan kong um-attend.”

“It’s okay, Shana. I don’t want to talk about it. Paulit-ulit na lang.” Kinuha ko ang bote ng natitirang soju at tinungga iyon, I saw how she raised her right eyebrow.

“At bakit ka umiinom?”

“Pampatulog lang…”

She scoffed and crossed her arms on her chest. “Gusto mo lang ba talagang matulog o mag-drama? Kung may bigat man sa dibdib mo, pwede mo namang ikwento kaysa ubusin ‘yang soju!.”

I tried to compose myself. “Sira! Bakit naman ako magda-drama? Assuming ka,” natatawa kong saad, but my voice carried a faint tremor. My hands fiddled with the empty soju bottle, betraying the calm façade.

“Talaga ba? Kasi kung hindi ka nagda-drama, bakit parang may kinikimkim ka?” Naningkit ang kanyang mga mata. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Come on, Rica. Kilala kita. Hindi mo ako maitatago sa mga ganyang pa-casual effect mo.”

“Ang dami mo namang sinasabi, Shana. Siguro ikaw ang may gustong mag-drama, no?” I crossed my arms, leaning back against the sofa, though my gaze briefly dropped to my lap.

Hindi naman kasi big deal ‘yon, eh. Bakit ba ako affected? Ang dapat kong gawin ngayon ay kausapin si DJ, I think he misunderstood everything.

“Okay fine, fine! I won’t push you. Pero please know na kapag handa ka na, I’ll be here to listen.”

Silence envelops the room for a moment but Shana breaks the ice once again.

“By the way, besty… anong plano mo sa birthday mo? Ilang araw na lang,” Shana asked, her tone light and curious as she leaned closer, a warm smile playing on her lips.

I froze for a second, the question catching me off guard. Nawala sa isip ko na malapit na pala ang kaarawan ko. Pero paano ko ito ise-celebrate kung hindi naman kami okay ni DJ? I want to celebrate it with him.

“Uh, to be honest... wala pa akong maisip,” I said, trying to sound casual, though my voice betrayed a faint tremor. “Parang hindi ko rin naman feel mag-celebrate masyado.”

“Alam mo, Rica? Itulog mo na ‘yan, pag-usapan natin yang birthday mo kung matino ka na.” Shana then turns off her phone immediately.

Huminga ako ng malalim at humiga sa sahig. Tinatamad na akong bumangon para pumunta ng kwarto. Tinignan ko ang puting kisame at iniisip kung tatawagin ko ba si DJ. Ipinatong ko ang aking kaliwang braso sa aking noo at pumikit, bukas na lang siguro.

I stretched my arms and rubbed my eyes, still feeling sleepy. My head feels heavy from the drinking session I had last night. My eyelids are still too lazy to open but one thing is strange…

Bakit parang ang lambot ng hinihigaan ko? Sa pagkakaalala ko, sa living area ako natulog at hindi dito sa kwarto.

And the fragrance that envelops my nose—so familiar. Dahan-dahan kong iminulat ang aking mga mata at napa-awang ang aking bibig sa nakita.

Gardenia bouquets were filled all over my room.

“H-how is this possible?” I whispered.

Nagmadali akong bumangon at patakbong lumabas ng kwarto. Sa paglabas ko’y isang matikas na lalaki na nakatalikod sa akin ang natatanaw ko sa kusina. Nakasuot siya ng apron at abalang nagluluto ng agahan.

As if there’s a gravity that pulls me closer towards him, I hurriedly wrapped my arms around him, giving my man a tight back hug.

“I’m sorry, love…” I said as my tears began to slide down my cheeks.

Hininto niya ang pagsasandok ng sinangag sa plato, hinawakan niya ang aking mga kamay at ikinalas ito sa pagkakayakap sa kanya.

He faced me, his eyes looked tired.

“For what, hmm?” He said softly and cupped my face.

“F-for being stubborn…” I answered him and avoided his gaze. “And about Terrence. There’s nothing between us, love. Magkaibigan lang talaga kami.”

He deeply sighed, holding my chin and gently tilting my head to meet his gaze. His tired eyes softened, but there was a glint of something deeper—hurt, perhaps, or lingering doubt.

“Love,” he began, his voice steady but carrying a weight that made my heart ache. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. Pero sana naman, next time, you’d think about how I feel. I trust you, Rica. Pero tao lang din ako—nasasaktan, nagseselos. You mean everything to me, kaya kahit konting bagay, ramdam ko.”

His words hit me like a gentle storm, soft yet unrelenting. I bit my lip, the guilt swirling in my chest. I reached up and rested my hand on his cheek, my thumb brushing against the faint stubble that shadowed his jaw.

“I promise,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’ll be more mindful. Ayokong masaktan ka, DJ. Mahal kita.”

He smiled faintly and pulled me into his arms, his embrace firm yet comforting, as though shielding me from everything—including my own regrets.

“Let’s put this behind us, okay?” he murmured into my hair. “Pero next time… I’m claiming that stubbornness as mine. Sa akin ka lang matigas ang ulo.”

I chuckled softly against his chest, feeling a flicker of relief. “Deal.”