Summer Medicine

Chapter 4

Pat's POV

It's been a week since I started living at the summer camp. So far, I'm getting comfortable, and I also started talking to other people, but not as much as Max and I talk. He still brings me flowers daily. He does the same for every person here.

Napag-isipan kong maglinis ngayong araw, so I am currently wiping corners right now when I heard a knock on my door. I opened it, and guess who? It's Max.

"Hi, you seem busy here."

He greeted.

"Yeah. I decided to clean today."

"Do you need help?"

"No, thank you."

I said and smiled at ngumiti rin siya sa akin. Yung nahihiyang ngiti. He looks like he wants to say something, but he can't.

"What brought you here?"

Tinanong ko na.

"Is your birthday April 23?"

He asked.

"Yes, how did you know?"

Why is he asking me about my birthday? As far as I know, it's not my birthday today. It's not even April.

"Let's just say I'm friends with Emma."

He chuckled.

"Hey, you can't do that. That's private."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He chuckled again habang nakakamot pa sa likod ng ulo niya. He clearly looked at my personal information.

"What's with my birthday?"

I asked.

"I saw a note in the corkboard earlier. Saying April 22, 2022, I'm..."

"I'm glad I was afraid."

Pagputol at pagdugtong ko sa sinasabi niya.

"Yes. I'm the one who wrote that."

I smiled bitterly.

I wrote that yesterday. I decided to put one out of the blue. I didn't know na nagbabasa pala siya ng mga nakalagay doon.

"Are you still afraid?"

He asked.

"Do you know what I was talking about in that note?"

"No, I don't. I'm sorry."

Sagot niya kaya napatawa ako ng kaunti. Halatang kinakabahan siya na baka magalit ako.

"Yes, I am."

Sagot ko sa tanong niya kanina.

April 22, 2022, was the day before my birthday. The day I finally decided to cut a piece of myself. I got scared when I saw blood coming from my skin, so I immediately stood up, ripped a random shirt, and put it all over my wrist to stop the bleeding.

I still don't know how I did not die that day, perhaps because I didn't cut it deep enough.

Kinabukasan, on the day of my birthday, my mom decided that we would go swimming with a few relatives and friends of mine. I put makeup on my wound before going. When we were there, I got dizzy because of the wave. I often get motion sickness. They keep telling me to get into the water because it will help with my dizziness. I felt like dying at that time, but I refused no matter what because I was afraid they would see my wrist.

That was the first day I thanked myself for being afraid because I would be dead by now if I were not.

"Do you want to skip cleaning?"

"What do you mean?"

What is he planning this time?

"I could take you to the lake."

"There's a lake here?"

"A small one."

"I don't know how to swim."

Nahihiya kong sabi.

I don't even know how to ride a bicycle at this age.

"It's okay. I'm here."

"I... Right now?"

"Sure."

"Well... Okay."

I grabbed my jacket at pagkasuot na pagkasuot ko ng sandals ko ay kaagad na hinawakan ni Max ang kamay ko at tumatakbo kaming pumunta sa sinasabi niyang lake.

It was expectedly far from the camp; no wonder why I didn't know its existence.

Max wanted to make it like a surprise, so he covered my eyes with his hands when we arrived.

"Are you ready?"

He asked.

"Yes."

Nakangiti kong sagot at nang alisin niya ang mga kamay niyang nakaharang sa paningin ko ay kaagad na nawala ang ngiti ko sa mga labi ko at napaatras.

"Oh, I can't."

"Why?"

"It looks deep. I can't."

I said and about to walk away nang hawakan niya nanaman ang kamay ko.

"I can't, Max."

"Hey, hey. I'm here. I'll never let go of your hand."

"But..."

Muli akong sumulyap sa tubig at muli ring napapikit nang makita ang lalim nito.

I don't know deep it is, but I know it's deep.

"You see these hands? I'll cut these if I ever let go of you."

"Nang-uuto ka lang eh."

"No, I'm just confident about what I said."

I looked at him and sighed.

"Do you promise?"

"Promise Pat. It's a good time not to be scared."

Kaya ko ba?

"Okay then."

Bahala na.

"Let's go."

Naglakad kami palapit sa lake. There, he took off his shirt, and that is when I realized I needed to take off what I was wearing too. Thank God I'm wearing good pieces of underwear.

Nang huhubarin niya na yung pants niya ay naghubad na rin ako ng damit ko.

"Tara n... Oh..."

He looked at me na parang nagulat siya. Am I not supposed to take my clothes off?

"What?"

Nahihiyang tanong ko.

"Do you mind if I say you're beautiful?"

He said, and I think I blushed.

"Tara na."

Pag-iiba ko ng usapan. Naglakad ako palapit sa kaniya at hinawakan ang kamay niya.

"Are we going to jump?"

I'm nervous, but I will try my best.

"Let's just get into the water slowly. Baka mabigla ka."

"Okay."

"You sound so nervous."

He laughed.

"Because I am. Stop laughing."

"I'm sorry."

He smiled.

Nauna siyang bumaba sa tubig pagkatapos ay sumunod ako. Kaagad akong lumapit sa kaniya nang mabalot ng tubig ang katawan ko.

I'm holding onto him tightly. Halos yakapin ko na nga siya.

"How are you feeling?"

"Scared."

"Try holding only my palm."

He wants me to go further from him.

"I can't."

"Don't worry. I still got you."

For some reason I looked at his eyes bago bumitaw sa braso niya. I guess I was looking for a reason to trust him.

With a deep breathe, unti-unti akong lumalayo sa kaniya hanggang sa dulo na lang ng mga palad namin ang magkadikit.

"Good job Pat. You made it."

He cheered with the biggest smile I'd ever seen.

I was smiling when I realized that I did it pero kaagad ding nawala yun nang maramdaman kong parang lumulubog ako. Without any word, I pulled Max to me and held him tight.

"I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared."

I repeatedly said those words with my eyes closed hanggang sa maramdaman ko ang pagyakap ni Max sa akin.

I slowly opened my eyes, and suddenly his lips were the only thing I saw.

We are so close to each other. So close that we are breathing the same air. How can I not feel this sudden heat?

We looked into each other's eyes, and they locked.

I looked at his nose and then at his lips again. I didn't know he had beautiful pinkish lips until now.

"Max, can I kiss y..."

I didn't get to finish what I was saying when Max put his lips to mine. It didn't even last a second when our lips started moving.

A passionate yet hustle kiss.

Isang pag-ungol ang nagawa ko when I felt Max bit my lower lip. He's not just kissing my lips, but also sucking my it. My breasts were also intimately pressed against his chest, making me feel the heat even more.

"Hmm."

I moaned again when I felt his hands caress my back. The water is cold, but his hands are warm.

My lips were still focused on his when he decided to abandon it.

"I'm sorry."

I said nang makabalik ako sa katinuan.

"No, I kissed you first. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I liked it."

Nahihiya at hindi diretsong makatinging sabi ko sa kaniya.

I wanted to move away from him, but I couldn't because we were still in the water, and I will drown without his hands.

"Good because I like it too."

I looked at him, and I saw him smile. For some reason ay napangiti rin ako

After what happened, we agreed that he teach me how to swim. It was hard at first because I was still afraid, but he never let go of my hand as promised, so I became confident over time.

We were there for half an hour until we decided to get dressed and go back.

There was no awkwardness after that kiss because we didn't talk about it on our way back.

Max walked me to my door and went home. Kaagad akong humiga sa kama ko at napahawak sa nga labi ko. I can't believe we kissed. I don't think I can clean anymore dahil sinakop na ng mga labi ni Max ang isip ko.

I looked at my hand and kissed it, thinking it was his lips. Is this what they call reliving the moment?

Is this lust, or am I just losing my mind?