A Summer to Remember

May shooting ba dito?

"Janine! I missed you" sabi ni Enrique with his smile that once brightened my world. I looked at him. It was three years ago since I last saw him.

SPEECHLESS lang. I really don't know what to say. Hindi ko nga maexplain ang feeling ko eh. MIXED Emotion. YEah, because of Daniel, Enrique, Kathryn who is still looking at Daniel, at sa lahat-lahat ng nandito. 

Actually hindi naman talaga ako dapat na napapag-isip, I'm so out of the equation. Three is a crowd - si Daniel, si Kath at si Enrique, makikisali pa ba ako? NO.

"Hijo! Namiss ka ni Janine! Buti at nakabalik ka dito sa atin." sabi ni Ninong na palaging to the rescue. Three years ago, when Enrique left for Manila, I was heartbroken. Siya ang first love ko, unrequited nga lang. Magkababata kami, and as we grew up I fell in love with him. Sadly, the feeling wasn't mutual.

"Ninong, he's with them. Pumunta siya for Daniel, not for us."I looked at Enrique eye to to eye. But I caught Daniel staring at me too.

"Parang shooting lang no, kasi ang daming artista? Why don't you all try Puerto Prinsesa's best. Our cashew coffee." nagpaka cool nalang ako. Pwede rin naman akong magpaka artista just like them. I smiled.

"Clearly, we're not here to enjoy your hospitality, but to have Daniel back with us." sabi ng manager kay Ninong. Nainis ako sa statement niyang yun.

"Mr. C, it's okay. A few cups of coffee won't hurt, why don't we stay for the night?" pagsalo ni Enrique, na hindi man lang nakabawas ng pagkainis ko. Then Daniel spoke.

"Ako lang naman ang kailangan niyo dito dba? Ano pang ginagawa ninyo? Tara." with that statement. He broke my heart. Hindi ko na napigilan, tumulo na ang luha ko, but not too late to make them notice it.

"Ninong, ipapaready ko nalang sa chef natin ang dinner." I excused myself from them, but before I can turn back, may humawak na agad sa kamay ko, nah, sa dalawang kamay ko. When I looked up. It was Enrique. And Daniel.

Nagkasukatan pa sila ng tingin. Kahit si Kathryn, biglang lumapit sa amin, habang ang lahat ay nakatingin.

"Let go of her." sabi ni Daniel kay Enrique. Tiningnan lang siya ni Enrique, with his blank expression.

"DJ!" tawag ni Kathryb kay Daniel, pero hindi parin siya nilingon ni Daniel, kahit pa nakahawak si Kathryn sa balikat nito.

"This is so pathetic." narinig kong sabi ng manager ni Daniel.

"Daniel ano ba?" tanong ko kay Daniel. Medyo naiirita na ako. Mas madali naman sa kanya na umalis nalang. I'm ready to forget everything about us. Kahit wala naman talagang us.

He looked at me, intensely. At hinila na niya ako palabas ng hotel papuntang garden, kung saan kami unang nagkita on day 1.

"Bitiwan mo nga ako!" sabi ko sa kanya, and we stopped walking.

"Janine. Hindi ko talaga alam ang sasabihin." he said, not looking at me.

"Gago ka naman pala eh! Gumawa ka ng eksena sa harapan ng lahat, tapos wala ka naman palang sasabihin." bato ko sa kanya. Kung nakakamatay lang ang tingin, siguro napatay ko na si Daniel.

"OK. At first, pumunta ako dito kasi I want to think about Kath and I, and how to win her back from Enrique. But when I got to know you, hindi ko alam. Hindi ko talaga alam Janine." sabi ni Daniel, in his saddest tone.

"Hindi mo naman pala alam eh. Daniel I'm not expecting anything from you." wala siyang nasabi.

"Langit kayo, ako lupa. I know what you mean. Pero alam ko kung saan ang lugar ko." I continued, while looking at him.

"Janine, hindi mo ako naiintindihan." he tried to grab my hand, pero iniwas ko ito. Nakita kong papalapit na si Kath kay Daniel.

"Daniel, follow your dreams. You're better with them." sabi ko sa kanya. Now it was his turn to grill me with his look.

"Yan ba talaga ang gusto mo?" tanong niya sa akin. Ayaw ko mang sabihing oo. Kailangan kong gawin to. Summer fling lang ako. What Daniel feel for Kathryn is beyond summer.

"Daniel, alam ko, I'm just a summer fling. Go. Away. Just forget about me." sabi ko sa kanya. Ito na yata ang pinakamasakit na nangyari sa akin, after my heartbreak with Enrique three years ago. Tinalikuran ko siya, but I'm sure Kathryn's already there to comfort him, if he really was upset or hurt.

Nasurprise din naman ako, when I turned away from him. Nagpakastrong lang ako sa harapan niya, but when I turned away, tears were running down. Ayaw ko man, but when Enrique hugged me, I hugged him back, and I know Daniel saw us.