Winter Heat

Chapter 2 - A Fuck You Promise

Napaawang na lang ang mga labi namin ni Heat kasabay ng paglingon ulit namin kay Precious na patawa-tawa pa. Kung ganiyan nga namang parang may tagas siya, hindi na nakakapagtakang hindi ako ang kauna-unahang nanapak sa kaniya.

"Nasa'n ang buddy mo?" tanong na lang ulit sa kaniya ni Heat.

"Wala akong buddy."

"Tangina talaga ni Brian," I hissed under my breath. "Puwede naman palang wala—"

"HOY!" I almost punched Heat too when he suddenly shouted. "You're hurting my feelings!" he dramatically said as he held his chest while looking at me like I'm some killer who stabbed him.

Napabuga ako ng hangin. Agang-aga, ubos na ubos ang pasensya ko.

"Kayo?" Precious suddenly asked, making us turn to her again.

"Huh?"

"Kayong dalawa?" she repeated as she pointed each of her forefingers on Heat and I. We just looked at her so she slowly moved those fingers towards each other until they touched.

"Never in this lifetime," mabilis kong sabi. Napapikit na lang ako ulit nang marinig nanaman ang madramang pagsinghap ni Heat. Pagtingin ko sa kaniya, yakap-yakap niya na ang sarili niya. "What?"

"May pagnanasa ka sa 'kin sa susunod mong lifetime?!" parang kinikilabutang sabi niya. Feelingero din amputangina.

I gave him a mocking look. "Ayoko nga ng lifetime na 'to, mukha bang gusto ko pang ma-reincarnate?" yamot kong sabi saka tumalikod sa kanilang dalawa.

"Teka, sa'n ka pupunta?!" tanong ni Heat.

"Breakfast? O wala rin bang breakfast sa impyernong 'to?"

"Mayro'n. Pero dapat sabay kayong kakain ng buddy mo."

Tired of all their morning shits, I stopped walking and looked at them again, specifically at Heat. He was still standing where I left him. "Tara?" I even sarcastically motioned my hand to the way to the Grand Cabin.

But he, and Precious, just looked at me. "Kakain tayo habang baka nagugutom na 'yong nawawalang camper?"

"Fuck."

I had said all existing foul words inside my mind when I found myself walking with Heat and Precious, searching for an idiot who managed to get lost on her first day at Camp Mitesco. We even reached the backmost part of the whole compound, where a river was flowing rapidly. I couldn't help but pick up a rock and throw it into the water.

Then I felt someone standing beside me. It was Precious.

"Sana mahanap na natin siya," she said while looking at the river.

"Yeah, so I could throw that idiot into this river," I replied and we heard Heat laughing.

"Brutal ka rin," sabi niya. Naputol ang tawa niya nang may natanaw siyang lalaki na papalapit sa kinaroroonan namin. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at inaninag din kung sino 'yon.

"HOY, BRIAN!"

I really wanted to throw Heat into the river that time. Kung may mga isda man do'n, sila na lang ang maririndi sa lakas ng boses niya.

"Precious!" Brian called as he ran towards us. "Kanina ka pa hinahanap ng lahat!"

What?