A Summer to Remember

Day 10 - The beginning of the end

Grabe napakastressful ng gabi. Ang naalala ko nalang. I was with Enrique sa room ko, tapos yun, nakatulog na agad ako.

When I woke up.

7:45 na.

Uh-oh. Siguro gising na si Daniel.

 Lalabas na sana ako ng room ko sa hotel when I suddenly remembered everything that happened last night. Tama. Si Daniel. Si Kath. Ang Mama ni Daniel. Ang Manager nila. At si Enrique.

OUCH, ang sakit ng ulo ko. Ano ba to? Hang-over? Hindi yata. O baka naman sumakit lang ulo ko sa kaiisip about Daniel and me. Me and Daniel. Wala naman talagang kami. We both made it clear. Ang kapal naman ng mukha ko for acting that way. WALANG KAMI.

 Ayaw kong  lumabas ng room ko for three reasons.

1.Nahihiya ako kay Daniel sa mga sinabi ko sa kanya kagabi. Summer Fling? Anong tingin ko sa sarili ko? A kiss, a whole day with him and countless holding hands don't count as a summer fling diba? Well, yata.

 2.Kay ninong. Dahil alam niya ang lahat. Damage to sa image ng resort.

 3.Ayaw ko pang makita silang lahat. I don't care kung ako parin ang naka assign na itend ang room and needs ni Daniel. Nanjan naman sina Rhea at Jen eh. And besides minsan lang akong mag inarte.

 I heard a knock on my door. Imposible namang si Daniel yun, knowing that all eyes are on him. At saka wala na kaming dapat pang pag-usapan.

 Tok

Tok

Baka naman si Rhea at Jen, makikitsismis. Well, kailangan ko rin naman ng shoulders to lean on. Lumapit ako sa pinto ng room ko and opened it.

 O_O

Si Kathryn.

 "Good morning Janice." Tss. Bagay nga sila ni Daniel. JANINE name ko!

"Uh, It's Janine. Good morning din Miss." That is how we address our guests here.

"Drop the formalities. Ano ka ba. Just call me Kathryn." sabi niya sa akin extending a hand. Kinuha ko rin naman yun and we shook hands.

 Nalilito ako sa sasabihin, sa gagawin. Did she just drop by here? Or gusto niyang makipagbonding sa akin suddenly? And if we are going to talk, I'm sure it's just about one person, our common denominator, si DANIEL.

Tahimik si Kath after our shaking of hands. And I really feel uncomfortable, but I'll do what is needed to be done.

"Uh, Kath gusto mong pumasok?" I offered. Her face brightened, and she instantly took her steps toward my room.

"Take a seat." Sabi ko sa kanya. Umupo din naman siya kung saan ko ginesture na umupo siya.

 Well, napaka awkward talaga ng situation na to. Artista kaharap ko. Kaloveteam pa ng ultimate crush ko. GOSH! Sure na sure akong kaiinggitan ako ng mga makakaalam ng story naming to.

"Janine/Kath" oops. Nagkasabay pa kami.

"No let me start first!" sabi ni Kath sa akin. Tumango lang ako sa kanya. I'm ready for this. I'm smarter than her and I'm better than her. And I deserve Daniel more. OOOPS! Teka lang. ERASE.ERASE.ERASE. Bakit nagkathought ako ng ganito! PSH!

"Janine, alam ko, Daniel and you are… Daniel and you are friends." oo naman. Friends naman talaga kami.

"Don't misinterpret. Friendly lang talaga siya sa lahat. You know how it is. May reputation siya Janine. He is a public figure." Uhhh.. So saan ba talaga patungo ang conversation namin na to?

"Get to the point Miss. Ayaw ko ng paligoy-ligoy." sabi ko sa kanya . Nagkamali ba ako for letting her in?

She suddenly smiled.

 "Ang gusto kong sabihin. Move on Janine. Daniel might like you now. Pero wala dito ang buhay niya. Nag-enjoy nga siguro siya with you, but he can also live without you." Ouch naman. Para lang sinuntok niya ako sa mukha sa mga sinabi niya. I looked at her. And I can't believe that I'm having a conversation like this with kathryn.

 "Alam ko Miss. Daniel loves you so much, alam mo ba yun? If I have a guy who loves me like how Daniel loves you wala na akong hahanapin pa." I got her attention. I'm not crying here, kahit paman I told her the truth that kills me so much habang tumatakbo ng paulit-ulit sa isip ko. Hindi siya nakapagsalita. Nakabukas ang bibig niya. But she still looks beautiful unlike me. That makes me think, sila nga talaga ang bagay ni Daniel. Napaka ambisyosa ko lang.

 But hey, I'm a girl with a mission here and that is, to piss her off.

 "And, it's true that he can live without me. Pero, he can live without you too. Mas pinili pa nga niyang pumarito na muna, than to be with all of you again." sabi ko sa kanya. Tumayo si Kath. Nainis siya sa akin. Sa looks niya para bang sasabunutan niya ako. But I know she's not that bad. I know mabait siyang tao, it's just that, nobody's perfect when it comes to the matters of the heart. And in our case, yan ang nagyayari ngayon sa amin. A fight over a guy.

 Tatalikod na sana siya to get out of my room, but before that parang pinagsisisihan ko na ang mga nasabi ko.

 "Kath, wait." napatigil siya. Blank ang expression niya.

 "Don't worry, alam ko ang lugar ko. Mas bagay kayo." And I smiled at her. She smiled back. A sincere smile.

"Janine, sorry if I was mean. Alam mo naman. I love him too, kaya lang, we're in the peek of our careers now. Minsan lang kumatok ang opportunities. And we're still young." she defended herself.

"Kath, hindi pa kayo magpapakasal, or magkakaanak. You know, it's not wrong to admit that you love him too." sabi ko kay Kath, habang pinipigilan ang sarili ko. I didn't know I can be a counselor.

"Once palang tayong nagkakausap Janine, but now I know why Daniel chose to stay here longer. And that is because of you. It's so easy to fall in love with you." sabi ni Kath, smiling her wide and toothpaste-commercial  smile at me. I smiled back.

"But I'm still not giving him up. And thanks for the time" Hindi ko inexpect na yayakapin ako ni Kath. A sisterly hug. If the situation was different, iisipin kong parehas kami ni Kath. Magkaparehas kami ng ugali.

 At yun lumabas na siya.