Our Sun Below The Horizon

Summer Thoughts

Chapter 9

Cold summer breeze touches my skin and blows my hair. It's mid part of the year.

I stood beside the white fence of this wide ranch grass field surrounded by the scent of dry grass and buzzing insects. I looked up in the sky and the sunlight's glare hits my face. Little birds were flying across, chirping and singing beautiful birds sounds. I closed my eyes to feel the moment, stretched my hands and turn around. I sighed, it's summer the best season of the year and the hottest of the four temperate seasons. This is the season to build thousands of memories and enjoy life with our loved ones, it is also because school and universities have a summer break.

I heard a neigh from a horse coming from afar. I looked around to see where it is coming from. The whining of the horse gets louder and louder coming from the east. Until I saw an image na unti unting nabubuo. A man showed up riding a white horse. He was wearing a cowboy's hat that almost covered his face, a sunglasses, with white long sleeves and jeans. I don't recognize the person on the horse from where I stand.

The horse was running fast and it was coming toward my direction. The horse stopped when it reached me and the man who rode on it jumped off on the side and rubbed the horse's mane. It showed his perfect and defined chiseled jaw as he faced on the left side.

Tinaggal niya ang kanyang sombrero at sunglasses. My world stops for a sudden as I stare on this guy. He gently caressed his hair and brush it away. Tila nang-aakit ang kanyang mga galaw. Everything he does is in slow motion, but my heart is beating fast like I was in a movie.

The wind is blowing his long sleeves at dahil nakaunbutton and dalawang pang itaas na butones ng kanyang long sleeves, the wind exposed his collar bone and wide chest. His sweats were falling from his forehead down to his neck and chest. He looks so hot, I couldn't stop to drool my eyes on him. I feel like my mouth is watering right now because of this hot damn man in front of me. A perfect form I could say, much better than a model of Adam's modeling agency.

He turned and looked in my direction and then caught me staring at him, he just smiled and winks at me. His gaze were making me weak and lose my energy. Oh heaven, how could I be so blessed today to see one your masterpiece?

"Oh baka naman matunaw ako niyan sa kakatitig mo!" Ani nito sa baritonong tono. His voice were so manly and it really caught my attention.

Oh no! I must deny that it wasn't true. Babaeng may delikadesa ata ito. Dalagang Pilipina. "Huh? Hindi ah." Nauutal kong sabi. "I was actually looking sa kabayo." Inilipat ko agad ang atensyon ko sa kabayong nasa likuran niya. "Napakaputi ng kabayo at mukhang maamo." Pagtanggi ko pa. Earth swallow me now, I hope he believes in me.

"Really?" Lumakad siya palapit sa akin. "I thought I look hot, you know parang modelo. Ganun?" He said in a sexy tone then he pouted his lips.

Napaatras ako ng konti. Para dumistansya palayo sa kanya. Damn that pretty lips I wanted to bite it. Wild thoughts alert. "Oo na pwede ka nang mag modelo." Pasimpleng sabi ko naman.

"I told you..." mayabang na wika nito. Sabay pose na parang isang modelo. He is cute definitely even those little movements he was making were picture perfect to capture.

"Nope you misunderstood. I mean you could be a model, model sa zoo" pangtutuya ko. Binawi ko na agad ang papuri ko ang bilis atang lumakas ng hangin eh.

"Cut it off Kathy, alam ko namang nagagawapuhan ka sa akin diba." He tap his nose and smiled. "No need to deny it. Besides I'm an animal lover naman." Pang aalaska rin nito.

"In your dreams Alexander" ganting sagot ko naman. " In your dreams. I could never like a beast like you." Kahit na sinasabi ng puso ko ay totoong napakapogi niya at gustong gusto ko na siya. Sino nga bang di mabibihag sa mga ngiti at sa mga makalaglag panty niyang titig.

"Ugh. Stop this childish act. Tara na." He offered his hand to me.

"At saan naman tayo pupunta." I ask hesitantly.

"Picnic, have you forgotten already?" He raised his left eyebrow and looked at me confused.

Hindi ko alam na may lakad kami today o kahit yung picnic na iyon. Inabot ko na lamang ang kamay niya. As soon as he held my hand he hold it so tight.

"I'll hold you tight, para di kita mabitawan." Makahulugang sabi niya.

We run fast. He was the one taking the lead. We' passed through lucerne grass and a few cows, jump on and then run again.

My heart is just filled with joy right now and I couldn't wish for more. I look on my hand he was holding as we ran while he used to looked back and smiled on me.

"Malayo pa ba tayo" I asked while still running.

"Malapit na, malapit ng maging tayo." Wika nito sa mahinang tono. Pero sapat naman para marinig ng aking mga tenga.

"Anong sabi mo?" I asked. I wanted to hear it again loud and clear baka na misheard ko lang.

"Wala sabi ko ito na andito na tayo."

Baka nga namisheard ko lang ang sinabi niya. Maybe it was just made of my imagination.

We reached the destination. I was amazed by the place. It was a large big tree at the center of this grass field. At mula sa isa sa mga branches nito ay may nakataling isang duyang yari sa gulong. May mga ligaw na mga bulaklak sa palibot ng puno.

We walked a little bit more until we reached the tree. May nakalatag na isang mat sa berdeng damuhan at may basket sa gilid. Puno ito ng mga pagkain at inumin.

"Maganda ba?" He uttered.

"Oo, sobrang Ganda. Paano mo natagpuan yung lugar na to?"

Tunay namang napakaganda ng lugar at nakakabighani. Tanaw mula sa aming kinatatayuan ang malawak na damuhan at ang mga kabayo at baka na kumakain. Kita rin mula dito ang aking pinanggalingan kanina. Bukod pa doon ay presko ang hangin, malayo sa maingay na siyudad, walang polusyon at kahit mainit at tirik na tirik ang araw ay dito ay di ito madadama dahil sa malakas na simoy ng hangin at lilim ng punong aming kintatayuan.

"The place is captivating," I said happily then I turned to face him. May hawak siyang isang ligaw na bulaklak.

"You looked beautiful Kathy." He said in a romantic voice.

I was stunned and stopped on what he said. I looked at him and met his gaze. Lumapit siya ng konti at hinawi ang kaliwang bahagi ng aking buhok. He leaned close. Inilagay niya ang hawak niyang bulaklak sa aking tenga. Naamoy ko ang pabango sa kanyang malapad na dibdib. Napakabango nito. Nakangiti lamang siya habang nilalagay ang bulaklak sa aking tenga.

Namula ako ako sa ginawa niya at iniwasan ko na lamang ang kanyang tingin ngunit agad niya namang hiwakan ang aking baba at iniharap sa kanya, muling nagtama ang aming mga mata. He looked down on my lips slowly and back on my eyes again. Tila nakakatunaw ang kanyang mga titig ngunit sinasabi rin ng sarili ko na salubungin ang kanyang mga titig.

Ang tanging naririnig na lamang namin ay ang huni ng mga ibon at tunog ng hangin. Isang payapa at malayang hapong masasabi ngunit ang aking kalooban naman ay tila sumasabog dahil sa tuwa at kilig na aking nadarama.

He moved a little bit closer. I could hear and feel his breathing. Inilapit niya pa ang kanyang mukha palapit sa akin, palapit ng palapit ngunit dahan dahan. I closed my eyes and wait for what's coming next....I'm not certain but I'm waiting.

Isang malakas na tunog mula sa alarm clock ang gumising sa akin. Panaginip... Panaginip lang ang lahat.

How could I enjoy summer nga naman? Papaanong nasa labas ako ng bahay ng walang suot na kahit ano man lang pananggalang sa araw? Papaanong mangyayari ang mga bagay na iyon kung hindi ako pwedeng maarawan? How could I do such things when I have XP and those summer dreams will remain dreams forever? It was all pure bluff thoughts created by my mind, sa sobrang kakaisip kay Alex.

How I wish they could be true and be possible someday.