Fool's Gold (Summer Series #3)

Kabanata XXX

Kinahapunan nang pag-uwi namin ay inasahan na naming walang tao sa labas, mukhang kailangan talaga nilang magpalamig bago mag-usap ulit. Tinapik naman ako ni Polay nang makaupo kami sa kahuyang upuan.

"Matutuloy pa kaya swimming?" nagmamaktol na sabi ni Polay. Nagkibit-balikat lang si Gelo at saka humiga sa lamesa. Charles and Charlie were eating the barbecues that they just bought earlier after we ate mais con yelo. Walang humpay ang katakawan nila, napansin ko iyon dati pa, but their bodies are fit.

"Bet you on that, bro?" Charles gushed to his twin brother Charlie, who's busy eating the last meat of the barbecue.

"Nah, Dad just reserved three rooms. Tita Ganaiah already paid them off before we even went here." Charles mumbled then went on eating with crumbs of meat splattered across the side of his lips.

"Ang alam ko pwede magrefund sa El Pescador?" Gelo politely asked. I gazed upon Polay, Charles and Charlie only to see them gaping in shock and anxiety.

"No...no... they can't! This summer will be dreary, lackluster, insipid, tedious vacation!" Charlie grunted as he break the barbecue stick into pieces.

"Well, it's not our money. Can't meddle with it," Charles announced with his arms crossed.

"Let's just hope for the best," I implored.

"Yeah, for the best! Because we'll just be staying for a week or so," Charles complained.

Then it strucked me, halos dalawang linggo nalang ay uuwi na kami ng Manila. Mabuti at pumayag na mag home based si Mama nang panandalian lang habang nandito kami. At hindi pa rin ako desidido kung anong kurso ang kukunin ko. Though, it's just the second week of April, mas mabuti nang desidido ako para maayos ko na ang mga papeles ko, lalong lalo na ang mga passport kung sakali mang...

Speaking of papers, I haven't informed Sebastian that I'll be in Manila after a week or two. Our deal is sealed until the end of the summer. Siguro'y ibabalik naman niya iyon dahil uuwi na ako...but the way he walked out of me last night, mukhang malabong makakausap ko siya nang matino ngayon.

"May itetext lang ako saglit," paalam ko sa mga pinsan ko. Naglakad-lakad ako papalabas ng highway at doon nagtipa ng mensahe. Ugali pa man din ng taong to ang tumawag. Mahirap na, lalo na't andon silang lahat.

-Hey...

I stared at my text and thought afterwards, what am I going to say anyway? I should tell this information personally to avoid misunderstanding and another dreadful conflict. I tapped backspace and tried to type another message.

-Uhm...I'm sorry about what happened last night. I know I've been a bit rude, also my aunt.

I groaned and stared at it again, why does this look unpleasing? My apology does not look sincere at all? Maybe it's because I'm sending a personal message to someone that I owe an apology with an electronic device that has no algorithms of feelings that only human can feel...or it's just my message that sounds so plain?

-Sebastian...

I grasped my phone so tightly, why is it so hard lowering pride? I just need to apologize for Heavens' sake. Why is it so...

"Holy fudge!" I screamed in panic. I tapped the send button, great just great! And just as I was about to text another message, his caller ID appeared in my screen. Well, for the record, I've seen this coming. But what will I say? That I accidentally tapped it? But the message...it has his name on it! Forget it.

-Hello?
-What is it?

Napatigil ako at nag-isip kung bakit mukhang hindi maganda ang mood niya. His tone sound...cold and distant.