Ayeri's Note: I only planned 3 parts for this story but, surprisingly, I needed to cut it into 4 parts. Actually, this could be longer, but I was too overwhelmed by the personal things I have to deal with. There are a lot of things on my mind right now, and I can't seem to focus. All I know is that this story has to end. Although I admit this part is fast-paced, I still did my best to at least end it the way it should be. I hope you enjoy the four parts of 'Summer of 2005'. Thank you so, so much!
SUMMER OF 2005
Part 4
Agad na nag-angat ng tingin si Summer na gulat na napatingin sa doktor.
"W-when is he going to wake up?" Muling tanong ni Evelyn na ngayon ay nakaalalay kay Summer na muntik na mawalan ng balanse. Hindi ito agad nakapagsalita. The only thing she knew was that her tears were already falling.
"The truth is, that's something I can't tell you, Miss. He's going to wake up, but I don't know-it might take weeks, months, a year, and years. I don't know. The accident brought him here in critical condition, so let's just hope he could wake up sooner." The doctor said before he excused himself and formally left the two.
Evelyn guided Summer to sit on the chair. "Hey, Summer? He's going to be okay, you hear me? He's going to wake up soon. I know he will so-please, stop crying." She soothed Summer's back, trying to comfort her. Evelyn is a kind girl. Despite being a pure foreigner, Evelyn is so kind and pure. And as Dino's friend, she genuinely cares for Summer.
Because she never had a sister, when Dino got comatose, Evelyn took good care of Summer since she could see that Summer's friend, Britney, wasn't good for her. She treats her like her own sister.
"It's been a month, Evelyn. He's still not waking up." Summer said. She is wiping her tears away before they continue streaming down her cheeks. Summer is sitting on a bedside chair beside Dino, who's unconsciously lying on the hospital bed, while Evelyn is standing behind her, watching her look at him.
"I'm sorry...Summer." bakas ang matinding awa sa boses ng kaibigan dahil na rin siguro sa hindi na nito alam pa kung ano ang sasabihin upang pakalmahin ang dalaga. Dahil ang totoo naman kasi, hindi gigising si Dino agad-agad.
Even Summer knew that. She's just trying to give herself hope because she can't accept the fact that, until now, she still needs to wait for him. And she's always willing, but sometimes it just stings. Lalo pa't alam niyang hindi rin pinili ng binata ang desisyong maghiwalay sila at ang mga sitwasyon.
After two weeks of Dino in the hospital, she found out. She found out all the reasons why Dino had not had enough time for her. She found out that Dino was facing all of the problems and fulfilling all of his responsibilities alone and secretly.
At dahil doon hindi maiwasang makonsenya ni Summer, lalo na sa mga kanyang nasabi noon kahit alam niyang hindi niya na yoon maibabalik pa. Kahit pa alam niyang nasaktan din siya ng kasintahan. nasaktan din siya ng kasintahan.
[A-ate Summer, kami na po ang bahala kay Kuya. Wag ka mag-alala aalagaan namin siya. Namimiss na din kasi siya ni Mama. Gagaling din siya, ate. Sigurado ako bago ka grumaduate ay gising na si Kuya. Maraming-maraming salamat ate Summer kasi kahit papaano alam naming kahit nagagapagod tumira sa ibang bansa ay nandiyan ka para pasayahin si Kuya.
[I know you two had a conflict, ate, pero kahit ganoon, lagi pa din sinasabi ni Kuya na nawawala ang lahat ng pagod niya sa tuwing nakikita ka niya matulog ng mahimbing. He loved you so much, ate, kaya I know gigising din siya agad. He'll wake up, and you two will be okay like you used to before.]
And sinabing iyon ng kapatid ni Dino ang tanging nagpalakas at pinanghawakan ni Summer.
After a month, Summer agreed to the offer of Dino's family to transfer him to the Philippines. Para na rin maalagaan ng maayos dahil ilang beses na ring lumiban si Summer sa pagpasok sa school para lang mabantayan ang kasintahan. Her family also suggested that since mahirap din kapag naapektuhan ang pag-aaral ng anak.
Mabuti na rin siguro dahil deserve din ng pamilya ni Dino ang maalagaan siya.
Kamakailan lang nagkasakit ang kapatid nito, mabuti nalang din ay agad na gumaling. Naging maayos nga ang kalagayan ng kanyang ama't ina at kapatid, siya naman ang nasa mabigat na kalagayan.
Two years nalang ang kailangan ni Summer hintayin upang makagraduate. Kung hindi lang naaksidente marahil ay graduating na rin si Dino.
Sa mga unang linggo ni Summer na mag-isang nasa Canada upang mag-aral ay kating-kati na agad itong umuwi ng Pilipinas.
She has a dream. She wants to finish her course. But at the same time, it's killing her. Lalo na't nanatili siya sa bahay kung saan naroon ang memories na pinagsamahan nilang dalawa.
From the happy days and the dark days. She can see it in every corner of the apartment.
And it sucks longing for all of those.
-
"If he's here he's not gonna let you drink that," William pointed to canned beer on Summer's hand. Sinubukan nitong kunin ito mula sa kamay ng dalaga ngunit agad itong iniwas ang kamay. Bagama't malamya na ang galaw nito dahil sa kalasingan ay nagagawa nitong iilag ang canned beer sa kung sino man ang gustong kumuha nito.
"But he's not, Liam...He's not...here..." Namumula na ang pisngi nito na pilit inuubos ang laman ng canned beer na ika-pito na niya.
Halos mabasag ang high glass table nang padarag na ibinaba ni Summer ang canned beer nang wala na siyang malagok mula roon.
"It's gone...!?"
Napailing na lamang si William lalo na ng bumagsak ang katawan ng dalaga sa kanya.
Summer gets drunk easily, so he expected this. Only William was left in Canada, so he had no choice but to send Summer to her apartment.
When they arrived, he helped her lay down on her bed. As a gentleman he was, William decided not to touch her again after putting a blanket on her and removing her socks, since Summer couldn't sleep with it.
After opening the heater and switching it to a sufficient temperature, William decided to leave. But then he didn't leave without glancing back at Summer.
He looked at her sleeping, and now he's convinced. Until now, no matter how he tried to stop his feelings, it's still Summer that he's in love with.
He knew he couldn't seize the chance of Dino being unconscious to make a move to win Summer's heart. But what if it's now Summer who's pulling him closer to her? No, when she's not drunk.
"Do you still like me, William?" Summer asked. Her face was frigid. Serious. Lack of emotion.
"S-Summer..."
"Tell me, Liam..." Pagpupumilit pa nito.
"Summer, he's just comatose!"
"It's been 3 years since I graduated, Liam! It's been 5 years, and he's still not waking up!" She yelled at him, and she's now crying. "I don't know! Hindi ko na din alam! Pagod na pagod na ako! I've been waiting for him my entire life. Don't you think he won't get mad at me for waiting for him all this time? I know he will. I know he'll push me away. I know he'll tell me why don't I just love you instead! Ewan ko!" She feels like she's losing it again.
"I want to be happy again, William! I do want to be happy. I have chased the dream and achieved so many things in my life! I became a famous model...but he's still not here. It hurts enough, Liam... I need to free myself from this pain, and I can only feel the pain a little less when I'm with you."
"I can't be with you, Summer, just because you feel like you need me. Do you even have feelings for me, Summer?"
"I had! And I know I can love you more than I had before," she said, choking on her own tears.
That day, William didn't know what to feel. He wants to be the happiest guy on earth, but he can't feel it. It feels like he stole something. On the day Summer became his, he knew he was happy. At the same time, feel sorry.
Feel sorry for Dino.
Especially when he came back up five more years later.
"C-congratulations, Summer! I'm so happy for the both of you."
Looking at him, Summer's eyes start to water. He's wearing a gray tuxedo and looking dashingly handsome in front of her.
Once again, after a long time, her heart beats for him. It's happy, and she wants to cry with so much happiness to see him conscious again. But something changes. It also aches because it has already decided and is telling her she has moved on.
"It's been ten years, I'm still glad you wake up. I have missed you...so much." Summer smiled at him. Hindi na nito napigilang yakapin ang lalaki.
Hindi kaagad ito makakalalas sa pagkakayakap dahil na rin sa matagal na pananabik dito. As she hug him, both of them started crying.
"I loved you, Din. I hope you know how much you mean to me. And I'm sorry..." she said.
"You did the right thing, Summer. You deserve to have been happy all those years." Dino said, smiling the pain away as he looked at her, trying to fight back tears even though everyone could see how liquid started forming on the edge of his eyes.
As much as he wants to put everything back the way it was, he respects the wedding of the girl that he loved.
It's the summer of 2023, when they promised to marry each other in the future.
It's the summer of 2035, when they lost each other.