Chapter 2 - A Fuck You Promise
6:30 AM ang morning call sa Camp Mitesco pero lagpas 7:00 AM na ako bumangon no'n. Wala rin namang gumising sa 'kin—which was good for everyone in that camp. If they dared, pare-pareho sana naming pinagsisihan kung bakit kami sumali sa camp na 'yon.
I got down from the upper bunk and my roommate was already gone. I thought, at least, there's something good in that morning. He wasn't in the bathroom too so I was able to do my morning routine in peace—well, except when I noticed a tiny bit of toothpaste on the sink. This is why I don't want roommates! I cleaned that mess.
I just kept my sweatpants on and wore a hoodie over my shirt. I was still tying my shoelaces when I heard a commotion from outside. The noise quickly faded, like those people just passed by the cabin. Curious about what's happening, I went out.
"GOOD MORNING!"
Bakit nagising pa ako—was the question I had in mind when I stepped out the door at the same time that Heat Mendez was passing by.
He beamed at me and, instead of going to wherever he was headed to, he walked towards me. "HOY, WINTER, GOOD MORNING!"
"Fucking morning," nanggigigil na sabi ko sa kaniya. Gusto ko pa sana siyang murahin dahil ang ingay-ingay niya sa umaga pero naagaw ang pansin naming dalawa noong may apat na campers na dumaan sa harapan namin. Halatang nagmamadali sila kaya napakunot ang noo ko. "Anong mayro'n?"
"May nawawala raw," Heat answered which made me look at him again.
"At Day 1?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ko. "Sino namang tanga 'yon?"
"Ayaw ibigay 'yong pangalan eh. Sinabi lang na babae, tapos 'di ko na naintindihan 'yong iba."
"Napakalaking tulong mo," I told him and dumbass just smiled proudly. He didn't get my sarcasm which annoyed me even more.
"Anak yata ng isa sa mga sponsor—"
One thing about me: I get startled easily.
Another thing about me: when I get startled, I automatically throw punches.
"WINTER!" Heat looked so shocked too as he pulled me away from the little girl with braided hair who suddenly spoke behind us, surprising me and making me punch her—right in the face.
We both looked at her and she just smiled at us, kahit may tumutulong dugo sa ilong niya.
"Sino ka?" tanong ko.
"Hi, I'm Precious!" ngiting-ngiting sabi niya.
"D-Dumudugo ang ilong mo..." mahinang sabi naman ni Heat.
Precious used the back of her hand to wipe the blood off her face. She then smiled at us again... and then blood came out of her nose again.
Heat walked closer to her and held the back of her head. "T-Tumingala ka!"
"Idiot!" I slapped his arm away from her. "Her blood would just run backwards and down her throat."
"A-Anong dapat gawin?" tanong sa 'kin ni Heat, nagpa-panic pa rin. Napangiwi ako sa kaniya. Magbu-bumbero siya niyan?
"Okay lang ako! It's not like it's the first time that someone punched me."
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?
I know my eyes turned dark as I quickly looked—no, glared at the little girl who had been with us the whole time, searching for that missing camper. "Ikaw ang hinahanap natin?!"
"Ako?" inosenteng tanong ni Precious kay Brian. Is she for fucking real?!
Brian looked confused as well but then he nodded at her, making her jaw drop. She's really fucking surprised?!
Precious then looked at me and Heat and gave us an apologetic smile as she shyly scratched the back of her braided hair. "Ako pala."
I lost it. "You—"
"WINTER! WINTER!" Heat was quick to stop me from punching the little girl again. He was almost carrying me on my waist just to prevent me from getting close to Precious. "KUMALMA KA! HOY!"
"Winter!" Even Brian immediately pulled the frightened Precious away from me.
"Oo, ilayo mo sa 'kin 'yang batang 'yan! Masasaktan ko 'yan!"
Heat only let go of me when Brian was finally able to get Precious away from my sight. As if he knows me and what could calm me, he then pulled me to the Grand Cabin to get breakfast.
Some of the campers were eating at the pavilion and benches outside while we went straight to the large cafeteria-like room where there was a line to get food from the buffet. Already not in the mood, I just walked to the farthest table and sat there.
"Oh."
I only lifted my head from the table when I felt someone putting something in front of me. It was Heat, and it was a plate full of all the breakfast dishes that the staff prepared. "I didn't ask you to get me food."
"Ikinuha kita bilang buddy mo," nakangiting sabi niya habang umuupo sa harapan ko. Bumuntong-hininga na lang ako. At least, hindi siya sumisigaw.
"Sakalin mo nga si Precious," I said and he looked at me in horror. "Bilang buddy ko," I added.
"Siraulo!" pabulong na sigaw niya.
Hindi na ako ulit nagsalita pa at nagsimula na lang kumain. Mukhang naubos din ang energy ni Heat sa paghahanap kay Precious, tumahimik lang din siya. Nangangalahati na kami sa pagkain nang maramdaman kong may lumapit sa likuran ko.
"U-Uh, ano..."
I automatically glared when I heard Precious's voice. She took a step back and unconsciously held on to the tip of her right braid the moment our eyes met.
"Winter," tawag sa 'kin ni Heat na para bang inaawat ako. "Tinatakot mo 'yong bata," sabi niya.
I took a deep breath and looked at Precious again. "Ano?"
"T-Thank you sa paghahanap sa 'kin kanina—"
Putanginang bata 'to. Hindi ko pa alam kung nananadya ba siya no'n o sadyang dense siya dahil bata pa siya. Mukhang hindi naman siya tanga dahil tumigil kaagad siya sa sinasabi niya noong pumikit ako. Mabuti at alam niyang nagtitimpi lang ako.
"Sorry, hindi na mauulit!" halos isigaw niya.
Hindi ako nagsalita.
"Hindi na talaga ako mawawala ulit, promise!" pag-uulit niya pa. Hindi ko ulit siya pinansin at magpapatuloy na lang sana ako sa pagkain nang biglang may hinliliit na humarang sa mukha ko.
"Pinky promise!" Precious said.
I took a deep breath and also raised a finger—the middle one.
"Winter," tawag sa 'kin ni Heat na para bang tatay na pagod na sa anak niya. Napairap ako saka ikinabit ang middle finger ko sa pinky finger ni Precious.
*****
"Good day, campers! How's your first morning at Camp Mitesco?"
I had the urge to run up the stage and tackle Brian when he asked us that. He knows very well how our morning went.
"As you all probably know, Camp Mitesco is famous for its exhilarating trail."
Exhilarating, huh? I don't think he's using that word correctly.
"And you'd get to experience the fun today!"
Shit.
"Group yourselves into four so we can get started!"
"TARA NA HUMANAP NG MGA KASAM—" Mukhang hindi rin naman tanga si Heat dahil nakukuha na siya sa tingin. Ano ba kasing mali sa pagsasalita nang maayos? Bakit palagi siyang sigaw nang sigaw? "—a..."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Who says I wanna be in your group?"
"Buddies tayo," he answered in a matter of fact tone which made my blood boil. I'm really going to be stuck with this idiot the whole summer?
Every pair was going here and there, looking for another set of buddies to form a group with. Napatingin ako kay Heat na palingon-lingon din sa paligid. Tsk. Ayaw ko na ngang kasama ang isang 'to, magdadagdag pa ng iba.
"Wala nang ibang tao," maya-maya ay sabi niya. Tapos bigla niya na lang akong hinila papalapit sa stage.
"Hey, what the—"
"Brian! Wala nang ibang pares, pa'no kami?!"
Brian looked down at Heat, and then at me, and then he pointed at our back. We turned around at the same time, but I turned back first.
"No," sabi ko agad habang sinasamaan ng tingin si Brian.
"She's here because she's the daughter of one of our sponsors but she's also a camper."
"Just no," umiiling na sabi ko. Wala akong pake kahit nasa likuran ko lang mismo si Precious noon at rinig na rinig niyang ayaw ko siyang maging kagrupo. Eh sa ayaw ko naman talaga. "You said four anyway."
I lost it again when Brian smiled and pointed at himself.
"What the fuck?!"
"Winter," he said, giving me a warning look because of what I said.
I just returned his gaze. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
It wasn't like I had any other choice. For Camp Mitesco's famous trail, I was in a group with Heat, Precious, and Brian. It was good—for them. The three of them had so much fun searching for clues about I didn't know and I didn't care. Sunod lang ako nang sunod sa kanila dahil, uulitin ko, wala naman akong choice.
"Dito ba?" tanong ni Brian nang makarating kami malapit sa ilog.
Wala na ako sa mood mula nang magsimula ang trail pero mas mainit ang ulo ko sa mga oras na 'yon dahil naalala ko lang kung paanong hinanap namin sa lugar na 'yon ang nawawalang camper, na kasama naman pala naming maghanap. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Organizer ka rito, 'di ba? Ba't 'di mo alam?"
"Kasi nga kasali ako sa trail. Dapat fair," kalmado niyang sagot. Nakakainis lalo. Mas pipiliin ko pang makipagsigawan siya sa 'kin. Gusto kong makipagsuntukan.
"Parang wala naman dito," sabi naman ni Heat na seryosong naghahanap ng clues. "Saka bakit naman kasali pa 'tong ilog, eh ambilis-bilis ng agos. Delikado 'to—"
Just as Heat was speaking about it, the danger happened. The three of us froze when we heard a loud splash, as if something huge was thrown into the water. We all looked and saw the fourth member of our group in the river.
"Precious!" I absentmidedly screamed when I realized that she couldn't swim. She just kept on jumping to try to get into the surface. Just a few seconds later, we could no longer see her.
Heat was quick to jump where we last saw her. That's when I realized how stupid he really is. He decided that fast to take the risk and help her. Does he not think that he could die too?!
But, yeah. Mukhang magbu-bumbero nga siya niyan.
Brian, on the other hand, immediately took his cellphone out and called for help. When he was done with the call, he picked up a long tree branch and extended it to the river for Heat and Precious to grab.
I was just standing there the whole time, watching everything as they happen. I only took a step when Brian was able to reach Precious's shoulders as Heat pushed her legs up from the water. I noticed that her eyes were closed.
I walked towards her but stopped a meter away. Ano bang magagawa ko? Hindi rin naman ako makakatulong.
Mabuti na lang at nakaahon na rin si Heat mula sa ilog. Mabilis siyang lumapit kay Precious at nag-start ng CPR. We were all holding our breaths too until we heard her gasp for air.
Precious cried upon realizing what happened to her. I still remained quiet. That was serious. She almost died.
Heat and Brian were beside Precious when the other staff arrived. Even though she was already conscious, they still took her to the hospital.
I went back to the cabin alone. Naligo ako at nagbihis. Nakatanggap ako ng text message mula sa management ng Camp Mitesco na nagsasabing canceled muna ang lahat ng activities para sa araw na 'yon.
I just sat on the table beside the window the whole day. I didn't even go out to get lunch or even snacks. Nagulat pa ako nang ma-realize kong madilim na sa labas. Gabi na pala at noon lang din nakabalik ang roommate ko.
"Papabakuran daw nila bukas ng umaga," bungad ni Heat na nakakunot pa rin ang noo. Parang nagulat pa siya nang magtama ang mga mata namin, napaangat ang mga kilay niya. "Teka, mag-isa kang bumalik dito? Mag-isa ka lang maghapon? Okay ka lang?"
"Hindi naman ako ang nahulog sa ilog," sabi ko lang. Bakit niya ba ako tinatanong? Wala namang nangyari sa 'kin.
Pero dahil yata sa sinabi ko, bumalik ang kunot sa noo niya. "Sobrang delikado no'n! Pa'no kung siya lang mag-isa ro'n kanina?!"
"We were there," I said. I don't usually compliment people, but I give credit where credit is due. "You were there. You pulled her out of the water. You saved her."
Heat stared at me for a few seconds, looking so surprised that I said those words. I just rolled my eyes.
"Mukhang tama naman pala na nandito ako."
There was something with the way he said that that didn't sit right with me. I couldn't help but look at him again.
"'Di ka sure?" I asked.
"Andami kong iniwan para masamahan ka rito ah!" panunumbat niya na nakapagpailing na lang sa 'kin.
"Like?"
"Tumutulong ako sa coffee shop ng mama ko tuwing summer. Tapos mag-isa lang din siya sa bahay. Pero bago mo 'ko husgahan, siya ang pumilit sa 'kin na sumali rito. Concerned din siya na may isang regular camper na walang buddy!"
Napairap ako. Sinabi ko bang alalahanin nila 'ko?
"Kaso hindi ako sure kung tama ba talagang nandito ako. May kung ano talagang pumipigil sa 'kin dati no'ng una akong niyaya ni Brian eh, bago ka pa sumali. Sa tingin mo ba?" He balled his fist and extended it towards my mouth as if a host sharing his microphone with me. "Yes or no?"
Tinabig ko lang ang kamay niya saka ako tumayo. "Just flip a coin."
"Huh?"
"Flip a coin." Paakyat na sana ako sa upper bunk ng kama pero huminto ako saka ipinasok ang isang kamay sa bulsa ng pants ko. Kinuha ko ang piso na palaging mayro'n ako at iniabot 'yon sa kaniya. "When you're not sure, flip a coin."
"Weird ka talaga," he said while chuckling, looking at the one peso coin in his hand.
Fuck all those romance movies with clips all over social media, making me see them even if I don't want to, I suddenly saw Heat in slow motion and with pink filter.
Why is he suddenly so hot in my eyes?!
I panicked.
I punched him.
"Para sa'n 'yon?!" tanong niya.
"Ampanget mo!" inis na sabi ko bago ako umakyat sa upper bunk at mabilis na nagtalukbong ng kumot.
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