It has been years but I can still feel the fresh pain. Sheets has never been slept in. Deserts are now cold. Rivers run dry. You gave up on me without thinking twice.
“Hey?”
“Yes? Are you talking to me?”
“Yes, your tears are falling.”
“Oh! Sorry, I just enjoyed watching the sunset.”
“Really? Most of the people I know also enjoy watching sunset, but you are the only person I met who cries watching the sunset.”
“It is love. I really love the sunset.”
Love is the most treasured wealth that a human could possibly have. I was once a little boy who dreamed to have one and I had it, but it did not last for long. I did not lose it, I lost her.
“Here, Winter… here… hurry, we will miss the sunset!”
“I am right behind you, keep on running, we will be able to catch that sweet moment.”
“Come on Winter, sit here.”
“Summer... how do you love the sunset?”
“I always love it like the way I love you.”
I always run behind her to make sure that she will always be fine. We loved to catch the scenic beauty of sunset. Oh! She loved that. She sat near the seashore and laid her head on my shoulder and together we watched the sun as it set.
I still go to that place but the only difference is that, I do not run anymore, I have no one to chase. I still sit near the seashore. I miss the head lying on my shoulder while watching the sun sets. I miss the angelic voice uttering the line “I love you”.
“It is getting dark. We have to go home now, Winter.”
“When will you get tired on loving a girl like me?”
“There is no way that I will be tired on loving you. As long as there is a sunset, I will love you.”
“I am very grateful to have you. Thank you! Next week my father will arrive and I plan to tell him about you, about our relationship.”
“Are you sure about that?
“Of course, Nothing to worry Winter.”
That was the last conversation we had in person. Her father has arrived. I went to their house wearing my only decent shirt to be presentable on the eyes of her father. I arrived at 8 in the evening. Her mother opened the door and asked me to get in. I was shocked because I was expecting Summer, but she was nowhere to be found. We went to the dining area and there I saw her sitting right beside her father. I smiled at her. She smiled back awkwardly. I was about to say something when her father asked me to sit down.
“You are probably Winter?”
“Yes Sir.”
I handed my hand for a shake hand but he refused to it. But still I smiled.
“Tell me something about your life”
“I lived in a farm, Sir. My father does farming and my mother does laundry to earn money, Sir.”
“I see, how does it feel to live with rats and different pest?”
“It is fun, Sir. I get used to it. Perhaps they don’t do harm on us.”
“Really? How about ah… how do you feel with your shirt? It looks like it is not yours. It does not fit you.”
“I feel comfortable with this, Sir. Even it is not new and expensive as yours, I will still be proud to have this, this is the only decent shirt I owned.”
“Okay, are you getting cold? I will ask our maid to turn off the aircon if you are not used to it.”
“It is okay Sir. I can still manage the cold. It is like the cold breeze of air in the farm.”
“Okay, start eating now. I know some of the prepared foods here are new to your taste, be careful, it might cause you trouble.”
“I know Sir, that is why I had decided not to eat anymore. I would just prefer to eat vegetables.”
“No, you have to eat some, this is only once in a blue moon in your life.”
“Thank you Sir, but I am now full. With your respect Sir, I will go now.”
“It is too early to go home.”
“I had enough Sir, thank you for inviting me and insulting me as well.”
I stood up and whispered my goodbye to Summer’s Mom. I saw her teary eyed and asked me to stay for a moment. I had made my decision and I could not stay there for a minute. I tried to look Summer’s face. She just bowed her head and did not look at me. I stared at her and waited for her to look at me. I still wished that she would stop me from leaving, but I got no words from her.
As I went out their door, I heard footsteps running towards me. I expected Summer running and chasing me, but I was wrong, it was Summer’s Mom.
“Son!... Winter… wait!”
I stopped from walking…
“Winter, I am very sorry for what my husband did. I know Summer would also love to stop you from leaving but she could not do anything but to follow her Dad’s command.”
I just nodded my head, smiled and turned my back. Tears started to fall on my eyes. I wiped all my tears and tried not to cry anymore but these tears are flowing like a river. I all cried out that night an arrived at our humble house as if nothing terrible happened.
The conversation that I had with Summer’s dad kept on echoing on my ears. I just could not get over it. I still remember how he put me in shame in front of my loved one, but what is more painful was that, my loved one allowed his father to insult me. She did not even try to stop her father and fight for me. I was like a soldier who went in a war without any armor and backup at all.
Days and months had passed. I waited for Summer to come back and talk to me. I even went to their house, but nothing was there but only an abandoned house. Maybe just like her name, Summer, I have to let other seasons to pass just for me to see her again, but if she truly loves me, she will not let me wait this long. Summer will come but my love, Summer will not. Many questions in my mind were kept unanswered. Why she did not say the reason why she left? Why she did not bid her goodbye? Goodbyes are painful but it is more painful when it is not spoken. She saved me in every way that a person can be saved, but she also broke me, in the most painful way that a person can be broken… her hushed goodbye.
“Sorry to hear that Mister. I don’t mean to make you feel sad.”
“It is okay, thank you for listening. It is getting late; I have to go. By the way, nice meeting you, I am Winter and you are…?”
“Spring…”
***********the end*************
If you haven't read my previous articles feel free to read it!
65 kilos to 50 kilos: REALQUICK!
Mapanakit ka talaga bhie e ano. Azaar naman tatay ni Summer grr hahaaahhaha anyway, I love their names. lols
**sana masarap ulam niyo