"You're a bad woman," he said after I calmed myself for the second time around.

I laughed. "I know. And I deserved this pain for causing him that."

He shook his head. "No, you don't deserve the pain. You just need to be educated more about that and to learn how to be sensitive with the people and things around you and not solely for yourself. Sigurado naman ako na . . . kapag nagawa mo na 'yan, you won't be a bad woman anymore."

I smiled as I asked for a high-five. "Thanks." He chuckled as he gave me a hand. "Thanks for comforting me, even after knowing all that."

He sighed. "I did not comfort you. Totoo lang ang sinabi ko."

I laughed. "So, you can't be someone na p'wedeng mag-comflirt sa akin habang nasasaktan ako?" I joked that it made him laugh louder. "Kidding! Not ready for another fling."

He laughed again. "Kung lalandiin naman kita, hindi lang fling. Matanda na tayo para sa gan'yang bagay."

I smiled as I crossed my arms in front of me, still lying on the lounger. "Thanks, but I'm really not ready for that."

He chuckled. "Sinasabi ko lang naman. Walang mabubuong love story sa ating dalawa. I'm not the kind of man to take the opportunity and flirt with a broken-hearted woman."

Natawa ako nang malakas nang dahil do'n. "And I'm not the kind of woman to flirt with a broken-hearted man too, Mr. Grayson."

He chuckled. "Hindi naman ako broken-hearted."

Napakunot-noo ako nang dahil sa sinabi niya. "Huh? Didn't your wife and kid leave you years ago?"

He nodded. "Oo. Saka ko na lang ikwento kapag hindi ka na umiiyak sa ex mo."

Pabiro ko siyang sinipa dahil sa sinabi niya.

We continued talking about some random things in our life and by doing this, I started to know more about him. At feeling ko rin, kinikilala niya ako nang mabuti base sa kung paano niya tandaan ang mga sinabi ko simula pa kahapon.

Few hours after our talk about my painful break up, Grayson left me here since he "forgot" something in his room. It's already lunch time at hindi pa ako nagugutom. Hindi ko alam kung busog pa ako sa kinain kanina o wala na naman akong ganang kumain.

Ilang sandali lang, nakita ko siyang may dalang dalawang pack ng dried mangoes. Napangiti ako nang malawak nang iniabot niya sa akin ang isa.

"Wow, thank you!" I chuckled. "Parang pinag-uusapan pa lang natin 'to kanina, ah?"

He smiled before sitting beside me. "Nabili ko na 'yan kanina pa noong bumili ako ng mga gamit ko. Nakalimutan ko lang dalhin noong pumunta ako sa 'yo."

I smiled as I opened it. "Thank you, Grayson."

He chuckled before eating a slice of it. "My name sounds awesome when it comes to your lips." Then he chuckled. "I suddenly realized, second name basis tayo, 'no? Summer."

I laughed. "Oo nga, eh. Parang kapag nagiging close ang ibang tao, first name basis sila. Samantala tayo, second name."

He shrugged. "It's cute and unique."

I smiled. "Yup. Ang tagal na rin walang tumatawag sa akin ng name na 'yan, I don't really prefer that, to be honest."

He looked at me as I chewed my food. "Why? Your ex? Anong tawag niya sa 'yo?"

I shrugged. "The usual. Ruth. Or babe." I smiled bitterly. "I liked my name Ruth because it sounds strong? Alam mo 'yon? And Summer sounds so forgiving and soft."

"And you are. Ayaw mo ba ng Summer?"

I smiled at him. "Hindi naman. Parang hindi bagay sa personality ko."

He chuckled. "Grabe ka naman. Base sa pagkakakilala ko sa 'yo, mabait ka. Mabuti kang tao."

I shook my head. "Naikwento ko na nga sa 'yo kung gaano ko nasaktan nang paulit-ulit yung taong mahal ko kasi sobrang selfish at insensitive ko."

"And you have to forgive yourself for that. People never stop learning everyday. May mga taong natututo the hard way. Isa ka sa mga tao na 'yon. Don't let your mistakes from the past become your basis for your personality. You're more than that. I know you are."

I smiled a little. "Maraming salamat." I chuckled before chewing another slice of dried mango. "Ang taas ng tingin mo sa akin. Kagabi mo lang ako nakilala."

Tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin. "Sa maikling oras naman, kahit papaano nakikilala kita. And we have more days to get to know each other. I'd love to be with you for the rest of the days that you're here."

Napakunot-noo ako nang dahil do'n. "Why, though?" I chuckled.

He shrugged. "You're fun to be with. Ngayon lang din ako namasyal nang may kasamang babae." He laughed. "Nakaka-miss pala," dagdag niya bago nagsubo ng panibagong dried mango.

I laughed louder. "Balikan mo na kasi ang asawa mo. May anak naman kayo, eh. Feeling ko naman, maaayos pa 'yan. Gusto mo bang tulungan kitang hanapin siya?"

Paunti-unting nawala ang mga ngiti niya nang dahil sa sinabi ko. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa akin bago sumagot. "Hindi ko siya asawa."

"Huh?"

He looked at me with a smile on his lips once again. "Saka na natin pag-usapan ang tungkol sa akin. I promise to tell you more about myself bago ka umalis."

Bahagya akong ngumiti at tumango bilang tugon.

Pasado ala una nang mapagpasiyahan naming lumabas ng resort para kumain ng lunch. Mabuti na lang may sarili siyang motor kaya hindi ko na kailangang magpahatid sa van ng resort at magbayad ng fee para do'n. Kahit papaano, nakakatipid ako dahil sa kan'ya.

"Anong gusto mong kainin?" tanong niya nang makarating kami sa isang open restaurant malapit sa Panglao beach.

"Ayaw kong magkanin sana. Wala pa rin kasi akong ganang kumain," I explained.

Napanguso siya nang dahil do'n. "Ang payat mo, dapat kumain ka nang marami."

I chuckled. "Hindi naman ako ganito kapayat noon. Nawalan lang talaga ako ng gana kumain the past weeks."

He sighed. "Ibabalik natin appetite mo. 'Wag mo sanayin sarili mong gan'yan, okay?" He smiled before opening the menu to scan the dishes. "Kahit na paonti-onti, mag-rice ka."

Nangalumbaba ako nang natatawa habang pinanonood siya sa paghahanap ng p'wede naming kainin. "Sobrang caring naman. Thanks but I'll try."

He glanced at me with his serious eyes and small smile. "Mag-isa ka, eh. Mag-isa rin ako."

Ngumiti na lang ako bilang tugon.

In the end, Grayson ordered us with Sinugbang Isda, two plates of rice and desserts. Ilang minuto pa kaming naghintay bago dumating ang mga in-order naming mga pagkain. Grayson told me as we started eating that Sinugbang Isda is one of the famous foods in Bohol and Cebu.

"Mayroon nga sa Tagbilaran ng SUTUKIL kung tawagin. Sugba, Tula at Kilaw. Masarap do'n. Try natin minsan," he smiled before he took another bite of it.

Tumatango at paminsan-minsan ay nagtatanong ako sa tuwing ipinapakilala niya sa akin ang Bohol, lalo na ang Tagbilaran.

"Sa isang linggo, fiesta ro'n. Saulog Festival. Gusto mong pumunta?" he asked.

I drank my juice before asking. "Next week pa?"

He nodded. "Para may dahilan ka para mag-extend." He laughed after that.

I chuckled. "Try ko, ah? Ano bang mayro'n d'yan?"

"It's a Thanksgiving festival honoring Saint Joseph the Worker. One week sine-celebrate at maraming kaganapan sa mga araw na 'yon. Street dancing yung pinakainaabangan ng lahat dahil bawat baranggay, p'wedeng sumali ro'n at manalo ng iba't ibang papremyo."

Napatango ako at napaisip. Akala ko, Sinulog Festival lang ang mayro'n. Pati pala Saulog. Pero Bohol nga pala 'to at hindi Cebu. Sinulog Festival pa lang ang napuntahan ko at na-experience. Parang gusto ko tuloy um-oo kaagad kay Grayson nang dahil do'n.

"Uhm, may hotel naman do'n, 'di ba?" I asked.

He chuckled before drinking his orange juice. "Marami, siyempre. Pero taga-Tagbilaran naman ako. May sarili akong bahay do'n pero tagaroon din ang mga magulang ko. P'wede ka namang tumuloy sa akin, o sa parents ko kung gusto mo. Para makatipid ka kasi isang linggo din 'yon."

Kung naramdaman ko talagang hindi mabuting tao si Grayson, baka iba na ang isipin ko sa offer niya. It was a bold move for a person to ask a stranger for that pero hindi kasi ako kinakabahan pagdating sa kan'ya. He really looked nice . . . and I feel comfortable with him.

Naalala ko yung nai-book kong apartment dito sa Panglao. Kailangan ko yatang sabihan ang agent na mali-late ulit ako ng dating do'n. Okay lang naman siguro sa kanila dahil nakabayad naman na ako. At isang linggo lang naman. Pero . . .

I sighed as I continued eating. "Pag-isipan ko pa, ha?" I said.

He chuckled. "You're going to love it there but . . . okay. Take your time."