The Summer I Almost Became Bull Food

The humidity hit me like a wall when I stepped out of Tita Mercy's airconditioned van. I was wearing my brand new white sneakers—huge mistake. This was the province, and I was about as out of place as a vegan at a lechon.

"Kael, go help your cousin get water from the pump," my mom called after me, already disappearing into the house to gossip with my aunts.

I groaned but grabbed the plastic gallon containers. The pump was near the edge of the property, past the rows of papaya trees that my lolo tended like they were his actual children. I was mindlessly scrolling through TikTok when I heard it.

Heavy breathing. Like, really heavy breathing.

I looked up and froze. There, ten feet away, was the biggest bull I'd ever seen in real life. It was staring at me with these beady eyes, and I swear it looked personally offended by my existence.

My first thought wasn't "run"—it was "this is literally the most cringe way to die." I could see the headline now: TEEN TRAGICALLY KILLED BY BULL WHILE GRABBING WATER FOR FAMILY GATHERING.

The bull took a step forward. I took a step back, which turned out to be the worst decision ever because I tripped over a papaya that had fallen onto the path. The gallon containers went flying. Water everywhere. Me, flat on my back in the dirt.

The bull snorted.

I squeezed my eyes shut, ready to become bull chow.

"Hey!" a voice shouted.

I opened one eye. It was Maya, my cousin's friend from Manila, the one I'd been lowkey crushing on all summer. She was waving a stick at the bull, looking fearless. "Go on, shoo!"

The bull gave her this look like "you're not worth the effort" and lumbered away.

Maya turned to me, extended a hand, and smirked. "You okay, city boy?"

My face burned hotter than the provincial sun. "Totally. Just... testing the dirt quality. For science."

She laughed, actually laughed. "Nice save. Next time, maybe watch where you're going instead of scrolling?"

She helped me up, and we spent the next twenty minutes by the water pump, talking about everything and nothing while I refilled the containers. My white sneakers were ruined. I'd humiliated myself in front of my crush. And I'd almost died.

But as we walked back, Maya grabbed a fallen papaya from the ground and took a bite. "Want some? It's actually good if you get past the weird texture."

"Why did you almost become bull food for a papaya?" I asked, grinning.

"Whatever," she said, but she was smiling too. "Better than being boring."

Maybe this summer wasn't going to be so bad after all.