Chapter 16: You will say yes!

Chapter 16: You will say yes! 

[Read at your own risk]

I don't know what to feel after hearing Rage and Kevin's confession. Three days later Rage came to our house and asked me for permission if he could court me. I figured out that Rage is a materialistic one. He always sends some gifts in our home. While Kevin loves to date me and spend time with me. Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. After 20 years ngayon ko lang 'to naranasan. I don't know what to do at all. 

We're having a class right now, I can't even focus on my subject and all I think is Rage and Kevin. Why am I in denial to them at bakit hindi ako makapili? Urgh. Sumasakit dulo ng kuko ko sa kanila ei. 

Lalo ko ng hindi maintindihan ang 'Introduction of English Language' lagot ako neto. 

Lipad pa talaga isip ko kakaisip sa mga ganap sa akin. Urgh! 

*ring*

Halos ipagdasal ko na lahat ng 'Salamat' na alam ko sa mga Santong kilala ko ng biglang nag ring ang bell. 

Agad kong inayos ang gamit ko at lumabas na. Eksakto nakasalubong ko si Ali. 

"Uy!" Tawag niya sa akin. Agad naman akong sumabay sa kanya sa paglalakad. 

"Ano tara mamaya?" Tanong niya sakin. Ngayon nga pala ang showing ng movie ni Jen. 

"Ano oras ka ba pupunta naka reserved daw upuan natin ah. Dapat nagbayad na lang tayo support natin kay Jen kung baga." Ali said. Kaloka naman kasi Jen bigla biglang nagpapareserved, balak ko na nga lang din bumili ng ticket para support na rin kung baga pero inunahan kami ng gaga. 

"Pag pumunta tayo dun pina-pakita na rin natin ang support sa kanya diba?" I said to Ali to cheer her up. I actually don't feel bad at all. It's Jen's first movie and she just wanted to make sure that we're coming since Ali and I are the only people that she considered as real friends. 

We are now heading to the cafeteria to eat lunch. Kevin is not in the university right now because of his OJT he is now fifth year in his course. I don't know if I can't see Rage right now. Maybe he is also with Jen today. 

I ordered some lasagna since that's what I craved last night. Ali just ordered some Filipino dishes. Sinigang and Rice. 

While we were eating Kevin called on VC. 

"Hi! Ganda lakas kumain ah." He greeted me on his line. I see from his background that he is also having lunch. 

"Hoy, hindi ka na nagpaparamdam a. Porket nanliligaw ka na ngayon!" Biglang sumingit si Ali sa usapan naming dalawa. 

"Ganda, bakit may kasama kang maligno jan?" Kevin said. I was about to laugh but I saw Ali's face looking at me and to my phone where Kevin is on VC. 

"Hoy, tigilan mo ako ha. May problema nga ako hindi kita mahagilap. Shuta ka." Ali said I was shocked that is why I almost dropped my jaws at her. 

"Hoy anong drama yan ha?" Kevin asked. 

"Pakibigay nga muna kay Ali Ganda!" Kevin said to me. Inabot ko naman sa kanya ang phone ko. Pero agad ding binigay ni Ali sa akin ang phone ko. 

"Wag na. Mag usap na lang kayo!" Ali said not looking at Kevin on my phone. 

"Hoy, Alina Santiago. Ano nga? Puntahan kita mamaya ha."- Kevin. 

"Ganda, Ali mamaya na lang tawag na kami. Huy Alina mag usap tayo ha. Ganda ingat ha. Catch up nalang us, sa dream mo. Muah!" He literally gave me a flying kiss before he turned off his phone. 

I look at Ali who is now eating quietly right now. It's hard to ask what is happening to her. I don't know where to start. I actually don't have an idea what her background is. 

----

It's already 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Ali and I planned to watch the Jen movie premiere today. Jen is gonna be there as well. 

Diretso na kami sa movie theater after class. Hinihintay ko lang si Ali ngayon. May kikitain lang daw kasi siya. Nasa front gate ako ngayon sabi ko kasi dito ko na lang siya hintayin. 

"Wala pa siya." Bulong ko sa sarili ko habang nakatayo dito. Jen is also called to ask where we are. 

Nakikinig muna ako ng kanta randomly naman this time para hindi ako ganun ka-bored. 

May nakita akong lalaking palapit sa akin na tumatakbo, mukhang kaklase ko sa isang subject. Pamilyar kasi sa'kin. 

"Lexia-" Tawag niya sa pangalan ko. Agad ko namang tinanggal ang earphones ko at pinakinggan siya. 

"Si Ali--nabugbog daw." Sabi niya habang hinihingal pa. Dahil siguro sa pagtakbo. Sa sobrang gulat ko hindi ko na siya hinintay pang samahan ako kung nasaan si Ali agad ko nang tinahak ang university sa loob. 

Sa sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko sa pag aalala kay Ali. Basta basta ko na lang natutulak ang mga estudyanteng nakaharang sa daanan ko. Wala akong ibang iniisip kung hindi ang kalagayan ni Ali ngayon. Pakiramdam ko nanginginig ako kung sino man gumawa nito sa kaniya walang awa ang gago! 

Nasa basketball gym si Ali at nakahilata habang napapalibutan ng Medical Team ng university at ilang basketball player. 

"Ali!" Tawag ko sa kanya. 

"My Gosh! Anong nangyari?" I asked. Hindi ako palapitin ng Medical team dahil sinusuri pa nila si Ali walang malay ang kaibigan ko. 

"Anong nangyari?" Walang emosyon kong tanong sa lalaking pamilyar sa akin. Ito yung lalaking kasama niya noon at ang date nito sa Acquaintance Party. 

"Wala akong ginawa sa kanya, hindi ko sinasadya." Nanginginig ang boses niya habang sinasabi sa akin yan. 

"Hindi yan ang tanong ko." Madidiin kong sagot sa kanya. 

"Nag-aaway kami at gusto niya akong maging boyfriend. Sa sobrang kulit niya na sampal ko siya at tumama ulo niya sa sahig. Tulad ng sinabi ko hindi ko nga sinasadya. Isa pa siya itong lumapit sa akin at--" hindi ko na siya pina-tapos at agad ko na siyang sinapak. Matigas ang mukha niya kaya sumakit din ang kamao ko dahil sa sapak na ginawa ko. 

"Wala kang kwenta." Sabi ko at sumama na sa ambulansya para madala si Ali sa hospital. 

Agad naman ako nag iwan ng text message kay Jen at Kevin. Sinabi kong hindi na muna kami makakarating dahil nag emergency. 

To Kevin:

Nasa hospital si Ali binugbog ng boyfriend niya. I'll text you the address na lang. 

To Jen:

Sorry Sis, but I don't think we can go to the premiere of your movie. Ali is in the hospital right now. Something unexpected came up. I'll text you the address. 

They both replied but I am not in the mood to read and answer their question. I am now focusing on Ali who's look peacefully sleeping while her face is literally smashed. 

When we arrived at the hospital that's where I texted my reply to them. 

From Kevin:

Mapapatay ko ang lalaking gumawa niyan. Asan kayo? 

From Jen:

Oh my gosh. What happened? Are you guys okay? 

To Kevin:

Baka kilala mo member ng basketball team. Andito na kami sa hospital. 

To Jen:

We're here now at the hospital. Just come here if you're done there I'm really sorry Jen. 

Gina-gamot na si Ali sa ER I sighed just by looking at her. Wala siyang sinasabi sa akin o sa amin. She literally said earlier to Kevin na may problema siya. 

We always together pero wala siyang nasasabi sa akin. Pakiramdam ko I failed as her friend I know naman na bago pa lang kaming magkaibigan at magkakilala pero I really felt bad for her and I feel so useless as her new friend. 

After an hour of staying here. Kevin and Jen came. Sabay pa silang dumating. Rage is with Jen too. 

"What happened, are you alright?" Rage asked so worriedly. 

"I'm fine but Ali is not." I answered him. He looks in Ali's direction where she is sleeping right now. 

"Papatayin ko sino gumawa nyan. Ni minsan walang nanakit jan pag magkasama kami." Kevin said, I see how angry he is right now. 

"Calm down dude!" Rage tapped Kevin's shoulder. But Kevin pushed aside his hands. 

Kevin walked out not even glancing at his best friend. 

Jen is now crying. I hugged her. That's the best I can do for now to make her calm. 

The four of us sleep at Ali's side. Since hindi pa siya na lilipat sa room at nasa ICU pa siya. Probably tomorrow or the next day ay magka-kwarto na siya yun ang sabi ng Nurse. 

I wake at 3am in the morning. Rage is sleeping next to me. While Jen lays down at Kevin's lap and Kevin is sitting at the sofa while Jen is sleeping to him. 

"Are you awake?" Rage asked and whispered to my ears. So we can't wake the others. 

"Nauuhaw lang siguro." I said. He nod at sumenyas na lumabas muna kami para iwas istorbo na rin sa mga natutulog. 

Nagpunta kami sa lobby ng hospital. Si Rage naman lumabas para bumili ng kape sa may 7/11.

I just wait for him here. 

"There you are!" He said and handed me a coffee. I sip on the coffee he gave me and feel the warmth on it. 

"So, do you like all my gifts?" He asked. Breaking the silence bakit ba lagi kaming binabalot ng tahimik?

"Hmm. Salamat pero you don't have to do that. Nanliligaw ka diba? Hindi kita credit card at higit sa lahat. Time mo ang kailangan ko hindi ang pera na pinanggagastos mo sa mga binibili mo para sa akin." I told him the truth. Because these days, I kinda miss him. Our study session yung pangungulit niya. Everything! 

"Sorry. I've been busy these days. But I promise I will pay for it." I look at him curiously. 

"Ano naman ang ipang-babayad mo?" I asked. 

He looked at me directly in my eyes, we both stared at each other while his eyes were looking at my lips then back to my eyes. He also licked his lower lips while looking at me. My heart started to feel something, I sense that he is up to something right now. 

Unti-unti siyang lumalapit at napapa-atras naman ako sa ginagawa niya. Until he grabs my waist and he suddenly kisses me. I was so shocked to the point that I couldn't push him away. I don't know if I am going to move my lips too like what he's doing right now. I don't know. 

His eyes are closed while my eyes are big open. He stopped kissing and look at my face. 

"It's okay, just follow my lips. Babe!" He said in his baritone husky voice. Babe? We're not together yet! 

He leaned on me and kissed my lips again. His lips moving up and down to my lips. Sinabayan ko ang galaw ng labi niya hanggang sa nararamdaman kong nasasabayan ko na siya. I feel something in my heart that is very strange. I put my hands to his shoulder to support me while I am standing. I feel him pressing my waist with both of his hands. 

Our kisses turn into wild one. I feel like I am already moaning and we really have to stop. Inipon ko lahat ng lakas ko kahit hinang hina ako. Tinulak ko siya he is still kissing me while I push him away. I can see his expression. 

"Why?" He asked. Wiping his lips with his thumb. 

"We have to stop, we're in hospital not in a hotel." I told him. I feel so shy the way he looks at me. 

"Sorry. It's your first time kissing a man but I feel like I am addicted to it." He said while whispering on my lips. Sobrang lapit niya at ang bango pa ng hininga niya kahit natulog kami. 

"Rage!" I push him again cause he's so close. 

"Nabayaran ko na ba utang ko?" He asked. I swallow hard. His gaze is so hard to take. I look away not wanting to blush in front of him. Is it because he is an actor that is why he knows how to kiss a woman. Paano yan ei magaganda ang mga Actress na nahalikan na niya for sure. 

"Hindi naman yan ang gusto kong bayad!" I told him. He smiles teasingly then I realize what I just have said. 

"Not that one!" I stopped him from saying something. He scoffs because of my expression. 

He let go of me and held my hands. 

"Date tayo sa linggo. I will show you a date that you will never imagine." He proudly said to me, 

"And after that I guarantee you will say yes!"  He added.