"Universe! Universe!" They chant. Scratch that. We chant.
Nagtawanan kami ni Jeruza. Hindi pa lumalabas ang Universe pero sobrang ingay na namin. Well, even if we're friends with them, we can't help but to feel excited.
Nasa loob kami ni Arena. Parang concert ng Universe ito, pero ang totoo, guest lang sila. I feel proud. The power they hold. They're now on the top. I don't know why they don't want to play at their own concert. Maybe they're really contented with this?
Mas lalong lumakas ang hiyawan nang marinig namin ang tugtog ni Drake sa gitara. Napasigaw na rin ako, lalo na si Jeruza. Napansin ko na lahat sila ay may mic. They're going to sing together?
"Lagi nalang umuulan
Parang walang katapusanTKinakabahan ako sa mangyayari. Why are they in the hospital again? Did they got into an accident again? What happened? Hindi namin napigilan si Chryszyler. Nagkatitigan kami ro'n. Walang gumalaw. We can't fully sink it in. Nakalimutan ko na tanungin ang magulang niya. Kung nakalabas na ba sila. I got overwhelmed by seeing them. I forgot to ask. Ni hindi ko man lang sila kinumusta. Pumasok si Thy sa loob, seryoso ang mukha. Halatang hindi rin alam ang gagawin. He heaved a sigh. Lumingon siya sa amin, biglang huminto ang tingin niya sa akin. Hinawi niya ang buhok niya. He bit his lower lip. Bigla niya na lang sinabunutan ang sarili niya at bigla akong hinila. Napalingon ako 'kina Jeruza, Leigh, at Drake, nanlaki rin ang mata nila pero hindi rin nakareklamo dahil sa bilis ng lakad ni Thy. "Saan tayo pupunta?" kinakabahang tanong ko. "He needs you," mabilis niyang sabi. He? Chryszyler? He's taking me to Chryszyler? What does he mean Chryszyl
"You're early." He smiled at me.I smiled back. Umupo ako sa sofa dahil sinenyasan niya ako. Gulo-gulo pa ang buhok niya dahil bagong gising. Sa sofa lang siya natutulog. Hindi talaga niya iniiwan ang magulang niya rito sa hospital.Pagkauwi ko, lagi na akong dumidiretso rito. It's been two weeks, but his parents are still unconscious.Sinasamahan ko siya buong araw. Umaalis ako ng 10 PM. Hindi na siya nagpumilit maghatid dahil sinasabi ko na sinusundo ako ng driver namin.Bumili siya saglit ng pagkain namin pagtapos niya maghilamos. I was left here at the hospital room. Wala akong magawa kaya tinignan ko nalang ang mga nakakabit na kung ano sa magulang niya.Kailan kaya sila magigising? The doctors always say that they're stable and we just need to wait. It's been two weeks, we're still waiting. Are they really okay?I'm worried. I don't want him to lose his
Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang nag-aantay ng taxi papuntang hospital. Thinking that Chryszyler's parents just passed away, made me really nervous. What if...I shook my head at that thought. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think any negative thoughts. I just need to get to the hospital, and when I get there, everything will be okay. I need to be positive."Faye! Nako kang bata ka, saan ka ba galing? Hindi ba sabi ko sa 'yo alagaan mo ang Lolo mo? Bakit wala ka sa bahay?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Tita nang makapasok ako sa room ni Lolo. Yumuko nalang ako dahil alam kong may kasalanan din ako.Tinignan ko si Lolo na nasa kama, maraming nakakabit sakaniya na kung ano. Memories of Chryszyler's parents lying on the bed hunt me. And what the result is...
"Faye!" I looked at Charrieze who called me. Tinaas ko ang dalawang kilay. "Can you do Lerry's hom--" I cut her off."Sorry, I-I can't. May ginagawa pa kase ako. I'm busy. Sorry ulit." Umalis ako sa harap niya. I've been rejecting their favor these days.Wala talaga akong ginagawa at gagawin. I need to rest. I need to take my time to reflect on what's happening. I need to have me time. This time, I need to choose myself, so I can improve and be myself again.It was the usual day at school. Vacant namin ngayon. Gusto ko sana maglibot sa school para makapag-isip isip, kaso baka wala rin akong mapuntahan.Sumandal ako sa upuan ko. I observe my classmates. They were having fun with their friends. Others are playing mobile games, talking w
Tinitigan ko ang likod niyang naglalakad palayo sa akin. Nobody looked at me or even talked about me after that.It's like I'm invisible.I wiped my tears that fell on my cheeks. After all of my thoughts, doubts, and anxiety to come here, this is what I get. Maybe I don't really belong here, huh? This is not my world. I don't really exist here, so why bother come here always? Is it because of the feeling? The first friends I have? The comfort? The rest? My second home?While walking to the gate, I think of the reasons why and what's happening. It's either he's mad at me that's why he's acting like that or something happened to him while I'm away.I blowed my cheeks and groaned out of frustration. I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go.
I can't contain my excitement when I saw their van again. Lumingon ako sakanila, they're happily talking. Nauuna ako dahil hindi ko rin alam kung bakit, masiyado ata talaga akong excited. Huminto ako sa tapat ng van habang inaantay silang lumapit.Tinignan nila ako nang nakangisi at nakakunot ang noo. Why? Did I do something wrong?"How did you know this is our van?" Drake asked. Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Bukod sa hindi ko alam paano mag-explain, Drake's intimidating."I-I saw you guys used this three times. Kaya inisip ko na van niyo," I explained. Jeez. Dapat pala mag-iisip na ako ng sandamakmak na paliwanag at kasinungalingan.They looked convinced kaya pumasok na kami. As usual, Drake's driving, Jeruza's at the passenger seat, Thy and Leigh are on my side at the back.We drove to Nukefield. Marami na ang tao ro'n. Pumasok na agad kami at inayos na nila ang mga gamit. I was wa
Unti-unti kong minulat ang mata ko. The white room of the hospital welcomed me. Naramdaman ko rin na may benda ako sa ulo at may nakatusok sa kamay ko.Dahan-dahan akong umupo. Tinignan ko ang k'warto, no one is around. Una kong hinanap si Chryszyler pero wala siya. Napalobo ako sa pisngi ko. Kahit nasa hospital na ako, wala pa rin nandiyan para sa akin. I scoff. Why am I disappointed?Bumukas ang pinto at napalingon agad ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nalungkot nang makita na nurse lang 'yon. It's really a bad thing when you expect, huh? It will just lead to disappointment. You're lucky enough if it turned out what you want or expected."Is your head still hurting?" No, but my heart is. Tumango na lang ako sakaniya. She checked on me, run a test at kung ano ano pa. "Is your arm num
Nag-away saglit sina Tita Marife at Chryszyler dahil sa inasal nito. It's really weird to witness it all. Considering that I saw Chryszyler broke down when..."A-Ayos lang po talaga ako. 'Wag niyo na po siya pilitin kung ayaw," I said. They stopped midway when I interrupted them. Chryszyler pursed his lips. Kanina pa niya pinipigilan ang sarili na sumagot pero pinipilit talaga siya ni Tita Marife.He really don't want me around to the point that he really fight with his mom. I get it. Let's just stop pushing ourselves into people who doesn't want us."Mag-isa ka lang dito. Sino mag-aasikaso sa 'yo?" nag-aalala niyang tanong."Ayos lang po talaga. Ako lang naman po talaga nag-aalaga sa sarili ko. Kase po..." wala na magulang ko. Nagtal