Ablaze |Season 1|

Chapter 33

OCTAVIA

HINDI AKO MAPAKALI. Gusto ko na bumalik sa dorm para tignan ang kalagayan ni Ferish.

Nakakainis lang dahil kung kailan gusto kong umuwi nang maaga ay ang bagal naman ng oras. I really have this urge to immediately run my way to Ferish out of worry. Wala pa akong natatanggap na text o tawag man lang mula sa kan'ya kanina pa. I texted her but she didn't reply. She's probably sleeping.

Is she having a good sleep?

Does she feel pain?

How is---

"How is she?" Someone interrupted my thoughts while I'm busy tying up my shoes.

Nandito naman kami ngayon sa gym at may practice ang volleyball team. Mag-uumpisa pa lang kami ay uwing-uwi na ako. I really want to check her. Wala pa naman siyang kasama.

I turned around to see who's that person and I was greeted by that annoyed face of the best friend. Ferish's best friend. I scoffed, akala niya ay kung sino lang ang tinatanong niya.

"She's fine when I left her."

"She's already sick. Why did you let her attend our first class?" She asked with an attitude and I swear, I didn't like the sound of it, especially that she's giving me a look as though it's my fault that Ferish is sick.

Is she blaming me?

Ilang beses kong sinabihan 'yung kaibigan niya pero nakinig ba? She didn't, not until I caught her walking alone. I understand that she's worried but it's not an excuse to blame me for something that's not up to me.

Hindi ko na siya sinagot at tinalikuran na lang kaysa mainis pa ako at masampal ko siya ngayon. She must be lucky that I'm trying to prolong my patience for the sake of peace. Yes, peace.

Naglakad ako papunta kila Tori na ngayon ay tapos na magbihis. Si Lexi naman ay pahikab-hikab at namumungay ang mga mata habang nakatingin kay Tori. Ano bang ginagawa nitong dalawa at laging puyat si Lexi?

"What with the reaction?" Tori asked and I gave her a bored look.

"Eh? That's Octa's normal mood. You're still wondering?" Lexi interrupted that made me frown.

What? Normal bang mainis ako?

"You're right." Pagsang-ayon niya pa at hindi ko na lang pinansin. As I've said, ayo'kong uminit ang ulo ko.

"Let's start!" Tawag pansin sa amin nung Captain kaya sumunod na lang kami sa kan'ya.

It's just five o'clock in the afternoon so I need to wait for two and a half hours. Ang tagal ng oras. I texted Ferish again to make sure that she's fine. Nabasa ko pa ang mga sinend kong message sa kan'ya kanina na wala pang reply.

Hey, how do you feel now? Are you alright?

Nag-umpisa kaming mag-stretching at maayos naman ang lahat, pwera na lang na may bumabagabag sa akin. I dislike the feeling of wasps inside my stomach at the thought that she's not fine.

Pakiramdam ko ay hindi ako mapakali. I really want to go home already. There's an unknown feeling inside my stomach that keeps me bothered for the whole time of not being with her.

I've never felt this way before, even in my family. Hindi naman ako ganito mag-alala para sa kanila pero pagdating sa kan'ya, everything becomes a mess. She's the perfect definition of chaos and peace at the same time. She's both the light and darkness, the good and evil... she's always in between.