Aurora Borealis

Chapter 60 - Limed Wounds

>> • EAST • <<

A fiery punch went landing on the face of unguarded Baldo as Agnes charged forward to him.

"What was that for?" inis na tanong nito at pinunasan ang dugo sa kaniyang ilong.

"Ibalik mo 'yung luha ko! Bakit ka pa bumangon?!"

"What?"

I'm scared. How will I handle this news?

What stands before us is Barron, who was pronounced dead an hour ago. His mom came running to him in tears. Niyakap niya ito ng mahigpit at isinubsob ang sarili sa dibdib nito. "Bakit naman basang-basa ka, 'nak? Nagpaulan ka ba?"

"This is nothing." tipid na tugon nito.

"Huwag ka nang magbibiro ng gano'n sa susunod, Agnes!" turo ni Tita Barbara sa kaniya.

"Pero Tita..." magsasalita pa sana siya ngunit naisipan na lamang niyang hindi ituloy ang sasabihin nang sumenyas sa kaniya ng iling si Baldo.

"Maybe I should stop mocking him. He's really terrifying. Who knows, maybe he has nine lives." bulong ni Aero at siniko ko lamang siya sa binti.

"What is he, a cat?" pasaring ko at tumingin kay Wendy na nakahiga sa bench, nakatalukbong ang katawan gamit ang jacket ni Aero. Someone needs to have some scolding here.

Patuloy pa rin sa pag-iyak ang nanay ni Baldo habang panay itong hinahalik-  halikan sa buong mukha.

"M-Ma! Stop it! Ang daming tao." pilit na inilalayo ni Baldo ang sarili sa kaniyang nanay.

"Oh, don't be shy. Just pretend that we're not here." he flapped his hand at him sassily.

Nagpasalamat naman ang nanay niya sa 'min para sa pagdadala sa anak niya rito. Paulit-ulit din siyang humihingi ng paumanhin kay Baldo dahil sa wala siya sa tabi nito kanina but Baldo doesn't seem to mind it.

"No need to thank us. We're the ones who should be thanking him for saving us from the trouble of writing dramatic eulogies. I'm glad it was postponed. I'm also glad that I don't have to write one yet because I don't know how to do it." sinamaan naman ni Baldo ng tingin si Aero ngunit nagkibit-balikat lamang ito.

Hindi na rin kami nagtagal pa dahil may kaniya-kaniyang klase pa kami bukas.

"Ma, I'm thinking of moving out. I think I need to have a break to think about things for a while." saad ni Baldo habang naglalakad kami sa corridor.

"Bakit? Ayaw mo na ba rito?"

"I want a fresh start. I feel suffocated and cold whenever I'm at this place."

"Not surprising. You just parodied how does frozen foods feel like when they're in the freezer." sabat ni Aero habang pasan sa likod ang natutulog na si Wendy.

"Aero."

"Sorry. I'll shut up now."

"I still want to hang out with you, guys. But I don't feel like I can, given the circumstances." humarap sa 'min si Baldo.

Nagkatinginan kaming tatlo. It's not like we can do anything to stop him.

"We respect your decisions. But that doesn't mean we're not going to see each other anymore, right?" wika ko.

Napaisip siyang saglit. "Yeah. I just hope it's not going to be awkward when we meet each other at the streets or at some places by accident."

"Dude." Aero offered him his clenched fist. "You better grow thicker hair when we meet again."

"You should cut your hair short. Your head's like a furball."

"Ayos lang naman sa 'kin kung gusto mong lumipat, Barron. Pero kailangan ba talaga? Paano naman si Lauren?" tanong ni Tita.

Wala ni isa sa amin ang umimik, pero nakasisiguro akong ramdam naming lahat ang awkwardness sa ere.

"I'm not courting her anymore." malamig na saad nito.

"Ha? Bakit? Kailan pa?"

"Ma..." tiningnan lamang siya ni Baldo ngunit mukhang nakuha na nito ang gusto nitong sabihin.

"May gusto ka bang kainin? Cake? Salad? Macarons?"

"I'm not in the mood to eat, Ma. I want to rest." he replied sluggishly. Hindi na nagsalita pa si Tita at inakay na lamang ito papauwi.

We accompanied Wendy to her home.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll call you at morning." ngumiti ito sa 'min bago tumuloy sa bahay.

"I'm sure she's feeling terrible. Is there any way we could help her?"

"If you'd ask me, it's better if we stay out of it. Not totally ignore, just let them feel a little better until they want to talk about it." sagot ni Aero nang tulungan niya akong bumaba sa taxi. As expected, West's car is already parked at the garage.

"Would you do the same to me if ever we argue?"

"Depends on the situation. Although I prefer bothering you until you talk to me again." he casually replied. I can't help but to cover my face with my palms just for me to not look at him.

"Please don't say things like that. I won't be able to sleep if you continue."

Nagulat na lamang ako nang makitang dumungaw sa bintana ng kuwarto niya si West at nagmamadaling bumaba upang salubungin kami.

"Good night, dear." he leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. "I enjoyed watching the stars and you."

I kissed him in his forehead. "I love you, too. Wag ka nang magpupuyat kung hindi kailangan, ha?"

I took a glimpse of him smiling at me before he went inside the taxi again to go home.

"There's something that we need to talk about." Tumingin ako kay West. I darted the most viscious glare I could show him.

"I was thinking the same thing." he sounded more gloomy than usual. "Before you berate me, hear me first."

"I will. But don't expect that I will validate it. Everything that you'll say as a reason will be immediately regarded as an excuse."

He nodded.

"I'm going overseas."

My jaw dropped. "What?"

"Hindi ko na kaya, East. Masiyadong malakas yung isip ko. Hindi ko na kayang magpanggap na nakakatulog ako ng maayos gabi-gabi." sumalampak siya sa lupa.

"Help me." he begged so much that his voice screeched. He reached out to his scalp and started pulling it out of frustration.

"Could you please tell me first what's happening? How would I be able to help you if you're not telling me the whole thing?"

His eyes were glued on the ground. "I think I'm going crazy. For real. I still want to be sane, East."

"Wha...Is that why you broke up with Wendy?"

"Lately, my mind seems loppy. As if it's lost-threaded and I don't have grasp of it unless I sleep with sleeping pills." he whispered.

"Spare me the details. Let's talk about it inside." I told him.