Sleep Tonight

03

Pagkatapos ang usapan namin ng babaeng nakatapon ng kape sa polo ko, umalis na agad ako. Thinking about what happened earlier, I sighed. 'Can this day can get any more worse?'

Ringg! Ringg! Ringg!

'Huh?' Narinig kong nag ring ang aking telepono at kinuha sa aking bulsa para makita ko kung sino ang tumatawag. When I saw who it was, I quickly shoved my phone into my pocket.

'Kakasabi ko palang letche'

I sat down at the bench, thinking if I should decline or answer. But typical me, I chose the latter.

'Anak, nakauwi ka na ba?'

'Pauwi pa lang, Papa. Bakit?'

'Dumaan ka muna dito sa hospital, kailangan kitang kausapin' I gritted my teeth. Pagusapan? Ano pa ba kailangan pagusapan kung iniwanan mo na kami ni mama?

'Pa, may kailangan pa akong gawin kaya hindi na ako makakada-'

'Liam, I need to see you now.' Tanginang buhay naman oh.

Pagalit niyang binaba ang tawag at mabagal na naglakad papunta sa hospital. It was one of the best if you ask. His dad wanted to do his intership there in the future since they own it. At first he was happy with the idea, but now he can't stand in the same room with him. It just feels suffocating for him. Like he's in hell.

Lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice that he was alre standing in front of his dad's office door. He knocked three times before entering his office.

'Liam, I was waiting for you. Umupo ka muna' A man around his 50's said. He removed his coat and sat on his chair. Out of anger. Liam didn't beat around the bush and asked him directly.

'Pa, sabihin mo na ang sasabihin mo. May kailangan pa akong gawin'

He sighed and sat on his swivel chair. 'As you already know. Me and your mom will continue the divorce' The tension in the room was increasing. Liam clenched his fist preventing himself to punch the man in front of him.

'Dad, what happened?'

'Hindi mo na kailangan alamin iyon, Liam. Pinapunta kita dahil gusto kong sabihin na isasama kita sa akin' Confusion was written all over in his face.  'Isasama? Bakit naman ako kailangan sumama sa sayo?'

'You're my son, Liam. Of course kailangan na isama kita. We're moving with my fiancé after your graduation, nakaplano na ang lahat kaya don't think about saying no.'

With those words stab Liam in his heart like knives. He looked at his dad, directly in his eyes and let out a fake laugh.

'Fiancé? Are you kidding me, pa?'

'So ilang taon mo na niloloko si mama? tell me what the fuck is wrong with you pa?! You called me, to only tell me that we're moving out with your so called 'fiancé' without asking my opinion!' He blurted out. Emphasising the word fiancé.

'Can I ask you something?'

'Minahal mo ba talaga si mama? o minahal mo lang siya dahil sa pera?'

After uttering those words. He felt a hard fist in his cheeks, making him stunned for a moment. When he touched his lips, he wiped the stain of blood on the side.

'Hindi kita pinalaking ganiyan, Liam!'

His dad wasn't satisfied with the punch he gave him to his son and gave him another, but this time it has more impact to it, making Liam fall to the floor. He immediately stood up and looked at his dad one last time. Inside, he was burning with anger and quickly rushed outside of his office.

'Liam! Bumalik ka dito, hindi pa tayo tapos magusap!'

That was the last words he heard before he leave his office. The patients looked at him with worried faces but that didn't stop him to angrily walk out of the hospital. Nang makalabas na siya, nakahinga na siya ng maluwag.

'Ah putangina' Hinawakan ko ang labi ko at umiling. May gana pa talagang manuntok ang matandang yon eh siya na nga tong nanloko kay mama. Nagsimula nalang ako maglakad paalis nang may tumawag sa akin. Nang makita ko kung sino bigla ko itong naalala. 'Oh hey. Akala ko ba uuwi ka na?'

'Oo nga, pauwi na sana pero bigla akong nagalala nang makita kitang-'

'Don't worry about it. It's fine, umuwi ka na'

I turned my back to the girl and was about to leave. But a hand held my wrist, making md to look back. 'Ha? Sa tingin mo ba tanga ako?'

'Oo, kaya umuwi ka na' Aalis na sana ako ulit ngunit hinarangan niya naraman ako.

'Hep! Teka lang. You call that fine? Tara nga at sumama ka sa akin!' I give up. Hindi nalang ako pumiglas at sinundan siya. After a few minutes we arrived in a convenience store. I looked at the girl with my brows drawn together.

'Wait for me. May bibilin lang ako' I nodded and waited for her. When she was out of my sight, I sat on the bench that I've found. After a few minutes I saw her came back out of the store, holding white plastic bags.

'Okay. I don't exactly know how to treat wounds but I'll try'

She took out the things from the plastic bags and started to treat his cuts. He stared at her eyes intently as the girl showed a tint of pink in her cheeks. After treating his wounds, she took out two ice creams from the plastic bag and gave one to him. As they were eating it, a comfortable silence enveloped them.

'Hey Aia' She looked at me, waiting for me to continue.

'Thankyou'

'You don't have to say thankyou, silly. Pambawi ko na din to sa nangyari kaninang umaga.' She smiled me. 'Nagmamadali kasi ako dahil hinahanap daw ako sa office. Nag panic ako kasi never akong tinawag doon! Kung iisipin nga wala naman akong ginawang mali. I always past my assignments and projects on time tas sigurado namang wala-'

She blabber out, making the me to let out a chuckle. When she heard me, she raised a brow asking what's funny about it.

'Wala naman. You just look funny when you blabbered out things' Aia rolled her eyes at me, making me to laugh more.

'Heh bahala ka na jan. Uuwi na ako' I nodded. 'Yeah sure, Ingat ka'

'Hoy! pero tuloy parin tayo bukas ha'

'Akala ko ba ito na pambawi mo sakin?' I asked. 'Nope! bukas pa talaga hahahaha. I just want to help you treat your wounds. Kaya bukas huwag mo ako tatakasan!'

Itong babaeng to nakakadami na sakin. I sighed. 'Oo na, I know, kaya umuwi ka na'

'Great! Then, I'll see you tomorrow, Liam!'

With that, she smiled at me and waved. She started walking away as I look at her figure slowly fading away. I buried my face into my hands and let out a sigh. Tangina, nakailang buntong hininga na ba ako ngayong araw? Umiling nalang ako at kinuha ang aking gamit. I stand up and immediately went home. 'What a day'.