Be There Still [ ON-GOING ]

0 9

D E M I E L L E

IT looks like they're about to throw punches from each other's face and dismount each other's body. The tension is getting higher and the sultriness felt humid. Josh saw me in the botanical garden and that urged me to run farther from him, but he reached me. Takot ako na baka malaman niya ang sakit ko, because he'll never understand. What if he knew it and the rumors will clamor? No one knows everything in this school, aside from Levi.

Thankfully, Levi came to save me again because I felt like I was about to pass out. Josh was centimeters away from me a short time ago. And if Josh really touched me that time, I'll be in a serious disaster.

Levi is still holding my hand, shielding me by his back from Josh.

"Do you like her?" Josh uttered those words out of nowhere at ikinabuhay iyon ng kaluluwa ko.

"What if I do? Does that matter to you?" Levi spoke.

That... made my heartbeat skipped for a while. What if he do? I don't know what to think right now, ni hindi ko nga alam kung nasa tamang pag-iisip ba 'ko o tama nga ba ang naririnig ng mga tainga ko. I tried to compose myself for a minute, that discussion of them gave me chills.

The eye-to-eye stare is still on-going. I need to do something, to break the situation.

I saw a drug container in the back pocket of Levi.

It's the same as what I've used to take!

Kinuha ko sa likurang bulsa niya ang drug container. I saw my name and dosage written on it. I knew it was mine. I took a tablet and the shivering of my body was lost. My reactive body went to normal.

"I'm fine now. Masakit lang ang ulo ko." That passage of mine cut off the tension between them. Napalingon si Levi sa akin na bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha. I directed my eyes downward, a sign for him to look at the drug container that I was already holding. He nodded at me and plaster a light smile in his face. I guess by that time, he already understand what I mean. I took the courage to let go of his hand, may nararamdaman na naman kasi akong parang kuryente na dumadaloy sa kaibuturan ng katawan ko.

Josh purposely collided his body to Levi as he walked away from us. What's his problem? What was the stare all about? He's risking his social status. Mahirap maging kilala sa publiko minsan, kasi ang iba sa kanila lumalaki ang ulo. And I hope Josh is not one of those.

"Lets walk back." Paanyaya ni Levi sa akin nang bigla itong napahinto. "You look pale. Are you really okay? I'll bring you to the clinic if needed..." I cut him off.

"I really am, Levi. Nothing to worry about, it's an aftereffect of my illness. It's normal." I explained, but that doesn't remove the concern on his face.

It feels a bit weird now, it's kind of deep.

***

Everything came back in its places. Two of them, Levi and Josh, are marked absent on three respective subjects. While I was marked excuse, given the fact that I presented my health certificate. It's kind of lucky though, I have excuses in anything if I wanted too. But I'm not that type of person. Because if I were to choose, I'd pick to be ordinary like other people but completely healed than being exempted and different but has the inability to interact with the society around me.

I know my eyes are both arrowed on the white board, but nothing really enters my head. Because at the back of my mind, what happened earlier keeps on replaying inside. I can write something on my notebook, but my soul isn't there.

Time was up. I needed to go somewhere.

It was late afternoon when I saw him sitting on the last table in the corner of the library, reading the books he took home and promised to bring again. Little did I knew, I was smiling when he waved at me after he noticed my presence.