Mended Broken Souls (✔️)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Ashia, sorry talaga... Hindi kita natanong noong birthday mo kung okay ka lang ba! Sorry..." Venice embraced me after I told her everything about what happened. We are here in our classroom.

Kaming na lang dalawa ang nandito dahil uwian na. Ngayon pa nakapasok si Venice dahil ilang araw din ang itinagal ng ulan kaya hindi sila nakauwi agad.

She was forcing me to tell what happened here because she wanted to know everything. Miyerkules na ngayon at tatlong araw na ang nakalipas mula nang magkaayos kami ni Papa.

Sa bahay na ako umuuwi dahil kahit ilang beses pa rin akong sinasabihan ni Mama na lumayas ay pinagtatanggol naman ako ni Papa. She is always defeated at the end because my sister also opposed the idea of me being forced to leave the house.

She's still blinded by her anger towards me, huh? Kahit na alam kong kumbinsido siya dahil si Akisha ang nagsabi, pilit niya pa ring pinaparinig iyon sa akin tuwing kami lang dalawa. Sinasabing, 'pabayang kapatid, walang kuwenta, at kung anu-ano pa.

Akisha is still at the hospital. After this talk with Venice, I will go there to visit my sister and talk to her already.

Those past three days, I wasn't able to talk to her because whenever I'm inside her room, my mother always interrupt me by commanding me things or foods to buy.

Now, she'll surely be late in visiting my sister because there is an important program in Elementary school where she teaches.

"It's fine, okay? No need to be guilty because of it. And... don't ever think that you're not a responsible best friend because you have no responsibility to me. Don't drown yourself to the thought that you are a futile friend because you didn't ask me if I am okay. You were having fun there, right? Then, you don't need to feel sorry for your happiness... for yourself. You needed a break for that broken heart of yours."

She opened up to me that she is broken hearted because of her crush, si Kuya Aiden. Hindi ko akalaing gusto niya pa rin 'yon.

She pouted, but then still ends up curving her lips. Everytime she's getting emotional, and I throw her a long statement, she knows already that irritation rises if she still keeps on pushing herself to apologize.

Gusto kong tuldukan agad dahil hindi ko gustong sisihin pa niya ang sarili at humingi ng tawad nang paulit-ulit kahit hindi niya naman kasalanan.

"Sige na nga. Basta sa susunod, magsabi ka, ha? Alam mo naman sigurong nandito lang ako 'lagi, 'di ba? Kahit pa minsanan lang tayong nagkakausap nang maayos dahil sa kakalugan ko. Kahit pa minsan na lang din tayong nag-uusap ngayon dahil sa daming gawain. Sana hindi natin kalimutang dalawa na magsabi ng problema sa isa't-isa."

I nodded, smiled, and hugged her.

Nagpaalam din agad kami sa isa't-isa. Gusto niya rin daw sanang sumama sa 'kin sa hospital para bisitahin si Akisha, pero naghihintay na raw ang mga magulang niya sa kanila. Umuwi raw ang mga ito para kamustahin ang pag-aaral ni Venice. Her parents are strict when it comes to her and to her grades, she said.

I locked the door of our classroom. Humakbang na ako para makapunta na ng hospital, pero tumigil ako saglit dahil may naririnig na boses na nag-uusap sa may hagdanan patungong second floor ng building.

I know that eavesdropping is bad, but curiosity is slowly eating me up.

"Sinabihan ako ng Mama ni Ashia na pinabayaan niya raw ang kapatid niya kaya ito nasagasaan. Hindi ka ba na-turn off doon? Gusto mo pa rin?" I heard a familiar voice. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil narinig ko ang pangalan ko.

Nagtago muna ako at sumilip nang kaunti. I was right with my guess that it was Shiela. Nasa huling baitang siya ng hagdan at nakatingin kay Caleb na nasa ikatlong baitang na nakasuksok ang mga kamay sa bulsa.