Jared Travi
Tila gumuho ang mundo ko nang malaman ko iyon. Ito na nga ba ang kinakatakutan ko. Hindi pwede. Mali iyon, maling-mali. Napatulala na lamang ako dahil sa nalaman ko. Susundan ko ba siya? O hahayaan ko na lang na makaalis siya?
Bumalik ako sa katinuan nang yugyugin ako bigla ni Staive, “Bro! Bro, ano na? Follow her! Stop her! Alam kong aksidente lang na nabuo niyo ang bata pero isipin mo naman iyon! The child will grow up without a father. Jared, wake up!”
Hindi ko na siya sinagot at tumakbo papunta sa parking at sumakay sa kotse ko. I drove rapidly. Thankfully, walang traffic ngayon at maluwag ang kalsada. I thought magiging madali lang ang pagpunta ko sa airport pero kagaya nga ng sabi nila, expect the unexpected.
I suddenly stepped on the brake when I felt that something has fallen on the roof of my car. What was that? Anghel ba iyon na nahulog mula sa langit? Oh, maybe he’s my guardian angel? Bumaba na lang ako para tingnan kung ano ang nangyari but I was shocked when I saw a guy.
Namimilipit ito sa sakit dahil sa pagkakahulog sa kotse ko. Not a fallen angel but a guy who just ruined an important part of my life and wasting my limited time to go to the airport.
“Hey, little guy!” I approached.
“What’s your problem, huh?” Tiningnan ko siya ng matalim. I looked at my watch. Nanghina ako nang makitang lagpas na pala ang oras. Kanina pa ang flight ni Glysa. Malamang ay nakaalis na ang eroplanong sinasakyan niya. Wow, thanks to this man, hindi ko siya naabutan nang tuluyan.
He smirked, “Anong problema ko? Madami.” Kahit na masakit parin ang katawan niya ay pinilit niyang makababa mula sa kotse ko. He’s now standing in front of me and what made me more annoyed? Mayroon pa siyang ganang ngumisi na parang walang nangyari at parang wala siyang nasirang property.
I glared at him, “Oh, that is why you tried to commit suicide? Tingnan mo nangyari ngayon, pati ako nadamay dahil diyan sa katangahang ginagawa mo. Pati kotse ko, nasira na. What an unlucky day!” I scratch my head and clicked my tongue.
Tiningnan ko ang lalaki nang tumawa ito bigla, “Mabuti nga ikaw, kotse lang ang pinoproblema. Mayaman ka naman siguro, ‘no? Paayos mo na lang ‘yan, pare.” He sarcastically uttered and tapped my shoulder. Kung alam niya lang ang problema ko ngayon.
“You think it’s as easy as counting numbers?” I rebutted and glared at him. “Look, I have an important commitment right now and I am in a hurry but you . . . argh! Freaking little guy!” Pumara na lang ako ng taxi dahil sa magkakahalong emosyon na nararamdaman ko ngayon. I entered the car as fast as I can. May inaayos pa si manong kaya ibinaba ko ang car window at tumingin sa lalaki.
“Hey, little guy.” I called him. He looked at me, smirking. “Alam mo ba, sa dalawang ito?” I showed him a peace sign. “Eto ka.” Ibinaba ko ang hintuturo ko, leaving my middle finger. I heard him laugh hard when the car starts to move. I rested my head on the seat, exhausted.
When I arrived at the University, I didn’t know what to feel. Am I happy or guilty? I just attended my second subject for this morning to distract myself from that thing. Nakasabay ko si Staive habang papunta sa classroom. Agad niya naman akong tinanong.
“Ano, bro, naabutan mo ba?” He worriedly asked. Hindi rin siya makampante, sa totoo lang.
I shooked my head repeatedly, “Hindi na, bro.”
He put his palm on his face, disgusted. “Bakit hindi?”
I shooked my head for the second time. Nagtatalo ang isip ko kung sasabihin ko ba ang nangyari kanina o magsisinungaling ba ako.
“Traffic.” I decided to lied. “Nasiraan din yung sasakyan ko kaya hindi ako nakatuloy.” I added a bit of truth para naman hindi ako masyadong maguilty.
“Hindi ka ba nanghihinayang, Jared?” He asked me before he entered the room. “I mean, she just escaped and you don’t have the chance to see your child.”
Umupo ako sa tabi niya sa pinakalikod na row, “Naguguilty ako, sa totoo lang. Hindi ko naman akalain na mangyayari ‘yon. All I know is we were having fun that night. Ni hindi ko nga alam na siya ang nakasama ko sa kwarto ko. I am drunk and when I woke up, I saw her beside me and we’re . . . unclothed.” My voice weakened and my hands started to tremble. “In the past few weeks, I thought that this is the start of my healing process, but it’s not.
Everytime I went home and alone, it’s always haunting me. I can’t sleep peacefully, Staive. My conscience never let me sleep peacefully. I am afraid.”
He emit a long, deep, audible breath before turning to me and tapped my back, “I understand, bro. I guess we should move on. Hindi na natin maibabalik at mababago ang nangyari. I hope that Ysa would realized what she did. But, do not worry, bro. We will try our best to have connections with her. Babalitaan ka namin, bro.”
I nodded and averted my gaze fastly to see if there’s someone eavesdropping. Mahirap na, there are some Marites in our block na mahilig gumawa ng issue. But thankfully, there’s none. “Thanks, bro. You’re still the best buddy and kuya to us that I know.”
He laughed, “Is that a pambobola? Walang talab ‘yun sa akin, bro.” Because of what he said, I unexpectedly laughed. “Ayan, that’s great. You should heal, bro. It just take process.” I smiled and nodded. Minutes laterally, the professor arrived.
It was a normal day for others but for me, it was an unlucky and disappointing day. I was reclining on my bed. I changed the bedsheet of my bed para hindi ko na maalala ang bagay na iyon. It’s a development that I can now sleep in my bed again. I used to sleep at the couch last night. Maybe Staive was right. I should start to move on and heal. If that is Ysa’s decision then I must respect that. Maybe she’s not yet ready at nabigla rin siya sa nangyari kaya bigla niyang napag-isipan na pumunta ng abroad. I know that I have the responsibility to the child but I am afraid na baka ipagkait sa akin ni Ysa ang bata. The child that she’s carrying is still mine and I have the right to atleast meet him or her.
I opened my eyes when the sunlight coming from the window fall on my face. I rubbed my eyes and looked for my phone to find out what time is it. I almost had a mini heart attack and about to panic when I saw that it’s almost eight thirty A.M. when I realized that today is Sunday and Sunday means no classes, but I have a lots of paperworks to do. I get up of my bed and fixed it before going to the kitchen to cook for my breakfast. When I am done cooking, I set up the utensils on the table. I was able to put down the glass when I heard a knock. Someone’s out there. I opened the door and to my surprise, it was Staive.
“Bro, what’s up?” I greeted and gave him a manly hug. It is rare to see him here at my apartment this early.
“Come in.” I let him come inside my apartment and took a seat. “What brings you here? Tara, join me to eat breakfast.”
He shooked his head, “Sorry, bro pero mabilis lang ako, eh. I just want to update you about Ysa and the child.”
My expression changed, “Ano nang balita, bro? Did y’all convinced her to go back here? What is her decision?” Sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kaniya.
He sighed, his eyes are full of melancholy. “She said her decision is final. She won’t go back here again. She said, she can raise the child by herself.”
Huminga na lang ako nang malalim nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya. “I understand, bro.” I tapped his shoulder. Later on, nagpaalam na siya sa akin na aalis na siya.
I started to eat also. I am alone again. I hate this thing. I hate eating when I am alone. I can’t stop blaming myself again. I should’ve fight for my right. Bakit hindi ko magawang ipaglaban ang karapatan ko sa anak ko?!
“Don’t worry, baby. Dad will follow you there when I graduate from College. Just one more semester. I promise na nandiyan si Daddy kapag lalabas ka na.” I thought and finished my food. That day, I just stay at my apartment and do my paperworks.
Monday is waving again at me. I am freaking late at my first subject this morning because I had to commute dahil nga sira yung kotse ko. I picked my binder and pen to start taking down notes from the lesson. I stopped writing when someone poked me in my flank. I looked irritatedly at the one who did it but that expression easily faded when I saw him.
That little guy! What is he doing here?!
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Right Time To Fall ( PIP BL COLLABORATION )
Novela Juvenil• PUBLISHED UNDER PAPERINK PUBLISHING HOUSE! For Jared Travi Jimenez, his college life were as colorful as their flag. He's a fourth year college student, taking up Journalism. His life seems so fine and busy, not until a shocking and unexpected thi...
