Chapter 19
Napadaing ako nang tumama ang likod ko sa kahoy, hanggang sa tuluyan na akong nahulog sa tubig. Gumapang ang sakit sa buong likod ko, hindi na nagawang lumingoy pa dahil doon.
My mind went blank.
Jinoh...
And before I went totally out of breath, I felt a hand snaking on my waist, trying to lift me up. I inhaled a lot of air when my head was out of the water, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Jinoh with a worried look.
He saved me.
"Elein... Elein, c-can you hear me? Elein?"
"J-Jinoh..."
"Pinag-alala mo ako, Elein!" He hugged me.
"Sorry..." bulong ko, at pinahinga ang mukha sa katawan niya. "T-Thank you... for saving me..."
Miski sa pagsakay sa bangka ay nakaalalay siya sa akin. Nang makita ko ang kalagayan naming dalawa na basang-basa ay hindi ko maiwasan na maging emosyonal.
"I'm sorry, Jinoh. I'm sorry," I covered my face.
"It was an accident; you don't need to feel sorry," malambing ang boses niya na sabi. "May masakit ba sa'yo?"
"Ayos lang ako."
"Sure ka?"
I nodded. "I'm sorry. Hindi na dapat ako tumayo," emosyonal kong sabi.
"Hindi mo kasalanan 'yon," he smiled at me. Nawala lang ang ngiti'ng iyon ng makapa niya nag bulsa niya. "Shit! My phone and wallet," rinig kong sabi niya.
Guilt ate me up, seeing his things get wet. Pasimple kong pinunasan ang mukha nang uminit ang sulok ng mga mata ko.
"Nilalamig ka ba? Sayang wala tayong baon na towel," aniya nang igilid ang mga gamit na basa.
"Iyong gamit mo..."
"Ayos lang 'yan. Nabasa lang naman," paglingon niya sa gamit.
"Hindi ayos 'yon, Jinoh," usal ko. "Nando'n lahat ng importante!"
"You're more than important, Elein." He tried to hold me, but I shoved him away. He was shocked by that. "They're just things, Elein..."
Umiling ako.
"Magalit ka sa akin! Bakit ang kalmado mo pa rin? Dapat magalit ka sa akin kasi sinira ko ang gamit mo." Pinalis ko ang luha. "Tatanggapin ko ang galit mo sa akin, Jinoh."
His eyes changed; it became serious, and it made my throat feel dry. Hindi siya bumitaw ng tingin sa akin kahit na tumutulo ang patak ng tubig sa mukha niya galing sa buhok nito.
"How can I be mad at you?" His voice was sweet. My tears instantly flow because of how he talks to me. "I can't be mad at you because it was not your fault at all."
"Just be mad..."
"No, I won't." He looked at me with worried eyes.
Pinalis ko ang luha at nagbaba ng tingin, pigil ko ang maiyak. Nahihiya ako sa kaniya, ako pa itong may gana na umiyak kahit siya naman talaga ang may gamit na nasira.
"If you want to cry, then cry. Let your tears out, Elein. Don't bottle up your emotions."
And with his comforting words, my hot tears flowed again. I was shaking so hard that I needed to catch my breath for crying so much. Iniyak ko ang katangahan ko.
"I'm here," he softly said.
"Papalitan ko... na lang. Papalitan ko. Papalitan ko..." umiiyak na sabi ko. "Ako, ako mismo ang bibili... same design."
BINABASA MO ANG
Light Under The Glooms (MPS#2)
RomanceMALA-PRINSESA SERIES #2 Fiorella Elein Rivera, a woman who is the epitome of kindness, was once called a light because of her soft and pure heart. With her past trauma, her inner light began to dim. Despite her scarred heart, she continued to pursue...
