When it Rains (Completed)

CHAPTER 14

Nagsimula na ang kalbaryo ko. Niyayaya na ako ng parents ni Patrick na pumunta sa labas. Hindi ko masyado pinansin ang ganap kanina sa pagdating namin. But, I could already sense the sound of ocean waves outside. That gave me an instant headache.

Literally, not a headache, but something's going on in my mind again, hoping it won't get any worse.

"Hey, you don't seem to be okay," he noticed.

"Not feeling well. Nahihilo ako," palusot ko na lang kahit hindi naman talaga nahilo simula no'ng bumiyahe kami.

Patrick is in his beach outfit already— his white sando and unbuttoned polo shirt over his fit body, paired with typical beach shorts.

"I'll call any medical assistance para asikasuhin ka kaagad—"

"No. Itutulog ko lang 'to. You can leave me here," sabi ko sa kanya pero nanatilo pa rin siya.

"Hindi kita pababayaan dito. May ibinilin sina Tita Alice sa akin kaya hindi kita iiwan."

Ang corny. Mas lalo lang akong naumay sa kanya. "Wag ka nang makulit. Nahihilo na rin ako sa kakornihan mo."

"Corny? 'Pag may nangyari ulit sa'yo, do you think it's still corny? If you could let me know why you—"

Naputol ang sinabi niya nang may kumatok sa pinto. Siya na ang nagbukas at nalaman naming si Ate Reina 'yon. They talked for a minute, and Ate came into the room and approached me on my bed while he left.

"You okay?"

"I can't go outside. 'Di ko pa kaya, Ate Reina. Nagsinungaling lang ako sa kanya."

"It's fine. Do you need anything? Since 'di mo naman kayang lumabas."

"Don't worry about me, Ate. Matutulog lang muna ako. Medyo napagod lang rin naman ako sa biyahe. Have fun!"

I assured her that I'd be fine alone here before she finally decided to leave and went outside. I already knew that this would happen, so I just have to deal with this until we go back home. Wish they knew that this is not the kind of outing that I really want.

To kill time, I checked my messages but was kind of disappointed when I didn't receive any reply from Johen. Nagtatampo ata siya, pero kung ayaw niya talaga akong kausapin, might as well cut off my friendship with him. I don't want to spend my life waiting for him.

Lori didn't text me either. She might be busy, as usual. Now, I'm worrying about everything I missed. Midterms is getting near, so I should be at my desk during these hours reading all my notes and books and finishing my plates. Dammit.

Nakaidlip na lang ako dahil sa inip.

Next thing I knew, I woke up because of the noise coming from outside. The noise from the roof is getting louder, just to realize that the rain is getting heavier. I heard noise from people too. Some were yelling for help, and so I got up from the bed and went to the door hysterically, but the door seemed to be locked. I went to the other side of the room and reached for the sliding doors leading to the balcony.

As I went outside, the blow of the wind greeted me and was stronger than I expected, and it made those palm trees bend to the ground and people get blown in the air. The waves of the sea in front of me were so mad, ready to swallow anything that get nearer to it.

At that moment, I was paralyzed with crippling fear and shock, just watching how the storm destroyed everything around me. I tried to move any step from where I was standing, but every single nerve in my body seemed to not respond. Catching my breath, I watched how the waves moved nearer to the shore and how those waterspouts spun towards my cottage.

In complete terror, all I could do was to yell.

My shoulders were shaking until I woke up and somebody was actually shaking my shoulders to wake me up.

"Flynn! Buti naman nagising kita!"

Saka ko lang napansin na pinagpapawisan na pala ako. I was trying to process everything until I realized that I just had a bad dream. Inabutan naman ako ni Patrick ng isang baso ng tubig na kaagad kong tinanggap. Kumalma naman ang loob ko, kahit papaano.

"Do you feel better?" he asked, but I was immediately distracted when I saw him shirtless.

"I will feel better if you stay away and wear your shirt."

"Tinatanong kita ng maayos," sabi niya at seryoso pa rin ang tingin niya sa akin.

"Pinagsasabihan din kita ng maayos."

"Wag mo 'kong pagsabihan, hindi naman ikaw si Mom."

"Di ko rin kailangan ng concern mo, hindi naman kita kaano-ano."

I rolled my eyes as I ended our conversation, but things escalated when he jumped on my bed and pinned me down. I tried to push him away, but it didn't work. I don't know if he's trying to flex his body for me when I'm not even interested. He just glared at me while he was over me.

"What's your problem? Ba't lage ka na lang galit sa akin? Is it your period? Para pagbilhin kita ng napkin sa labas—"

"Shut up, apaka-annoying mo! You're the type of person I don't want to hang around with! Saka sino ka ba para pagbigyan ko ng atensyon ha?! Umalis ka sa harap ko! Engot!"

"Who do you call engot?!"

He leaned his face much closer to mine, only a few inches away, but still glaring at me. I glared back at him. Kala nya siguro matitinag ako sa masama niyang tingin sa akin.

It was a matter of seconds when his glare went down to the lower part of my face. "Manyak!"

Tinulak ko siya sa lakas na makakaya ko at nahulog naman siya diretso sa sahig. Napadaing naman siya sa sakit ng likuran niya. Deserved.

Babalik na sana ako sa pagtulog nang may humila sa kumot na siyang hinila ko pabalik, ngunit sa lakas ng pagkakahila niya ay pati ako nahila niya rin at nahulog mula sa kama. Akala ko sa sahig ang bagsak ko pero nagulat na lamang ako na halos nakapatong na ako sa kanya.

"Do you feel much better... now you're on top of me?" he grinned.

Sa inis ko ay hinila ko ang unan malapit sa akin at hinampas sa mukha niya. "That makes me feel better."

Kaagad akong umalis sa ibabaw niya at tumakbo patungo sa pinto. Ayaw ko na rito, gusto ko nang umuwi.

Pagbukas ko ng pinto ay sumalubong sa akin ang sinag ng araw saka ako lumabas. Gusto kong lumayo.

May nakasalubong naman akong mga tao hanggang sa padami nang padami sila. Hindi ko naman namalayan na dinala na pala ako ng sariling kong paa sa lugar na pinakaiiwasan ko.

Ang dalampasigan.

Nakatutok lang ako sa dagat, sa bawat paghampas ng alon sa buhangin. Sa bawat hakbang ng mga paa ay unti-unti rin namumuo ang pamilyar na pakiramdam sa loob ko. Parang akong nanghihina sa bawat paglapit ko sa tubig.

Nakarinig ako ng pagsigaw sa pangalan ko. Alam kong kay Ate Reina 'yon. Bakas sa boses niya ang pag-alala sa pagtawag niya sa akin, pero hindi ako lumingon. Patuloy pa rin akong lumalapit sa dagat. Parang wala na ko sa tamang pag-iisip.

"Kunin nyo na ako, please. Nagmamakaawa ako," sabi ko sa kawalan habang ramdam ko na ang dagat sa mga paa ko.

Isang masalimoot na alaala ang nagpakita sa aking isipan na siyang nagpayanig sa mundo ko at nagpanginig sa mga tuhod ko.

Handa na sana akong sumigaw.



Isang anino ang tumakip sa paningin ko at kasabay nuon ang isang brasong yumakap sa akin. "Not today, Flynn. Not today."