Nakaupo lang ako sa waiting area, naghihintay na dumating ang parents ni Arianna. My mind went totally blank nang narinig ko na inatake siya. I can't restrain myself not to be mad. I feel like each seconds passed is dangerous. Every time this incident happens, I remember when we were little.
"Are you okay?" I always ask her if she's okay when we go to school. Arianna and I grew up together. She's my first friend.
"My dog died." mapait niyang sabi at naunang naglakad.
"What happened?"
"Car accident. Hindi nakita ni Papa na si Gummy ay nasa likod ng sasakyan." and she cried.
Lumapit ako sa kanya at niyakap siya, at least comforting her. "Was that in the morning?"
Tumango siya, "Yes..."
She cares a lot for other people and less for herself. Hindi man sa maipagkakaila but Arianna and I were somehow similar. We were left alone in the house when our parents need to work. It was lonely back then, wala pa si Ellie noon. Kaya tumatambay lang ako sa bahay nila... minsan kapag kaming dalawa lang, malungkot pa rin. We had all the toys around pero sobrang tahimik.
"Why are you so pale? Hindi ka ba nag breakfast?" tanong ko sa kanya. Noong 2nd year sa grade school, nag iba 'yung assigned class namin. Kaya sa break time na lang kami nagkikita. "And what happened to your notebook?" nakita kong gusot na gusot na ito.
"What do you have for lunch?" hindi niya ako sinagot, hinila na niya ang lunch box ko. "As usual, we just ordered." sabi ko. My mother doesn't have time to pack lunch for me. "How about you?" kinuha ko ang lunch box niya at binuksan. At nakita kong may mga basura ito. "What happened?"
Ngumiti siya sa akin at kinuha ang lunch box niya, "It is just a prank."
She doesn't have any friends. She tried to be friendly as she can, show her kindness to everyone but they didn't give her a chance. Minsan nahuhuli ko silang pinagtutulakan siya at pinagtatanggol ko siya.
How can I ask if she's okay? She's not okay. She tried to be okay in front of people para hindi sila mag-aalala pa sa kanya.
"You have to call out for this." sabi ko at tinulongan siyang tumayo. "You should tell this to your dad. They are hurting you." sabi ko turo sa mga kalmot na nasa kanyang braso. "I won't tell my dad. I want them to be nice for me not because of my dad."
Nainis nga ako dahil parati na lang niyang pinagtatanggol ang mga taong nanakit sa kanya, "Why are you like that? You should take care for yourself," tinulongan ko na lang siyang itago ang mga kalmot sa kanyang braso. "Ano'ng sasabihin ko sa dad mo?"
"Just tell him we played a bit hard. It wasn't a big deal."
BINABASA MO ANG
34 seconds of falling ✔
Teen Fictionyou can change your mind and fall for someone in 34 seconds.
