"She's awake, sir Chavez. Finally, after two years." Dahan dahan akong dumilat, I found myself inside a hospital room and my dad was there, Lucas too. The last thing that I remember before this is Cleo...We argued that time. "We'll run some tests on Xerena after 3 days. She still needs to loosen up a little."
Years?
Nalito ako sa mga naririnig ko ngayon. My head hurts, my thoughts are scattered literally everywhere. "What happened?" Matamlay ko na tanong.
"Your car crashed the night you celebrated your 24th birthday, it was a hit and run...But the driver was behind bars, thanks to Atty. Villan."
Crash? I didn't get it.
"Anak I'm so glad you're finally okay!" Naiiyak na banggit ni dad sa akin. No! This isn't where I'm supposed to be! "How are you feeling? Your wounds? Does your injuries feel alright? Tell us anak..."
"Where is Cleo?"
"Cleo?" Takang tanong sa akin ni Lucas. "Who's that?" I got so confused, his face didn't seem like he was lying. Anong nangyayari? "You know what, just rest up. You just woke up from a coma..." Naluluha na bulong sa akin ni Lucas. What does he mean?
"Anong coma? Hindi ako na aksidente!" Sigaw ko bago ko itry tumayo but I just tripped, he supported me. "Where the fuck is my Cleo?! What happened to her?!" Mahina ang tuhod ko and I have no choice but to hold onto his arm.
Coma? Ginagago ba nila ako?
"Ma'am Xerena please calm down—"
"What do you mean calm down?! I don't even know kung bakit at pano ako napunta dito! Let me go! For fucks sake let me go!" The nurses started to hold me down and naiiyak na lang ako. All I could think of...
Was her.
Agad akong naluha, what happened? Was it all just a dream? Bakit damang dama ko yung sakit? Why the hell did it feel so real? "You might experience fatigue for now, miss Chavez, please take your time calming down..."
I couldn't process a single thing they were saying. Ang dami ko pang iniisip. At dumagdag pa ito.
I let hours pass not talking to anyone kahit na pilit akong kinakausap ni Lucas. "Xerena naman. Kausapin mo naman ako...Please?" Pagmamakaawa sa akin ni Lucas. Why were they here and Cleo wasn't?
"Ano ba?" Irita kong tanong sa kanya, nanghihina pa rin ang buo kong katawan. "Bakit ba ang kulit kulit nyo?"
"Xerena you just woke up from a crash. Tingin mo ba hindi kami magaalala para sayo?"
"I didn't get into a car crash accident oh my god Lucas!"
"You we're driving that night! Drunk with your circle of friends after your birthday party! Nahit and run ka! You don't remember that? Tell me how you got into a coma then."
"Lucas I was with Silvestre just last night!"
"Silvestre was working at his bar along with his wife, Xerena. He wasn't with you yesterday." Coma...Waking up...Different situations...Different events...
Sinubukan kong isipin lahat nang posibilidad. Was it real? Or during my sleep while in coma...It was all just a lie? Two years. I was comatose for two years if that's true. Anything within that year, every single day in that year, I was spending time with Cleo. Who the fuck knows if someone else in that dream doesn't really exist.
"You really don't know any Cleo?"
"No...Xerena, who is she, really? Nalilito na din talaga ako nang dahil sayo..." Reklamo ni Lucas
BINABASA MO ANG
Find me in your pages | THE WATTYS 2023
RomanceTO LOVE AGAIN TRILOGY OO1 "I am no good with words, they might not reach your ears." Xerena whispered with the old poems she wrote for her still in hand. "But I wish that in my poems, it's my thoughts and feelings that you hear." The sunset started...
