Healed Story by Jay Bartholome

Chapter 21: Ethan Was Dazed

ETHAN

  "You really want to know the reason? Ethan?" Tanong sakin ni Natalie.

  "Yeah?" Sagot ko naman.

  "Senior Alex is Jake Lee," Sabi niya sa akin at tumango yung mga kaklase ko sa akin.

  "What?!" Napasigaw ako at di ko alam na nadoon na yung prof namin. How??

  "Mr. Maxwell, keep your volume down. Everybody, you still have 10 minutes vacant before we got into the orientation... I advised na wag na kayong lumabas... We will start shortly," Sabi ng prof namin at naupo sa kaniyang desk sa likod. Bumalik ako sa usapan namin ni Natalie at mga kaklase ko sa harap at likod. All eyes were on me.

  "How???" Tanong ko kay Natalie.

  "Didn't you see his ID?" Tanong naman sakin ni Enzo, kaklase ko sa harap.

  "I didn't pay attention..." Sabi ko naman.

  "His name is Jake Alexander Lee right? Sabi niya sa amin noong nagbabantay siya sa amin. Ang middle name niya daw ay Diaz pero di niya ito ginagamit kase wala na daw mom niya." Sabi naman ni Trixie, katabi ni Enzo.

  "Kinuha niya yung Alex sa Alexander and yung Diaz doon sa middle initial niya. Gets mo na??" Sabi naman ni Irish, katabi ko naman sa right side.

  "You should talk to him later... Agahan mo after uwian, maraming girls ang natambay at nagkukunwaring may regla. Pero in reality, gusto lang nilang makita si senior Jake," sabi naman ni Natalie.

  "Noted..."

~3 hours later

  We did our orientation about the subjects. The schedule will be hectic, the laboratory will be our second home. New friends din. Trixie and Enzo are lovers as for Irish and Natalie, I'm still not sure.

  We had our dismissal. Nagpaalam na ako kala Natalie. Pumunta ako sa Infirmary ng school. There are 5 infirmaries' on the campus. I headed to the one near my building.

  I saw the sign 'Infirmary' and went there. It was not big but was not small either. I saw a person inside.

  "JAKE!" Sigaw ko at tumakbo ako sa direksyon niya at niyakap ko sa likod.

  "Jake! Ang tagal kitang di nakita-" napatigil ako noong humarap yung niyayakap ko. It was an old man wearing a lab coat.

  "Pftttt" Pagpipigil ng tawa ni Jake sa may pintuan. WTF~

  Ikinalaki ng mata ko lahat nang pangyayari. Agad akong umaklas sa pagkayakap ko doon sa matandang lalaki. Humingi din ako ng tawad. Nakakahiya ka Ethan kahit kailan.

  "Sorry po, sorry po!" Sabi habang na yuko-yuko. Umalis naman yoon at naiwan kami ni Jake sa infirmary. He's leaning on the door frame. He's so chill, just like the old him.

  "Ano tinatawa-tawa mo dan? Kutusan kita, tandaan mo mastanda ako sayo, hmp!" Sabi ko dito at tumawa niya nang tumawa. Huminto siya at umupo siya sa table niya. May sofa naman at umupo ako doon.

  "Ano ang condition mo mr. Maxwell?" Tanong niya sa akin.

  "Luh. Hindi ba pwedeng na miss lang kaibigan ko?" Inis kong sabi dito. He giggled at humarap sakin.

  "Ah ganon ba? Maari ka ng umalis, hindi kita na miss," Pangiinis nito pabalik sa akin. Piste.

  "Jake naman oh!"

  "Kidding aside. Kamusta ka?"

  "Wow ha! You have changed a lot. Ayos lang, ikaw ba?"

  "I'm doing good,"

  "Btw wala kang klase ngayon?"

  "No, I no longer have classes, I'm working"

  "Huh? What do you mean?"

  "I'm taking one year off. They thought I was too advanced. I'll work in the infirmary in the meantime. Other doctors have also examined me, I was qualified to be a doctor already due to my experiences and skills. Although I need to go through the courses to be a 'QUALIFIED' doctor," Pagpapaliwanag niya.

  "Ang angas mo talaga kahit kailan, sana all"

  "Oo nga, di ako katulad mo, yumayakap sa ibang tao, hindi man lang tinitignan ng mabuti hahaha" panunukso nito.

  "Hoy Jake Lee baka sinasakal kita! Sino ba yun?"

  "He's an equipment inspector. Napunta siya dito weekly to check on the hospital equipment,"

  "Hangang kailan pa shift mo? Papasama sana ako sa dormitory, di pa ako nag-aapply, wala din kasing tao kanina doon. Iniwan ko nalang din gamit ko doon,"

  "Hindi pa!? Maka maubusan ka Ethan, madami ang estudyante na nag apply doon kanina, tara na, pa hapon na naman." Sabi niya. He's the Jake I knew, I'm glad. Nevertheless, I still owe him a lot.

  He took his bag and we decided to go to the dormitory. It was a few blocks from our department. As soon as we arrived, nasa hub parin yung mga gamit ko.

  "I'm very sorry sir. There is only one more room available, and that slot was taken by a freshman earlier. She's with another mate," Pagpapaumanhin ni Mandong, and nagtratrabaho sa dormitory ng school.

  "Ah is that so? Thank you po. By the way, could you help us withdraw the dorm credits of my friend?" Sabi ni Jake with manners.

  "Jake, wala akong mapupuntahan. I really did not came here ready, di man lang ako nagresearch about the areas outside the campus," Sinabi ko naman sa kaniya. Bigla niyang hiningi ang card ko sa dorm na may laman na 50 thousand. Binalik niya sakin yung card at wala ng laman. He gave me the cash and umalis na. Noong nasa pinto na siya, he said...

  "You're living with me. Gather up your stuff, kukunin ko yung car," Sabi naman niya. Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

  "Ha?!"