NOT A RIVALRY

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

OUTSIDE the emergency room in the waiting area Edward couldn't sit still, he's pacing back and forth until Noah's sisters and friends arrived.

"Ed, how's Kuya?" Bungad na tanong sa kanya ni Naia.

Hindi pa nasasagot ni Edward si Naia nang may pigura ng isang doctor na tumatakbo ang huminto sa harapan nila.

"Naih, Naia what happened? Where's my baby Noah?" Anang ginang na doctor.

Napatingin si Edward sa kararating na ginang. It's no other than Isabella Vitale, Kyng Callen's mother. She's still catching her breath, she also look exhausted and in despite of her age— she still manage to look beautiful and sophisticated.

"Tita, he's still in the ER." Kuha niya sa atensyon ng ginang. "The doctor and nurses are already taking care of him." Dagdag pa niya.

Isabella calm herself and blink off the tears that was about to fall down her cheeks. She's worried but she needs to stay calm, as calm as when she's treating her patients. "What exactly happened to my baby boy, Edward?" She asked, she knows Edward for he is one of her eldest son's friends.

Agad naman kinuwento ni Edward ang nangyari. "I was in the student council office together with the other officers when he called Naia who happens to left her phone in the office. I answered the call and he's asking for help. He told me that he couldn't breathe, he's coughing a lot and even having a hard time to speak. After hearing that I run as fast as I could but I arrived too late, wala akong nagawa nang mahimatay siya at mahulog sa hagdan, I'm sorry."

Ang kaninag tahimik at umiiyak na si Naih ay nag-angat ng tingin at tinignan si Edward. Of all people, hindi niya aakalaing ito ang tutulong kay Noah knowing na miyembro ito ng Black Panther na rival ng Gang nila. "Wala kang kasalanan Edward, kung meron man dapat sisihin walang iba kundi ako. If I was just able to answer his call, nothing like this would happen. Naging pabaya din kami, alam namin ni Naia na sinusumpong na naman siya ng asthma niya pero kinukunsinte pa rin namin siya. Sana hindi rin kami nakinig sa kanya noong sinasabi niyang okay lang siya." Naiiyak na turan ni Naih.

Totoo naman talaga iyon, ilang araw na nila nakikita ang kapatid na hindi maayos ang pakiramdam pero kapag sinabi nitong okay lang ito, naniniwala naman sila agad na dapat pala ay hindi nila ginawa.

Naiinis si Naih sa kanyang sarili, ni wala siyang nagawa kanina sa school tapos ngayon nasa ospital sila wala rin siyang magawa kundi ang sisihin lang ang sarili. If they could just change places with her brother, Naih would do it in a heartbeat.

Sa kanilang tatlo ay si Noah lang ang may ganoong kundisyon kaya may mga oras talaga na limitado lang ang nagagawa nito. Just like in the Gangster Arena— Noah knows how to fight, he's strong too but his body had its limitation that's why he often stay in the corner and just watched everyone fight.

She and Naia are the healthier one and they should be the one taking care of their brother but it always happened the other way around. It's always their brother taking care of them.

Nagpakawala nang malalim na buntong hininga si Isabella at inayos ang suot na doctor's coat. "Stop the blaming, it's no one's fault. Stay here, I'll go inside and see his situation." Kalmadong aniya kapagkuwan ay naglakad na papasok sa ER.

Nang makapasok sa ER si Isabella naiwan naman sa waiting area sina Naih. Tahimik lang silang naghihintay hanggang sa basagin na ni Naia ang katahimikan.

"Thank you, Ed." Malumanay na untag ni Naia.

Edward's heart skip a beat after hearing Naia's voice, he slightly smile and speak. "It's nothing. Noah and I are friends, hindi pa naman ako ganoon kasama para pabayaan ko siya."