Fated To Love

Kabanata 16

GUSTO na lamang lumubog ni Rivi sa kinatatayuan niya kanina habang sinasabi ng kanyang ama iyon kay Zero. Sobrang nahihiya siya. Wala naman silang relasyon para pagsabihan nito si Zero. Kung alam lang ng ama niya ang ginagawa niya, baka mahampas pa siya ng tungkod nito.

That's why now, she can hardly look straight at Zero and doesn't know what to do or to say. She was just looking outside the window of the car. Kanina pa niya hinihiling na sana bilisan nito ang pagpapatakbo para makalabas na siya at makahinga ng maayos. Sa presensiya nito at lapit nila, hindi siya mapakali. Kinakabahan siya.

"Is there still no eye donor for your father, Paulina?" tanong ni Zero na siyang bumasag sa kanilang katahimikan.

"Huh—uhm, not yet."

"Sa U.S eye banks, nakontak na ba ang ospital doon?"

"They did. They said there are still many people on the waiting list who need an eye transplant." Nang sinabi sa kanila ng doctor iyon, nanlumo siya't nasaktan para sa kalagayan ng kanyang ama. At alam niyang isa iyon sa dahilan kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang pagbabago nito, pakiramdam kasi nito ay wala na itong pag-asa. Sa tuwing naiisip niya kung hanggang kailan magtitiis ang kanyang ama sa kalagayan nito, nasasaktan lang lalo siya.

Rivi felt a warm palm touch her hand. She looked at Zero's hand that was holding her. 

"I will help you. Sisiguraduhin kong hindi matatapos ang taon na ito't makakakita rin ang iyong ama," paninigurado nito habang ang buong atensyon ay nasa daan, kasabay ng pagpisil nito sa kanyang palad.

"It's fine, Zero, we'll wait until the hospital finds a donor."

"That's not okay with me, Paulina, as long as I see in your eyes the pain and concern for your father."

"Zero..."

"I promise you, I will help you." Malamlam siya nitong tiningnan, ngunit agad din ibinalik ang tingin sa daan.

She gently took back her hand that he was holding. She saw out of the corner of her eye that he looked at her, but she ignored it. Naguguluhan na siya sa mga ipinapakita nito sa kanya. Wala silang kahit na anong relasyon para tulungan siya nito. Tutulungan ba sila para idagdag sa utang nila ang gagawin nito? Malinaw pa sa kanya ang sinabi nito na negosyante lang ito at hindi nag-nenegosyo na babagsak at malulugi lang.

"G-Good thing nawala na ang pamamantal mo. Sorry ulit," pag-iba niya sa usapan dahil kung anu-ano na ang naiisip niya.

"Yeah, I went to our family doctor a while ago and got an injection of medicine to quickly get rid of the rashes on my neck and face. You have nothing to apologize for, Paulina. It was my decision to eat it so it's not your fault," marahang paliwanag nito, nagpapaintindi.

Even so. If she didn't put it on his plate, he wouldn't eat it. He just said that to appease her feelings, but the truth is that she is still the one to blame.

"Gwapo na ba ako ulit? Hindi na ba ako mukhang pinapak ng bubuyog? That's what the doctor told me earlier, I look like I've been stung by many bees because of the swelling of my rashes," he said smiling. Pansin niya dito minsan kapag kinakausap siya nito'y para itong bata, tila ba naglalambing.

Every time she saw his smiles, her fears and doubts were removed. He was so different now than when she first saw him and didn't yet know him. Back then, he was scary to look at because you could see from his appearance and aura that he had a high social status and above all, a dangerous person. Ngunit ngayon na unti-unti niyang nakikilala ang pagkatao nito, masasabi niyang may pagka-bobo din pala ito.

"Mukha ka nga pinapak ng bubuyog kanina dahil sa pamamaga ng mukha mo. You already know you're allergic to it, why did you still eat it?" Hindi niya talaga makuha kung ano ang pumasok sa kokote nito't kinain nito 'yun kung puwede namang umayaw at sabihin na lang sa kanya na allergic ito. Hindi pa naman siya ganun kasama para ipilit nito iyon kung nalaman niya lang.