Dito at Ngayon

Chapter 10: She's My Forever

Nagising ako ng nasa kwarto na ng isang ospital. Hindi ko alam kung paano nangyari yun. Wala akong maalala.

"Paanong-" sabi ko habang sinusubukan umupo nang bigla kong naramdaman yung sakit ng binti ko.

"Anak, wag ka masyadong gumalaw," narinig kong sabi ng boses ng babae. Si Mom? Bakit siya nandito? Na saan ba ko?

"Mom?" sabi ko at nilingon ko siya.

"Yes, anak. Buti nagkamalay ka na," inakap niya ko at pagharap niya saken, umiiyak na siya, "Grabe yung naging aksidente, Greg. Akala ko.. akala ko mawawala ka na talaga samen ng Daddy mo."

"Ano po bang-" napahawak ako sa ulo ko. Sumasakit lalo tuwing gusto kong alalahanin ang mga nangyari.

At biglang bumalik saken ang lahat. Lahat lahat ng nangyari kahapon. Sana nabangga ko na rin yung ulo ko para wala na kong naalala na kahit ano. Pati yung sakit sana nakalimutan ko na rin. Kung ganun lang sana yung nangyari.

"Greg, may bisita ka pala, sunduin ko lang siya," sabi ni Mom at lumabas na ng kwarto.

"Ano, hijo, naalala mo na ba mga nangyari?" tanong ni Dad.

"Sana nga Dad hindi ko na lang maalala. Sana namatay na-"

"Don't even dare think of that," sabi ni Dad, at ramdam ko sa boses niya na may halong pag-aalala at pagkainis ang pagkakasabi niya, "Do you really wanna die and leave her for good? You're not gonna fight for her? You're not gonna take her back? Were you hurt that bad for you to even think of dying instead of trying again?"

How did he know? But, what he said really hit me.

"Hindi mo na ba siya mahal, hijo?" tanong ulit ni Dad. Pero hindi pa rin ako nakaimik.

But I can't deny the fact that even if she had hurt me, I still love her.

"Kasi kung mahal mo pa siya, anak, you need to keep proving that to her. No matter what happens."

"How.." finally, nakapagsalita na ako, "How did you know?"

"Kasi ganyan din ako dati," sagot ni Dad at ngumiti, pero halong lungkot ang mga mata niya, "I was also a playboy back then. And unlike you who had your reasons, I didn't. I was just like that. Pogi ako nung kabataan ako," ngumisi kami pareho, "and I liked getting attention from hot girls. Not until your mom came into my life. The moment I saw her, I just thought, I wanted her to be mine. I approached her that very day and asked her for her name, but you know what she said to the hottest guy in school? She said, 'Get lost jerk. I don't deal with guys who causes nothing but heartbreak.'"

I laughed. I never thought my Mom talked like that when she was young, because now, she looked and sounded like an angel.

"She sounds so much like Amie," I whispered.

"I bet she does, and I bet that's why she likes your Amie so much. She could see herself in her."

"What did you do then? Paano ka niya hinayaan na manligaw?"

"Ohh. That's a tough one," sagot niya at ngumiti ulit, "Nung una ang hirap niya talagang suyuin. Wala talaga siyang tiwala saken. She didn't believe me even if I didn't flirt with other girls anymore. And boy how that made those chicks mad. I guess that's part of it. Nagalit nga siya saken nung minsan dahil lagi siyang nasasangkot sa tsismis ng mga babae sa university namin nun at siya na daw yung pinagkakabaliwan ko. Pero hindi ako sumuko. Everyday binilhan ko siya ng flowers at chocolates. I wanted to see her smile at me, just once. Pero every time I gave it to her, tinignan niya lang ako sa mata, and ipapakita sa harap ko mismo na tinapon niya lang yung mga yun sa basurahan. Hindi ko alam nun kung bakit niya ginagawa yun. At that time, akala ko gusto niya lang talaga ako makitang malungkot," lumungkot ulit yung mga mata ni Dad at onti-onting nawala yung ngiti niya.