Make Me Understand

Chapter 10

Karina sigh as she reached her floor.

Galing s'ya sa bahay ni Kai para mapag-usapan nilang magkakaibigan ang nangyari at para nadin pagsabihan si Felix sa mali n'ya.

Sila nga mismo ang nahihiya sa ginawa ng kaibigan lalo na't nito lang nila nakilala si Winter and they're trying to get her trust too.

Pero after what happened? They feel like they're back to zero again.

Before walking towards her door, huminto muna si Karina sa harap ng pinto ni Winter at kumatok.

She's hoping for Winter to open it and is actually wishing that it's not Chaewon. Nakita n'ya kung gaano nalang ang galit ng mga kaibigan ni Chaewon kanina sakanila kahit wala naman silang kinalaman kaya paano pa kaya s'ya na kapatid mismo ni Winter?

“Karina? Hey, it's late na ah.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Gosh, hindi nga si Chaewon at hindi din si Winter, ang panganay naman nila ang nagbukas ng pinto.

“A-ate Taeyeon, good evening po. Uhm,” she cleared her throat to collect herself together, “I'm very sorry about what happened earlier this day, I swear —” but she was cut off when Taeyeon raised her palm up to stop her.

“You don't have to say sorry, you didn't do anything wrong, Karina. Now if you're saying sorry in behalf of your friend naman, I'm sorry pero I won't accept it. If he's sorry, he should be the one in front of me right now, not you nor anyone else.”

Karina nods her head, “Naiintindihan ko po.”

Taeyeon then finally smiled at her, “Winter is sleeping na. Talk to her tomorrow nalang, pahinga ka nadin.”

“Okay po, thank you ate Taeyeon.”

And Karina slept that night, feeling uneasy and bothered how she would talk to Winter the next day.

• • •

It was raining. Again. It was rainy season after all.

Karina found herself inside Winter's unit, nakaupo at kaharap si Winter na naka-pajama pa at nakatitig lang sakan'ya, parang bagong gising pero hindi naman.

Si Chaewon ang nagpapasok sakan'ya and to her surprise, hindi naman galit si Chaewon sakan'ya. The latter have the same opinion as her ate, na wala namang kinalaman don si Karina.

Umalis din naman si Chaewon dahil may pasok s'ya at iniwan silang dalawa.

“Sorry, Winter. Hindi nag-isip ng maayos yung kaibigan ko.” panimula n'ya.

“Okay lang.”

“It's not. It's not okay to accuse you and put you in jail, Winter, especially wala ka naman talagang kasalanan.”

“Okay lang talaga. Sanay na ako.”

“Sa presinto?”

“Oo. At makulong na din.”

Karina was taken aback. She doesn't know what to say pero she don't want to ask Winter what does she mean by that, baka kasi ma-offend ito.

Buti nalang at nag-ring ang cellphone n'ya na agad naman n'yang sinagot para makatakas.

“Ning? Bakit?”

“Kasama mo si Winter?”

“Huh? Oo, bakit ba?”

“Bumaba kayo, dali!”

“Why?”

“Basta! Dalian mo ah!” and her friend ended the call.