T.S. STORIES #4: Say Don't Go (Completed)

Chapter 17

Day four. I was supposed to be alone today, but Greg insisted on coming with me. It's not that we are not on good terms today, but he really doesn't want me to reconcile with Raiver. I mean, I already have—a few weeks ago, but I am not friends with him either. From time to time, I keep telling him to fix his grumpy face whenever he tries to take a look at Raiver; it's something I'm not used to seeing from him. Greg's been a happy guy ever since, so it's really strange of him being this upset, like the way our conversation heated up last night.

"Greg, I don't like the attitude you're showing earlier. Kaka-meet mo pa lang sa kanila, nakabusangot ka na," I told him while getting our bed ready.

"I don't like him. 'Di ko pa rin makakalimutan 'yong sobrang paghagulgol mo dahil sa kanya. Sinaktan ka niya, and that's why I don't like him," he retorted, with his arms crossed.

"Greg, matagal na 'yon. Naka-move on na ako. Sina Annie at Kristelle, naka-move on na rin. Kaya, ikaw, move on ka na rin. Tsaka, wala rin naman akong balak na makipag-close sa kanya. At ilang beses ko nang sinabi sa iyo na hindi siya magkaka-interesado sa akin dahil may girlfriend na rin iyon—"

"I refuse to believe. Remember when someone walked up to you back when we were in second year? That guy named Noel who was crushing over you. The way he stared at you is the same as how Raiver looked at you earlier."

Wait, Noel? Who is he— Oh, that freshman at that time? Really? That Noel had feelings for me? Why didn't I know this?

I gave him a flustered look. "Really?"

He shook his head. "Forget about it. Noel's not for you either. The main point here, you and the guy who broke your heart years ago are hanging out at the same place. Could you please leave that project?"

Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? It's kind of upsetting to hear all of this from him. "Alam mo, Greg, ang OA mo na. Tulog na tayo dahil maaga pa ako bukas."

His grumpy face has got me bothered again. There, I came up with an idea. I put down my brush and approached him. He's three steps up on a step ladder, so he looked down at me upon noticing my presence. "What?"

"Baba ka 'jan. Break muna tayo," I smiled.

I caught him sighing, before he finally decided to stop stroking the brush on the wall. When he took a step down on the ladder, he tripped and lost his balance. It was too late to quicken my reflexes when he fell to the sandy ground. "Greg!"

He groaned in pain as he tried to get up, before I finally noticed the bleeding scratch on his arm. I went down to the ground where he fell and saw a sharp glass that camouflaged on the sand. I grabbed it and threw it away. He groaned again, which panicked me.

Just before I could call for help, Venice appeared and summoned Raiver. "Oh my god! Medic!" she yelled to the other side of the beach.

"Icarus," he gasped. "I can't move my leg. Di ako makatayo."

I turned to Raiver who happened to hear it. "Raiver, take him to the hospital. Please," I pleaded.

I felt a grip of Greg's hand on my arm, tightened upon I spoke to Raiver. He really doesn't want me to interact with Raiver, even in times of need.

Raiver called someone on the phone, while I took off my polo shirt to wrap around his wound for the meantime. I didn't think of anything else anymore, just for Greg's sake. And thank goodness, an ambulance arrived and took Greg on a stretcher. He didn't let go of me, so I went into the ambulance with him. I looked back, leaving everyone distressed.

As they took us to the nearest hospital, I thought of Greg's parents aside from Greg himself. If this gets to their end, I'll be in trouble. He's their unico hijo and this happened to him all of a sudden.

When we arrived, they dragged his stretcher down the hall until we reached the ER, but I was prohibited to go along with the nurses. They pulled his hand out of mine, and left it raised in the air, trying to reach me. It was a sight that clenched my chest, as he called my name. The doors closed, leaving me with no other choice but to stay in the lobby, clutching my head out of unease.

"Icarus," another one called me. He grabbed my wrist until he led us to the vacant benches. "Just take a seat for the meantime. He will be fine. They will take care of him," he assured.

I finally took a seat, but it didn't take away all the worries in me. A lot is going on in my mind, and I couldn't think straight.

When I felt a jacket to wrap me, I finally realized his presence. I turned to him, and I am pretty sure he uttered some words, but my mind was too cloudy to comprehend it all. I closed my eyes, and let the darkness take over my sight.

The next thing I knew, I woke up to see the same door where Greg was taken. I was leaning my head on someone's shoulder, which happened to be Raiver. His arm held me closer to him, but when he saw me finally waking up, he took his hand off me. "How are you feeling—"

"Where's Greg?" my sudden question out of panic.

"He's resting. Wanna see him?"

He led us to the doors and went through, and I was greeted with a lot of patients that were all in need of immediate help. I looked for Greg, until a nurse approached us. She took us to a cubicle where I finally saw Greg in between the blue curtains, resting on a hospital bed. I strode towards him, and held his hand. "Greg, andito na ako," I spoke, which woke him up.

"Icaru—"

He paused when he turned his sight to my side. "Bakit andito 'yan?"

"Greg, 'wag muna ngayon, please lang," I said, trying not to lose my cool.

"We're not at the beach anymore. Maybe I can finally say this directly to him," he added.

"Is there any problem?" Raiver asked, which got me thinking of dragging him out of the place. I turned him around but before I could take him away for his sake, Greg spoke again.

"Hindi kita mapapatawad sa ginawa mo kay Icarus. Wala akong pakialam kung matagal na iyon. Mas mabuting lubayan mo na siya ngayon pa lang," he menaced, trying to intimidate Raiver.

I smiled sheepishly to Raiver, trying to break the tension that Greg clearly wants to escalate. "Raiver, usap na lang tayo mamaya."

I tried to pull him, but he didn't move. There, I saw the flustered look on his face. He turned around to face Greg. "I get it now. Now I know why you looked mad at me since our first meeting."

He paused, with every second of silence intensified the worry in me. "Raive—"

"Just to let you know, we have already cleared things up. I don't think he still has issues with me. And aside from that, I don't see any problem in working with him. Kung meron man, hindi ko naman siya pipilitin pang mag-stay sa project namin," he explained calmly and gave a smile.

"Anyway, whatever your decision, we will still cover your bill here. Nothing to worry about. You can stay for a while, hanggang sa lumamig ang ulo mo," Raiver grinned before he finally left us.

When I turned to Greg, I couldn't resist but to pinch his leg. He groaned, but I didn't care much as I rolled my eyes on him. "Kita mo? Naka-move on ang lahat. Ayaw makinig eh," I said.

He sighed out of defeat. "Fine. Sorry na. 'Wag ka na magalit. Concern lang naman ako sa'yo eh," he wooed.

"Sige, patatawarin na kita," I accepted his apology. "Pero sa tingin mo ba patatawarin ako ng parents mo kung malalaman nila ang tungkol rito?"

He scratched his head. "Ako na bahala sa kanila. 'Wag mo munang sabihin sa kanila ngayon. Mag-eexplain ako pagbalik ko," he said.

I shook my head out of unease. Oh God, help me.