OFFLINE (Suspire Series #4)

Kabanata 16

Nathalie

Natahimik ang lahat ng tao sa kwarto dahil sa tanong ko. Tinitigan ko sila isa-isa. Si Solana, Ezra, Alice, Magda, at Lexa lang ang kilala ko pero ang iba ay hindi na. Ni hindi ko nga kilala itong lalakeng una kong nakita.

"Nat," sambit ni Ezra kaya napunta ang atensyon ko sa kaniya. "Matagal ng wala si Lulliane. Dalawang taon na ang nakakalipas," saad niya.

Naguluhan ako. Sinubukan kong umupo ngunit kaunting galaw ko lang ay sobrang sakit na sa likod ng ulo ko. Mabilis akong inalalayan nung lalake. Nilagyan niya ng unan ang likuran ko para makaupo at makasandal ng maayos.

What did she mean, Lulliane was dead? Did she not make it? Naluluha akong napatitig sa kaniya.

"Totoo ba?" I asked Sol.

She nodded. "She was gone," naiiyak na sambit niya. "I almost lost you too." Lumapit siya sa akin at niyakap ako ng mahigpit habang umiiyak.

I'm still confused. What's happening? I winced because of the sudden pain in my head.

Biglang may pumasok na doctor at kinamusta ang pakiramdam ko. Hinayaan ko siyang i-examine ako at nang matapos ay seryoso niya akong tiningnan.

"Anong huli mong naalala?" he asked. I felt the guy beside me was holding my hand, so I reluctantly let go. There's a pain in his eyes, but I was glad he let me.

I told the doctor and pretty much everyone in the room what I remembered.

Lulliane and I were in the bar when there were five guys who manhandled us and put us in a van. I remember that we were taken into a small house in the middle of the woods, and then we got out. Lulliane was shot protecting me, but I also got shot too. That's what I thought was the reason why I'm in the hospital right now.

The doctor looked at me with a grim expression. "Based on her recent scans, she doesn't have any brain damage, but due to the severe concussion she sustained during the accident, it's very likely that Nat was experiencing temporary amnesia."

Everyone in the room gasped. Napatakip sa bibig si Sol at Ezra. And I noticed that almost everyone was staring at the guy beside me.

"She may not remember the accident or events leading up to it. She might also have gaps in her memory," pagtutuloy ng doctor.

"Babalik din ba ang mga alala niya? Gaano katagal?" tanong ng lalakeng kamukha ng nasa tabi ko. He looks like he's in his 50s.

"Yes, it will return. For some patients, memory returns within a few hours, while for others, it might take days or even weeks. The important thing is to be patient and supportive with the patient," tugon ng doctor.

May mga sinabi pa siya pero hindi na ako gaano nakinig dahil sumasakit ang ulo ko sa mga nalalaman ko. Nakapikit ako at napahawak sa dibdib ko dahil nagsisimula nang tumulo ang luha ko. I fucking have amnesia. What did I missed?

Hindi nagtagal ay nagpaalam na rin 'yong doctor. Bumalik ulit sa katahimikan ang buong kwarto.

"Everyone, please, get out," saad ko. Hindi ko alam kung galit ba 'yong boses ko, o sumigaw ba ako pero wala na akong pakialam.

I'm so overwhelmed by what's happening that I think I can't breathe. I held my chest and took a deep, calming breath. And suddenly, I felt someone wrap their arms around me. The body heat that's coming off of this person calmed me down.

"Shh..."

A few minutes later, I finally relaxed. I don't want to be pulled from this person's embrace, but I have to because I realize that it was the guy who held my hand. The first person I saw when I woke up.