That Summer Night of August

Kabanata 35

I woke up in a hospital bed. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, and I could hear the faint noise of Gabriel and Lawrence arguing nearby. Their voices were tense, filled with emotion.

Napawak ako sa aking sentido nang maramdamang ang bigat ng pakiramdam ko. Nasabayan pa sa pagtatalo ng dalawang kasama ko sa loob ng hospital room.

"Stop ruining everything, Lawrence," Gabriel's voice was cold and sharp, unlike the usual warmth I associated with him.

"I'm not ruining anything, Gabriel. Dee deserves to know the truth!" Lawrence countered, his tone equally intense.

"Do you think I don't know that?" Gabriel snapped. "But this isn't the right way. It's too much for Dee all at once. You saw what happened in the park!"

Lawrence scoffed, his voice rising. "Oh, so now you're the expert on what's best for Dee? Keeping secrets and lying is your idea of protecting him?"

"I didn't lie!" Gabriel shot back. "I just didn't tell him everything. There's a difference."

"Yeah, a difference that would broke him," Lawrence retorted. "Masyado kang focus sa pag-control ng mga lahat, you can't even see the damage you're doing!"

Gabriel's face flushed with anger. "And you think you're some kind of hero? Barging in, stirring up memories without any consideration for how it might affect him?"

"At least I'm honest!" Lawrence yelled. "I've been there for Dee, every step of the way, while you were hiding behind your new identity!"

Gabriel took a step closer to Lawrence, his fists clenched. "You don't get to decide what's best for him. You don't know what it's like to carry this guilt, this fear that telling the truth will hurt him even more."

Lawrence didn't back down. "And you think I don't feel guilty? Watching him struggle, seeing him in pain and knowing that part of it is because you won't just be honest with him?"

Gabriel's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and pain. "This isn't about you, Lawrence! This is about Dee and what he can handle."

Lawrence's voice softened, but it still held a steely edge. "Dee is stronger than you think. He deserves to know everything, Gabriel. You're underestimating him."

Gabriel shook his head, his voice breaking. "I'm not underestimating him. I'm terrified of losing him."

Gusto kong umiyak dahil sa mga narinig ko. Akala ko okay na ang lahat. Akala ko magiging okay ako kapag susubukan kong alalahanin ang mga ala-alang hindi ko alam na mayroon ako.

"Get out," wala sa sarili kong sabi na siyang nakapagpatigil sa dalawa. "Get out, you two." I said, my voice was trembling.

Gabriel and Lawrence turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of shock and concern.

"Dee, listen, we were just—" Gabriel started, but I cut him off.

"Just what, Gabriel? Arguing about my life like I'm not even here?" My voice was rising, my anger spilling over. "Do you have any idea how that feels? Waking up to find out that there are secrets about me, decisions being made without my knowledge?"

"Dee, we were trying to protect you," Lawrence said softly, but I could hear the frustration in his voice.

"Protect me? By keeping me in the dark? By lying to me?" I shook my head, feeling the sting of betrayal. "That's not protection. That's control."

Gabriel's face fell, and he took a step closer. "Dee, please. You have to understand. We didn't want to hurt you. We thought it was best to wait until you were ready."