what if we happened

34. Viviana's Horror

Chapter 34: Viviana's Horror

Seren

It was nearly midnight. Mahimbing nang natutulog si Mama kaya ayaw kong maistorbo pa iyon para magpaalam, kay Papa ako nagsabi na aalis ako nang ganitong oras through message, knowing he was on his way home from work. Madaling-madali ako, that's why hindi ko na hinintay pa ang reply niya.

I already knew he would say no. Of course, gabing-gabi na at delikadong lumabas nang mag-isa but I don't care. If I had to break the rules tonight, then I would—no hesitation.

Para sa kaibigan ko, I would do anything.

Sobra-sobra ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko nang makarating ako sa bahay ni Anais but I froze at the doorway of her room. That's when I heard it.

Crying.

Natakot ako.

Viviana's crying—iyak na parang walang kahit anong bagay ang makapagpapatahan.

That sound made my heart drop.

I didn't want to see her like this but I had to.

Taking a deep breath, tuluyan na akong pumasok. Viviana was sitting on the edge of Anais's bed. Her face was soaked in tears. Nadurog ang puso ko. She looked like a completely different person, gulo-gulong ang buhok at pati na rin ang kaniyang suot, mababasang may hindi talaga magandang nangyari.

Kung ikukumpara siya sa aming tatlo, hindi hamak na siya ang pinakamatapang at malakas ang loob—but what I saw tonight was the complete opposite. I've never seen her like this before. Never siyang nagpakita ng kahinaan. Nakakulong sa mga mata niya ang matinding takot at mabigat na trauma.

This isn't her.

Hindi umiiyak ang kaibigan ko nang ganito. I know her.

Katabi niya si Thalia, her eyes are red and puffy. Hindi na ito nag-abalang magpalit ng suot na pajamas, she must've come the moment Anais called, just like I did.

Without a second thought, I just went to Viviana and hugged her tight. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang panginginig niya, mas naramdam ko ang takot at pangamba niya.

"Vebs," hagulgol niya nang makilala ako, mahigpit siyang tumugon sa yakap ko. Her sobbing grew louder.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" Iyon ang unang lumabas sa bibig ko. I knew they were useless. A feeble question in the face of something so devastating, she clearly wasn't okay. Minsan, 'yon lang ang kayang itanong kapag hindi alam kung paano magsimula.

Our hearts recognize pain but our minds are too stunned to make sense of it. Ayaw kong maniwala na nangyari ito sa kaniya.

"Hindi," she rasped.

"May masakit ba sa iyo? Did he do something to you?Sinaktan ka ba niya?" sunod-sunod ko pang tanong.

"Wala," she whispered again.

"Ano ba talaga ang nangyari?" I asked softly, though I wasn't sure I was ready to hear the answer.

Hindi na ako nagawang sagutin pa ni Viviana, her only answer was silence and the sound of her weeping. Umiling siya at naramdaman ko na lang na ibinaon niya ang mukha niya sa balikat ko. Ayaw kumalma ng katawan niya.

Anais stepped forward. Itiningala ko ang paningin ko sa kaniya. She looked like she'd aged in the span of a few minutes, her face had gone pale. I waited for her to speak up. "Muntikan . . ." hirap na hirap siyang ituloy ang sasabihin, parang may bumara sa lalamunan niya. "Muntikan nang pagsamantalahan kaibigan natin."

For a few seconds, I couldn't breathe.

Pakiramdam ko biglang lumiit ang mundo.

Kanina na ibinalita niya 'yon sa akin over the phone, hindi iyon matanggap ng isipan ko. Akala ko, baka may ibang ibig sabihin, baka mali ako ng iniisip, baka na-misunderstood ko lang. Ngayon na naririnig ko ang pag-iyak ni Viviana at nang marinig ko ulit ang balitang iyon, hindi ko na alam kung anong nararamdaman ko.