It Started With A Dare

Open Up

Gwen's POV

It’s Monday! New day! Sigurado ba talaga akong makipagkaibigan? Hay nako! Bahala na! I even opened up to him about my best friend. Noon yun. Nakalimutan ko na iyon.

I am way too early ngayon 4:30 pa nagpahatid na ako kay manong sa nearby hospital… Mental hospital… Nandito kasi ang pinakamamahal kong ina… Yes, my mom. She’s just here because of that stupid girl! Cherry! Akala mo kung sinong maganda, kabit naman pala.

I reached the hospital ng 4:50. I was riding our car kapag pumupunta ako sa school. Hindi pa ako pwedeng mag drive sabi ni papa. Siya naman din kasi ang dahilan kung bakit pumupunta ako sa hospital.

I reached the hospital and went in. Kilala na ako ng mga tao doon. Inalalayan nalang nila ako papuntang room 175 “Ma!” sabi ko pero hindi siya sumasagot. Hindi ko alam ang sakit niya, mahirap i-explain eh.

“Ma, magpagaling ka ha. Lalabas ka na dito kung gagaling ka. I’m sure you will. Si papa-“ bago ko pa matapos ang sasabihin ko, she just shouted at nagwala na siya. Nandoon naman ang mga nurse para tumulong. She’s still affected whenever I say ‘papa’.

I hurriedly went out, umiiyak na pala ako. She’s hurt. I looked away from the room when I saw someone unexpectedly.SETH.

Bakit siya nandito? May kapamilya ba siyang nandito? O baka sinusundan niya lang ako.

I hurriedly went out pero nakuha niya kamay ko. “You know I could help you. You can tell me anything. Kung galit ka kay kanino man.Kung iyan ang dahilan ng bigla mong pagiging tahimik. I must say I want the old you back.” Anong sabi niya? Ano? Old me?

Eh, parang hindi niya naman naaalala eh. “You are stronger than you ever thought pero kung hindi ka mag tu-trust sa akin, keeping those hatreds would be bad for you. You can’t live in the past.” He added. “That’s why I went from that to this eh! To forget about my past.” I said as I took my hand off his grip and ran away.

I quickly rode our car and told the driver to bring me to school. Alam kong he’ll talk to me under the tree kaya hindi ako pumunta doon. I ran to the school auditorium at my usual place.

I cried there and when I stopped, I started singing. Kahit ano ang mga kinakanta ko kasi naman dito sa auditorium ako palaging nagpapalipas ng oras kapag gusto kong kumanta.

Seth’s POV

Gusto ko siyang tulungan. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili, I just wanted to help her kasi those eyes nanaman, umiiyak nanaman. Ayokong nakikita siyang umiiyak. Bawal ba? Aiiissh!!!!

She ran away… and I saw her mom in this Mental hospital. Kailangan ko siyang sundan. I hurriedly grabbed my car and drove my way to school.

Bakit kasi sinundan ko pa siya nung nakita ko siya? Neighbors lang pala kami, hindi ko alam noon. Ngayong araw lang.

5:15 pa. Ang aga pa. 8 pa kaya magsisimula ang klase. Early ako today kasi hindi ko pa natapos ang assignment ko, naglaro lang ako ng basketball this weekend eh, kasalanan ko ito. Hindi ko na siguro magagawa iyon kasi kailangan ko pa makausap si Gwen. Ayokong sumama ang loob niya.

I went to look for her, under the tree pero wala, kung saan saan pero wala. Naalala ko tuloy ang auditorium, doon ko lang siya nakitang napakasaya.

As I walked down I heard someone singing. That angelic voice parang familiar pero hindi ko pa narinig na magperform sa music day. I quickly got my cellphone and recorded it. Timing naman pag press ko para I record nagiba siya ng kanta. Faster than the shooting star, Baby, you stole my heart, I never want it back. I never thought it’d be like this, so surprised by your kiss, I didn’t have time to react.

And there I knew it was her all along. Gwen Harris. I sat at the stairs while I listen to the song I let her hear the first day we encountered under that tree. FOUND. Hindi niya ako narinig, better. She stopped singing at the first chorus and I turned the recorder off.

She stood and she saw me. “Hey.” I said. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. “I’m sorry about your mom.” I added.

“You said I shouldn’t live in the past.” Gwen

“Yes”

“You said you want the old me back?” Gwen

“Yes”

“Do you remember?” Gwen

“Yes” Yes nalang ako ng yes eh.

“Why?” Gwen

“Haven’t you realized? You’re living in the past kasi affected ka pa rin sa nangyari noon. Kung maa affect ka man nun, dapat in a good way. You must become stronger hindi weaker.”

“You mean being silent is weakness.”

“No. You’re afraid, not really weak pero afraid, medyo kasama na iyon sa weak, aiiishh! pero, I’m saying you’re afraid kasi takot ka magbigay ng trust mo ulit dahil binigay mo na ito-“

“Kay papa.” Sabi niya, I was shocked nung sinabi niya yun.

“It was a risk for me trusting you pero you’re right dapat I become stronger. Dapat ako ma valedictorian. Dapat ako makabawi sa social skills ko.” And then she smiled. I smiled too. I stood up.

“May kalaban ka diyan.”

“Huh?” Gwen

“Ako.”

“What do you mean?” Gwen

“Tayo kaya ang nag kocompete sa valedictorian place.” Totoo naman iyon, sinabihan na ako ni Ma’am Veronica, adviser namin kahit naboboringan ako sa mga lessons eh, nag-aaral naman ako sa bahay.

“Eh, ikaw pala eh! Eeesh!” Gwen

“Huwag ka nang magalit. At least, friend mo ang salutatorian haha.”

“Haha.” Gwen

“O kaya, ang vale”

“Tingnan nalang natin.” Gwen

“Tara na! Be active ha!” Ginulo ko buhok niya, pero naalala ko assignment ko at hindi naman siya naghesitate na tulungan ako kaya natapos ko.

Sabay na kami pumunta ng classroom at ganun parin, pinagtinginan kasi naman napakasilent nitong kasama ko tapos bigla lang makikipag usap sa akin. Bahala na sila.

Pumasok na kami sa classroom at nakasabay pa namin pumasok si ma’am Veronica na todo smile at alam ko naman kung bakit dahil sa wakas, this girl is talking and not just that, Hindi lang nila alam, she opened up. She smiled at me as I sat near my friends who questioned me a lot as to where I was, who was I with and everything else about Gwen but I told them nothing. I turned my head to her direction and saw her write something and she turned her head to my direction. I gently smiled. She smiled too.

“Dude! Baka mahulog ka.” Sabi ni Richard. “Ha?!” “Baka mahulog ka sa sahig.” Sabi ni Troy. “Ayusin mo upo mo.” Troy added pero alam ko ang ibig nilang sabihin and I might put that on the list of possibilities…

It’s a possibility….