Catherine - her secret, her love

Chapter 13

**Oliver**

It's been three days and I haven't heard anything about Catherine. Hawak ko pa rin 'yung kwintas ni Harlene na nakuha ko from Catherine. Hanggang ngayon napapaisip pa rin ako. Were they friends? Or did they talk before the incident happened?

"Oliver, napanood mo na ba 'to?" Tanong ng kaklase ko nang makasalubong ko sila sa hallway. Kanina ko pa nga napansin na nagkukumpulang 'yung ilan kong kaklase habang may pinapanood sa kanilang phone.

Napakunot lamang ang noo ko at napailing, habang inaabot nila ito sa'kin. Hindi naman ako interesado sa mga ganitong bagay, lalo pa kung gawa-gawa o tsismis lang 'to ng mga babae. But the fact na ako pa talaga ang nilapitan nila para mapanuod ito, it makes me want to watch it.

"Kumakalat na 'yan sa college natin, and who knows baka sa buong university na..." Hindi ko na halos narinig ang mga sumunod niyang sinabi.

This is an evidence to murder.

How would I react to this? I mean, I don't even understand what just happened, why it happened, what on earth is happening?! Gusto kong ibato 'yung cellphone na hawak ko, magwala, o manisi ng taong kumuha nito. But of course they don't deserve it. The blame is all on the murderer.

The blame is on my girl, out of all people.

"Oliver, we know you have something going on with Catherine, pero hindi mo pwedeng hayaan na lang 'to. In fact, kahit wala kang gawin the students who know her will make a move and surrender her. Isipin mo na lang kung anong mararamdaman ng family ni Harlene, dito. And her friends?"

The video clip runs around 40-45 seconds only. Kitang-kita dito 'yung pag-uusap ng dalawang babae, and then out of the blue, Harlene was pushed from the rooftop. Agad naputol 'yung clip kasi panigurado nagulat din 'yung nagvi-video.

Hawak ko pa rin 'yung phone, still not saying anything.

"Let our family deal with this. Please stop spreading the rumor." Pakiusap ko na lang, trying my best to sound calm no matter how anxious I am right now.

"The rumor?!" Gulat na sigaw nito. Of course, I expect her to get mad with me referring to this as a mere, meaningless rumor.

"You call this incident a rumor? Na-head over heels ka na ba ni Catherine kaya pagpipilitan mo pa siyang pagtakpan kahit may evidence na?"

"This involves my family. It's a private matter." Sagot ko na lang, kahit na gulong-gulo pa rin ang isip ko.

Just to think that right after Harlene's death, I chose to spend time with Catherine... it makes me feel sorry and remorseful. Bakit hindi ko muna inalam 'yung nangyari? Bakit nga ba sobra kong mahal ang pinsan ko na hanggang ngayon, iniisip ko pa rin siyang protektahan?

"How does this involve your family? So totoo nga, na pinsan mo si Catherine?" She asked, and I clearly have nothing to say in response.

Panandalian kaming natahimik. Akala ko okay na at aalis na sila, but then before that, muli siyang nagsalita, "We won't keep silent about this, Oliver. Hindi ka ba nandidiri sa sarili mo ngayon?"

Aminado na naman ako e. Natatakot, naguguluhan, at oo, siguro, nandidiri na din. Because of this stupid feelings.

"Think about it. Think about your morality, and the justice Harlene deserves." She says, and finally leaves with her friends who agreed in chorus.

Naabuntong-hininga na lamang ako. Halos umikot na ang mundo ko, 'yung tipong pakiramdam ko ay mawawala na 'ko sa wisyo.

I've no phone, no gadgets, or anything because of my parents' punishment. But then again alam ko namang puntahan 'yung bahay nila Catherine. I know I need to see her, because I need to know what happened and why she did that.

But the question is, do I really want to see her? Am I ready to meet her now that I've witnessed the crime she did?

***

Mga ilang oras din akong nag-drive nang makarating ako sa bahay nila Tita Bea. Matapos ang ilang pagtatalo sa isip ko, I realized that I still need to face her... that I still need to face my fears.

Bumaba ako sa sasakyang hineram ko lang sa kaibigan ko. Sinalubong ako ng kasambahay nilang si Aling Lita, na tila balisa ang mukha.

"Oliver, napadaan ka..." Sabi nito.

She really looks tired and worried. May nangyari ba? May nangyari nanaman bang hindi maganda?

"Is Catherine here, Aling Lita?" Lakas loob kong tanong, bagamat pagkasabi ko ng kanyang pangalan ay para akong nakalunok ng isang malaking tinik.

"Pasensya ka na, hijo, pero hindi muna kami pwedeng magpapasok. Binilin kasi siya sa'kin ng Tiya Beatrice mo." May pag-aalala nitong sabi.

"Bakit ho, anong meron? Anong nangyari?"

"Pasensya ka na talaga, mabuti pa umuwi ka na muna..." Pakiusap pa nito, but there's no way that I'm going to leave the house without seeing her.

Until then, may isang Doctor at nurse ang lumabas mula sa mansion. Nag-uusap ito at nang makita si Aling Lita ay lumapit dito.

"I'll leave her to nurse Jane, siya muna ang in-charge kay Catherine. She's awake now, but still not in good condition. Sa tingin ko kailangan muna namin siyang oserbahan, maybe three more days?"

Nang sabihin 'yun ng doctor ay agad akong sumingit upang magtanong.

"What happened? Ano pong nangyari kay Catherine? Three more days-- what do you mean?"
"Ah, doc, mauna na po kayo..." Pagsingit naman ni Aling Lita na halatang may tinatago sa'kin.

Knowing that they might never tell me what's going on, dere-deretso na 'kong lumakad papunta sa kwarto ni Catherine. Thank God, it's not locked.

I knocked quickly and went inside. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit parang kinilabutan nanaman ako, lalo na nu'ng naalala ko 'yung nangyari.

Nakahiga lamang siya sa kama; gising, ngunit parang walang buhay. Namumula ang kanyang mga mata, as if she's been crying simula pa kahapon. Sa isang kamay naman niya ay nakakabit ang dextrose.

Just what on earth happened, Catherine?

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit. She moved her head, she saw me, but she turned on the other side again-- looking away from me.

"Catherine..." I said and gently fondled her head.

Siguro andun pa rin 'yung takot ko na baka mali 'yung pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, na baka iba nga ang takbo ng pag-iisip niya kung bakit niya nagawa 'yun. But looking at her right now, it makes me want to believe that she needs me still.

Umupo ako sa tabi niya at niyakap siya. Maybe this is what she needs right now-- comfort.

"Oliver..." Bulong nito, na kung hindi lang tahimik sa kwarto ay baka hindi ko narinig. "I almost killed my Dad."

She's crying, again.

"Galit na galit si Mommy sa'kin... she wants me dead. Gusto niya 'kong ikulong sa mental."

I need to find out what's going on. Alam kong kailangan niya ng tulong ko, pero para mas magawa ko 'yun ng maayos, kailangan ko munang maintindihan kung ano ba talaga ang nangyayari.

Ngunit sa ngayon ay hinayaan ko muna siyang umiyak while staying by her side, reminding her that I'm just here-- and I would never leave her.