The PAST or PRESENT (The Dare Or Deal Book2)

Chapter 22: Her Tragedy

Chapter 22: Her Tragedy

Reigh stared at the name engraved at the stone.

'Drew L. Santiago'

She sighed at napatingin sa paligid.Nagsisialisan na pala ang mga tao. Nang ibinaba nya ang kamay nya, she noticed the bracelet Drew gave her.

Memories of him flooded her mind...

... na mananatili na lamang alaala habang buhay.

She hugged the stuffed toy she brought noong RAU Fest last year.

Iyon nalamang ang pwede nyang yakapin.
Kahit kailan, 'di na ulit nya mayayakap si Drew.

A hand tapped her shoulder.

"Let's go?" Cass asked her.
Nasa likuran nya sila Bea at Leslie, maging si Cleigh.

Leslie walked towards her saka sya niyakap.
"It's okay Carim. He's happy where he is now."

Tumungo nalamang sya.

Ngayon din ang alis ni Leslie pauwi ng probinsya at si Bea naman ay magbabakasyon sa ibang bansa.

"You sure you're not coming?" Tanong ng mom nila habang nag-aayos ng gamit.
It's the day na pupunta si Cassey ng Europe at ihahatid dapat nila si Cass but Reigh is still mourning so she wished not to come.

"Okay lang mom! Masyadong pagod si Reigh these days." Naupo si Cass sa tabi nya. "Take a rest sis. I'll just call you when we arrived." Saka ito ngumiti.

Napansin ni Cass na nanlulumo parin ang itsura ng kapatid.

"Uhhhmmm... wag nalang kaya akong tumuloy..." She murmured na agad napalingon si Reigh sakanya. "I can't leave you here like that."

"No! You should go. Antagal mo nang pangarap yan. Don't worry Cass, magiging okay din ako." This time sya naman ang ngumiti to assure her that she's fine.

"Guys, let's go! Baka mahuli si Cass sa flight nya." Sigaw ni Keith mula sa pinto.

"Okay then." Cass gave her a quick hug. "Be okay huh? Babalitaan agad kita ng mangyayari." Saka sya tumayo at dinala ang isang sling bag.

"Take care sweetie." Her mom said and kissed her on her forehead.

"Wait up hon. Sasabay na 'ko." Tawag ng dad nila saka lumabas.

Tumayo si Reigh at dumungaw sa bintana at pinanuod ang pamilya nila na pasakay ng SUV. Inaayos ni Cass ang maleta nya sa loob ng sasakyan.

Keith suddenly went in at inakbayan sya.

"Hmmm... Babalik kami agad little sis. Wag mo na kaming mamiss." He said with humor.

She gave a light chuckle with his remarks. Surely, Keith never failed to make her laugh.

"I'm so proud that you lived at the moment. At least 'di ka nagsisi at hanggang sa huli sya ang nakasama mo."
She was stucked with his words.

"Okay! Gotta go. I'll talk to you when we came home okay? Love you baby sis." And He kissed her forehead.

Napangiti sya sa ginawa ng kuya nya.

Pinanuod nalamang rin niya ang pag-andar ng sasakyan before she decided to take a shower.

Ilang oras ang lumipas, Reigh sat on a couch while staring at her phone kung saan profile nya ang mukha ni Drew na pinicturan nya noong natulog sya sakanila.

Suddenly, an unknown number called and she picked it up.

"Hello?"

|Hello. Kakilala nyo po ba sila Mr. and Mrs. Mejico?| A man's voice asked. Her heart suddenly leaped with his question.

Maingay din sa kabilang linya.

"O-opo... Magulang ko po sila. Bakit po?"
Her heart is raising kaya't napahawak sya sa dibdib nya.

~*~

Agad na pumunta si Reigh sa Hospital matapos ang pakikipag-usap nya sa cell phone.

*flashback*

|Naaksidente po ang sinasakyan nilang van.|

"W-what?! Nasaan po sila?"

Napatakip sya ng bibig sa sagot nito.
|Yung driver po dead on arrival. Dinala napo sa St. Joseph Hospital yung tatlo pa.|

*end of flashback*

She asked the attendant where is their room and she ran once she knew it.

She entered a room kung saan may nakatakip na puting kumot sa nakahiga sa kama.

Di na nya mapigilang maluha nang buksan ang kumot.

"K-kuya Keith..." She whispered as her tears flow down her cheeks.

"Okay! Gotta go. I'll talk to you when we came home okay? Love you baby sis."

"Kuya Keith gumising ka! Sabi mo mag-uusap pa tayo diba? S-sabi mo---"
She cried habang iniyuyugyog ang katawan nito kaya't piniit sya ng nurse.

"Kuya!.... Kuya Keith...." And she continued crying.

When she regained her composure ay dinala na sya sa isa pang kwarto kung saan nandun ang mom and dad nya.

Halos mawalan sya ng malay when she knew that her dad passed away a minute after he was brought to the hospital at nang makarating sya sa room, she heard the long beeping sound of the machine signaling that her mom didn't make it too.

"Sorry Ms. Mejico. Time of death, 8:32 pm."

She walked out the room like a a zombie. Nakatulala lang sya at pabagsak na naupo sa bangko.

She's asking herself... why is these all happening?
Her mother, father and older brother died and her twin sister is still in a critical condition.

After ni Drew? Why is this happening?

Ilang minuto lang ay tumatakbong lumapit sakanya si Cleigh.

"Reigh!" He stood in front of her.

Tumingala si Reigh at tiningnan si Cleigh ng blanko.
Wala nang luhang lumalabas mula sa mga mata nya.

"C-cleigh...." Bulong nya as if that's the only word she knows. "Cleigh." Ulit pa nya at niyakap sya ng binata.

"Shhh... It's okay. I'm here."

Kasama si Cleigh ay pinuntahan nila ang kwarto kung saan nandoon si Cassey.

Luckily, she's still alive.
Yun nga lang, hindi pa alam kung kailan sya magigising. And worse, kung magigising pa ba sya.

"She's on a comma."
The doctor said.
"She suffers from a brain failure and she needs to be observed. Sorry but she's on a 50-50 situation."

Cleigh supported her by holding her by waste because it seems like anytime ay magcocollapse na sya.

"D-doc. Please, gawin nyo po ang lahat para mailigtas sya. Please doc." She pleaded.

"Ms. Mejico, we'll do our best but I can't assure you her recovery."
Umalis ang doctor at dahan dahan syang lumapit kay Cassey.

May benda sya sa ulo at maraming aparato ang nakakabit sakanya.

"Cass..." Hinawakan nya ito sa kamay.
"Sana pala 'di nalang kita pinaalis."

"Hold on Cass."

"Please, don't.... I need you."

Another tear fell.
"I... I need you."