Antagonist of Men

Chapter 36 *Sacrifice*

Alex's POV

Less than an hour pa lang nang umalis si Tristan sa condo, when we received an emergency call from the hospital. They were telling us that he got into a car a car accident. Hindi pa ako tapos umiyak ng makatanggap na naman ako ng isang hindi magandang balita. We rushed to the hospital and searched for Tristan. Halos nagpang'abot lang rin kami, dahil nakita ko ang kama na tulak tulak ng mga nurse.

There were blood everyhere.

Sinubukan kong habulin yung mga nurse na nagdadala kay Tristan, but they're just too fast. Agad diyang tinakbo sa ER, natatakot ako sa mganakikita ko. The Doctor and nurses were panicking. Miko held me and hugged me tightly. Why do I have to experience all of these for one day? I feel like I'm dying.

"No! Show me my son! Gusto ko siyang makita!" It was Tristan's mom, arguing with the nurse. Akala ko hindi niya ako mapapansin sa gilid, pero nagulat ako ng sampalin niya ako ng sobrang lakas.

"How dare you ka'ng babae ka?!" He grabbed my hair and pulled it. Masyado na akong nanghihina para gumanti kaya hinayaan ko nalang si Miko na awatin siya.

"Tita, tama na po. Please!" Miko said while removing her hands on my hair.

"You!" She pointed me. "Pag may nangyaring masama sa anak ko, ipakukulong kita!" 

"Tita, please!" Miko held her arms at inilayo na sa akin.

"Ipakukulong kita!" Her eyes were burning with anger. This is so much exhaustion. Napasadal ako sa pader sa likod ko habang unti unti 'tong sumasadsad pababa. Nakayuko akong umiyak, hanggang sa hindi ko na namalayan na nakatulog na pala ako. Nagising ako ng dahil sa sobrang pagkasilaw sa ilaw. I was surprised when I found out that I was in a different place. Pero ang  mas nakapag'pagulat sa akin lalo ay nung makita ko ang isang pamilyar na babae na kaagad namang ngumiti sa akin.

"Hi, Alex! Ako si Romina, ako nga pala ang secretary ni Sir, Luke. Okay ka na ba ngayon?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Nasan ako?" Naguguluhan kong tanong sa kanya.

"Nag panic kasi si Sir, Miko kanina nung balikan ka niya ng walang malay. Kaya, dinirecho ka sa nurse. Over fatigue lang naman daw yun, ganon daw talaga yun, mabilis mapagod. Lalo na sa mga buntis.." Taong magsasalita na sana ako, ng biglang bumukas ang pinto ng malakas at pumasok si Miko.

"Xandra!" Agad niya akong nilapitan at sinalubong ng halik sa noo. "Pinagalala mo ako kanina. Ano ka ba naman!" Halata sa boses niyang takot na takot siya. I looked straight into his eyes and noticed how depressed he is. He looks exhausted.

"Miko, okay lang ako. You don't have to worry about me. Tara na, bisitahin na natin si Tristan. Kanina pa tayo inaantay nun.." I tried my best to smile at him just to assure him that I'm okay, but it's just so hard. So freaking hard.

"Kumain ka na ba? Gusto mo ng lugaw, Xandra?"  Bigla siyang umiwas ng tingin sa akin ng banggitin ko si Tristan. That was when I felt confused. Is he hiding something from me?

"Miko, gutso ko makita si Tristan." Mariin kong sabi sa kanya. Again, he avoided my gaze.

"You can't, Xandra. Magpahinga ka muna." Hinawakan niya ang braso ko para pabalikin ako sa pag higa ko, pero tinampal ko yun.

"Miko, ano ba nangyayari?! I want to see Tristan, okay lang naman si Tristan diba? Okay lang siya diba?" Natahimik siya bigla, kaya inalog ko ang balikat niya at pilit na tinignan sa mga mata niya. "Uy, Miko. Okay lang si Tristan, diba? Magsalita ka naman please, okay lang siya diba?" He kept silence. Naginit ang mukha ko at nagsimula ng tumulo ang mga luha ko.

"Damn it, Miko! Tell me!" I shouted.

"He has brain injury, and he's in coma. Sabi ng Doctor, ang laki daw ng naging damage nun sa brain niya." Napatakip ako sa bibig ko nung marinig ko yun. I blinked many times before shaking my head to him.

"No, Miko." Umiling akong muli. "You're just kidding me. Sinasabi mo lang yan, para patigilin ako." Dahan dahan niya akong niyakap, "Miko, please.." Naiiyak na naman ako. He kept on hushing me, to calm me.

"Xandra, stop crying. Please! Makakasama yan sa baby mo." He held my face and looked through my eyes once again. "I know Tristan, he's going to be alright. Diba nga, sabi niya hindi ka niya iiwan?" He smiled. I know that he's just trying to make me feel better, and he's right. Tristan won't leave me behind. He will never do that to me. He loves me.

I nodded.

When Miko approved that I can finally visit Tristan, I was more than nervous. It's like anytime my heart is going to come out to my chest. It was just a quick view to Tristan's condition, we had to sneak in because if Tristan's mom caught us, baka magkaroon na naman ng scene. But the moment na nakita ko ang kalagayan ni Tristan, I can't help but break down. My knees weakened and I felt like I'm going to fall anytime.

I held his face gently. Everything were all coming back again. Emily used to look like this before. I sat there for a couple of minutes, just talking to him while crying. He never respond anyways. All I can hear from him was just a beating of machine. I kept on apologizing to him, saying how I regretted what I've done. It's fucking painful. Ang sakit sakit na ng nararamdaman ko ngayon. Way too much than I thought it would be.

When Miko tapped my shoulder, halos ayaw ko pa ngang umalis, as much as possible I wanted to stay with Tristan hanggang sa magising siya. Pero hindi pwede. Kaya labag man sa loob ko, wala nalang akong nagawa kung hindi ang umalis. When we got out, my eyes automatically landed to man leaning beside the wall. At first, I can't really see him, but when he rose his face and looked at me, biglang nawala ako sa wisyo.

It was Ford.

"Alex, I've been waiting for you." Papalapit siya sa akin ng lumihis ako ng landas. Umiba ako ng daan at sumunod naman sa akin si MIko. "Alex, why are you avoiding me? Stop, please! I just want us to talk.." Patuloy lang sana ang paglakad ko ng biglang si Miko na mismo ang humawak sa kamay ko at hinarap ako sa kanya.

"Xandra, you need to talk to him.." Miko said. Tinignan ko siya ng masama, sobrang tagal at sobrang talim.  I loosen his grip at hinarap ko si Ford na noo'y ilang dipa lang ang layo sa amin.

"I'll talk to him, but you'll stay here." I ordered. I faced Ford once again. "Ano kailangan mo sa akin?" I told him coldly.

"Alex, let's keep it private. Please.." Umiling ako.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say the both of us.." His jaw clenched. Right, magalit ka. I don't care.

"You're pregnant." It was clearly a statement so I nodded.

"So? Why do you even care?" I swallowed the lump on my throat. I'm acting like a bitch but in reality, hindi ko naman kayang panindigan.

"What? Why do you have to be stubborn, Alex?" I shrugged.

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I know that I own that child." The way he looked at me, parang tagos na tagos hanggang kaluluwa. He's not in anger, he's in pain and I can say it through his eyes. But Tristan's my bestfriend and I can't afford to loose him. This is so much to handle, kaya kung madadagdagan pa 'to, hindi ko na alam ang mangyayari sa akin. Sabog na sabog na ang ulo ko sa mga nangyayari. This has to end.

"It's not yours, Ford. It's Miko's."