Begin Again - A KaRa (Mika Reyes & Ara Galang) Fanfiction

Thirty

Nagising ako sa ring ng phone ko. I checked the clock and it was 4:31 AM. What on Earth?!

I took my phone out and saw that it was Ara who was calling me. I instantly smiled.

Naalala ko 'yung kagabi. Nothing compared to that night. Parang fairytale--except it's much better. So much better.

Ngayon ko lang naintindihan kung gaano kasakit 'yung hindi nababalik sa'yo yung pagmamahal na binibigay mo sa mahal mo. Sobrang sakit pala 'yun. Pero sobrang saya. Sobrang saya 'pag mahal ka rin ng mahal mo.

I pressed 'answer' on Ara's call. I was so excited to hear her voice.

"Hello?" I said excitedly. "Ara?"

But it wasn't Ara who answered. "Mika, hija... this is Ara's father."

My heart sank. "Tito...? Bakit po? Nasan po si Ara?"

I heard Tito sigh. Shet, anong nangyari? Was Ara okay?

"Victonara's fine. Pero, hija, you need to come here now."

"Bakit po? Ano po nangyari?"

Again, Tito sighed. "Naaksidente si Hannah kagabi."

"PO?!"

"She'll be okay, hija, don't worry. Unconscious siya but she's expected to wake up within the week. Pero hija, it's Ara who needs you."

Napakunot ang noo ko.

"She's blaming the whole thing on herself. Tinry namin siyang kausapin but it's no use. And... well, she's making rash decisions. Ikaw lang ang kilala kong makakausap siya nang maayos, hija. Can you come immediately?"

I didn't know what Tito meant by 'rash decisions' but I decided that this wasn't a good time to ask.

"Of course, Tito, saang ospital po ba 'yan?"

I jotted down the name of the hospital and their room number, thanked Tito, and immediately went downstairs. Wala na akong time para tumawag ng Uber or Grab, so nag-taxi na lang ako.

Nung papunta ako sa ospital, I felt nothing but anxiety. Sana okay lang si Hannah. Sabi naman ni Tito, she'll be okay... pero, part of me felt responsible for this. Pinabayaan namin siyang umuwi nang mag-isa kagabi. Paano kung may nangyari na mas malala? I couldn't forgive myself.

As soon as I arrived at the hospital, I paid Kuya Driver and ran to Hannah's room.

Pagdating ko sa labas ng room ni Hannah, I saw Tito and Ethan sitting at the bench across it. Ethan was fidgeting and looking really panicky. Si Tito ang unang nakakita sakin.

"Hija," He said and stood up. "Thank you for coming."

Parang wala nang sama ng loob si Tito sa akin and I felt glad. But I was so worried about Hannah I almost didn't feel it. "Can I come in po?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, hija."

"Bakit po?"

But my question didn't need an answer. As soon as I'd said that, lumabas si Ara, Tita Betchay, at Abbie. Abbie, as in, Abbie Garcia. As in, 'yung may gusto kay Ara. 'Yung nag-secretly take ng photos namin at kinalat sa social media. Anong ginagawa niya rito?

"Mika," Ara said at pinuntahan ako. Her eyes were teary tapos namumula na 'yung ilong niya.

"Ano 'to?" I asked, and I was mostly referring to Abbie. I mean, old friend lang naman siya ni Ara diba? Bakit siya nandito?

"Ethan, baba muna tayo. Darling, sama ka na rin," Tito said.

Tita Betchay glared at me then followed Ethan and Tito.