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

Thirty-Three

I'm on my way to the hospital now. Tito still didn't reply, and I'm guessing it's because busy pa siya--nasa work nga pala siya ngayon.

Nag-arrive na ako sa hospital. I paid kuya GrabTaxi driver and walked towards the entrance. I took the elevator papuntang room ni Hannah. I hope she's awake. Para ring malaman ko na okay na siya, and more importantly, para malaman ni Ara na okay na siya at hindi niya na kailangang sisihin ang sarili niya.

I was about to knock on Hannah's door pero nakarinig ako ng sigawan. Anong nangyayari?

"You are going to study business whether you like it or not!" An unfamiliar woman's voice said.

"Pero Ma..." I recognized the voice as Hannah's. I was happy na gising na siya, pero hindi pa rin ako pumasok. "I want to be a poet! I like writing, okay? It... it makes me happy!"

"Anak, Hannah," I regonized this voice too, and it was undoubtedly Tita Betchay's. "It's hard to find a course and a good school that offers writing. Just make that your hobby, hija, mag-business ka na lang."

It was then that I realized that Hannah was crying. "You don't understand."

"Etong si Ethan ang nag-convince sa'yo dyan sa poet dream na 'yan 'no?!" The unfamiliar woman voice said, who was actually Hannah's mom.

"No! If anything, Ma, he helped me!"

"Okay tama na," Tita Betchay started. "Ate, ipapahinga na muna natin 'tong si Hannah. She doesn't need any of this right now. Tsaka, kailangan ko na ring pumunta sa office, tara na muna."

"I don't need any of this forever!"

Then I heard footsteps. The door whipped open and there stood Tita Betchay with a woman who looked just like her, except she was older.

"Are you here for Hannah?" She asked.

"Yes po," I said and looked down.

Then they left. Watching them walk away gave me an unsettling thought: what if Ara's Tita didn't like me either? Nanay niya nga ayaw sa akin e, paano pa kaya 'yung kapatid ng nanay niya.

I shook the thought away and entered Hannah's room.

Hannah was sobbing, and Ethan was beside her. He was muttering something to Hannah when he turned around and saw me.

"Ate," He greeted and stood up. "Hi."

"Hello," I replied with a smile. "Musta ka na, Hannah?"

"Physically? I'm more than okay." Hannah started crying again. "Emotionally? Not at all."

I frowned. "Awww, Hannah," I walked towards her and hugged her. "'Di ko alam na you're going through such a thing. It sucks."

"I know," She sobbed on her hands. "I just... I just wish Mommy would accept what I want to do. It's not my fault that Daddy, who by the way, just happens to be an author, left us!"

"Iniwan kayo ng Daddy mo?"

"No... I mean, nag-divorce sila ni Mama. Hindi ko alam, pero ang baba talaga ng tingin siya sa mga writers or musicians or artists or poets. She thinks I won't have a good life 'pag pinursue ko passion ko."

Ethan leaned in. "Nana, I'll just buy us some lunches sa baba, okay?"

Hannah nodded.

Pagkalabas niya, Hannah looked down.

"I'm so thankful for him," Hannah said. "He understands me. Sa lahat ng pamilya't kaibigan ko, siya lang nakakaintindi kung gaano kaimportante sa akin maging poet."