breaking free (completed)

7. break

Rj and Coleen looked towards Maine's direction and saw her slumped on the bench, sitting on the ground. They rush to her and Rj laid her down properly on the ground while Coleen looked around if anyone else saw what had happened. He noticed a small, red bump on her forehead where she most likely hit the bench.

"Maine....Maine....." Rj called out to her while gently shaking her. Maine was unresponsive so Rj put her in the 'recovery position'. A short while later, Maine began moving her head and regained consciousness so Rj helped her to sit up. Coleen sat beside her so Maine could rest her head against Coleen's shoulder.

"Anong nangyari?" Coleen asked.

Maine did not speak. Coleen asked again. "Okay ka lang?"

Slowly, Maine signed "sick".

"Nahilo ka?" Rj asked.

Maine signed again, "sick".

"Ano daw?" Rj asked.

"Sick daw....masakit ang ulo mo?"

With eyes closed, Maine nodded. Then she signed, "home".

"....kaya mo na ba tumayo?" Coleen asked as she slowly helped Maine up and transferred her to sit on the bench.

She sat on the bench for a while, leaning against Coleen. Rj ran to the store.

"Here....drink a little of this...." Rj approached and gave her a bottle of juice. Maine took a sip. He also gently applied a wet towel on her forehead which he asked Coleen to hold.

A long while later, Maine signed "home" again.

Coleen asked, "kaya mo maglakad?"

Maine slowly stood up, holding on to Coleen. Coleen looked at Rj who instinctively lifted Maine. Coleen held her back, keeping Maine's head against Rj's chest.

When they got to Maine's house, Rj laid her on the sofa.

"....salamat nalang andun ka..." Coleen said as they left Maine to rest.

"....anyway, mauna na ako....balitaan nyo nalang ako kung okay na sya....if you need to bring her to the doctor, I can drive...." Rj offered.

".....inatake lang ata ng vertigo nya...." Coleen said.

"...ahh....I hope she feels better soon..." Rj said as he walked out of their gate.

"Anong nangyari kanina?" Coleen asked Maine as they prepared for bed. Eversince they were kids, the girls shared a bedroom.

"....yung buset na ringing in the ears tapos vertigo....tumayo ako kasi magtatapon sana ako nung trash ko....nagring sya bago ako tumayo pero nawala rin agad....kala ko okay na.....tumayo ako....may sumigaw galing sa may playground so bigla akong lumingon...ayun, biglang nahilo naman ako....."

"....kaloka!....so hindi ikaw ang sumigaw?"

"Hindi...."

"....well, buti na rin lang na may sumigaw kasi napatingin kami sa yo....nakita ka nalang namin na nakaupo ka na sa harap nung bench...."

"...ang sakit nga nung bukol ko e..." Maine rubs her bruise. ".....pinapanood ko kayo ni Rj.....tina-try nya mag sign?"

"...ah...oo....nagpapaturo.....ang tigas ng mga daliri!" Coleen giggles.

"Sabi nya, nag-aaral daw sya maging speech pathologist...." Maine explains.

"...ahh kaya...."

"Huh?"

".....wala lang....sabi kasi nya, kailangan daw sa work nya yung signing...baka may patients na bingi...."

"....sabagay.....pero Cols.....cute sya no?"

"....crush mo?"

Maine doesn't answer. She just smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear.

"Uuuyyy.....crush nya.....cute naman e....ang lalim ng dimple....at ang bango nya ha!"

"....akin nalang....may Mike ka na e...."

"Gaga!"

"....pero, thank you ha?"

"Saan?"

"....sa pag-aalaga sa akin kanina...."

"...sus naman to....shempre aalagaan kita.....at buti na rin na andun si Rj...."

"...oo nga e...."

"Mag-thank you ka kaya....."

"Paano?" Maine looked at Coleen.

Because of her selective mutism and social anxiety, communicating and speaking with others was a challenge. Maine has never spoken to anyone outside her family for 10 years. Will Rj be the one who will break her silence?