pink skies // donny pangilinan

nine

Donny

When my siblings and I arrived at school, I went immediately to my friends. Nung nakita ko sila, they look like they are discussing about something and I need to find out what it is about. "Hey guys, what's up?" I greeted then all of them looked at me worriedly plastered on their faces, they just looked at each other. Ano ba kasi yun?

"Billie," Dave said looking down. I don't get it.

"What about her?" my eyes widen.

"She's sick." Hala, anu na? Umupo ako sa tabi nila.

"Yesterday, she was punished by her coach dahil almost a week na s'ya hindi nakapagtraining kaya ayun pinatakbo s'ya ng dalawang oras." Karina explains. I know all of us are worried about her, she is our friend and she means a lot to me.

I couldn't listen properly to our teachers, dahil all I can think of is her. Okay lang kaya s'ya? The day went blur in my vision, dahil hindi ako makapag-focus. I'm walking to the parking lot with Abegail, "Are you ready to go?" she asks while she holds my hand. We are planning to go out on a food trip, I stopped from my tracks and I removed my hand from hers.

"I can't. I need to go to Billie."

"What?! You're picking her over me?!" she raises her voice enough for people to look at us.

"She needs me right now. I have to go." I didn't let her say anything, bahala s'ya kung ano pang sabihin n'ya, basta yung importante mapuntahan ko si BJ.

I drive myself to her house, alam kong nagkulang ako bilang best friend. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit hindi ako makapagfocus at hindi ako makakain ng maayos nung nalaman ko ang sitwasyon ni BJ just this morning. I hopped off of the car and nag-doorbell. Binuksan ng yaya nila yung door, kilala naman nila ako kaya't pinapasok niya ako tapos umakyat na ako sa kwarto n'ya.

I knocked and called out, "BJ?" I slowly opened the door and then I can see her from the door. She's in bed and laying down, she doesn't look good. I noticed na maraming gamot, pagkain at iba pang kailangan niya habang nagpapahinga. Kawawa naman si best friend, she is cuddled with her blanket.

"Hey, I heard what happened so I decided to stop by." umupo ako sa tabi n'ya at hinaplos-haplos ko yung buhok nya habang nakahiga s'ya.

"It sucks to be me." she chuckles weakly then she coughs, inabot ko yung tubig sa kanya. Ngayon naging tahimik yung kwarto niya. "Asan ba si Abegail?" she broke the silence.

"Iniwan ko s'ya sa school, dahil kailangan kitang puntahan eh."

"Ba't mo ginawa yun? Baka ako yung sugurin nun' ha."

"Ako na bahala." I want make sure that she's okay and ako na kakausap kay Abegail, di naman siguro siya kukontra sa friendship namin. "Saan pala si tito?" I asked.

"He's not here. Nasa Batanes daw siya kasama nina tita." Nakwento rin ni Billie na hindi alam ni tito ang nangyari at wala na siyang planong ipaalam para hindi na madagdagan yung problema niya.

Tinulungan ko siyang kumain, pati na rin sa pag-abot ng gamot sa kanya at iba pa. Tinabihan ko s'ya kasi nanunuod kami ng movie, Kimi No Na Wa. It's an animé film na kwento ni Billie sa'kin ay ilang beses niya ng iniyakan, everytime she watches it, umiiyak talaga siya. Nung natapos na kaming manuod ng movie, nakita ko siyang umiyak at tinawanan ko lang siya.

"Ang OA mo rin eh noh," asar ko tapos patuloy pa rin yung iyak na habang tinatakpan n'ya mukha niya ng kumot,

"Don't judge me, the movie is too pure." she mumbles and continued crying. She wanted to walk around so I helped her get up, inalalayan ko siya papunta ng terrace kasi gusto niya daw magpahangin.

Natahimik lang kami while she's busy texting. "So, what's the real score between you and Kobe?" out of nowhere, napatanong na naman ako tungkol sa kanila.

Ano nga ba tagala?

"What do you mean?" she asks then she puts her phone down.

"Ano ba talaga meron?" na-irita kong sabi. I lean on the railing while she is sitting next to me.

"Hindi pa ba tayo tapos tungkol dito? I don't want us to argue about it." she looks annoyed about the topic, eh bakit kasi nanghihimasok ka BJ sa mga bagay na ayaw ko. Hays.

"Okay, fine. Hindi na kita kukulitin, pero last question... Do you like him?" I asked seriously then she looked at me, I couldn't see any sign.

"I like him as a friend, yun lang." she paused then continues, "Kaya rin naging super close kami kasi you don't have time for me na eh, kaya ayun by accident, or tadhana, or whatsoever you call it, I usually see him. Kaya minsan we call each other as destiny." she explains which made me feel bad about her. I didn't realize I am slipping away from my best friend. Tinawanan niya lang lahat ng iyon pero I know deep inside iba na eh.

Bigla akong natahimik, hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya kakausapin. "I-I'm sorry BJ, pero sana naman huwag mo kong kalimutan. To be honest, I don't think may makakapalit pa sayo kasi ikaw ang best of best friend ko."

I walk closer to her and gave her a hug, "Ouch, masakit pa ang katawan ko Donny."

She's so fragile. She's so cute.

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