After All

t w e n t y t w o

KEITH LUSTERIO

"Shit. Shit. Shit" I heard GD cussed under his breath.

"Cath, calm down and breathe" pagpapakalma niya kay Cath.

I still don't get why things suddenly turned out like this and I still don't know why I'm feeling guilty, like this is all my fault. Seeing Catherine who always remain strong despite how hard every situation is, helplessly crying and GD who always keep his cool in every situation like this, leaves me in awe.

Minutes have passed and Cath started to calm down.

"Sorry, Keith but can you take a cab to school? I don't think Cath can go to school like this and we still to go to the hospital for our annual checkup" he put on a smile but I can still see his worried expression painted on his face.

I nodded. "Sorry you're late. Don't worry I'll take care of that after this"

"No worries. Okay lang, ako na bahala. By the way, why is-" napatigil ako."Nah, nothing"

I was about to ask him about what had just happened pero mukhang nagmamadali na talaga siya.

"Sige. Basta if you encounter problems along the way, tell them I'm responsible for everything" sabi nito sabay pasok sa driver's seat.

"And if you can, please kung ano man yung nangyari, it remains only with just us" I nodded.

We bid good byes and they left.

THIRD PERSON

The bell rang and Keith just went out of the cab. Gossips about him taking a cab to school was heard on his way to his first class.

"Why is taking a cab to school such a big deal?" Darryl started to wonder.

"C'mon, D. Nalimutan mo atang nasa Pinas ka" sagot ni Pia sa kasama.

"Well, good morning, Keith. Mukhang napasarap tulog mo, you're late" ani Sophia pero masyadong malalim ang iniisip ni Keith para mabigyan siya ng pansin.

Sabay-sabay silang naglalakad papunta sa una nilang klase at napansin ni Pia na masyadong tahimik ang paligid. "So, anyway where are the Gonzalezs went off to? Don't tell me wala sila pareho?" This time, Keith nodded. Napatingin din tuloy sa kanya sa Darryl.

"How do you know?" tanong ni Sophia. Bahagyang natauhan si Keith sa ginawa niya. "Huh? Ano ulit sabi mo?"

"I said, paano mo nalaman na parehong wala sila GD? Don't tell me text mate na kayo ng isa sa dalawang yun"

"Ah, yun ba. I slept at their crib last night and sabi ni GD pupunta pa raw sila sa hospital for their checkups"

"Oh, okay. D, dapat pala sumabay ka na kila Cath" Darryl closed the book he's reading.

"Let them have their time. Cath spend most of her time with us, remember?"

~

CATHERINE GONZALEZ

I opened my eyes and my head started to hurt. Damn.

Kinusot-kusot ko ang mga mata ko but I still can't see anything. Kinapa-kapa ko ang hinihigaan ko, searching for my phone but I can't seem to find it.

Where am I?

Tumingin ako sa paligid, searching for some light source pero wala akong makita. Tumayo ako at nagsimulang maglakad kahit wala akong kahit anong idea kung ano ba tong nilalakaran ko hanggang sa nakakita ako ng ilaw mula sa labas. Binuksan ko ang pinto at napagtantong balcony pala ang napuntahan ko.