Why Can't It Be?

Chapter 63 - The End

Ilang sandali pa ang nagdaan ay hindi nawala ang kirot na nararamdaman ni Real. pasikip ng pasikip ang kanyang dibdib pati ang kanyang paghinga ay nahihirapan na siya.

It grew even more painful by the minute. Ngunit hindi siya nagpakita ng kahinaan sa harap ni Camilla. Halos humiwalay na si Real sa nangyayari sa kanyang paligid. Dinig niya ang maingay na tunog ng ambulansya kung saan siya nakasakay. Mabilis ang takbo nito patungo ng ospital.

Bawat segundo ay tila sing haba ng oras sa kanyang paghihintay.

"Kuya..." he mumbled in pain. Real bites his mouth to control a scream.

Carlo immediately went near him to hear what he is about to say. "Yes bro? Ano yun Real?" agad na hinanap ni Carlo ang tinuturo nito.

"Real?" naramdaman rin niya agad ang pag aalala sa boses ni Camilla. Sumama rin siya sa ambulansya kahit na mahigpit siyang pinigilan nina Enrico. Hindi niya magawang pabayaan na lamang si Real sa ganung sitwasyon. Hindi niya alintana ang mga matang nakatutok sa kanila doon sa party.

Alam ng mga magulang ni Camilla na hindi magiging maganda ang dulot ng pagsama ni Camilla at labis iyong ikinabahala ni Real. Hindi man niya magawang magsalita ngayon ay sa loob loob niya ay iyon ang kanyang inaalala.

"Sandali na lang ha? Malapit na tayo. May masakit ba sayo?" mas lumapit si Camilla para marinig niya si Real. Nakahawak siya sa mga braso nito at di bumibitaw. Ipinagsiklop pa ni Camilla ang kanilang mga kamay.

Iling na lamang ang nagawa ni Real. He could not open his mouth or else she'll know he's in too much pain. He's pale and sweating so much. He wanted to scream but he couldn't do it in front of Camilla. He didn't want her to worry so much even if it was impossible in his situation.

Panay ang pag iyak ng mahina ni Camilla sa tuwing pipikit si Real. Hindi niya maipaliwanag ang takot na namamayani sa kanyang kalooban.

When Camilla saw Real helpless holding his chest earlier, she thought she'll lose him too and it made her so scared. It was the same fear she had when she was inside the shattered car with Jan. It was the same feeling all over again. The feeling of losing someone who has a hold of her heart. She was certain. She feared losing Real this time.

Though the look in Jan's mother earlier scared Camilla. She could not forget how her eyes became sad looking at her.

She knew what it was. It was disappointment. It was pure heartache. It was devastation. It pierced through Camilla. She felt her judgment but the moment her eyes fell back to Real and witnessing  his pain, she slowly closed her eyes and accepted every accusations anyone could ever throw at her.

It was hard but at that moment it was her only choice. She can't lose someone she loves all over again. That fear was greater than any judgement she'll ever encounter.

"Hindi mo na ako dapat nakikita ng ganito..." Real mumbled in clenched in teeth. The sight of Real in pain is twisting Camilla's insides. It hurts seriously like hell if that's the way to describe it.

She stayed beside him, holding him close. Not letting go.

"Real, huwag ka ng magsalita pa. Makakasama sayo." Carlo reminded his brother. Real nodded slowly before closing his eyes again. Tears trickled down his cheeks. He feared death, now more than ever.

Real recalled the first time he was in an ambulance. It's been two years since he was diagnosed with a heart condition. No one was ever prepared to face death. Especially not Real who was only beginning to realize his dreams and fulfilling them one day at a time. It broke him. It dragged him down. It destroyed a part of him. He became hopeless to a point that he just let everything be. Real painfully accepted of what's to become of him. Tinanggap na niya ang kanyang nalalapit na kamatayan.

Though Helen and Carlo assured him of a way, of a cure...he didn't expected so much. Ayaw niyang umasa na gagaling pa pagkatapos sa bandang huli ay mawawala rin siya. Real thought he was only counting the days before his life ends until one day, a miracle happened.

They found him a matched donor. They found him a heart to save his life. Since then Real vowed to live his life as if it was his last. He wanted to give back to that person whose demise became his cure. It was inappropriate to be thankful but he was. Real was grateful of that second chance given to him.

"Sa tuwing mumulat ko ang mata ko sa umaga, hindi ko mapigilang maiyak. Naiiyak ako sa tuwing nakikita ko ang pagsikat ng araw. Buhay pa ako, binuhay pa ako ng Dyos. Binuhay ako ng isang taong may mabuting puso. Siya ang dahilan kung bakit nakakasama ko pa ang mga mahal ko sa buhay. The owner of this heart is my second chance." tears trickled down his cheeks as he heard Carlo and Camilla calling his name. "May dahilan ang lahat. May dahilan kung bakit ako binigyan ng pangalawang buhay..." those words filled his thoughts.

Sinusubukan niyang buksan ang mga mata para hindi sila magalala. Dahan dahan siyang dumilat at ang mukha ni Camilla na basang basa ng luha ang kanyang nakikita.

"Real, don't sleep. Malapit na tayo ha?" malambing ang boses ni Camilla kahit na unti unti itong nadudurog sa kanyang bawat pag salita.

"Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit ako binuhay pa..." gustong sabihin ni Real ng malakas kay Camilla.

Pumikit uli si Real para magdasal. Hirap na siyang huminga. Bawat paghinga ay tila malalim ang hinuhugutan niya. Napakasakit. Walang kasing sakit ang dinadama niya.

"Dyos ko, huwag niyo muna akong kunin. Hindi dahil sa hindi ako handa kundi dahil sa kanya." once again he opened his filled with tears "Hindi ko siya kayang iwan. Ayaw  ko siyang iwan. Mahal ko siya..." he shouted inside his mind, battling the pain in his chest. Real tried to open his eyes again to fight it but he couldn't.  He felt so tired. He drifted farther from their voices. He couldn't feel anymore.

"Real?"

"Bro?Real?" unti unti ng lumalayo ang boses nila sa pandinig niya. Para siyang nilalamon ng bangungot. Hindi siya makagalaw.

"Real?!No...no...no...no..." mabilis na niyugyog ni Camilla ang balikat nito para gisingin ngunit nanatili tong nakapikit. Tila naging hudyat ang matinis na tunog galing sa apparatus na nakakabit kay Real. Isang mahabang linya ang tumambad sa kanya. Hindi niya kinaya at tuluyang napasigaw sa loob ng ambulansya. Wala siyang ibang sigaw kundi ang pangalan niya.

It was the last voice Real ever heard before everything turned into nothing. It was the last words he heard before it felt like it was really the end of him.