Make It Yours

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

MJ's POV

"So ang papraktisin natin ngayon ay ang pagsasabit ng medals sa honors...."

I can't focus. Nababagabag ako dahil sa mga pinagsasasabi ng Yvonne na yun. Pasuspense. Feeling kontrabida. Argh!! Ano ba kasi yung plano na yun? Bwisit!!

"Maxine! Ano ba!?"- galit na sigaw ni Eliza sakin. Nakunot ang noo ko at agad na sinundan sya papuntang stage ng senyasan nya akong lumapit sakanya.

"Oh bakit galit ka? Di ka lab ng nanay mo? Kawawa ka naman~"- pang-aasar ko sakanya na nagpakunot ng noo nya.

"Ano? Aynako! Ewan ko sayo! May honor ka kaya kita tinatawag!"- sagot nya. Teka ano? Ako? As in ako, may honor???

"HUH?? Weh? Prank joke to n-----"

"4-A! Umayos na kayo ng pila!"- saway samin ni Ma'am Gativez. Napatakip ako ng tenga dahil sa napakalakas nyang boses. Tulad ng sinabi nya, umayos kami ng pila para matapos na ang practice na to.

Sampu kaming magkakaklase na nasa back stage ngayon. May honor ako. Napangiti ako ng malapad. Nagtungo ang paningin ko kay Yvonne na nasa di kalayuan at nakikipag-usap kay Jamison, yung rank ten. Pagkatapos ay kay Eliza na nasa tabi ko lang at kanina pa walang imik.

"Beshy, alam mo ba kung anong rank ko? Magmula nung nandito tayo, 15 minutes to be exact, walang naga-announce kung ano bang rank ako."- sabi ko. She shrugged and sighs.

"Hintayin na lang natin ang mangyayari, di ko din kasi alam eh."- she said without looking at me.

Ano bang problema ng mga tao? Hays.

"Everyone will clap for 5 seconds per each honor student, understand?"- Ma'am Gativez announced as the graduation theme song has been played.

I felt something weird nung mga panahon na yun. Sadness, loneliness. Parang huminto ang mundo ko at na-stock sa pakiramdam na hindi ko maintindihan. Naalala ko yung sinabi ni Yvonne sakin kanina.

"Konting panahon na lang, magagawa ko na ang plano ko. Kaya kung ako sayo, I'll watch my back."

Bigla akong kinilabutan. Ilang beses na akong pinagbantaan ni Yvonne pero ngayon lang ako naapektuhan ng ganito. Kinakabahan ako...

-----------

"Ang nagkamit ng ika-apat na karangalang banggit. Jessy O. Poler."

I sighs kasabay ng palakpakan. Ano ba yun? Bakit hindi pa din ako natatawag? Tsk. Napalingon ulit ako kay Eliza para sana magtanong, but hesitated. Hindi nya pa din ako kinakausap. Nakakainis na. Nilapitan ko sya na kasalukuyang nakaupo sa sulok. Nang nakalapit ako, inangat nya ang ulo nya.

"May problema ba? Hindi mo ko kinakausap kanina pa."- tanong ko sakanya. I am expecting Eliza to stand up from that spot and then flips her hair. But no. She just ignored me. Naiiyak na ko. Ano bang problemaaaaaa? May nagawa ba kong mali??!

"Eliza naman eh. You're not like this! May nagawa ba kong hindi mo gusto? If so..... Then tell me!"- inis na sabi ko. Mabuti na lang malakas ang tugtog kaya hindi naririnig ang sigaw ko na hindi naman ganon kalakas.

And then she started to cry while shaking her head. "Walang problema MJ... I-I'm sorry but.... I'm leaving you soon."

My heart sank. She will leave me just like that.

"Wha-what? P-pano?-----"

"MJ!! Tawag ka na sa stage!"- Alec, one of my classmate shouted happily. Lumingon ako sakanya.

"First honorable mentioned ka!!"- dagdag nya. I was about to walk ng magsalita si Eliza.

"I h-have stage 4 leukemia Maxine... I'm so sorry... "

I gasp. Tears were ready to fall down from my eyes. I covered my mouth and kneeled in front of her. 

"H-hindi alam nila mama at papa... "- she continued and smiled weakly. 

"Maxine Jane! Ikaw na! Tawag ka sa stage!!"- Alec shouted again but I ignored him. I just kneeled there, and cry. I was amazed how Eliza managed not to cry. She even smiled at me though it is weak. She's so strong.

"Tawag ka n-na dun... Bakit hindi ka pa umakyat?"- she asked. I cried hard then found myself hugging her so tight. 

"Eliza naman eh. We're bestfriends pero hindi mo sinabi! How could you!!"- I scolded. I heard her chuckled silently. 

"This is the reason. Hindi ko sinabi sayo because you will cry like this. So childish.... "- pagdadahilan nya while caressing my head. 

"Meron akong bagay na nilagay sa locker mo. Tingnan mo bukas ah?"- she stated. I nodded and pulled away from our hug and looked at her, teary eyed. 

"B-bakit hindi mo sinabi sa parents mo yang sa-sakit mo?"

"I don't want them to worry about me."- she answered. I can see her tears welled in her eyes. Hindi ko alam kung anong nararamdaman ko. Naghahalo halo. I'm afraid. I'm alone. I'm sad. I'm confused. Then suddenly, she slowly touches her hair and realize na wig lang yun. I closed my eyes. I don't wanna see her in this kind of situation. Nasasaktan ako. How come na hindi ko nahalatang may sakit sya. Wala akong kwentang kaibigan...

"E-eliza... My goodness."- I heard Alec from my back. I felt a hand holding my hand that made me open my eyes. It was Eliza.

"Please don't cry when I'm gone, beshy..."- she softly said. I sobbed. Naiinis ako sa sarili ko. Bakit hindi ko nahalata!

"Eliza..."

"Everybody doesn't know about it, except you and Alec... Don't make them know. A-and please tell Garrett that I love him so much..."- umayos sya ng upo sa sahig at sumandal sa pader. Pumikit sya and heave a sigh. I panicked at her reaction.

"Eliza! Anong masakit sayo?! Tell me!"- I asked but she just smiled and pinched my hands softly. She chuckled lowly.

"I guess they will already know..."- sabi nya. This time, tumulo ang luha na kanina nya pa pinipigilan.

"ELIZA NAMAN! WAG KANG MAGSALITA NG GANYAN! H-hold on! Please, hold on.."

"Ssh.. I wanted to rest.."- eliza stated weakly.

"I'll call s-someone"- Alec suggested and runs.

"Beshy... Walang.... Walang iwan...iwanan.."

And with that, she removed her hands from mine and sleep.... Forever..