Neophilia

N 34

May tumatapik sa akin. Pagkamulat ng mata ko, dahan-dahang nag-focus ang mata ko sa mukha ni JP. He was leaning next to me, and his face wasn't even smiling. Bigla akong kinabahan kaya napabangon kaagad ako. "Anong problema?" I asked him, "JP, bakit?"

Hindi siya sumagot, instead, may tinuro siya. He was pointing at my phone na nakapatong sa side table. nakikita kong nagva-vibrate ito. I quickly took it and checked who's calling. Si Kaden.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano gagawin ko so I just woke you up, sorry." Yumuko siya, as if, parang may nagawa siyang kasalanan.  "Kanina pa siya natawag. Alam ko naman na hindi naman ako dapat ang kasama mo in the first place, so I didn't bother to answer his call. Sorry,"

Tiningnan ko siya, "JP... What are--"

"Just answer it. Alam kong nag-aalala na yan sayo," He said, then he went straight to his room. Saka ko pa lang narealize na maaga pa pala. It was only 6 in the morning.

"Hello?" I finally answered the call.

"Oh, God!" The relief was so evident in his voice. "Saan ka nagpunta, King? We were worried sick about you! Kanina ka pa namin tinatawagan--"

Inilayo ko sa tenga ko yung phone ko, without cancelling the phone call, tapos tiningnan ko kung naka-ilang missed calls na ako. Apparently, there was 48. Meron si daddy, si Red, si Adam at Kaden.

Then I remembered what happened last night...

Binalik ko na kaagad sa tenga ko yung phone, "--hindi ka man lang nagpaalam sa akin kagabi na aalis ka. I should've brought you home! W-where are you, King? I need to see you! We were about to report that you're missing!"

Hindi ako makasagot kaagad sa mga tanong ni Kaden. I was just... listening.

"A-are you with JP? Just t-tell me, okay? Nakita ni Red na umalis si JP kagabi sa reception na nagmamadali. We figured that he might be with you... Is he?"

Lumingon ako kung nasaang room pumasok si JP kanina and stared at his door. Then I remembered what he did last night.

He was there when I needed someone.

"King? K-King... Magsalita ka naman! Hindi na talaga ako mapakali dito... Asan ka ba? Please... I need to know..."

"K-Kaden..." Finally, I was able to talk back, but my voice came out like a whisper. Mahina, marupok pa.

"Okay ka lang--"

"Yes." Sabi ko sa kaniya agad. Ayoko nang marinig na kinakamusta pa nila ako. I know that I won't be the same anymore. After what happened last night? Na-trauma na ako dun, hindi na matatanggal pa yun sa isipan ko. "Yes," I told him again.

"Then wh-where are you?"

Umiling ako kahit hindi naman ako nakikita ni Kaden. "Don't. W-wag mo na akong hanapin, Kaden. I just need some time for myself, okay?" Then I heard myself sobbing.

"Umiiyak ka ba? King, okay ka lang ba talaga?"

"Oo! Okay lang ako!" I snapped. "Kaden, please, stop asking."

"Well, you can't stop me from worrying about you!" Nagulat ako sa boses ni Kaden. My tongue suddenly became numb. "You can't stop me, King, you know that I can't..." then his voice became just a mumble. Parang kinakausap na lang niya ang sarili niya kaysa sa akin.

"Ha?" I asked him, "What are---"

I was about to ask him what he was saying, because it got me confused, pero ayoko nang magsalita pa.