Treacherous

Chapter Twenty-two

Nagulat!

Andromeda S. Consunji's

My eyes are opened and all I could see were those white walls and that light blue curtain. I could feel something in my mouth – and it's a foreign tube – not really a hardened cock. I could here the ticking of the clock and I could smell the room, it smells like hospital... Wait? I could smell?

I could fucking smell!

I tried moving my hand.

"Andy?" I heard a voice. It's mom. I feel really tired. I saw her face. "Oh, baby, you're awake! I'll call the doctor, okay? You stay put. Don't close your eyes!"

She was frantic. Moments later, the nurse came. May inalis sila na nakakabit sa akin. I was waiting. Hindi nagtagal ay dahan-dahan nila akong pinaupo. I finally saw my parents and Orion. But where is Cassie?

"Mom..." I whispered. My throat is dry. "water, please..."

"Orion, get her water." Pops said. Lumapit agad sa akin Mommy at hinaplos – haplos ang ulo ko.

"Did they shave my head?" I couldn't help but ask.

"A little bit, baby girl. I missed you." Yumakap si Mommy. Masakit ang buong katawan ko, pagoda ko but I feel a bit light headed. Hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari. The door opened again and I saw Santino Orejon- Ruel's brother.

I stopped a bit. Ruel's brother. I know him. I remember him. Why do I remember him? Hindi ko siya dapat natatandaan.

They asked me things. I answered him. Kinakabahan ako. I remember everything – I remember the night before I agreed on this. I remember him, I remember what we did, how we met – I remember it and I feel – sad.

Hindi naman ako dapat maging malungkot dahil mahal ako ni Ruel at nag-usap kaming dalawa at pareho lang naman kami ng nararamdaman kaya lang, ayokong may masaktan. Hindi dapat malaman ng kahit na sino na may natatandaan ako. I'd rather hurt myself than hurt someone else. Ayokong maging dahilan ng sakit ng ibang tao.

"Mom, are we in the Philippines?" Biglang tanong ko. Oh! I saw Orion's face and it's priceless. But Mom shed a tear, si Pops ay nanlalaki ang butas ng ilong. I, so wanna tell them how stupid they look but I controlled myself.

"Yes, anak." Si Pops ang sumagot. "We're in the Philippines. Diba napagkasunduan natin na dito na mag-stay at magpapabalik – balik na lang kayo ng mga kapatid mo sa Hawaii?"

"I'm sorry..." I told them. "But I don't remember." Wika ko. Santino Orejon looked at me and the to Doctor Varres. They seemed so serious. Wala naman akong reaksyon kundi ang tingnan lang sila.

"This is because of the bleeding, tama ba ako, Doctors?" Tanong ni Pops.

"We think so." Wika ni Santino. "Dr. Varres and I will look in this matter, Mr. Consunji."

"Sa ngayon, titingnan muna natin sa pamamagitan ng tests kung ano ang limitasyon ng natatandaan niya." Napatango ako Kunwari. Natatawa talaga ako. The door opened again and Cassie appeared. I smiled at her pero nag-freeze ang ngiting iyon nang makita kong kasama niya si Ruel. Mukhang ayaw niyang pumasok pero hinatak siya ng kapatid ko. I could only look at Cassie. Ayokong tingnan si Ruel, tumitibok kasi nang napakalabilis ang puso ko.

Cassie asked me who he is and I pretended to not know him. Parang nalukot ang puso ko nang makita ang mga mata niya. Cassie just told me that he's her friend and I pretended to believe them. Umalis si Ruel noon, ako naman ay nag-stay pa rin sa ospital ng mga ilang araw.