Ricci Rivero, MD

15

"We will be having an exam today." Dr. Laurel announced.

I cursed at the top of my lungs. Minsan lang kami mag surprise exam but when they do it yun talaga when you don't know anything at all. The worst part is that you can't find it in the book.

"This is gonna be 50% of your finals. Good luck!" She added. Terror to' eh.

"Fuck" Ricci muttered.

She was giving the test paper already. Pagkalagay palang nung akin hindi ko alam kung may matatama ba ako. Ang hirap. Feeling ko ten lang ata out of 50.

Gusto ko umiyak pero pinipigilan ko. Kahit anong pilit ko wala na talaga akong alam tungkol dito.

I left with no choice at pinasa ko na yung papel. For the first time konti lang nasagot ko. Pagka labas ko ng classroom agad ako tumakbo papunta sa may taxi area.

Ang bobo mo, Akilia. I'm sure as hell may masasagot si Rivero. He reviews all the time bago siya matulog. I don't know where to go basta ang alam ko gusto ko umiyak lang ng umiyak.

"Saan tayo ma'am?" tanong ni manong sakin. I knew that time I had to go to the place that makes me calm.

"Timberland" saad ko. Dito kami palagi ng ex ko kapag nalulungkot ako. It's like a mountain top nakikita mo yung buong manila.

Pagkadating ko dun agad akong humagulgul. Yung iyak ng bata na iniwan ng mama nya.

"You didn't hear me calling your name?"

 Fuck, it's Rivero.

"Why are you here? Yung exam?" curiosity filled me.

"I didn't finish it." He sat down beside me and wiped my tears.

"Ba't hindi mo tinapos? I know you have answers. Ano ba, Rivero. Di ka magiging top 1 nyan." I scolded him.

"If being at top means seeing you cry then I'm okay with just passing. I told you, Akilia. I'll always be with you." Umiling ako.

"You don't understand. A lot of people are expecting you to be always on top. They'll get disappointed. Mag isip ka naman, Rivero." I blurted. "Ano? Gusto mo marinig na hindi ka naging top 1 dahil sakin? Dahil sinundan mo ko?" I stood up. This is not always about me.

"Grades are just numbers, Akilia. Di ako nabubuhay ng dahil dyan. What do you want me to do? Act like you didn't cry and continue answering the fucking exam? Even if I continued I'll never ace that thinking you are sad." Aniya with his calm voice.

Napapikit nalang ako. Ayoko ng ganto.
"Hindi mo kasi naiintindihan. You can't always be there for me."

"But I told you, I'll always be with you. Hindi ako hanggang salita lang. If the people around you keep disappointing you, I have to make a difference." Unti unti itong lumapit sakin.

"If you think I'm taking med school easy na I can just do anything just like what I did earlier then you're wrong. Alam ko naman na I have to study hard for my future but sabay tayo nangarap maging doctor. I couldn't just give up seeing you gave up a while ago." He's standing at my side still wearing the white uniform.

"They're just numbers that I couldn't get if it wasn't because of you. What will I do with them when the person who means so much to me is disappointed by herself and I couldn't be there? I'd rather lose the number than the person." He exhaled heavily.

"Fuck. I love you, Akilia."

-------