Halos araw araw, pang umaga lang ang class ko so everytime na may time ako sa hapon, dumadayo akong UP para puntahan sina Maris at Iñigo at nagbabakasali na ring makita si Hannah. Minsan doon na din ako gumagawa ng homeworks, projects at doon na din ako nagaaral.
"Kiss, hindi ka ba napapagod sa kakapunta mo rito?" Maris
Nandito kami sa library ngayon, nagaaral. Close nila yung mga tao dito so wala silang pakialam kung may bitbit silang outsider dito.
"Oo nga. Tingnan mo, nangangayayat ka nanaman. Napapabayaan mo na sarili mo" Iñigo
"Sabi naman namin sayo, itetext or tatawagan ka naman namin kapag nakita na namin si Hannah eh" Kitang kita sa mukha nila ang pagaalala.
"Guys, don't worry about me. Mas gusto ko ako yung unang makausap ni Hannah and besides, mas nakakapagaral ako dito kesa doon saamin. Lagi akong nadidistract sa apat na kumag na yun" I told them
Nagkatinginan muna sila bago ulit ako harapin.
"Pero hindi ka ba nahihirapan magcommute halos everyday papunta rito? Kami nahihirapan para sayo eh" Iñigo
"Bihira lang naman ako magcommute. Minsan pinapahiram ni Marcus sasakyan nya sakin at minsan naman sinusundo nila ako so I'm really fine"
Huminga na lang silang malalim at nagpatuloy sa ginagawa nila. Alam kong sinasabi na nila ang lahat at ginagawa ang lahat para hindi na ako magpunta rito.
"Call us when you get home" Iñigo said
I just nodded then hugged them both before I bid goodbye. Hinatid nila ako sa parking lot kung saan ko pinark ang sasakyan ni Marcus. Pinahiram nya saakin ito dahil wala naman syng lakad kanina bukod sa school.
Before I even opened the car door, bigla akong nagcrave ng fishballs so I decided to stay ng ilang minuto muna dito para kumain at manood ng mga naglalaro sa field nang may biglang dumaan sa harap ko, nagmamadali.
Nabitawan ko yung kinakain at muli syang hinabol patungo sa malaking field.
Nanlaki ang mata nya ng lumingon sya sakin. Tila hindi makapaniwala na nandito ako sa harap nya ngayon. Ilang minuto din syang ganon hanggang sa bigla syang yumakap sakin.
"Kisses" she was crying while hugging me
"Hannah" I hugged her back. Umiiyak na din ako ngayon.
Nang mahimasmasan kaming dalawa, nagpasya kaming pumunta sa parking lot dahil wala masyadong tao doon.
"Kisses, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Wala akong magawa" she started crying again.
"Hannah. Please tell me everything. Nasan si Donny? Ano nangyari sakanya? Sayo? Sainyo?"
"I can't."
"But why?" I asked.
"Matagal na akong bumukod sa pamilya ko at wala na akong alam sakanila and I'm sorry cause I know I should've stayed for Kuya...but I got so fed up" Niyakap ko sya ng mahigpit. She was crying really really hard.
"Shhh Hannah" I tried to calm her down but she just kept on crying.
"When we went to States, Kuya was unconscious and I just found out about it a month after we got there."
"Unconscious? What?!" Nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Hannah. Nangangatog yung tuhod ko, ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko.
"Don't worry Kiss, the last time I heard from ate ella, he's okay now. He already woke up"
"But what happened Hannah?" Tears are again streaming down my face.
"On the day of your graduation, I woke up to the news that Kuya flew to States all of a sudden. Our parents said, naglayas daw si Kuya...but of course, I never believed that. Una sa lahat, he wouldn't miss his graduation just because he's broken hearted. Pangalawa, he wouldn't fly to States. Although he has funds, why there? Pangatlo, he tells me everything."
Nakayuko lang akong nakikinig sakanya. Medyo hindi na rin sya umiiyak pero halatang hirap syang magkwento.
"After more than a month, my parents decided to fly to States. Sabi nila, para magbakasyon at para hanapin si Kuya. Araw araw silang umaalis noon para "maghanap" but they already hired an investigator so medyo nakakapagtaka that's why I decided to follow them one day. Pumunta sila sa closest hospital sa bahay namin doon. To my surprise, I found my Kuya lying in the hospital bed...un..unconscious"
She started to cry again. Ako din, walang tigil mga luha ko.
"I screamed out of anger in that room. How could they hide this from us? I asked them countless times what really happened and it even broke me more when they finally spoke. I can't believe that my parents who raised me so well can do such evil thing just to save our company from falling...that's why I ran and I ran. I moved out of the house without even thinking of my siblings, especially Kuya..."
I held her hand so tight.
"I saved up money on my own and decided to continue my studies here without telling them. I talked to Ate Ella before I flew here just to know about Kuya's condition. Ate Ella got mad too when she found out but she stayed for Solana and Benj. I explained to her that I need to cut our connections and that I have to shut them off of my life for the meantime. She understood but now I'm regretting that I left Kuya there...I was all that he has there but I left him. I'm really sorry Kiss..."
She hugged me once again.
"Shh noots. You don't have to say sorry. It's not your fault. Let's just help each other to get your kuya back. Okay?"
"As much as I want him back with you Kisses, I'm afraid this isn't the right time for me and for you. I want to heal first. Let time pass and we'll help each other out. I'll help you out" she said.
Madami pa akong katanungan sa isip ko pero mas pinili ko na lang manahimik kasi kitang kita ko kay Hannah na sobrang drained na sya. I offered her a ride to her apartment but then she asked me if she can stay sa condo ko for the night.
While I was driving, she held my hand.
"Thank you Kisses and I'm really sorry"
"No problem noots. I guess ako muna pamilya mo dito? Stay with me if you want kaso nga lang...malayo sa UP."
"I'm actually just taking an online course sa UP. Pumupunta lang ako doon kapag may kailangan akong ipass, itanong or magjog."
"Then that's great! You can stay with me!" I yelled
"I'd love to. But sooner or later, papahanap na ako nila daddy and ayaw ko ng mas madamay ka pa sa gulo"
I understand but I can't help but feel bad for Hannah. She's here all alone, being independent just because of what her parents did. Kahit malabo pa saakin ngayon, at least, alam kong okay na si Donny.
"I love you ate Kisses. You know that right?" She told me that out of the blue at tinawag nya akong ate when we're just few months apart.
"Of course" I smiled
"You were my sister, you still are! And whatever happen to us in the future, please be strong for me and for Kuya"
Iba yung naramdaman ko sa sinabi ni Hannah. May takot, kaba, saya, lungkot. Halo halo. Pero isa lang ang alam ko, mahal ko sila. Sila ni Donny and that's enough to keep me going.
