BORROWED TIME

23

"S-she's... T-teka y-yung operasyon... S-she'll... Take it?"

Kuya Loel couldn't believe what he just heard.

At ako rin.

Kaming lahat.

"You'll take it, Bea?" Thirdy went near her.

Pero ako nakatayo lang sa likuran ni Bea.

We did not hear her say something but she nodded her head minimally.

Then silence filled the air. Maybe all of us are shocked. At hindi ma-absorb ng mga isipan namin ang nangyayari ngayon.

Pumayag na si Bea. At nakikita ko sa pamilya niya na masaya sila.

Pero ako...

"A-ahm..." tumikhim ako kaya napalingon silang lahat sa akin. Including Bea.

At dahil sadyang malikot ang mata ko, tinignan ko rin silang lahat, pati siya.

And for the nth time, those brown eyes are slowly drowning me and pulling me out of my system. And it made me remember the last time I saw her face just to say goodbye to her.

And I felt something familiar kicking inside of me in a very familiar way in a very unfamiliar person.

Nage-gets niyo ba ako?

I am feeling something familiar with an unfamiliar person. I must know this feeling. And I must know I shouldn't feel this.

Ano pa nga bang ginagawa ko rito? I should have been riding the plane right now and enjoying my travel going back home.

Hindi na ako kailangan rito. Kahit pa pumayag na siya sa surgery, I already don't have any commitment to them, especially to her.

I already resigned. And it's final. Dapat umalis na ako rito kanina pa.

At bakit ba ako nagi-explain?!

"Yung ano..." hindi ko magawang makapag-salita ng maayos katulad ng di ko magawang alisin ang tingin ko kay Bea.

"Yung... Ahm, ano po ka-kasi..." I sighed.

Relax Jhoana. Bakit ka ba kasi nabubulol?!

"Yung ano po, yu-yung flight ko po. I-I h-have to go."

I quickly said tsaka lumabas ng office.

"Jhoana!!!"

I heard all of them calling my name but I never looked back. I have to go now.

"Jho!!"

Binilisan ko ang lakad ko towards the elevator because I can feel someone is following me.

*ting!*

Finally! I was about to enter the elevator pero hindi pa ako nakakahakbang papasok ay may humila na sa akin.

"Jho."

Bigla akong napaharap sa humila sa akin and it was kuya Loel.

"Jho don't leave."

"Kuya... Y-yung flight ko."

"Jho, stay here."

"Pero kuya--"

"Jho, did you see it? Did you heard it? My sister's going to take the operation."

I nodded quickly. "That's a good thing. I'm happy for all of you." madali kong sabi tsaka papasok na sana ulit sa elevator.

"Jho sandali lang." he pulled me out of the elevator.