My Little Sun

11: Diploma

A year had passed, her heart transplant was successful and I heard that her body's slowly recovering but she's not awake yet.

The graduation ceremony ended and the boys invited me to go around the school for the last time.

"Hay. Mamimiss ko ang school na to." Marco smiled at us. "Kayo rin guys. Swerte ako't naging kaibigan ko kayo." 

"Ay nagdrama na naman siya. Sa pananalita mo parang magkakalayo na tayo ah." sabi naman ni Lucas.

Marco made a sad face. "Well, pinasusunod na ako ng ate ko sa Japan. Doon na raw ako titira sa kanya so, yeah, magkakalayo na tayo." 

"Tch." Lucas too looked sad. 

Marco turned to me. "Ikaw, Tristan? What do you plan to do?" 

Honestly, my dad's convincing me again to live with them in America but I talked to him properly and told him my plans. To my surprise, he agreed without giving me conditions.

"I passed the entrance exam for incoming medical students. I'll be a nurse and if kaya pa, maybe a doctor." 

"Sa talino mong yan? For sure pwedeng-pwede kang maging doktor." Sabi  ni Lucas. "Anong field?" 

"Cardio." 

Both of them smiled. 

Lucas gave me a pat on my back. "Bilib talaga ako sayo, Tristan. Napaka-loyal mo. Hindi naman naging kayo pero sobra pa sa asawa ang ginagawa mo sa kanya. Hindi ka rin tumitingin sa ibang mga babae. Kung di ka nag-aaral at nagtatrabaho sa part time job mo, nasa ospital ka naman. Mahal mo talaga noh?" 

I smiled at him. 

She's the reason why I learned how to smile, to laugh, to open myself to others, to make friends, to dream, and to love. If she's not my seatmate way back in middle school, I guess I'm still full of hatred. I guess I won't be here in this school, being honest with these boys, and won't even dream big like becoming a doctor.

She made me see that though life is full of pain, it's still beautiful. She's giving me strength every time she smiles, like a sun to a wild plant like me.

"Pupunta ka ng hospital?" Marco asked.

"Yeah. I need to give her something. Sasama kayo?" 

"Huwag na. Sa susunod nalang. Alam naman naming gusto mo siyang masolo eh. Hehe." 

As we finished touring the school grounds, I immediately went to the hospital. I met her other relatives last year and I somehow got to know her more through them. I'd also seen her family through pictures. They even allowed me to visit her family's grave and since then, on their special occasions, I'm offering them flowers.

I placed her diploma in a frame and put it on the table beside her bed. I got a chair and sat beside her. Her hair's longer now and she's still pretty like before. 

"Hey." I reached for her hand and held it between mine. "When do you plan to wake up? Aren't you going to study sports at a university?" I paused, hoping that she'll respond. 

"Just to let you know, I passed the exams. Pinili ko ang school na yun because of you." I looked at her sleeping face. I tried to smile but it's painful. "Hey, Aelia. I miss you." 

The door of her room opened and her doctor came in. "Sabi ko na nga ba at nandito ka na naman, Tristan." 

"Hindi ka pa ba nasanay, Doc?" This is Joachim, but he's known as Doctor Kim. He's a general surgeon and a close friend of my dad. He came to check Aelia's condition. "Kamusta siya?" 

"Her vitals are normal but I have to be honest that we still need to observe her." 

"Okay." 

"By the way, congratulations! I heard from your dad that you're planning to study medicine?" 

"Yeah." 

"Hmm.  So I guess you need to get ready." 

"Ready for what?" 

"Ahh... hindi ba nasabi ng dad mo that I'm the head of College of Medicine? I'm not gonna spoil you just because you're the son of my friend. You need to start studying now or I'll kick you out of the team. Gets?" 

I laughed at him. "Don't underestimate me, Doc. You'll be proud of me. You just wait." 

"Hahahahaha! You've changed, Tristan, and it's good." He went outside and continued his rounds.

"You heard that, Aelia? I'll make you proud, too."