kathang isip || ricci rivero

Wakas

"Ako'y gigising na... sa panaginip kong ito at sa wakas ay kusang lalayo sa iyo..."

I woke up because of the loud music playing inside my room. I tried opening my eyes. They turned the music off.

"I had a dream."

I couldn't stop my tears. My vision wasn't that clear. Hindi ko gaano makilala kung sino itong mga taong sa harapan ko at kung bakit sila umiiyak habang pinagmamasdan ako. Nasaan ako?

"Reese? Reese!" I heard a girl cried for my name, "Shit, gising na siya!"

Naramdaman ako ang pagkataranta nilang lahat. May narinig din akong isang lalaking tumawag ng doctor. I tried moving but I couldn't. Sumakit ang ulo ko sa napakahabang panaginip na iyon. Hindi pa rin tumitigil ang mga luhang pumapatak galing sa mga mata ko.

"Isha..." I tried speaking, "Nasaan..."

Someone held my hand. I looked at her and realized she was Isha. "Hoy! Bakit mo 'ko pinakaba ng ganoon! Magkikita pa tayo sa BGC, 'di ba?"

BGC? Right! I remember! We were supposed to meet at BGC because we finished enrolling in our chosen universities for college. Pero, bakit nga ba ako nandito? Why did I end up lying in a hospital bed?

"No worries, Madam," Was that the doctor? "But we still need to monitor her. She's been in comatose for fourteen months..."

What? I've been... what? Fourteen months? Hell! My head ached more because of that. At sa inihaba ng tulog ko, siya pa rin talaga ang napanaginipan ko? Siya pa rin? Muntik na akong mamatay at siya pa rin! Bakit? Tangina! Ano bang mayroon sa kanya? Hindi ko maintindihan!

"Isha..." I wiped my tears. "I dreamt of him."

"Putangina," she uttered. "Si Ricci? Ang tawag doon, bangungot! Buti nagising ka pa! Salamat sa Diyos!"

"No, Isha," I shook my head. "It was indeed... a happy dream."

"Happy? Alam mo bang siya ang dahilan-"

"I am happy, Isha," I still couldn't stop myself from crying. "Atleast in that way, we were able to meet. He was able to love me."

Everyone in the room were silent after hearing what I said. Unti unting lumilinaw ang paningin ko. I saw my father punched the wall so hard My mother who was crying ran towards me and held my hand tightly. Isha gave way to my mother and just sat on the couch near the door, peeling her apple.

"Anak..." Mama cried. "Anak, tama na."

"Ma?" I asked. "Bakit? Ano 'yun?"

"Si Ricci..." she sobbed. "Siya yung nakabunggo sa'yo... Siya rin ang nagdala sa'yo rito... July 28 iyon. Palagi siyang pumupunta rito, iniintay na magising ka pero... kay tagal mong gumising, anak."

What the fuck.

Napatakip ako sa bibig ko. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili sa paghikbi. Nagkita kami sa panaginip. Minahal niya ako roon. Hindi ko alam na habang napakasaya ko sa panaginip na iyon, ang mga taong totoong nagmamahal sa 'kin ay nasa tabi ko... nasasaktan, umiiyak at nagiintay na gumising na ako.

Si Ricci... hindi ko gaano maalala ang pangyayari. Siya ang nakabangga sa 'kin. Sa panaginip ko ay naroon siya at hindi ko alam na sa totoong buhay pala ay naroon pa rin siya, iniintay na magising ako sa kathang isip ko.

"Nasaktan ka na nang paulit ulit sa kanya, anak..." Mama said. "Muntik ka ng mawala sa amin."

My father went to my other side and caressed my hair. He was crying. We were all crying so bad.

"Gusto naming magsampa ng kaso sa kanya dahil hindi siya naging responsable sa pagmamaneho..." sabi ni Papa. "Pero alam kong hindi mo 'yon magugustuhan. Alam kong kahit nasaktan ka na, ipagtatanggol mo pa rin siya."

"I'm sorry, Reese," Isha who was biting her apple said. "Hindi na sana kita pinapunta ng BGC."

"That's okay," I nodded. "Sa lahat ng nangyare, masaya ako... nagising na ako. Okay na ako."

I tried to smile to assure them.

God didn't give me another life to be a slave of love again. He gave me this life to finally stop this stupidity and live my life right. Ginising Niya ako para magising na ako sa mga panaginip ko at ipamukha sa akin na hanggang doon lang lahat iyon. Doon ko na tatapusin lahat.

Pamilya ko. Mga kaibigan ko. Pagaaral ko. Sarili ko naman ngayon. Darating din ang para sa akin. Baka mas higit pa sa kanya. Mas higit pa sa isang basketball player. Mas higit pa kay Ricci Rivero.

"Hindi rin ako pumasok," Isha laughed. "Hintayin kita, kaibigan kita. Magkasama tayo sa lahat. Sabay tayong papasok ng kolehiyo. Ayos ba?"

I smiled. Stupid. But I love her. She sacrificed for me.

"Hello?" someone called my father on the phone. "Gising na siya, sir. Papunta ho kayo?" nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo ni Papa.

I was trembling because of that. I knew who he was talking over the line because the speaker was on. I heard what the man said. Sabi niya, masaya siyang nagising na ako.

See? Masaya siya. Dapat lang na maging masaya ako.

Papunta na raw siya.

"Alam niya, anak," sabi ni Mama. "Alam niya kung gaano mo siya kamahal. Pasensya ka na, naikwento ko. Tagal mo kasi gumising..." humalakhak si Mama.

I sighed. My father turned the television on. Their heads turned to look at me because of the breaking news. I smiled. I tried to smile although it was hard. Ano ba, tanggap ko na e.

UAAP icon Ricci Rivero finally introduces his girlfriend due to questions asked about his relationship status.

I'm happy for you. I hope she's the one. Mukhang nagkatotoo na yung nasa panaginip ko... ang kaso, hindi sa akin kasi fan lang naman ako.

"Hello."

Putangina.

Lahat kami ay napalingon nang bumukas ang pinto. It was... a very familiar man. He looked like the man I loved all these years because it was really him.

Ricci Rivero was infront of me. He was wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of runner shorts. He was holding a bouquet of flowers on his left hand while the other was holding a bag of groceries. He gave the groceries to my mother. They all smiled at him.

Lumapit siya sa akin. He even offered the flowers. I forced a smile and accepted it with a heavy heart. He licked his lower lip and combed his hair using his fingers. Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"Hi, Reese," he tried to smile but I knew it was hard for him. "I'm sorry but I'm glad you're finally awake."