The Great Escape

Kabanata 7

Kabanata 7

For fun

What a coincidence, indeed.

"Bakit ka ganyan makatingin? Para kang mangangagat."

I tried to make the mood lighter since I felt intimidated by his glare. His lips was in a thin line and I don't know what should I exactly do right now. I was getting uneasy.

Six months have passed since I last saw him and here we are. Facing each other in the middle of a dimly lit room. He looks suspiscious to me.

"Hindi ako nangangagat, Seraiah," he murmured. "Nanghahalik, oo."

Namilog ang mata ko at napaatras ako nang kaunti. I was about to exit the room when I heard his soft chuckle. Naglalakad na siya ngayon palapit sa akin.

I took a few steps back but before I could exit the room, he was only a few inches away from me. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the room.

Wala na akong panahon para makapalag. One moment we were inside, and in a glimpse, we were already outside. Nasa hallway na kami ngayon at maliwanag na ang lugar. Hindi katulad kanina na madilim.

"We met again," he said. "Pasyente ka na pala."

Hindi ko alam kung paano magre-react sa sinabi niya. Pwede bang humalakhak na lang ako? O pwede rin bang huwag na lang magreact ng kahit na ano? I released a sigh and cleared my throat.

"Ah, oo nga. Hehe."

Parang tanga naman, Seraiah.

I mentally face-palmed after I avoided his gaze. Nakapamulsa na siya ngayon at bahagyang nakangisi. Napapansin niya na siguro ang pagiging uneasy ko. Sana hindi niya isipin na bothered ako sa sinabi niya dahil hindi naman talaga.

At isa pa, anong ginagawa niya sa kwartong 'yon kanina? He was crouching over the sleeping patient as if he was doing something.

Hindi naman siguro siya gumagawa ng ilegal, ano? Should I ask him about what I saw? And if I did, what happens next?

"Kailan ka pa naka-admit?"

Napahawak ako sa batok. "Ngayon lang. Uuwi rin mamaya—"

"'Wag ka nang magsinungaling. Alam kong stay-in patient ka at nakaadmit ka ngayon. Your gown design," ngumisi siya.

Tinignan ko ang suot na damit. Anong connect ng design kung stay-in patient ako o hindi? I shrugged the thought off my head. Hindi na mahalaga 'yon.

And yup, he was right about me—lying to him. I don't usually broadcast to strangers that I'm sick. Karamihan nga sa mga kaklase ko ay hindi alam na may ALS ako. It was only AUGUSTUS and my family who knew about my real condition.

I don't want to be pitied. I don't want to receive a special treatment from anyone. Because if that happens, I would only feel that I am different from everybody else. I keep my illness private so I'd feel like a normal teenager like them.

Kung kanina ay hindi ako bothered, ngayon, medyo hindi na kumportable ang pakiramdam ko. Hindi dahil sa sinabi niya noong una kun'di dahil sa intimidating niyang aura ngayon. Though he wasn't glaring at me like what he did when our eyes met again after six months, I still feel uncomfortable.

Tinanaw ko mula sa kinatatayuan ang natutulog na si Amy. Namilog ang mata ko nang mapansin ko ang mukha niya. There were ridiculous characters painted all over her face! I also noticed a 'green stuff' on her left cheek! I can't believe this!

What's gotten on his mind to do that on a sick girl's face? At anong ginagawa niya sa ospital, dis oras ng gabi?

Kung nandito siya para bumisita sa cancer ward ng mga bata at mamigay ulit ng art materials, hindi ako maniniwala. Baka masapok ko pa siya kung idadahilan man niya iyon sa akin kung sakali.

"Anong ginawa mo?" Tanong ko, medyo tumaas ang boses dahil sa gulat. "Anong ginawa mo?!"

I pointed Amy's direction with my right hand. His brows crooked.

Habang iritado akong nakatingin sa kanya, pinagkrus naman niya ang mga braso sa dibdib. Ano 'to? Prank niya lang, ganoon? Dapat ba tumatawa ako sa ginagawa niya? Tss.

"What?" He chuckled. "It's obvious. I painted the patient's face as she sleeps."

"And why did you do that?"

Ibinaba niya ang nakakrus na mga braso. Napansin ko ang pasimpleng pagtapon niya ng ginamit na materials sa malapit na basurahan. He crouched a bit before finally answering my question. Napaatras naman ako.

"For fun," sagot niya bago umayos ng tayo.

"For fun?!" Ulit ko, medyo nawawalan na ng pasensiya.

And who gave him the right to make fun of other people? Especially the sick ones! They are already struggling and what Ephraim did to them brought nothing but another hardship to deal with.

Paano na lang 'yung mga walang sapat na lakas para linisin ang sarili nila? And how about those people who have sensitive skins? Paano kung magkaroon pa ng complications sa balat dahil sa materials na ginamit niya?

I don't really get this guy's way of thinking. Kahit noong unang beses kaming magkita at magkakilala, hindi ko na siya maintindihan. He's realy weird. Though I know I'm weird as well, but he's really different. Madalas ay hindi ako natutuwa sa mga ginagawa niya.

Maybe he's twisted or something. May saltik ba 'to sa utak? Na-rebond na ba ang kulot kaya ginagawa niya ito?

"Yup. Why? You wanna join me?"

I chuckled sarcastically. "Dream on."

"Then why are you still here?"

"I'm still here to tell you this: stop what you're doing. Hindi nakatutuwa ang mga ito."

He didn't answer. Nanatili lang siyang nakatingin sa akin. Ginagawa na naman niya 'yung ginawa niya noong huli kaming magkita. His head was slanting a bit while his eyes were locked on me.

Ephraim was the first and last man I dated for the past months. And I don't know if I should be proud that I dated a good-looking peculiar guy but if I only had a choice then, I would refuse his request to take me out on a date. Kung matatawag bang date iyong nangyari sa pagitan namin.

Hindi 'yon dahil maarte ako at mapili sa lalaki. Kundi dahil hindi ko ma-gets ang mga iniisip at sinasabi niya. O baka ako ang may mali? I don't know. Basta alam ko lang na hindi kami magkakasundo.

"Ayoko," his lips curled for a quick smile.

Before I could tell him anything, nilagpasan na niya ako at mabilis siyang nawala sa paningin ko nang subukan ko siyang hanapin.

What the hell just happened?