Dead from The Past (Runway Series #1)

04

"89 'yung room number ko."

"Wow, my favorite number." He smiled by himself. I smiled too but it faded when he looked at me.

"U-uhm, ako na maghuhugas!" Sabi ko at kukunin na sana ang plato sa kamay niya pero hinawakan niya 'yon nang mahigpit.

"Ako na." Sabi niya at inilayo sa 'kin 'yung plato. "Ako na, as payment na rin." I smiled cutely. Umiling lang siya at tinalikuran ako.

"Huy, ako na sabi e." Sapilitan kong inagaw sa kamay niya ang plato pero bumagsak at natamaan ang kamay ko.

"Shit." Agad siyang nag-panic at pumunta sa kwarto habang ako ay pinapanood lang ang pag tulo ng dugo doon.

"Does it hurt?" He looked at my eyes and I saw the concern in it, it was so evident. Dahan-dahan akong umiling pero tumawa lang siya ng sarkastiko.

"Don't pretend it doesn't when it is." Sambit niya at tinuloy na ang pag balot sa kamay ko.

"Sabi ko kasi sa 'yo ako na eh." I don't know but I found it cute, kaya ngumiti ako para ipakita sa kanya na okay lang ako.

Ngumiti din siya sa 'kin at nanlaki ang mata ko dahil ngayon ko lang 'yon nakita!

"Ngumiti ka! Nakita ko ngumiti ka!" Tinuro ko ang bibig niya. Napawi tuloy agad at tumingin ulit sa kamay ko.

"Okay, I see. Just drink the medicine, Mrs. Rendell, you'll get through it." The doctor said and mommy thank her naman. Pinalabas muna ako ni mommy dahil may itatanong daw siya kaya kahit ayaw ko, kahit gusto ko malaman 'yon, sumunod nalang ako.

Tinext ko si mommy na pupunta akong garden at pumayag naman siya. Gusto kong makalanghap ng magandang hangin. Gusto kong i-refresh ang sarili ko dahil feeling ko ang bigat bigat, ang bigat bigat sa pakiramdam.

Umupo ako sa swing at tinungkod ang siko sa binti, hindi alam ang gagawin.

"You okay?"

Gulat akong nag angat ng tingin at agad pinunasan ang kaunting luha na tumutulo kanina.

Umupo siya sa damuhan habang ako ay nasa swing. "Problem?" Tanong niya sa 'kin. Doon nagsimula na ulit tumulo ang luha ko.

"M-my mother has a d-dilated cardiomyophaty." My voice broke. Tuluyan siyang napatingin sa 'kin dahil doon. I don't know what to do.

"I-I don't know what to do. Doctor says this can lead to sudden death and I don't want to--I don't want, I'm not ready for that. I promised to myself that I will be the first one to vanish from this earth instead of my mother. I don't want her--She will be okay, right?"

Ramdam kong nakatingin siya sa 'kin and here I am, crying. Even if I know the tears came from my eyes are not a cure for my mother.

"I-if only I could transfer the disease to me, I won't hesitate to do that." I cried and I didn't know I was on the grass now.

"Shh, don't say that. Nobody wants that, okay? Gagaling siya okay?" He hugged me. I cried so hard on his chest hanggang sa wala nang luha ang lumalabas mula sa mata ko.

"My father has that disease too." He smiled bitterly. My eyes widened as I look at him. He just smiled at me and faced the front.

"Is y-your father okay? How was he?" I asked with a hope in my eyes, he would say he's okay. I'm not hoping he would say yes for me to calm down because I know if he will say yes, my mother will be okay too but no, I just hope he's okay, that's all.

"Everyone's not okay. Ask if until now, he's surviving." The bitter smile was still plastered on his face. "Is your father surviving until now?" I asked and I almost saw myself with a hope in my eyes that he would say yes.

"For some miracle, yes." I think my breathing came back to normal when I heard it. Now I wonder kung kailan pa may ganon 'yung daddy niya, should I ask him or no? I'm afraid I might offend him.

"Mind if I will ask uhm.. kailan pa?" I'm so very careful with my words to the point that I watched every reaction of him.

Nag kibit balikat lang siya kaya hindi na 'ko nag salita pa. Baka ayaw niyang pag usapan or something.

"Bakit ka nga pala nandito?" I asked after a long silence. Hindi pa rin naman tumatawag si mommy kaya baka hindi pa kami aalis.

"My father is a doctor here." He looked at me. I just nodded and swing the swing a little.

"Are you going to be a doctor of what?" I asked and hoped that he will feed my curiosity.

"Brains. Neurologist." He answered. "Why?" I asked again.

"Why do you have so many questions?" He laughed shortly. "What? Feed my curiosity!" I rolled my eyes.

"I chose neurologist because.. I don't know." Ayos ng sagot! Oo, napakaayos. "You? Why you chose pharmacist?" He asked.

"Hindi ko rin alam." Hindi ko naman talaga alam. "Siguro, gusto ko ng title? Like, not being a model. I mean, aside from that." I answered. Hindi ko alam pero gusto ko ng ganon. Dalawa title ko. Masyado akong advance alam ko 'yon pero sa pagkakaalam ko, libre mangarap?

"It's good that you decided like that at your young age." He said. Napangiti ako pero may naisip nanaman ako!

"Paano mo nalaman na gusto ko maging model?"

"Nung club day. Halatang-halata na iniisip mo na parang nasa runway ka. I think you gave your best on that kahit sa stage lang 'yon." He smiled, remembering me on the stage.

"Oo, nung araw na natapunan mo 'ko." I rolled my eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry for that one na nga eh." He rolled his eyes.

"It's okay." I smiled at him, swinging the swing a little.

Mag sasalita na sana ako pero biglang tumunog 'yung phone ko.

"Uhm, I got to go now." Ayoko man pero it's my mother. "Okay." He stood up. "O-okay," Tatalikod na sana 'ko pero nag salita siya.

"Take care." He smiled. Mas gwapo talaga siya pag nakangiti pero hindi ko na binanggit 'yon dahil baka nakakaoffend.

"You too." I smiled back and wave my hand before I went back inside.

"Ma," I smiled at my mother na halatang umiyak pero nginitian niya pa rin naman ako. Parang may naramdaman ulit ako na luhang namumuo kaya umiwas ako nang tingin.

"Let's go na." She smiled and held my hand hanggang sa makapunta kami sa parking.

"Ma, ako nalang ang magda-drive, okay? You should rest. Ako nalang, please." Pagma-makaawa ko na habang nasa tapat kami ng kotse namin.

"Okay, basta 'wag mong bibilisan ha?" She smiled. She's so angelic and I love her.

"Celestine, this weekend, I'll tell my secretary to transfer some files of me to your name para kapag namatay na 'ko 'di ka na mahihirapan--"

"Ma! You're not dying, okay?! Mag papagaling ka!" I said as the tears on my eyes blew up. She hugged me while where in front of our door.

"I love you, darling. Don't forget that, okay? You're always my baby." She kissed my forehead.

:<
__