Last Summer

27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"Are you okay?" Tanong ni Sage nang makabalik ako sa loob.

Tears are streaming down my face and the pain injured my heart so bad. Mas masakit pa 'to kaysa sa nagawa ni Liam sa'kin. What did I do to deserve the pain? What can I do to take this pain away? What do I need to do to drift away here?

"Sage.." Mahinang sabi ko. "I-I can't do this anymore." Nakayuko lang ako sa sahig at bumubuhos pa rin ang mga luha ko.

"You'll get past throught this." He pulled me closer to him and caressed my back to comfort me.

I sat down on the metal bench and the tears have slowly dried up. I don't even know how I look anymore...

"May pangtali kaba sa buhok mo?" Ani Sage.

I stretched my arm with the hair tie at kinuha ni Sage 'yun. Napaigtad ako nang hinawakan niya ang buhok ko at itinali niya ito na mukhang low ponytail.

"It's not bad to cry. In fact, it makes a person stronger." He moved small strands of my hair away from my face.

Sa sinabi niya ay bumuhos ulit ang mga luha sa'king mga mata. Ngumuso ako sa kanya, bahagya siyang ngumiti at umiling.

Pinauwi ko na si Sage dahil ayokong makaabala pa. Bumalik na sina Bella at Savvy sa hospital kaya may kasama na ako dito.

"Ate, did you inform Kuya EJ about Abuela?" Tanong ni Savvy.

When she mentioned his name, the pain slowly creeped inside my heart, again.

Umiling ako. "No, we, uh, broke up.." Malamig na sabi ko.

I heard Savannah gasped and she hugged me. Ewan ko pero wala na akong nararamdaman. Puro sakit nalang ang nananalantay sa puso ko. No warmth. No love.

Hindi umimik si Savvy at mahigpit niya lang akong niyakap. Her existence is enough for me to know she's always here for me.

"Ate, you can go home and rest." Ani Bella.

I refused but they insisted.

Pagkarating ko sa bahay, dumiretso ako sa bathroom para maligo. I wore a gray hoodie dahil giniginaw ako. I flopped myself down on the bed, trying to close my eyes. I don't like to overthink things right now. I just want to rest.

I woke up at 2 in the morning. My head was spinning and I was thirsty. Tatayo na sana ako nang bigla akong natumba. Good thing my head did not hit the floor. I had a hard time breathing habang nakadapa ako sa sahig. I closed my eyes before trying to stand up.

Bumaba ako sa kusina para kumuha ng tubig. Hindi ako dinalaw ng antok kaya napagtanto kong mag-cellphone.

As I opened Facebook, nanikip ang dibdib ko sa bumungad sa'kin.

'Elijah Fernandez updated his status: SINGLE '

It wasn't just a bad dream afterall.

"You'll be okay..." I assured myself.

The next day, I visited the hospital. Natutulog si Savvy sa couch habang si Bella ay nasa gilid ni Abuela, nakahiga ang kanyang ulo sa kama.

"Uh, you're here." Kinusot ni Bella ang kanyang mata at humikab.

"I brought food. Kumain ka muna." I gave her the paperbag with food in it. Kinuha niya 'yun at inilapag sa maliit na mesa.