UNREQUITED HEART

Chapter 43: Raijell

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Nauna lang pala ng sampung minuto si Ate Raijell sakin. That makes her my older sister. It was saddening to think that i had never got the chance to be with her for a long time. Sanggol palang kami nang magkahiwalay kami. Does she know that she have a twin sister? Does she know about me? Sana balang araw makita ko siya. Sabik pa naman akong magkaroon ng kapatid.

I want to see her. But my current condition won't allow me. I happen to feel the frequent pain in my chest, the numbness of my leg, and nausea. I easily loss my appetite. Hindi pa ako maaaring magpachemotherapy dahil hindi pa namin ito nababayaran.

Minsan tinatago ko nalang sa mga magulang ko ang tunay na nararamdaman ko. Whenever i feel bad, i keep smile so that they wouldn't worry much about me. I promised to them that i will fight. Lalaban ako hanggang sa makakaya ko.

"Kumusta ka na? Anong sabi ng doktor? Pasensya na hindi kami nakadalaw kahapon." Panda went here to visit me along with Light and Zester. Ngayon lang ang unang beses na dinalaw nila ako. Si Light pala ang nagbuhat sa akin papunta sa bahay. Then si papa naman ang nagdala sa akin sa ospital.

"Hindi pa ba sainyo nabanggit ni mama?" despite that my body was slowly weakening, i still manage to keep my voice straight.

"Hindi. Wala namang nabanggit ang mama mo sa amin."

"It was just a simple fever right? Gagaling ka rin di'ba?" Zester asked.

"Actually... i-i don't know. I have this... cancerous cell in my body."

"Ano!?" Gulat na aniya ni Panda. "May cancer ka!?"

Nakita ko ang hindi makapaniwala nilang mga mukha habang hinihintay ang sagot ko. "Yeah. Multiple Myeloma to be exact. I cannot discuss you about its details. But this cancer cells was slowly deteriorating my immune system... All my antibodies. It made me so weak and helpless."

"Paano? Paano ka nagkaroon ng ganyan?"

"I might got it from my ancestor. Nabanggit ni mama na nagkaroon daw ng ganitong sakit si lola na naging dahilan ng pagkamatay niya."

"Omayghad! Hindi ito totoo. Nagjojoke kalang diba?"

I weakly smile. "I hope so."

"What now? Is there any cure from that?" Light asked.

Umiling ako. "But the treatment can lessen it. It can even remove the symptoms away. Pero hindi pa ako makakapagtreatment kung hindi pa kami nakakabayad."

"Then how much the bill? I'm willing to pay the rest?" bahagya akong nagulat sa sinabi ni Zester.

"H-Hindi mo kailangang gawin 'yon."

"No. I want to help you. Your life is at stake. And i'm willing to pay everything for your health to get better."

"Count me in." pagtaas ng kamay ni Light.

"Ako rin! Mag-aambag ako kahit paunti-unti! Basta gumaling ka lang."

Nagbabadya na naman ang luha ko sa aking mga mata. I was touched by them. Alam kong gusto nilang tumulong. But this is my own battle. I don't want to drag them to my problem.

"Thank you." i smiled.
"Ahm, Zester can we talk for a minute. Privately."

Naintindihan naman ng dalawa at nag-excuse lang sila upang lumabas.

"Maupo ka muna." pag-anyaya ko sakaniya. Then he seated at the chair beside me.

"Naalala mo pa ba 'nung araw na nakita kita sa dalampasigan na... y'know doing what you always do. And then suddenly, you were mad at me. I thought na galit ka sakin dahil sa pagkakahuli ko sayo. But it was something else, right?"