Blind Shot (ON-HOLD)

THIRTEEN

Nakatunganga si Gabrielle sa loob ng kotse. Her eyes were fixed on the windshield.

Nasa kotse siya ni Zachary. Pero hindi sila umaandar, nasa parking lot lang sila. Hindi niya alam anong nangyari, parang ang bilis ng lahat.

Gusto lang naman niyang magkape bago umuwi. But suddenly she saw Drew standing in front of her. And then there's that woman. And then Zachary.

What the hell had just happened?

She was feeling drain hindi lang dahil sa kulang siya sa tulog. She had the worse panic attack last night and  it felt like it had siphoned all her energy.

And of all places, sa ospital pa talaga. At her work place. Where she's supposed to save people and not the other way around.

She heaved a deep sigh.

Zachary was not saying anything. Kanina parang may tini-text ito. Ngayon wala na. Tahimik lang din ito, tila nakikiramdam.

He was not asking her anything. To her relief. Dahil wala din siya sa mood para magkuwento.

"I-I'm sorry," aniya pagkuwan. "T-thank you for saving me right there. I gotta go." She grabbed the car door handle but it was locked.

"Hatid na kita," he said in his baritone voice.

"T-thanks but no, thanks. I'm okay," she lied.

She looked at him. He held her gaze. He looked worried.

Or so she thought because why would he be worried?

"I insist." He was serious.

Nakipagtitigan siya dito bago niya ibinaling sa unahan ang paningin.

She then realized that she was trembling. Parang lahat ng parte ng katawan niya nanginginig. She reached for her coffee na nasa cup holder pero inagaw nito iyon.

He instead handed her a newly-opened bottle of mineral water.

Tinanggap niya ito at saka lumagok mula doon.

Pakiramdam niya'y sasabog na ang dibdib niya sa sobrang bigat.

Lumingon siya dito at nagtama ang kanilang mga paningin.

"You want me to get out?" anito.

Hindi siya nakasagot.

She then watched him turn on the car sterio, put a random music on full blast, then went out of his car.

The moment he stepped out of his car and slammed the door closed, kumawala ang kanina pa niya pinipigilang emosyon.

She didn't just cry, she wailed. Hindi na iyak ang ginagawa niya, talagang sigaw na.

Isinubsob niya ang mukha sa sariling mga palad na ipinatong niya sa dashboard ng kotse. Iyak siya nang iyak habang walang tigil na pinagmumura sa kanyang isipan si Drew at ang babae nito.

She wailed for probably five minutes bago niya nararamdaman ang unti-unting paghupa ng kanina'y nag-uumapaw na emosyon sa kanyang puso.

She pulled herself together. She checked her own reflection do'n sa salamin na nasa sun visor ng kotse.

Nang pakiwari niya'y maayos ayos na ng konti ang hitsura niya, ibinaba niya ang window sa parteng driver's seat.

"O-okay na," aniya dito na noo'y nakatayo sa labas ng kotse. He was leaning his back against the car while his arms were crossed against her broad chest.

Tumitig muna ito sa kanya like he's asking if she's really okay now. But she broke their eye contact at saka umayos sa pagkakaupo.

He went inside the car and lowered down the volume of the car sterio.

"Grabe," aniya pagkuwan. "A-akala ko okay na ako. I-iba pala talaga kapag nakita mo na sa personal." Her voice was shaking.

Hindi ito sumagot. It was as if he didn't know what to say. He still looked worried that she's almost convinced that he really was.

"Saan ka umuuwi? Hatid na kita para makapagpahinga ka na," anito.

Nakipagtitigan muna siya dito bago siya sumagot.

"W-where are you heading?" ang nag-aalangang balik-tanong niya.

"Sa opisina. Pero hatid muna kita. Saan ba sa inyo?" anito.

"But I don't wanna go home yet," she said more to herself than to him.

"I mean, pwede bang maki-joyride?" aniya nang makabawi. "Makiki-joyride lang sana ako hanggang sa destinasyon mo. Then magta-taxi na lang ako pauwi. I mean kung... kung okay lang sa'yo. Para lang ano... para lang antokin ako. Para... para pagdating ng condo tutulog na agad ako. Kung... kung okay lang sa'yo."

Ang totoo'y hindi na rin niya alam kung anong pinagsasabi niya. Ang alam lang niya, ayaw muna niyang umuwi.

Tumitig muna ito sa kanya. Then without a word he started to maneuver the car. It must be a "yes" then.

Ang alam niya ay nawala nang lahat ng antok niya kanina dahil sa nangyari. But the moment the car started to move, she started to feel relaxed.

Inayos niya ang pagkakaupo at saka inihilig ang sariling ulo sa headrest ng upuan. Ninamnam niya ang kanta mula sa car sterio.

It was "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Bublé. One of her faves.

And before she knew it, she was dozing off to dream land.