POSSESSIVE 22: Khairro Sanford

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

NAPATINGIN SI Khairro sa gusali na nasa harapan niya ng makalabas siya ng sasakyan niya pagkatapos niyang i-park 'yon. The building in front of him was a rehabilitation center and he's here to visit one of his friends.

He took a deep breath before entering the facility.

I hope he's doing okay now. Khairro thought as he waited for Andrius in the visiting area.

"Hey..." Ani Andrius ng makapasok sa visiting area at nakita siya. Kumaway pa ito habang may munting ngiti sa mga labi.

"Hey, man." Khairro stood up and did a man hug with Andrius. "You doing okay?"

Sa halip na sumagot, mahinang tumawa si Andrius. "You are the sixth person to visit me today. First was Valerian, then Shun, and Tyron, then an hour later, Beckett showed up followed by Hunt. Then yesterday, Phoenix and Titus visited me. Not only that, I received a call from Velasquez."

"We're just worried." Ani Khairro ng makaupo sila pareho ni Andrius.

"I'm fine." Andrius said with a smile.

Pinakatitigan niya ang kaibigan. "Don't pretend."

Slowly, Andrius' smile fade. "I want to be fine. I'm trying, Khairro, but it's so hard."

Khairro sighed. "I'm sorry. It's my fault—"

"Stop right there." Pigil sa kaniya ni Andrius. "Stop blaming yourself. It's fine. I'm just glad that you didn't cut ties with me after I sinked so low."

Khairro didn't know what to say to make Andrius feel better so he kept his mouth shut. Good thing Andrius started a topic.

"So ... how's Velasquez's wedding?" Andrius asked.

Khairro shrugged. "Full of lunatics of course. Though Knight said he'll get wed again, here in the Philippines. Siguraduhin mo lang raw na a-attend ka."

Andrius chuckled. "Siguro naman maayos na ako no'n."

"Of course." Khairro smiled at Andrius. "You can get through this, bud. We're all here for you."

"I know." Nangingiting napailing si Andrius. "Walang araw na walang bumibisita saking mga baliw."

Khairro chuckled. "We don't want you bored here and we have a calendar for this."

Andrius just laughed.

"Magtatagal ka pa ba rito?" Tanong niya sa kaibigan.

Andrius shrugged. "Kapapasok ko lang dito. I'm still struggling and I'm still craving for it, but, I need to be clean. I can't stay like this forever. Ivy will be very sad if she sees me right now."

Khairro felt a pang of guilt again. "I'm sorry, Andrius. I'm really sorry."

Umiling ang kaibigan. "It's not your fault."

"I feel like it is."

Umiling ulit si Andrius. "It's not and I don't blame you for what happened." Then Andrius changed the topic. "You keep asking how I am, how about you? Anything new?"

Kaagad na pumasok sa isip niya si Eliza na ikinangiti niya. "I met a very savage woman. Pilosopo rin siya. Palagi siyang may sagot sa lahat. Though she's like that, she's really cute. She's like a child, my alone and boring days are over because of her."

Andrius was looking at him with amusement. "You falling?"

"I don't know." He answered honestly. "I think she's adorable though."