Stuck In Between (Published Under IMMAC PPH)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

"N-no!"

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon habang hinahabol ang aking hininga. I tried calming myself as I wandered my eyes around, wondering where I am and noticed that I am in an unfamiliar room, still wearing my school uniform. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko dahil sa kaba at takot. I don't know what happened and why do I feel very uncomfortable when it was just a dream...and though I just woke up, I found myself not having a single memory of it.

Aalis na sana ako nang biglang nagbukas ang pintuan. A woman in a white uniform came in.

"Oh, gising ka na pala," she said and gave me a warm smile. Lumapit siya sa stool na nasa gilid lamang ng kama ko at nagsimulang mag-ayos ng mga gamit na naroon.

"Why am I here?" I asked her, curious because I don't remember coming here.

"You lost consciousness earlier," she simply said bago ipinagpatuloy ang pag-aayos ng medical kits. Napakunot naman ang aking noo sa narinig. Sa pagkakatanda ko, maayos ang pakiramdam ko kanina at nasa...classroom lang ako?

My brows furrowed more as I felt how the thought seemed to be insufficient. I felt like something's lacking, but I don't know what it was though.

Hindi ko na lamang binigyan ng pansin 'yon at nagdesisyong bumalik na lamang sa klase. Nagpasalamat ako sa nurse bago binuksan ang pinto, ngunit hindi pa man ako nakakalabas ay nagsalita na ito na nakapagpatigil sa akin.

"Be careful next time," she seriously said. Nakaramdam ako ng kaba roon ngunit naguguluhan man ay tumango na lang ako bago tuluyang isinarado ang pintuan.

When I went out, I noticed that a lot of students are around signifying that it is probably their break time.

I was planning to go to the cafeteria but I realized that I didn't even know where it was! I haven't been toured yet, too.

Hays, there's nothing I can do now but to find my way there dahil kumakalam na rin ang sikmura ko. Maybe I'll just follow where everyone's going? Baka naman sa cafeteria ang tuloy nila.

Nagsimula akong maglakad at pansin ko ang pagtingin nila sa akin bago magbulungan. Despite being curious and somewhat uncomfortable with the attention they're giving me—or to someone else who's in the same path as me—I decided to just shrug them off. Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad nang biglang may kumalabit sa akin. Nagulat pa ako pero nabuhayan ng loob nang makitang si Emy iyon. I sighed in contentment. Finally!

"OMG, Zinnia, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" sabi nito at niyakap ako. I can hear her shallow sobs as she hugged me. I am confused as to why she was crying, pero hinagod ko pa rin ang kanyang likod para patahanin siya. Did something happen to her?

"Why are you crying?" I curiously asked.

Bumitaw siya sa akin at tiningnan ang buong katawan ko, she gasped when her eyes met my arms, then she looked back at me, her brows furrowed. Later on, she gasped again, immediately wiping her tears of, as if realizing something.

"Oh, I heard you were sent to the clinic," she said, worry laced in her voice.

Tinanguan ko naman siya ng mabagal, "I guess I'm fine now?"

Nagkaroon ng katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa habang tinitingnan niya ako. It was awkward for me, to be stared at again, for the nth time today at nagkagulatan pa kami nang biglang tumunog ang tiyan niya. Namula naman ang maputla niyang mukha, making me smile a little.

"That's... kinda embarassing," she chuckled lightly, rubbing her stomach.

"Anyways, tara na sa cafeteria, obviously gutom na 'ko, and for sure you are too," sabi niya at matapos ay hinila niya ako para makapunta na kami sa cafeteria.