See You Around

*Charm's POV*

I sat up and saw Theia still sleeping beside me. Tumayo na ako agad, careful not to wake her up.

7 palang and there's enough time para matulog pa siya. 10 pa naman yung practice.

I saw Kuya watching tv downstairs.

"Kuya!"

"Charm, goodmorning." He smiled when he saw me. "Nandito ka na pala. Anong oras ka dumating?"

"Mga 1 narin." Sagot ko at umupo sa tabi niya. "Hinatid pa ni Kuya si Cy kahapon sa Tagaytay kaya natagalan akong pumunta dito."

"Kaya pala nandyan si Robin."

Napatingin ako sa may pintuan kung saan ko iniwan si Robin. Natutulog pa siya.

"Buti nalang hindi siya maingay."

"Gising na siya kanina, pinakain ko lang." Sabi niya. "Nagpabili nalang muna ako kay Manang ng dog food."

"Ganun ba? Sorry." I said. "May dinala rin akong pagkain niya pero nasa maleta ko pa."

"Ayos lang." Sabi niya. "Ipababa nalang natin mamaya para hindi na kailangan umakyat pag papakainin na siya."

I nodded.

"Ang aga mo nagising. May pasok ba kayo?"

"May practice ng sayaw para sa grad ball, Kuya." Sagot ko. "Pwede ba sumama si Theia?"

"Sure. Ihahatid ko kayo." He nodded. "Kamusta na siya?"

"She's fine. She's still sleeping."

"It's been a while since she last slept this long. Nakatulong siguro na nandito ka."

I smiled. "Of course, Kuya. Madalas ako mag overnight noon diba?".

"I remember. She always complain all the time."

"Yes. Paano naman siya di magrereklamo kung bigla bigla nalang akong dadating diba?" Parehas naman kaming natawa.

"Does she know we planned this? Na dito ka muna titira?"

"No. My lips are zipped, Kuya."

"Thank you, Charm." He smiled. "For fighting with us. For being with Theia."

I smiled back.

Of course. I will always be here for her.

"Magaling na ba talaga siya?"

Natanong ko rin yung gusto kong tanungin pero ayaw kong malaman yung sagot.

"I hope so. We make it a habit na every month pumunta sa hospital to get her checked after her operation." He said. "Wala na naman daw problema sabi ni Tita."

"Sana nga." Sabi ko. "Lalo na't may nangyari kay Nathan. Sana hindi siya maapektuhan ng sobra."

"Yes. That's what we're afraid of." Sagot niya. "Na baka siya pa ang maging dahilan ng pagbalik ng sakit niya."

Hindi naman siguro diba?

"NOOOO!!"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Kuya.

"Is that Theia?"

"Sh*t!" He cussed.

Natakot ako bigla na baka nga si Nathan pa yung maging dahilan ng sakit niya.

******

*Theia's FLASHBACK*

🎵🎵🎵

*Now playing: I was made for loving you by Ed Sheeran and Tori Kelly*

A dangerous plan, just this time

A stranger's hand clutched in mine

I'll take this chance, so call me blind

I've been waiting all my life

Please don't scar this young heart

Just take my hand

I was made for loving you

Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through

Every bone screaming

I don't know what we should do

All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you

Hold me close

Through the night

Don't let me go, we'll be alright

Touch my soul and hold it tight

I've been waiting all my life

I won't scar your young heart

Just take my hand

'Cause I was made for loving you

Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through

Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do

All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you

Please don't go, I've been waiting so long

Oh, you don't even know me at all

But I was made for loving you

I was made for loving you

Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through

Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do

All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you

🎵🎵🎵

I stopped playing but my hands remained on the keys and I couldn't stop crying.

Hindi ko maintindihan yung emosyon na binibigay nung kantang to sa'kin.

"Bakit po ang lungkot ng kanta niyo?"

A cute girl wearing a white hospital gown is sitting on a wheelchair by the door.

I pulled down the key lid and wiped my tears bago ko siya sinagot.

"Hi."

Sinubukan niya lumapit sa'kin but then she gave up and looked at me.

"Pwede ba pong patulong?"

"Sure."

Napangiti naman siya agad.

"Thank you po."

I stood up and pushed her chair towards the piano.

"Gusto ko rin pong matutong mag-piano."

"Bakit hindi?" I asked. "Lahat naman pwedeng matuto."

"Sa tingin niyo po, kaya ko?"

"Of course. Wala namang imposible diba?"

She smiled again. I really love her smile.

"Ano po yung kinakanta niyo kanina?"

"I was made for loving you."

"Pwede niyo po bang tugtugin ulit yung kantang yun?"

"Sure."

I pulled the lid up, started playing and rushed through the chorus.

'Cause I was made for loving you

Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through

Every bone screaming I don't know what we should do

All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you

Please don't go, I've been waiting so long

Oh, you don't even know me at all

But I was made for loving you

Napahinto ako.

I didn't notice that I was crying again when she placed her hand on mine.

"Sorry." I squeezed her hand and let go. Tsaka ko pinunasan yung luha ko. "I was carried away by the song."

"Okay lang ba po kayo?"

Worry is written all over her face.

What's wrong with you Aletheia? Pinag-aalala mo yung bata sa kakaiyak mo. =____=

"Gusto ko kasi talaga yung kantang yun." I explained. "Guitar was the original instrument used to play it pero pinag-aralan ko sa piano."

"Ano ba pong ibig sabihin nung kanta?"

"A girl who fell for a guy pero natatakot siyang masaktan." Sagot ko. "But then she took the risk anyway not knowing if she will be hurt or not."

"Please don't scar this young heart."

"Yes."

Yung tipong nagmamakaawa kang wag saktan ng taong mahal mo yung puso mo.

"I love that song." Sabi niya. "But then sumagot yung guy 'diba po?"

"Yes. I won't scar your young heart. Just take my hand." I sang the lyrics to her. "In the end, they believed na para sila sa isa't isa kaya I was made for loving you."

"A love that they've been waiting for so long." She said. "Have you ever been in love, Ate?"

"No." I realized na hindi pa nga pala. "I've never really experienced it. Well, except sa family ko if you know what I mean."

"Attraction sa isang taong di mo kaano ano and on the opposite sex. Stranger's hand daw sabi sa kanta."

"What I wanted to experience about love, nandun sa kantang yun."

"Gusto niyo pong lumaban?"

"Maybe? I really don't know how to explain this pero gusto kong maranasang magmahal at mahalin. Yung walang takot na pipigil sa inyong dalawa na magmahalan."

Tumango siya. "Ang love daw po kasi pinaglalaban. Worth it daw po kapag lumaban ka para sa pag-ibig."

"You're very bright for a kid, you know." I laughed.

"Marami na pong nag-sabi nyan." Natawa rin siya. "Sabi nga po nila Kuya at Ate, mas mukha pa daw akong matanda kaysa sa kanila."

"And why is that?" I suddenly felt curious. "In a relationship ba sila parehas?"

"Yes." Sagot niya. "And it wasn't a great experience dahil marami rin po silang pinag-dadaanan."

"Why? Tulad ng ano?"

"Si Kuya masyado po siyang in love sa ex girlfriend niya. Hindi niya po malimutan."

"Anong nangyari?"

"She fell out of love daw po."

Fall out of love?

"Pwede palang ma-fall out of love ang tao?"

"Nagulat nga rin po ako." Sabi niya. "Wala pa po akong nakikitang naghihiwalay bukod sa tv o movie."

"Paano siya na-fall out of love?"

Posible palang i-un love ang isang tao.

"Wala na daw po kasi silang time para sa isa't isa at ako rin po yung posibleng dahilan."

"Paano naging ikaw?"

"You see Ate, I've been in and out of hospitals." She said. "Lagi po kasing busy sila Mama at Papa. That's why my siblings were always with me instead."

"Still, she shouldn't blame you." Sagot ko. "Kasi kung mahal niya talaga yung kuya mo, maiintindihan niya. You shouldn't blame yourself kasi problema nila yun, hindi ikaw ang problema."

"Nasabi ko narin po yan sa sarili ko pero kapag nakikita ko siyang malungkot, I couldn't help it." Sabi niya. "He blames himself every single day."

"It wasn't really his fault." I said. "Hindi ba siya bumabawi sa kanya?"

"Bumabawi naman po. He was always with Ate Ivy kapag wala siya sa tabi ko."

"Ano bang klaseng tao yung Ivy?"

"Mabait naman po. Sophisticated. Parang high maintenance na babae. Hindi ko rin po alam kung paano siya nagustuhan ni Kuya."

"Sabi nila wala daw rason ang love?"

I left a question mark there kasi di ko rin naman talaga alam.

"Hmm.. hindi ko po alam."

"Siguro malalaman mo rin yun kapag nakahanap ka na ng taong para sa'yo."

"Ate naman, ang bata ko pa po."

"Ilang taon ka na ba?"

"10."

Natawa kami lalo.

"Sorry." It's been a while since I've talked to other people. "Ang weird no? Kung sino pa yung walang kaalam alam about love, sila pa yung nag-uusap at nagdedebate tungkol dito."

"Super weird." She nodded. "Yung Kuya niyo po ba may girlfriend na?"

"Yes and I really like her." Sagot ko. "Dinala siya ni Kuya sa bahay at pinakilala sa'min. Mommy and Daddy feels the same way."

"Magandang balita po yun." Sabi niya. "Si Ate rin po may boyfriend na. Gustong gusto rin po namin siya bukod kay Kuya."

"Bakit? Ayaw ng Kuya mo na may boyfriend yung Ate niyo?"

"Hindi naman po sa ganun." She said. "Protective lang po talaga si Kuya. Ayaw niya lang din po na masaktan si Ate."

"First boyfriend ba niya?"

She nodded. "Everytime he sees her boyfriend, tinitignan niya po ng masama."

I couldn't help but laugh with her. May mga kapatid pa palang ganun.

Paano kaya pag ako na yung nag-boyfriend? Magiging strict rin kaya si Kuya?

"Nicolee? Nicolee???"

"Hala. Si Kuya." Lumaki yung mata niya.

Bumukas yung pinto at niluwa ang isang napakagwapong nilalang.

Pawis na pawis siya.

Hala gwapo na agad kakakita palang?

Ang landi ng isip mo, Aletheia!!! >____<

"Nicole!" Lumapit siya sa'min. "Kanina pa kita hinahanap. Kung saan saan ka na naman nagpupunta."

Hinawakan niya yung mukha, pati rin yung magkabilang kamay at braso na parang tinitignan kung may sugat siya.

"Kuya, I'm okay."

"Wag mo nang gagawin ulit yun ha?" Sabi niya. "Alalang alala kami sa'yo."

"Sorry. Hindi ko napansin yung oras. I was carried away sa pag-uusap namin ni Ate."

His eyes darted to me and I automatically smiled. Ngumiti rin naman siya pabalik.

Hala ang gwapo talaga.

"Naabala ka ba niya?"

"Nako hindi." Sagot ko. Bakit parang kinabahan ako? "Ang bait niya nga e."

"Ano nanaman kayang kwinento mo, Nicole?" Napatingin siya sa kapatid niya. "Madaldal ka pa naman."

"Hala. Quiet kaya ako."

"Aalis na kami ha. Kanina pa kasi siya hinahanap nila Mama." He said. "Ano nga palang pangalan mo?"

"Aletheia Courtney Zamora." Aba't bakit buong pangalan? Magpapa-add ka sa fb, te? "Theia nalang."

Natawa naman siya sabay ngiti. Kakaibang ngiti. Ngiting para sa'kin.

Ngiting para sa'kin? What???

"James Nathaniel Go. You can call me Nate."

Aba magpapa-add rin si kuya sa fb oh. Haha.

He held out his hand. Inabot ko naman yung kamay ko and we shook hands.

"Uh ehem.. Kuya?"

Napabitaw naman kami parehas at natawa.

"May pa Nate-" Tinakpan niya yung bibig ni Nicole.

"Aalis na kami, Theia."

"Pwede ba kong pumunta dito para bisitahin ka ulit, Ate?"

"Oo naman. Nandito ako palagi."

"Yehey!!!" She clapped while smiling. Gusto kong nakikita yung ngiti niya. "Bye, Ate."

Ngiti ni Nicole ha. Wag kayong ano dyan.

"Bye." I stood up and hugged her.

Si Nicole yung niyakap ko ha.

Baka kung anong isipin niyo.

"Thank you, Ate Theia." She kissed my cheeks in return.

Si Nicole yung humalik sa'kin sa cheeks ha.

Yung mga isip niyo e.

Napakabait niyang bata.

Kailan ko kaya siya makikita ulit?

Si Nicole yung gusto kong makita ha.

Hindi yung Kuya niya...

Pero syempre..

Mas okay kung makikita ko din siya. Hihi ^____^

"See you around." Nate smiled at me.

I watched him pushed Nicole's wheelchair until they were out of sight. Napaupo ako nung wala na sila.

Wait.

Anong sinabi niya?

See you around?

Is he referring na magkikita pa kami?

Napahawak ako sa puso ko.

OMG. =////=

******