Can We Talk

*Charm's POV*

"Dismissed."

Pagkasabi nun ni Ms. Rita, tumayo ako agad at pumunta sa tabi ni Theia.

"Nate-"

Before she finish her sentence, he already left his seat and walked towards Ivy.

I stared at her.

Pinanuod ko siyang habulin ng tingin yung taong mahal niya.

Natauhan lang ako nung may humawak sa braso ko. Si Erica. Nakangiti siya sa'kin kasama si Ry.

He stood there.

Humarang siya mismo sa side nila Ivy kaya napunta sa kanya yung tingin ni Theia.

"Walang mangyayari kung tititigan mo sila."

I don't understand.

Bakit parang okay lang sa kanya?

Hindi ba dapat bawiin niya si Ivy?

"Anong nakatitig ka dyan?" She quickly looked away.

Oh, bessy. Wrong move.

Halatang halata ka.

"Hindi ba?"

Before she can even answer, lumapit na samin sina Vin at Ken.

"Ang aga aga, nagsasagutan nanaman kayo." Ken joked. "Hindi pa ba naubos yung mga sagot niyo sa exam? Akin kasi ubos na."

But no one laughed except Vin.

Parehas talaga sila mag isip.

"Nagugutom na ko, mine." Sabi ni Vin kay Erica.

"Tara na?"

"Hindi ba sasabay sa'tin sila Ivy?" Ken asked sabay lingon sa side nila. "Na--"

Ry quickly covered Ken's mouth with his hand and that made him looked at all of us.

Nagulat yata siya sa nangyari.

Hindi niya ba napansin kung gaano ka-awkward yung paligid namin?

Oo nga pala. They didn't know what happened. Both of them were excused after the first set of exams. Speaking of basketball practice, bakit hindi sumama si Ry?

"Kain na tayo, bessy?"

As if nothing happened, she nodded and stood up. Hinatak naman ni Ry yung dalawa papunta sa pinto. Pero bago kami makalabas ng room, I caught a glimpse of Ivy looking at us.

She was smiling.

Baka mali lang ako ng nakita.

Pero imposible yun kasi ganung ganun rin yung ngiti niya.

Nung araw na nagising si Nathan.

***

"Anong bibilhin mo Erica?"

"Hm... Rice sana. Hindi ako nakapag agahan kanina." Sagot niya sabay tingin kay Ry. "Ikaw?"

"Rice rin. We still have practice later."

"Sina Ken at Vin kaya?"

Tinawag sila ni Ms. Rita bago kami makalabas kasi hindi pa nila na-take yung pangalawang exam.

"Bibilhan ko nalang din sila."

Nilingon ko saglit si Theia at nakita kong nakatingin sa kanya si Ivy. Iniisip ko tuloy na balikan siya.

"Eri---"

"Erica, pwede bang samahan mo nalang si Theia?"

I was about ask her as well when Ry interrupted.

"I'll order for you instead. Anong ulam gusto mo?"

Nakatitig din siya sa tinitignan ko kanina.

"Pork chop nalang, Ry. Pa-add din ng coleslaw ha? Thanks."

We made sure na nakabalik na si Erica bago kami naghiwalay ni Ry.

Nasa tabi ko na agad siya habang inaayos yung clubhouse sandwich namin ni Theia.

"Here's your order."

"Finally." He said while staring behind me. "Kasi kailangan na talaga natin bumalik."

"What do you mean?" Pagkakuha ko nung tray, I saw what he was looking at.

Papalapit si Ivy sa table namin.

******

*Ryan's POV*

"Erica, pwede bang samahan mo nalang si Theia?" I automatically said habang nakatingin sa pwesto ni Ivy. "I'll order for you instead. Anong ulam gusto mo?"

I have a bad feeling about it.

"Pork chop nalang, Ry. Pa-add din ng coleslaw ha? Thanks."

"4 orders of pork chop with rice. Pa-add po ng coleslaw dun sa isa." I texted Ken and Vin after ordering.

When I looked back at Ivy, mag-isa nalang siya.

Lumapit na ako kay Charm pagkakuha ko ng pagkain.

"Here's your order."

"Finally." Sabi ko. "Kasi kailangan na talaga nating bumalik dun."

"What do you mean?"

She's moving. Papalapit sa table namin. I felt my phone vibrated.

A text from Vin.

We're here bro. Don't worry.

"Can we sit here?"

Charm positioned herself exactly between Theia and Ivy. Minsan nakakalimutan kong palaban siya.

"I'm sorry." Charm answered her instead. "Maybe next time."

Ken and Vin were there. Umupo agad sila and started eating the food I ordered for them.

"Maybe next time." Ivy repeated and left.

Theia was already crying. Yung kaninang luha na pinipigilan niya, tumulo na.

"Thank you.."

Charm wiped away her tears.

"Bessy, kain ka na dali. Masarap yung clubhouse sandwich."

"Talaga ba, Charm?" Ken asked. "Pahingi nga."

"Anong pahingi ka dyan?" Sagot niya. "May pagkain ka naman."

"Ang konti kaya." Sabat ni Vin sabay tingin sa'kin. "Bro, ba't walang extra rice?"

Oo nga. Yung sa'kin din wala.

"Nakalimutan ko."

"Oo nga pala." Nakatingin si Theia dun sa dalawa. "Bakit ang bilis niyo? Natapos niyo manlang ba yung exam?"

Ken nodded. Tinuro naman ako ni Vin.

"He texted us." Sabi niya. "Buti nga na-gets namin."

"Bakit ano bang tinext niya?"

Inabot niya kay Erica yung phone. Nagkumpulan yung tatlong babae para tumingin.

"EmC?" Basa ni Theia.

"Yung announcer sa stage?"

Natawa naman kaming mga lalaki sa sinabi ni Charm.

"Emcee yun, bessy."

"Anong ibig sabihin nyan?"

"Emergency cafeteria." Sabay na sagot nina Vin at Ken.

The girls stared at me na parang may ginawa akong mali sa kanila. =____=

"Ano?" I innocently looked at them.

"EmC?" Charm frowned.

"Anong problema dun?"

"Sinong makakagets nun?"

"Kami." Sagot nung dalawa.

"Don't you dare text me that way, Ry."

"I won't." Sabi ko. "It's for boys, Charm. Hindi kita itetext unless lalaki ka talaga."

Napatigil siya sa pagkain at pinalo ako sa braso. They laughed at both of us.

"May basketball practice kayo diba?"

"Uh-huh."

"Bakit nandito pa kayo?"

"Mash imphortanteh shi Theiah at ang broh kowd." Sabi ni Ken habang punong puno ng pagkain yung bibig niya.

Inabutan ko sya ng tubig. Napangiti siya sa'kin.

"Manuod kaya tayo?" Charm asked. "Wala naman kayong gagawin diba?"

Tumango tango naman si Erica.

"Sure." Theia agreed.

"Tara na?"

******

*Theia's POV*

Nakaupo lang kaming tatlong babae sa gilid habang pinapanuod magpractice yung mga lalaki sa court.

"Cr lang ako saglit." Sabi ni Erica. "Ang sakit ng puson ko.."

Tumango tango kami ni Charm. We understand the feeling. Umalis naman siya agad.

"Bessy.." I looked at what Charm was pointing to.

It was them.

Nate and Ivy arrived on the other side. I forgot he's part of the team. Hindi ko mapigilang tumingin sa kanila.

When he entered the court, pumito agad yung coach and everyone gathered. Naghati sila sa dalawang grupo for the practice game. The 4 of them belonged to the same group. I saw Ry's face. He doesn't look happy about this.

"Theia." Charm held up her phone.

*Lovey calling*

Si Gabby.

"Go." I said. "Dito lang ako."

"I'll be back."

I watched her get out of the gym.

*fweet*

Pagbalik ko ng tingin, nasa sahig na sina Nate at Ry.

"What the hell is happening to the both of you??" Sigaw ni Coach David. "You're on the same team!"

"Sorry, coach."

"Nathan, gusto mo pa bang maglaro? Or do I need to excuse you??"

"Hindi po. Kaya ko pong maglaro."

"How about you, Ryan?? You're this team's captain." He turned to him. "Do you want to be a part of this practice or what??"

"Yes, Coach." He answered. "I'm sorry. Hindi na po mauulit."

*fweet*

The practice started again. Hindi pinapasa ni Ry kay Nate yung bola and vice versa.

I was too focused na hindi ko namalayang may tao na palang nakatayo sa tabi ko. I looked up and saw Ivy.

"Can we talk?"

******

*Naomi's POV*

"Bakit ka umalis ng ganun ganun lang?" Sabi ni Mama. "What were you thinking??"

We went directly to his room. Nakasuot na ulit siya ng hospital gown. May paper bag sa ibabaw ng table na may katabing itim na cap.

"Ma---"

"What if something bad happened to you??" She said. "Bakit ba hindi mo manlang kami naisip? You're not well, Nathan. Why won't you listen??"

"Ma, wala namang masamang nangyari sa'kin."

"Ano nalang iisipin namin kung basta basta ka lang mawawala ng ganun?? We don't even know where to look for you."

"I'm sorry, Pa."

"Where were you?" I asked. "May sakit ka na pero nagagawa mo pang umalis mag-isa."

"Sa school." He replied. "May exam kami. I can't miss it. It's our finals."

Saan niya naman nalaman na finals na nila?

Yung taong nagtakas sa kanya.

Si Ivy.

"Hindi na kita maintindihan. Napapagod na ko kakaisip sa nangyayari.."

"Ma, I'm really sorry.." Sabi niya. "You didn't have to worry at all. Kasama ko naman si Ivy."

"Isa pa yang babae na yan." She said angrily. "Why would she do that?? She knows your situation. Sana manlang inintindi niya."

"I asked her to take me.."

"And she tolerated you??"

"It wasn't her fault, Pa."

"You're defending her. Again."

"It was my decision."

"That doesn't justify what she did, Nathaniel! Don't you understand the weigh of your decisions?" Papa shouted. "Paano kung may nangyari sa'yo or worst, mamatay ka nalang dyan sa daan?"

That made him shut his mouth.

"Hanggang kelan ba magiging ganito? Kailan ka ba aayos??"

"Alam kong mali yung ginawa ko." Sagot niya. "Pero please, hayaan niyo naman akong magdesisyon mag-isa."

"Haven't you noticed that you can't? What happened was the perfect example kung bakit hindi pa pwede." I reasoned out. "Diba desisyon mo ring hindi siya maalala?"

He sighed. Heavily. "We're not going to talk about her, Ate. Hindi ngayon at hindi kahit kailan."

"Yes, we will." Sagot ni Mama. "I've given you options remember? Kung gusto mo madischarge, you'll spend all your time with Theia and I think you've made your choice."

"Ma.."

"You wanted us to let you decide? Sure. Gawin natin yung desisyon mo. Gusto mo na umalis dito? Sige pagbibigyan kita." She pushed the nurse's call button. "We need Dra. Guevarra."

******