Can't Lose Her

*Ryan's POV*

Dahil sa choreography video na binigay ni Charm, practice ended earlier than expected. It helped us a lot para makabisado agad yung sayaw.

Charm and I took turns to help Theia with the steps. Nauna na umalis sina Vin dahil dadaan pa daw si Erica sa school. Sumabay narin sa kanila si Ken.

Konti nalang kaming natira at mukhang walang balak tumigil si Theia.

"One, two, three."

"One, two, three."

"Turn."

Charm sat beside me. Inabot ko naman yung tubig niya. Pinapanuod ko nalang silang dalawa dahil hindi narin kaya ng katawan ko.

"Hindi pa ba siya tapos?"

"Hindi pa."

"Pero kanina pa siya sumasayaw."

Pawis na pawis siya.

I don't think I've ever seen her this sweaty.

It took us by surprise when she suddenly stopped dancing and fell on the floor.

"THEIA!"

"..."

Napatakbo kaming dalawa papunta sa kanya. I carefully lifted her head up at sinandal siya sa'kin.

"Theia??"

"Can't--breathee.."

She can't breathe??

"Yung plastic sa table.." Lumayo agad sa'min si Charm.

"Theia, look at me." Sabi ko. "You'll be okay."

"Here!"

I held the plastic over her mouth and nose.

"Breathe, Theia."

"Slowly."

We stayed like that for 3 minutes.

Her skin color was finally returning to normal. Pulang pula siya kanina.

"Theia!" Charm hugged her. "Sinabihan na kitang wag masyado magpagod, ginawa mo parin!"

"Sorry.."

"Thank god, you're okay!"

Theia hugged her back and smiled at me.

"Thank you, Ry."

Ngumiti nalang din ako.

It's a relief that she's okay.

Akala ko kung napano na siya.

Nung nakapahinga na si Theia, we decided to leave as well. Palabas na kami when I overheard them talking.

"Nakainom ka ba ng gamot?" Charm asked. "You know you can't skip that, right?"

Gamot?

"Yes, ma'am. Nainom ko na po."

"Very good." Sabi niya. "Lagot ako kay Kuya kapag may nangyari sa'yo."

Para saan? Magaling na naman siya diba?

"Calm down, bessy."

"It's too dangerous para kumalma." Charm said. "I even have my spare kung makalimutan mo magdala or maubusan ka."

What's dangerous?

"Spare??"

"Oo. Kuya gave me some."

"Si Kuya talaga."

"It's best to be ready." Sagot niya. "Makakalimutin ka pa naman and we cannot tolerate that anymore."

***

"Anong nangyayari kay Theia?"

She doesn't look like she's going to answer.

I texted Theia to let me talk with Charm.

I made an excuse na nag-away kami kaya nung pagkasakay niya sa kotse, she immediately locked the doors. Charm had no choice but to follow me.

"Para saan yung gamot?"

"She's.. she's fine."

"Charm naman! Napag-usapan na natin to diba?" I said. "Kailangan ko rin malaman yung nangyayari sa kanya."

"You even skipped last night's dinner. Something happened after I talked to her, diba?"

"Okay lang siya.."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Sabi ko. "Alam natin parehas na hindi ka marunong magsinungaling. So what's happening? Anong delikado para kay Theia??"

Naluluha siya.

This is her exact same face I saw nung nalaman naming may sakit siya.

"It's not--"

Hindi ko pa natatapos yung sinasabi ko, tumango siya.

"H-how?? Ang tagal tagal na, Charm!"

It's impossible.

Hindi pwedeng bumalik yung sakit niya.

"A-ako ba??"

Ako yung may kasalanan?

Dahil kinausap ko siya?

That must've started then. Kaya nawala sila bigla.

Tapos kinabukasan, may gamot na siya.

"Ry!" She shouted. "It's not your fault!"

It was.

Kung ginawa ko lang lahat para mahalin din ako ni Ivy, hindi niya na sana gugustuhing agawin si Nathan kay Theia.

Nasasaktan siya. Paulit ulit. Dahil sa ginawa ko.

"RYAN!!"

Charm shook me hard enough para mapatitig ako sa kanya.

"Listen to me! Hindi mo kasalanan!"

"THEN WHY???"

Naiiyak ako.

"Why does she have to suffer this way?? Wala naman ginawang masama si Theia pero bakit kailangan niya masaktan???"

"..."

"What's going to happen, Charm? Anong pwede nating gawin para sa kanya??"

"Wala.." Sagot niya. "Tita couldn't even suggest an operation. Sobrang hina na daw ng puso niya.."

Her condition's getting worse..

Yung nangyari sa kanya kanina, it's one of the signs. It's been a while nung huli siyang nahirapan na huminga..

"Would the meds even help??"

"It's to control her heart rate, Ry." Sabi niya. "But I don't think it's effective enough for her."

"Alam na ba ni Nathan??"

He needs to know..

"No." Umiling siya. "I sent him a message yesterday pero hindi siya nagreply."

"What did you tell him?"

"Tinanong mo kung anong nangyari kahapon." Sagot niya. "You were right. Pagkatapos niyo mag-usap, she fainted. He was the one who helped me bring her to the hospital."

"Si Nathan??"

She nodded.

Anong binabalak niya?

"Wala din si Ivy kahapon. Sumama ba siya sa inyo?"

"Hindi. We left her there."

Anong nangyayari sa kanilang dalawa?

"Please, Ry.." Charm held both of my hands. "We have to protect her at all cost. Hindi siya pwedeng mawala sa'tin.."

I nodded and hugged her.

"She's going to be okay, Charm. We won't let anything bad happen to her."

If we protected you Theia, hindi mo na ba kami iiwan?

******

*Ivy's POV*

"Good afternoon po, Tita."

I automatically smiled when she opened the door.

"Ai, hindi ko alam na pupunta ka." Ngumiti siya pabalik. "Come in. Buti nalang wala pa kong pasyente."

"Sorry, Tita." Sagot ko. "Napag-isipan ko lang din po na pumunta dito ngayon."

"That's okay. Upo ka." Sabi niya. "Do you want anything? Coffee? Tea?"

Sinunod ko naman siya at umupo sa sofa.

"Kahit tubig nalang po."

"Here." She sat on the couch in front of me.

"Thank you po."

"So why are you here, Ai?"

"Kukunin ko po sana yung naiwan ni Nathan."

"Ah yung singsing ba?"

"Opo."

"It's not here anymore." Sagot niya. "Nakuha niya na kagabi."

"Po?"

Kagabi?

"He went to my office last night and I gave it to him."

Naalala ko nanaman yung nangyari..

"May problema ba, Ai?"

There's a lot. Sobrang daming problema.

"Bakit po siya pumunta ulit dito?"

"I heard he brought Theia to the hospital baka dumaan narin siya."

I know. Binuhat niya pa nga siya sa harap ko.

"Not that, Tita." Sabi ko. "Why did he went to see you? I want to know the reason."

"Kung hindi naman po siya pumunta, hindi niya maiiwan yung singsing niya." I explained.

"Ai, hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sa'yo."

"But why?"

"I know what you did, Ai." Sabi niya. "Nagkausap na kami ni Mrs. Go."

"Tita.."

"We both know that I can't disclose any patient's information." She said. "Pero dahil kaibigan mo si Nathan at pamangkin kita, I made an exception. I trusted you and I didn't know you'd use it that way."

"Tita, it's not what you think."

"Then what, Ai? What were you planning??"

Hindi ko napansing umiiyak na pala ako.

"I.. I just.."

I just don't want him to remember her.

Ayoko..

"Did you even know how dangerous that was? I might lose my license dahil sa ginawa mo."

"I-I'm sorry, Tita.." I said. "Hindi ko po sinasadya.."

"I can't tell you anything about him anymore." She said. "This will stop here, Ai. Tita mo ko pero I'm a doctor as well. Hindi kita pwedeng hayaan na gawin yung gusto mo."

"Tita, please.."

"I'm sorry pero hindi pwede."

"Please.. I need to know if he's going to remember.."

"Ai.."

"Hindi niya naman po maaalala diba?"

Hindi naman diba?

"Tita, you told me the same thing. Sabi niyo po okay lang kahit hindi niya maalala si Theia."

"You said he can go on with his life.."

"Ai!"

That made me look at her. I was already on my knees begging.

"You have to stop." She held both of my hands. "Hindi tama yung ginagawa mo. You can't use his amnesia to get him back."

"Pero sabi niyo.."

"Yes, sinabi ko yun." Sagot niya. "But that's not the case anymore."

Nag-iba na ba?

"It's his memories." She said. "If he wants to remember, wala kang magagawa para pigilan siya."

"No, Tita. Hindi pwede."

Wala na ba talaga??

"You're taking advantage of the fact that he can't remember. Sa tingin mo ba matutuwa siya kapag nalaman niya?"

"But he's mine.."

Sa'kin lang siya.

Sa'kin lang dapat siya.

"Hindi mo dapat pinipilit pag para sa'yo, hija." She said. "If it hurts to much hindi ba ibig sabihin nun, tama na?"

"No.." Sagot ko. "I won't give up on him again."

Ayoko siyang isuko.

Hinding hindi na ulit.

"Kung wala kang balak isuko siya, you shouldn't have done that in the first place.."

"Tita.."

"I wanted to help you, Ai. I really do." Sabi niya. "Pero paano? When you were with him before the accident??"

"..."

Bigla kong naalala yung isa pang rason..

Kung bakit ayaw kong maalala niya.

Nathan's accident..

Kasalanan ko ba talaga?

******