You'll Be Fine

*Theia's POV*

"Does it hurt?"

Nasa biyahe na kami papunta sa Tagaytay and I was seated beside Ry. I thought he was asleep kasi kanina pa siya nakasandal sa balikat ko. I avoided moving too much para hindi siya magising kaya nagulat ako nung bigla siyang nagsalita.

Medyo nakaharap siya sa kanan ko so I figured na baka yung sugat yung tinutukoy niya.

"Hindi naman."

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "Sorry nadamay pa kita sa ginawa ko kagabi."

It was the first time he bursted like that. Ry was so used to bottle up his problems. Hindi ko inakala na may ganun din pala siyang side.

Alam kong nasaktan siya but I didn't know it hurted enough for him to act like that.

"It's okay, Ry."

Pagkatapos ng mga sinabi nilang dalawa ni Charm kagabi, I finally realized how much I meant to them.

Ayaw lang nila ako masaktan.

They don't want to lose me and I was already losing myself while fighting for him..

I patted his head using my left hand.

"You'll be fine, Ry." I told him.

Ako din naman diba?

I wanted to be fine as well.

Ramdam ko parin yung titig na kanina ko pa iniiwasan. And for the second time, nagtama ulit yung tingin namin.

Tulad ni Ryan, nakapatong din yung ulo ni Ivy sa balikat niya.

How I wish that it was me.

Ako yan. Dati.

Ry suddenly removed his head from my shoulder but I kept my eyes on him. Naramdaman kong umayos siya ng upo and then..

Bigla niya kong sinandal sa balikat niya.

"Bak--"

Aalisin ko sana pero binalik niya lang ulit.

"You can stop now, Theia." Sabi niya habang hawak niya parin yung ulo ko.

He handed something to me.

His sunglasses.

"Wear that." Utos niya.

I didn't know kung ano yung ginagawa niya pero sinunod ko nalang rin tsaka sumandal ulit sa kanya.

"Why do you keep on looking kung masasaktan ka rin naman?" Bulong niya sa'kin.

Napansin niya rin pala yung tingin ko sa taong nasa likod namin.

He patted my head tulad ng ginawa ko sa kanya kanina and whispered the same words.

"You'll be fine, Theia."

I will.

"Thank you, Ry."

Naluluha ako.

I also needed someone to tell me that I'll be okay.

"Don't worry." He said. "Hindi ko maintindihan yung ginagawa ni Gab but we'll protect you no matter what."

***

"Wow."

"Beautiful."

Yun agad yung nasabi naming dalawa ni Charm. We finally arrived at our destination.

A lot has changed since we last visited this place.

A rose garden filled with red and pink roses welcomed us on the entrance.

It's my and Charm's favorite flower.

Both of us were smiling so brightly like this was the best day ever.

And it is.

Para kaming mga bata na tumakbo papunta sa garden. We took turns taking each other's pictures.

Tawa kami ng tawa kasi kung ano anong pose yung ginagawa naming dalawa.

"At natuwa na naman ang mga bata." Ry snickered.

"That's the plan." Gabby smiled.

I didn't noticed that they were already behind us.

Gabby looked proud with what he has done with the place. He should be. Garden palang, ang ganda na.

We were interrupted nung lumapit sila sa'min.

"Gab, we'll go first."

"Sure."

He passed by us kasama si Ivy. I couldn't stop myself from looking at them. Sa kamay nila.

They were holding each other's hand.

Atleast okay na sila.

That's enough for me.

Someone took my hand. Charm.

She squeezed it and smiled at me.

"Tara na?"

This might be my last vacation with them at ayaw kong maalala nila akong umiiyak.

I need to be happy even if it's for them.

Tumango ako at ngumiti sa kanya pabalik.

******

*Charm's POV*

"Since it's almost night time, we will resume our planned activities tomorrow." Ms. Ces announced after dinner.

It turns out, hindi lang pala kami yung na-late.

Some even arrived later than us. Yun pala, nag videoke yung iba naming kaklase kagabi at nag inuman. Most of them overslept kaya lahat, pagod sa biyahe.

"Since Gab planned the whole trip, I allowed him to decide the teams for our games." Sabi niya. "And they will also be your cottage mates."

Cottage mates?

"We're divided into 5 teams which consists of 6 persons. 3 boys and 3 girls." Gab said. "Each team will have their own cottage to occupy."

Vin and Erica stood up and handed out print outs. Nakalista yung mga teams na sinabi ni Gab.

Team A

Vin

Erica

Ken

Steph

Yves

Gwen

Hindi namin kasama sina Erica?

Team B

Keira

Lex

Tiffany

Carl

Raine

Alvin

Nasaan na ba yung pangalan namin?

Team C

Trixie

Liam

Mandy

Jeffrey

Claire

Franco

Oh my god.

Team D

Paula

Oliver

Rhea

Dylan

Luna

Rio

Don't tell me.

Team E

Gab

Charm

Ryan

Theia

Nathan

Ivy

Sinasabi ko na nga ba.

Kaya pala hindi ko nakita agad yung pangalan namin. We're the 5th group.

NATHAN?? IVY???

Anong kalokohan to?

"There's also a map on the back to make sure na hindi kayo mawawala."

Oo. Posibleng magkawalaan kami dito.

Considering his tour earlier, the place has gotten bigger. May maze, may pool, mga cottages and a forest where we can have outdoor activities.

This place is good for team buildings and such.

Gab did an excellent job and even booked the whole place just for us.

"If you have no questions, you can go to your cottages and rest." Ms. Ces said. "We have a long day tomorrow!"

"Good night!"

Kanya kanya kaming punta sa sarili naming team.

Theia doesn't look okay at all.

Ayaw ko din makasama si Ivy and I know she feels the same way.

Ivy, Theia and I in one room.

Hindi ba sasabog yun?

"Follow me." Sabi ni Gab.

At nagagawa niya pa talagang ngumiti??

I signaled Ry to look after Theia dahil magtutuos muna kami ni Lovey. Naintindihan naman niya at tumabi sa kanya agad.

Hinatak ko si Gab. "Wait lang ha."

"What are you really planning?" I asked him paglayo namin ng konti.

"Lovey, just let them be."

Lumingon ako saglit sa loob. Mukha namang walang nakikinig sa'min.

"Kaya mo ba sila sinabay sa'tin?"

Tumango naman siya.

"Napansin mo manlang ba kung gaano ka-awkward sa sasakyan kanina?"

He nodded again.

"If you knew, you shouldn't be doing this now." I said. "You're adding fuel to fire, lovey."

"You've seen how Ry was last night." Sabi niya. "And I don't want to see Courts that way as well."

"But it's normal." Sagot ko. "They're all fighting for love."

Fighting and broken for the same love.

Kahit iba iba yung paniniwala nila, pagmamahal parin naman yun diba?

"Yes." He said. "It might be for love but we can't let them destroy each other."

I understood what he meant pero hindi ako sigurado kung makakatulong lahat ng 'to.

"Lovey, ako ang bahala."

He already told me about his plan and I didn't know na seseryosohin niya talaga.

Gab arranged this trip para lang paglapitin ulit sila Nathan at Theia.

"And what if it doesn't help?"

"It will." Ngumiti siya. "Trust me."

"Inisip mo manlang ba si Theia?" Tanong ko. "What about her feelings? Hindi mo ba alam na nahihirapan na siya?"

"She's going to be okay, lovey."

We don't know that.

"She might look okay on the outside but we can't be sure." Sabi ko. "Paano siya magiging okay kung nandyan yung taong umagaw sa mahal niya??"

"Bakit may nangyari bang hindi ko pa alam?"

I stared at him.

He's really good at this. Napapansin niya agad kapag may problema ako.

"Si Theia kasi.."

Should I tell him what happened between her and Nathan?

The mark on her wrists.

If that would stop whatever he was doing, baka sabihin ko nalang rin.

******