The Ivy He know

*Nathan's POV*

"Sigurado ka ba?"

"We're going on a trip, Tita." Sagot ko. "And it's going to be our last days together before we graduate. Ayaw ko po sanang mag-away pa kami."

We haven't done anything fun since I left the hospital. Palagi nalang kami nag-aaway.

I'm not sure if this was the right thing to do pero kung hindi ako titigil, baka mawala lang siya sa'kin.

And I can't let that happen.

"I respect your decision, Nathan." She said. "We'll stop your therapy kung yun ang gusto mo."

"Thank you, Tita.."

Tatayo na sana ako nung nagsalita siya ulit.

"Do you mind if I tell you something before you leave?"

I looked at her. "Ano po yun?"

"The truth is, may nagawa akong hindi ko dapat ginawa.."

Hindi siya makatingin sa'kin ng maayos.

"I told you to take off your ring, right?"

"Yes."

"May isa pang dahilan kung bakit ko pinagawa yun sa'yo and it helped me figure out the truth."

"What do you mean, Tita?"

"I told her you left it in my office para puntahan niya ko."

I frowned.

"I'm sorry, I kept this from you." Sabi niya. "But it was the only way for her to come. Gusto kong malaman kung siya ba talaga yung kasama mo bago ka maaksidente."

"Tita--"

"We were right, Nathan."

"W-what??"

"At nagulat siya nung binanggit ko yun sa kanya."

"..."

"Can't you see?" She asked. "I finally understood kung bakit ayaw niyang maalala mo. That's the reason."

"If she was there--"

It took me by surprise when her tears started falling. "Baka may kinalaman din siya sa aksidente mo.."

Impossible.

"Tita, don't say that." Sabi ko. "Baka mali lang tayo."

"Kung mali tayo, bakit ayaw niyang maalala mo?? Bakit hindi niya sinabi na nakita ka niya bago ka maaksidente?"

"I don't know.."

"We might not have concrete evidence but the way she acted clearly showed na may nagawa siya at ayaw niyang malaman natin yun." Sabi niya. "Now that you wanted to stop, how can we find out the truth?"

"..."

"Natatakot ako sa pwede niyang gawin, Nathan.."

"Tita, hindi po yun magagawa ni Ivy."

"Yun din yung akala ko.." She said. "But she came here asking me to help."

"Tita--"

"You don't know what she was capable of doing." Sagot niya. "You have to be careful or else.."

"Careful of what?"

Her??

"She's not well." Tita answered. "Ivy's sick, Nathan."

***

"Ivy's sick, Nathan."

"You have to be careful."

Paulit ulit lang yung mga salitang sinabi ni Tita sa utak ko.

Hindi ko maintindihan.

Why do I have to be careful?

Ano bang pwede niyang gawin sa'kin?

"Nathan??"

"NATHAAAANNN!!"

"Ate??"

Lumayo ako ng konti sa kanya.

She was already beside me and yelling on my ear.

"Bakit ka nandyan?"

"Kanina pa kita tinatawag hindi ka naman namamansin."

"May iniisip lang ako."

"Ano naman yun?"

"Secret." Sagot ko. "Bakit ka ba nasigaw?"

"May bisita ka kasi."

I looked around the living room.

Tinignan ko rin saglit yung dining, wala namang ibang tao kundi kaming dalawa lang.

"Wala namang tao." I told her. "Don't tell me nakakakita ka ng multo?"

Pinalo niya ko sa braso.

"Aray! Bakit ka namamalo??"

"Because you're scaring me!" Sabi niya. "Kanina pa kaya ako mag-isa dito."

"Tignan mo? Akala ko ba may bisita??"

"Nasa kwarto mo siya."

Kwarto ko?

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Hindi pa kasi ako tapos magsalita kung ano ano nang sinabi mo."

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

I don't remember interrupting her habang nagsasalita siya.

"Anyway, aalis na ko." She said. "Hinintay lang talaga kita umuwi."

"At saan ka naman pupunta?"

"Pakialam mo ba??"

"Makikipag-date ka na naman no?"

"So what??" Tinaasan niya ko ng kilay. "Inggit ka?"

"Aray!"

Pinitik ko siya sa tenga tsaka tumakbo.

"Lagot ka sa'kin pag-uwi ko!"

"Hindi ka na makakaalis kapag umuwi ka pa!"

"Che!"

"Umuwi ka agad ha! 9 pm yung curfew mo!"

"Whatever!"

I heard the door closed tsaka ako sumilip.

Wala na siya.

I continued walking to my room.

Sino bang matinong bisita ang didiretso sa kwarto?

Mamaya kung sino lang 'to.

Nakatalikod siya sa'kin pagbukas ko ng pinto.

"Gab?"

He turned around and smiled.

"Nathan."

***

"Babe?"

"Hm?"

We finally made up this morning.

Ayaw kong umalis ng hindi parin kami okay so I went to their house and Gab picked us up there.

"Hindi ka ba inaantok?"

"Hindi naman." Sagot ko. "Just sleep, babe. Gigisingin nalang kita pagdating natin."

"Thank you, babe."

I couldn't take my eyes off her and I'm sure she knew. Tuwing nagkakatinginan kasi kami, umiiwas siya agad.

Ry had his head on her shoulder the whole time.

Hindi manlang ba niya aalisin yun?

I should've broken his neck yesterday para hindi siya nakasama.

Wait.

I'm not jealous, right?

Nagtama ulit kami ng tingin and she immediately looked away.

Ry straighten his back tsaka sinandal si Theia sa balikat niya.

I couldn't see her eyes anymore.

The sunglasses he gave her blocked my view.

I caught his eyes.

He glared at me and smirked.

I looked at my face on the rearview mirror. Halata parin yung sugat sa labi ko dahil sa sapak niya.

"JAMES NATHANIEL GO!" He shouted. "Anong ginawa mo kay Theia ha??!"

"It was between me and her." Sagot ko. "Kaya pwede ba bitawan mo ko??"

"Eh gago ka pala!"

He punched me.

"Papaiyakin mo siya tapos sasabihin mong wala akong pakialam??!"

Tumayo ako agad at nilapitan siya.

"Ano sasapak ka??" Tanong niya. "Sige. Punch me all you want! Siguraduhin mo lang na okay siya 'cause if not, babasagin ko yang pagmumukha mo."

I couldn't do it.

Galit na galit ako sa kanya but his punch wasn't even enough to repay for what I did to her.

"If you're just going to make her cry, you shouldn't have volunteered to do whatever the hell you're doing!" Sabi niya. "Hindi mo na sana siya pinaasa in the first place!"

"I didn't.."

"No. You chose this." He said. "Bakit? Kasi narerealize mo narin na posibleng mahalaga nga siya?"

I didn't answer because he was right.

I've dreamt about her ever since I woke up pero hindi ako naniwala sa kanila.

I wanted to know the truth kaya sinubukan kong alalahanin siya but I ended up hurting her.

"That's the problem, Nathan. The facts are right in front of you but you don't want to acknowledge it."

"You don't know anything, Ry."

Nahihirapan din ako.

Those are my memories.

How would I know na mali na pala ako ng naaalala?

"Bakit ayaw mong aminin yung totoo? Dahil natatakot kang saktan si Ivy?" Tanong niya. "Paano kung siya naman yung unang nanakit sa'yo? Would you even protect her??"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know what she did, Nathan." Sabi niya. "Hindi na siya yung Ivy na nakilala mo noon."

I stared at the person sleeping beside me.

They're all wrong, diba?

The Ivy I know wouldn't do something like that.

I was silently praying na wala talaga siyang ginawa.

Kasi kung meron, anong gagawin ko?

******