9 Her Secret

After that week, a lot of things got settled in the company.

Since Sam and I have more free time on our schedule, the gang tends to invite us to go clubbing or have some get-together sessions at each other's houses while having watch parties or pool parties.

Today is Sunday and we agreed to go to the church with the gang and Sammy and go on a road trip to Tagaytay afterward. They are planning to be spontaneous today, I guess. I had nothing to go to today, so I decided to come along

After I got dressed in comfortable clothes and light make-up, I decided to go outside and have breakfast with Sam who was probably waiting in the dining area already.

I was about to approach my door when I suddenly felt a tightening on my chest. I thought it was just a chest muscle pain, but I started to gasp for air as time passed by. The pain got more painful as I felt the abnormal pounding of my heart. I raised my hand to my chest and clutched it trying to lessen the pain, but it did not work. I immediately leaned against the wall to gain some support after I felt light-headed and weak.

What the hell is happening?

"Sam!" I called in between my breaths. I tried to take deep breaths, but it just got harder to breathe. I felt like I was losing air on my body.

"Sam- ah shit." I firmly shut my eyes as I felt a throbbing pain in my chest.

No one seems to hear me.

I tried to gather enough strength to walk out my door to ask for help. I struggled to walk while clasping against my chest while supporting my body against the wall. "Nana! Sam!"

I am breathing heavily, my heart is beating unexplainably fast, and I felt like I might faint anytime. "Brother, Nana! Where are you?"

Where the heck is everyone?

I reached the stairs, and I still haven't seen anyone.

As time goes by, it becomes difficult for me to call for help because it is getting harder and harder for me to breathe. My vision is also starting to get blurry. I felt like dying from the inside.

I leaned on the wall near the stairs and decided to walk down to the living room. I know that it is stupid and dangerous, but I desperately need my brother or anyone right now.

"Sam-" I was just on the third step down when my legs gave up and caused me to fall down the stairs to the floor.

I could not move my body as I laid on my back against the floor half-conscious. Everything hurts. My eyes were already half-closed, but I can still feel every pain in my body, especially on my chest. I also felt a warm liquid flowing down slowly from my forehead to my temple and scalp, but it is the least of my concern. I am gasping for air as if my organs inside were desperately racing for the ample air I am able to take in.

"Y-young lady!"

"What's that- Baby girl! Shit, what happened?!" I felt Sam rush towards me and carefully touch me. "Hey, can you hear me? Don't move, you might hurt yourself more."

"I-I can't breathe, brother..." I mumbled weakly.

I want to close my eyes and sleep. There is so much pain.

"Darn it! Call an ambulance!" He shouted after he held my wrist.

He quickly put a cloth over the wound on my head to control the bleeding as he asked for a bandage or anything he could use to cover the wound and stop it from bleeding.

"Hey, stay awake. Listen to me, just stay awake." He stated repeatedly but his voice started to fade from my senses.

"I… called you." I said in a low weak voice, trying to do what he said and stay awake, but I was in and out of consciousness until everything turned black.

***

I immediately felt the body pains as I gained my consciousness back. I was still weak, but I slowly opened my eyes to see a blurry ceiling. After a few seconds, I gradually blink trying to see things clearly around me while trying to remember the last thing that happened before I lost consciousness.

My senses immediately recognize the rhythmic sound of the life monitor beside my bed. I am wearing an oxygen mask supporting my breathing. I also felt a bandage at the upper part of my temple in the forehead for the wound that I got from the fall.

I do not like this place. I do not want to be here.

Most parts of my body are still weak, but I tried to sit from lying on the hospital bed and removed the oxygen mask on my face.

I was in that state when the door to my room suddenly opened. I turned in its direction and halted as soon as I saw the persons who just entered.

"You're awake." Kate said.

I froze in my place not knowing what to say or what to do.

What are they doing here? They are not supposed to be here.

They look at me with their questioning eyes and look at me unbelievably.

"Kate, Andy..." I started but I really do not know what to say.

From their expressions, I know that they already know why I am here. I cannot hide it anymore.

"This is crazy Kenz, why didn't you tell us about this?!" Kate said frustratedly in a cracked voice.

I couldn't do anything but look away.

"Answer us! Why didn't you tell us that you are sick?!" She almost yelled and started crying.

"I have my reasons, Kate." I answered in a low voice, still not looking at them.

That is all I can say. I lied to them, and they are mad at me. I know that I deserve it.

"Damn those reasons Kenz! You're a conceited and selfish freak!" Andy yelled. "What's the reason then? That you're afraid to be weak in front of other people? That your freaking pride cannot accept that we might pity you? That's bullshit!" She also started crying.

"No, that's not it." Damn, why can't I explain myself now?

They have all the reasons to be mad. I kept this from them when they did nothing but to be my friends.

"Then what? What's the reason for keeping this to us all this time? What- what if we were doing something that we were not supposed to do? What if we did something that made your condition worse? You made us look like fools!" Andy said.

They are right, I am selfish and conceited because I kept it for selfish reasons, but I have to.

I bit my lip when I felt heat on my own eyes along with a pinch of pain in my chest.

"So, if this didn't happen, we will never know? When are you planning to tell us, when your condition is worse and you're dying?" Kate said.

I did not answer.

I held on to the sheets as I felt the increasing pain in my chest again.

Shit, not now.

"Did you even consider what we were going to feel if we would just hear one day that your condition got worse, and we already lost you? Don't you really consider us as your friend? Haven't we passed your standards to be Mackenzie Samonte's friends?" Andy said with full sarcasm on the last part of her words.

"It's not like that, Andy. I'm- I'm sorry." My lungs started to protest for air again as I kept myself from crying.

"Then, tell us why because we cannot understand!"

I am trying to think of what I should say to them when I hear the door opens.

"Kate, Andy, that's enough." Ace said as he put himself in between us.

Renz and Vince also appeared in the room. They were also here, of course.

"Argh! Do not meddle in this!" Andy shouted at him.

"No, this is enough, Andy." He firmly said while trying to control the two.

"Stop it, Ace. Let- them speak." I said in a low voice in between breaths to ease the pain.

I deserve all those things.

"You are the one who should stop. Stop pretending that you're fine, wear that mask, and lay down." He said with full authority.

My tears finally escaped my eyes as I couldn't handle the pain in my chest. My heart was pounding so loud, as I choked for air.

They all stop when the rhythm of my life monitor changes.

"Oh my God, Kenz," Kate's voice shifted from crying to a worried one.

I clutched on my chest and tried to ease the pain.

"Why didn't you- gosh, I'm sorry Kenz, we're sorry." Andy said in panic. They tried to come close to me, but Ace stopped them.

"Renz, Vince, take Andy and Kate outside. Then, call Sam and the doctor immediately." Said, Ace.

"But-" Kate tried to refuse but he stopped her.

"Trust me, Kate. You also need to calm down."

I do not know why but I cried harder as soon as the four of them left the room. The tears that I had been holding back finally got their way out, but crying just made my situation worse. The pain in my chest got unbearable as I gasped for air. My vision also started to get blurry that became worse because of my tears

"Amazon, hey, listen to me. You have to calm down." Ace quickly walked towards me and held my shoulders to face him.

He is trying to convince me to calm down. I am trying but I cannot.

"I-I can't breathe." I mumbled faintly as excruciating pain kept on torturing me.

"Damn, why do you have to be this stubborn? I told you to wear your oxygen mask." He grabbed the oxygen mask that I removed earlier and quickly made me wear it back.

With my mask back on, I weakly lean my head against his chest as I gasp for air.

"Shit, where the hell is Sam?" I heard him say while I slowly closed my eyes, drifting back to darkness.