The Girl He Fell In Love With

*Alec's POV*

"Good morning, love."

Tumayo siya agad at niyakap ako. I hugged her back and kissed her forehead.

"Kamusta si Theia?"

"Okay lang. Wala naman naging problema." Naomi sighed. "Buti nalang hindi pa gumigising si Nathan."

"Did you talk to her last night?" Binaba ko yung bitbit kong bag at umupo sa tabi ng kapatid ko. "Umiyak nanaman ba siya?"

She's still sleeping. Buti nalang nakatulog siya.

"I'm sorry, love."

"Love naman.."

"Kung sinamahan ko lang sana si Nathan nung mga panahong yun..."

"Stop." I interrupted her. "It wasn't anyone's fault. Hindi naman natin inakalang maaaksidente siya."

"Do you think makakatulong yung therapy para makaalala ulit siya? Para maalala niya si Theia?"

"Maybe."

I sounded unsure. Kasi kahit ako, hindi ko rin alam.

"Pero paano na si Theia?"

Paano na nga ba siya?

"Natatakot rin akong hindi siya makaalala. Ayaw kong masaktan lalo si Theia." I said. "Pero wala tayong magagawa kung sakaling hindi gumana yung therapy niya."

"Pero may hindi pa tayo nasasabi sa kanya."

"I know."

"Do we really need to tell her?"

"She deserves to know the truth."

"Yes she does. Pero.."

"May plano ba sina Tita na sabihin sa kanya?"

"I didn't have the chance to ask. Nagulat tayong lahat sa nangyari." Sabi niya. "Pero alam kong sasabihin nila kay Theia."

"Tatanungin ko rin sina Mommy at Daddy tungkol dun." Sabi ko sa kanya. "We need to be there as well."

"Pwede bang.. wag nalang?"

"Are you scared?"

Nakatingin rin siya kay Theia tulad ko.

"Yes.. it will hurt her more." Bulong niya. "Ayaw ko nang masaktan pa siya lalo."

Ayaw ko naring masaktan siya.

"But we don't have a choice."

Hindi namin kayang itago sa kanya ng matagal yung totoo.

"I'm really sorry, Theia." Bulong ko sa kanya. "I promised him na hindi kita hahayaang masaktan pero hindi ko yata matutupad yun. You love him and I can't protect you from the people you love, Theia. Pero nandito lang ang kuya, okay? We will fight for him. Please be strong. I love you."

I kissed her on the forehead and saw a tear roll down her cheeks.

I quickly wiped it away with my fingertip.

Pati ba naman sa panaginip mo, nasasaktan ka parin?

"Love, let's go." I stood up and took her hand. "Let's eat breakfast."

***

"Love."

Humigpit yung hawak niya sa kamay ko kaya mas minadali namin yung paglalakad.

We were on our way back to Nathan's room nung nakita naming nakabukas yung pinto.

Something's wrong.

Dra. Guevarra and some nurses were surrounding his bed. Nakatayo si Theia malapit sa pintuan.

"Theia..." Tinawag siya ni Naomi habang papalapit kami sa kanya.

She turned around and looked at us.

Umiiyak siya.

Bakit umiiyak nanaman siya?

"Theia, ayos ka lang ba??"

She smiled at me.

Nagawa niya pang ngumiti kahit lumuluha siya.

"Theia.. y-yung paa mo..." Naomi said and that made me looked at her feet.

There's blood on the floor. May mga bubog.

Yung paa niya, nagdudugo.

When I looked at her, she was about to faint.

"THEIAAA!!!"

Binitawan ko yung hawak ko and ran towards her. Bago pa siya bumagsak, nasalo ko na siya.

******

*Theia's POV*

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

I couldn't move.

Hindi ko akalaing magigising na siya.

"Bingi ka ba??" Kumunot yung noo niya nung hindi ako sumagot.

Magsalita ka, Theia.

Please!

"Umalis na sila Tita kagabi." Sagot ko. "Kami lang ni Ate yung naiwan dito para bantayan ka."

Wala na kong maisip na iba pang isagot sa kanya.

"So what?"

Bakit ganyan yung tingin niya?

Never akong tinignan ni Nate ng ganyan.

"What do you mean?"

Hindi ko maintindihan yung tanong niya.

"Bakit ka pa nandito kung nandyan naman si Ate?"

"Wa-wala kasing magbabantay sa'yo..."

Don't stammer.

Mapapansin niyang kinakabahan ka.

"I don't need you here." He said. "Hindi mo ko kailangang bantayan."

"Pero hindi ka pa magaling." I told him. "Kailangan may kasama ka dito. Baka may mangyaring masama sa'yo."

"Nothing bad is gonna happen to me kung iiwan mo ko." Sabi niya. "I don't even know who you are tapos ikaw pa yung nagbabantay sa'kin?"

Ayos lang ba talaga kung iiwanan kita?

Snap out of it, Theia.

Hindi ito yung tamang oras para isipin mo yung sinabi niya.

Amnesia.

Kailangan mong tandaan na may amnesia siya kaya limot ka na niya.

"It doesn't matter kung naaalala mo ko o hindi." I said. "Ang mahalaga, kailangan mo ng magbabantay sa'yo."

"I don't care." He said. "I don't want you here."

He doesn't want me.

Oo, masakit marinig yun mula sa kanya.

Pero siya ang dapat isipin ko at hindi yung sarili ko.

Hindi siya pwedeng ma-stress.

Makakasama yun sa kanya.

If he wants me to leave, dapat na ba akong umalis?

"Aalis na ko pagbalik ni Ate." I finally decided.

"I already told you, wala akong pakialam. I don't want you anywhere near me." Sabi niya. "I want my girlfriend."

Pero ako yun..

"Ako yung girlfriend mo."

Ako yun.. diba?

"Girlfriend?" He smirked. "Bakit ko naman gugustuhing maging girlfriend ka?"

"Kahit anong sabihin mo, dito lang ako."

You can't make me go away, mio.

I'll stay no matter what.

I tried to control my tears.

Hindi ako pwedeng umiyak. Ayaw kong umiyak sa harapan niya.

"You're not even my type."

"It doesn't matter." I repeated.

I walked passed him and placed the bag on the sofa.

"Wala ka talagang pakialam no?" He kept talking habang umiinom ako. "Sinabi nang ayaw sa'yo ng tao pero nandyan ka parin. Ganyan ka ba talaga?"

Ganito ba talaga ako?

"This is the girl you fell in love with." I tried to smile at him. "Do you want to have your breakfast now?"

"I don't think I'll ever fall in love with you."

That hurts like hell.

Yung taong mahal mo, sasabihin sa'yong hindi siya maiinlove sa'yo?

"Sige mamaya ka nalang kumain." I tried to focus on the situation rather than what he said.

Kasi masakit yung sinabi niya at kapag inisip ko pa yun, mas lalo lang akong masasaktan.

"Hindi mo ba narinig yung sinabi ko? O sadyang bingi ka lang?"

"What do you want?" Naiinis na ko sa inaasta niya.

Nasaan na yung Nate na mahal ko? Yung Nate na mahal ako?

"Gusto ko ngang makita yung girlfriend ko."

"I am your girlfriend."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Si Ivy ang girlfriend ko."

"You two already broke up a long time ago." I told him. "Hindi ako si Ivy but I'm your girlfriend, Nate."

"Sa tingin mo ba magugustuhan kita?" He's getting angry. "Sa tingin mo ba mamahalin kita?!"

Bakit ba ayaw niya kong pakinggan?

"You did. Sinabi mong mahal mo ko."

I tried to control myself pero hindi ko na talaga kaya.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong pinagsasabi niyong lahat at pinipilit niyong girlfriend kita."

"Because that's the truth!" I shouted. "Bakit ba ayaw mo maniwala??"

That made him shut his mouth.

"Why can't you just accept the fact na ex mo na siya at ako na ang girlfriend mo ngayon?"

"Dahil si Ivy lang ang nag-iisang mahal ko."

For the nth time, my tears betrayed me.

I failed. Hindi ko napigilan yung luha ko.

I lowered my head so he wouldn't see.

Why can't I control my feelings kahit ako naman yung nakakaramdam nito?

Lahat nalang ng nararamdaman ko, ang bilis magpakita pagdating sa kanya.

"She broke up with you." I said. "Naghiwalay na kayong dalawa tapos nakilala mo ko pero bakit parang kasalanan ko na minahal narin kita?"

Bakit ako umiiyak ng dahil sa'yo?

Bakit ako yung nasasaktan ngayon?

"You were on your way to me, Nate. Sinabi mong babalikan mo ko pero bakit hindi ka na bumalik?" I whispered. "You promised me. Sabi mo, ako lang. Sabi mo, mahal mo ko.. pero bakit ngayon, hindi na?"

Hindi ka na dumating..

Hindi ka rin bumalik sa'kin..

Ngayon hindi mo narin ako mahal.

I wiped my tears away and looked at him. Nakahawak siya sa ulo niya.

This is what he looked like last night.

"Nate??"

His eyes were tightly shut. "NOOO!"

"Nate??" I shook him. "Are you okay?!!"

I pushed the nurse's call botton.

"We need Dra. Guevarra now! Nate?!" I'm panicking. "Open your eyes!"

"I-I'm okay." Dahan dahan syang namulat. "Umalis ka na. Okay lang ako."

Namumutla na siya.

"You don't look okay.."

"Just go."

"Pero..."

"I want you to leave." Sabi niya. "Just leave me alone."

"I can't--"

Ayaw kong iwan ka.

Ayaw kong umalis sa tabi mo.

"Didn't you here what I just said??" Binato niya yung basong nakapatong sa table. "Sabing umalis ka na!"

"Nate, stop..."

Please, stop...

"LEAVE!!!"

Napaatras nalang ako sa sinabi niya.

Ayaw niya na sa'yo.

Gusto niyang umalis ka na, Theia.

I didn't hear the door opened pero nakita kong nandun na si Dra. Gueverra sa tabi niya.

I watched them do something to him.

"Nathan?? Nathan? Can you hear me?"

"Open your eyes, Nathan. Look at me."

"Theia..." Lumingon ako.

Sila Kuya at Ate nasa may pintuan.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" Tanong ni Kuya.

I tried to smile kahit lumuluha ako.

"Theia.. yu-yung paa mo..."

Kaya pala masakit.

Dumudugo.

Ito nga ba yung masakit?

O yung puso ko??

"THEIAAA!!!"

******