Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Jeyro's POV

I didn’t finish my sentence when I saw Era fainted. I immediately called a taxi and rushed to the nearest hospital. After a few minutes we arrived at the hospital and luckily had a kind driver so he helped me to call a nurse.

“Nurse!! Doctor!!! Help us!!!”the driver shouted and two nurses rushed to us dragging a bed.

I laid Era into the bed and they took Era rushed to the ER. I wanted to come along but they stopped me and said that I should wait outside. I wanted to protest but I saw the doctor checking her up so I stopped and waited outside. On the other hand, I thanked the driver and gave him our payment.

“Thank you for helping us and sorry for the trouble.”I said to him and gave our payment but he didn’t accept it.

“You don’t have to pay me. I’m happy that I can help someone who is in trouble. I hope she is okay.”he said smiling.

“Thank you sir.”I said again and he bid his goodbye.

When I saw him out of the hospital I immediately called Era’s brother. I said to him that Era is in the hospital because she fainted and he said that he will come in a few minutes.

After the call ended, I sat on the chair outside the ER while staring at the door. I hope Era is okay. I shouldn't have said that to her, I know that she’s been through alot and yet I gave her more pain.

After a few minutes I saw Tristian, Era’s brother, running to me. He is still wearing his uniform from his part-time job. Fortunately, his part-time job is near this hospital so he can immediately come.

“Where is Era? How is she?”he asked immediately when he arrived at my side.

“The doctor hasn't come out yet.”I answered as he sat at my side.

“What really happened to her?! She is only here for a couple of weeks and she is already sick.”he said, tearing up. I know what his feelings were, he hasn’t seen Era all those years and now, she rushed into the hospital.

“Don’t worry Tristian, Era will be okay.”I assured him but I’m hoping that she is okay.

It’s been half an hour but the doctor hasn’t come out yet even the nurse. We were anxious here waiting, especially Tristian because this is the first time that this happened to her, even with their parents she didn’t faint like this. After a few minutes, the doctor came out and we approached him.

“Tito Dylan, how is my sister?!”Tristian asked immediately.

“Don’t worry Tristian, she’s okay. She just fainted because she was fatigued.”the doctor said and we just nodded. “ Tristian we need to talk about something,”he added. I want to ask what it is all about but I didn’t because it is a private matter.

Tristan hesitated to answer but I tapped his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about Era, I’ll take care of her.”I said and he just nodded and followed Doctor Dylan.

Era transferred to another room and until now, she’s not yet awake. Maybe she’s too tired. I hope when she wakes up, she will be okay.

I sat on her side when I suddenly felt thrist. I gave her a glance before I went out. I hope she will wake up later on. When I got out of Era’s room I was so shocked when I saw Marcky getting out to another room. What is he doing here? Did anyone in his friend or family get hospitalized?

“Hey.”he greeted me and I just smiled at him.

“Hey.”I greeted him back. “What are you doing here? Did anyone get sick?”I asked even though we’re not close.

“Jayselle fainted yesterday so we rushed her to the nearest hospital, which is here.”he answered. “You? What are you doing here?”he asked back but I didn’t answer him. Jayselle fainted yesterday? Why did I just find out now?

“Is she okay?! Did you tell her parents? Why did she suddenly faint?! Is she sick?”I asked him. I want to go to Jayselle but I can’t because I have no right to be near her.

“Yeah. She just fainted because she's been stressed in the past few days.”he said and I breathed as a sign of relief, thank god she’s okay. “Are you worried about her? Is there something that I don’t know?”he suddenly asked.

I froze when he asked that. I didn’t expect that he would ask me that question. I smiled at him.

“Yeah, I’m worried about her. After all she’s my classmate.”I answered but I knew he didn’t expect my answer. He still doubts it but he didn’t question me again. “Marcky can I ask you a question?!”I changed the topic because there was something I wanted to ask him and I think this is the right time.

He nodded. He asks me if we can talk in the hospital cafeteria and I accept it. I bought bottle water just like I planned and he bought bottle juice then we sat at the end.

“What are we going to talk about?”he started. I sipped in my bottle before I spoke.

“I will be straight to the point, do you know Vince?!”I asked him.

I saw him shocked but he recovered faster. He smiled slightly and he stared at his juice.

“So you already know him,”he bitterly said. “Did Skyler tell you about him?”I nodded as an answer. He sipped his juice and continued to talk. “So do you have any clue who Vince is?!”

Actually I have a clue but I need to confirm it because I don’t want to jump into conclusions that don’t have any proof.

“Yes, I have a clue but I need to confirm it.”I said to him. “So, do you confirm my suspicion about Vince?!”I asked him and he just smiled but a kind of forced smile.

“Yes, what is in your mind is true. He is Vince.”he answered. “And yes, we lied to Sky because we thought it was the best decision. We thought that Sky would forget Vince after many years but we were wrong. She still suffers from Vince’s death.”

Best decision?! Do they know that because of that one decision many lives were ruined? Do they know that there's more than one person who suffers from their lying? No, they’re not. They are so naive to the point that they don't think of others because they want to protect the people they want to protect.

I closed my eyes and my fist to prevent myself from exploding my anger. I am so angry because Era is still suffering from thinking that it's her fault why Vince died. I am so angry because I was not there for her during the times that she needed a person who would help her. I am so angry at myself because I chose to close my eyes even though I knew that there’s something wrong. I chose to be with Era even though I know who can make her happy again.

“Now, you should know that it was not the best decision because until now the past is still chasing you.”I coldly said. “And you should know that there is more than one person who still suffers because of your lying, not only Era and Vince.”I added.

“I know and I’m sorry. I want to fix our mistake but I don’t know how.”then I saw him tearing up. “I want to tell him the truth but I’m scared to lose my best friend, I don’t want to lose him again.”then he stared at him. “So please can you do me a favor? Don’t say this to anyone, wait for me to fix it because I don’t want to lose Vince again and I don’t want Skyler mad at me.”

I want to protest but I don’t have any right because in the first place, I wasn’t there at that time to judge his decision. I sighed and nodded to him as an answer. Even though this is not the right decision, I will consider his feelings. Afterall he experienced losing one of his friends.

“Thank you. I promise that I will tell them everything once everything will be fine,”he said.

I just smiled at him and bid my goodbye, I already asked him what was on my mind and Era was alone in her room. She may be awake right now. I stood up and was ready to leave when I saw Ekie coming to us. Marcky immediately stood up when he saw him. When Ekie arrived at our table I just smiled at him and he smiled back.

“I am just wondering why you are still not coming back so I followed you here.”Then he looked at me. “So you’re just talking to Jeyro? What are you talking about, it feels like it is so deep.”he had a question in his face and Marcky just smiled at him.

“It’s nothing serious, we just bump into each other accidentally and he just found out that Jayselle was hospitalized so he asked me how Jayselle is.”Marcky said and I agreed with him.

“May I excuse myself. I will be ahead of you.”I said to them. “And before I forget, Era is also here in the hospital. She fainted a few hours ago, I know she’s your friend so I want to tell you.”I said while looking at Ekie. He looked shocked and I saw him worrying about Era.

“Is she okay now?!”Ekie asked before Marcky said it.

I nodded and smiled at them. “Yeah, she’s okay now. She is just sleeping right now. She fainted before because she was over-fatigued, I guess she was still mourning about Vince because I found her on the beach crying.”

I saw the guilt in Marcky’s eyes and I saw how Ekie changed his emotions. I don’t know why but I feel that he suddenly feels gloomy after just a few seconds.

“It’s that so?”he said and I just nodded. “She really loves Vince, right?! How I wish there is a girl who loves me the way Sky loves Vince. Vince is really lucky to have her.”he smiled but a forced one.

Yeah, he’s really lucky. How I wish too, that she will love me just the way she loves Vince. If it happens, I will be the happiest man in the whole world but I know it is impossible because she still can’t move forward from the past.

Marcky's POV

I felt guilty when I heard Skyler fainted a while ago because of over-fatigue. It is my fault, if I fixed it earlier maybe she wouldn't have suffered like this but because of my cowardice it became harder to tell the truth, especially right now.

After Jeyro left, Ekie didn’t move from where he was standing. I don't know what is in his mind right now but I have a hunch that it is about Vince. Since yesterday, he became quiet and only spoke when we asked him. I touched his back and he looked at me.

“Let’s go back. Jayselle may be awake right now.”I said to him but he didn’t move. “Ekie?!”I called him.

“You go back first. I need to go to the bathroom.”he said and started to walk away.

Even though I want to ask him what’s wrong, I decided not to and let him be alone right now. I know there was something wrong and he chose not to ask, so I’ll wait for him to open up.

When I went back to Jayselle’s room, she’s awake with Vernice. Vernice was sitting beside Jayselle.

“You’re back. Where is Ekie?!”Jayselle said and looked at my back.

“He needs to go to the bathroom.”I answered.

“Something happened?”my girlfriend asked and I can’t help but smile because she really knows me.

“Yeah, I met Jeyro outside and he said that Skyler fainted a while ago.”I said and I saw how Jayselle became stiff. I know why she reacts like that.

“Is she okay now?!”I know she’s worried about Skyler. I just shrugged because Jeyro’s didn’t say if Skyler is already okay.

“I don’t know but we can visit her later if you want.”I said to her and she just smiled. I looked at Jayselle who was still stiff again and became quiet. “Are you okay now Jayselle? Do you want something?!”I asked her but she just smiled at me.

“Y-yeah. I’m okay and I’m good, no need to worry about me.”she said and looked down. “Did Ekie know what happened to her?”she asked without looking at us.

“Yeah. Jeyro said it when Ekie arrived and before he left.”I said truthfully. I know it hurts her but she needs to accept it.

“Is it Jeyro who brought Skyler here?”she suddenly asked and I nodded even though I found it strange. Jayselle and Jeyro didn’t talk too much and they are just classmates as far as I know. “Are they together?! I noticed that they are always together even though they are not classmates anymore.”she added that makes my suspicion of them become bigger. They just ask each other to me even if it is indirectly.

“I don’t know although I always saw them together even in vacant hours.”Vernice answered and Jayselle just nodded.

I feel that there is something about the two of them but for now, I will let them go because there are things that are more important than my suspicion about them.

I took a breath and looked at Jayselle.

“Jayselle you already know, right?!”when I said it I saw her teary-eyed but she nodded.

“Y-yeah, I already know and I know that this time will come.”she said and her tears were falling down. “But I didn’t expect that it would come so fast.”

I know that it is hard for her, especially that she experiences the worst but we can’t keep it forever. We need to set right our mistakes even though I know that it's hard but I need to do something.

“Jayselle-----”before I continued my sentence she cut me off.

“Can we still keep it?! Can we not talk about it, just until I’m out of hospital.”I was shocked when I heard her because that Jayselle that I know would never say anything like this. I thought she would ask me when we can tell them the truth but it is the opposite.

“But Jayselle-----”Vernice butted in.

“Please, I know it’s hard but please don’t say anything to Ekie about Vince. I’m begging you.”she burst into tears and I don’t know what to say right now. “I promise I will tell him everything but please, not now. I know that he’s not ready yet.”

“I understand.”that was the only sentence that I said and I saw how shocked Vernice was. I know it is not the right decision but if we tell him everything now, there is a possibility that the past will repeat again.

My girlfriend wants to say something but I shake my head as a sign that don't say it. I know that she will be against it because in the first place she didn’t want this situation that we’re in. I tried to hold her hand but she avoided it.

“No, I don’t understand.”she said with a loud voice. Then I saw tears falling down into Vernice’s cheeks.

“I really don’t understand, why do we need to keep it the truth?! Everyone is suffering because of our decision, it is not only about one person, there are more people who still suffer because of our decision. Why do we need to keep it a secret and how could you know that he’s not ready yet when you didn’t bother to tell him the truth?!”she shouted.

“I TRIED VERNICE!!!! I TRIED!!!”Jayselle shouted back while crying. “I tried to tell him the truth because my conscience is eating me up every time I see him. I want to set things right but what now? My body couldn’t handle it, when I saw her back I couldn’t help but be scared and when I told him the truth, here I am.”she added. “And I know that there are more than one person who still suffers because of our decision but even if we want to tell them the truth, it is difficult to start over.”

I want to say something but no words come out of my mouth. They both have a point but we need to decide again for the sake of the people we want to protect.

I don’t want him to suffer again but if we keep the truth he will never feel whole in his life and other people who are involved will never return from their old self.

When I decided to speak to them, we were so shocked when we heard that voice coming from outside of the room.

“What do you mean? What is the truth?!”