Most Important Person

*Alec's POV*

"Bakit mo kasi ginawa yun?"

"I don't know what could've happened, love." I whispered. "I couldn't do anything dahil nasa office ako. We both know kung anong nangyari the last time she was with him. Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari ulit yun sa kanya."

"I know you're worried." She said. "But you can't keep her away from Nathan, love. She's longing for him. Ang tagal na nilang ganito."

Alam ko yun pero..

"Kung nangyari ba sa'tin yun, won't you do the same?"

"Of course I would.."

"Naiintindihan ko si Theia." Sabi niya. "You worry too much, love."

"But I do have a reason to worry." Sagot ko. "Theia is all that I have, Naomi. We almost lost her once and I never want that to happen again."

"I understand, love." She said. "Pero kung paulit ulit mo yang gagawin, you may not lose her pero siguradong lalayo yung loob niya sa'yo."

"I'm sorry..."

"Kay Theia mo dapat sinasabi yan, love."

Alam ko ring kasalanan ko yung nangyari.

"Sorry rin kasi ganito ako.."

"It's okay. I know you're confused, love." She said. "Just relax. Breathe. It's going to be fine."

"Thank you, love. Ano kayang gagawin ko kung wala ka? I'll be very miserable without you."

"I'm always here, Alec." Gusto ko siyang yakapin ngayon. "Anyways, bumangon ka na at may pasok ka ngayon, diba?"

"Can't I see you later?"

"I actually don't know." Sagot niya. "Hindi ko alam kung nandito pa kami mamaya."

"Bakit? Is there something wrong?"

"Si Nathan kasi.."

That made me sat up.

"What? What about him?"

******

*Theia's Flashback*

I was washing my face when I heard the door opened.

Pinatay ko agad yung gripo.

Sila Mommy kaya yun? Ang bilis naman nila. Sila Kuya? Pero kakalabas lang nila. Mayamaya pa, biglang namatay yung TV.

Natatakot na 'ko.

Kinuha ko yung tabo habang iniisip yung gagawin ko. Should I scream as I open the door?

Paano kung multo yun?

Bago ko pa mahawakan yung knob, bumukas na ito mag-isa. I closed my eyes sabay hampas sa nilalang na pumasok sa kwarto.

"AWWW!!!" Boses lalaki. "Theia-aray-stop!"

I opened my eyes and saw him smiling at me.

"Nate??"

"Hi, Theia."

"Hala! Sorry!!"

I immediately released the weapon from my hand.

"Nakakatakot ka pala." He chuckled.

"Ikaw kasi bigla bigla kang pumapasok." Inalalayan ko siya papunta sa kama.

"Sorry. Akala ko kasi walang tao."

"Masakit ba?" Tanong ko. "Sorry.."

I was about to get up but he stopped me.

"Saan ka pupunta?"

"Tatawag lang ako ng nurse."

"Ako na. Dito ka lang."

"Pero..."

"I'll be right back." He said and went out of the room.

Napahawak ako sa mukha ko at pumasok ulit sa banyo. Nagtoothbrush ako ng ilang ulit at naghilamos.

Bumukas sarado ulit yung pintuan. This time, nagsalita na siya.

"Theia?"

It made me smile.

I love hearing him say my name.

Hala. Anong nangyayari sa'kin?

"Theia?"

"Wait lang!"

I took a deep breath and got out.

Nate was seated beside my bed while pressing the ice bag on his head.

"Sorry talaga.." I held out my hand to him. "Ako nalang."

"Pero mangangalay ka. I can do it myself."

"No, ayos lang. Kasalanan ko naman e."

He handed it over and I lightly pressed it on his head. Napapapikit siya. Siguro nga masakit yung palo ko.

"I'm really sorry." Sabi ko. "Hindi ko talaga sinasadya. Akala ko kasi kung sino."

Or ano yung pumasok..

"Ayos lang." Sagot niya. "Hindi ko akalain na ganon ka pala kalakas mamalo pag natatakot ka."

Hindi ko napigilang matawa rin sa sinabi niya.

"Masama ba yung pakiramdam mo?"

"Hindi naman. Bakit?"

"Kasi napansin kong kanina ka pa nasa banyo."

Naramdaman ko namang uminit yung pisngi ko sa sinabi niya.

Hindi mo alam na sa sobrang gwapo mo, nahihiya akong harapin ka.

"Aray.."

Nakadiin na pala yung hawak ko sa ulo niya.

"Sorry.." Lumayo ako ng konti. "Does it hurt?"

"Hindi na ngayon."

Sobrang lapit niya.

It made me stare at him.

Ang gwapo.

"Theia?"

I made it back to reality nung tinawag niya 'ko.

Ilang beses na kong ganito.

"Sorry." Tatanggalin ko na sana yung kamay ko pero hinawakan niya bigla.

"Theia?"

"..."

"I understand that this is so weird and random." He said. "Pero pwede bang.."

"Pwedeng..?"

Napaka-impatient mo, Theia!

Nagsasalita pa yung tao oh.

Natawa naman siya dun. "Pwede bang---"

"Sabi ko naman kasi sa'yo love, dapat--" Biglang bumukas yung pinto at pumasok si Ate Naomi.

That made us stare at each other.

Binitawan niya yung kamay ko at lumayo sa'kin.

I let my hand fall na parang walang nangyayari.

"Yup? Yes, I'm here." Ate said. "Wait kukunin ko lang yung wallet mo."

"Yes. Susunod ako agad." She held the phone away from her ear and looked at us.

"Am I--"

"No."

"Should I--"

"No." Tuloy tuloy na sagot ni Nate.

"Okay..." She closed the door and looked at me. "Theia, alam mo ba kung nasaan yung wallet ni Alec?"

"Nandyan siguro sa drawer, Ate."

"Oh, here." She pulled out a black wallet. "Found it."

"Nasaan si Kuya?" Nate asked.

"Wow."

They were exchanging glances that I didn't understand.

"Um.. nasa mall dyan sa tapat." Sagot niya. "May bibilhin sana kami but we don't have our wallet with us."

"Kailangan niyo ba ng pera? May extra ako dito."

"No need." She looked back and forth at us. "Can I ask something?"

"Yes? Is there something wrong?" Nate asked.

"Wala. I'm just curious."

"Don't be." Sabi ni Nate. "You should go. Siguradong hinihintay ka na ni Kuya."

Lumapit siya sa'kin at bumulong.

"Tell me later, okay?"

I nodded.

"I heard that."

"Ang alin?" Naglakad na siya papunta sa pintuan tapos humarap ulit sa'min.

"What?" Nate frowned.

"Bilisan niyo ha? Babalik rin kasi kami agad."

"We're not doing anything."

"Wala ba talaga?" She looked at me. "Maloko yang kapatid ko. Ingat ingat ka lang."

Pagkalabas niya tsaka ako tumawa.

"Ang kulit niyong dalawa."

"Mas makulit ka. Tawa tawa ka pa dyan." He took the compress. "Close ba kayo ng Kuya mo?"

"Yup. Kayo ba nila Nicole?"

"Oo. Mahirap na dalawa silang babae." He said. "Wala akong kakampi."

"Sabagay, kahit ako madalas binubully ni Kuya."

I suddenly felt curious about something.

"So, ikaw pala yung lalaking nasa kwento ni Kuya."

"Kwento?"

"Yung nagpapahirap sa buhay niya."

He looked away.

"I know I'm being too overprotective pagdating kay Ate." Sabi niya. "But I can't help it."

"Naiintindihan naman daw ni Kuya." I told him. "Sabi niya kung mangyari yun sa'kin, baka ganun rin daw gawin niya."

His face changed. Biglang naging seryoso.

"Why? Masakit pa ba?"

"No." Sagot niya. "Dapat pala hindi ako naging mahigpit sa Kuya mo."

"Why not?"

"Kasi ganun rin gagawin niya sa'kin."

"Bakit niya naman gagawin yun sa---"

Maling tanong.

Alam niyo yung pakiramdam na sinabi sayo ng taong gusto mo na gusto ka niya pero nag "ano?" ka kasi ang bagal pumick up ng utak mo.

That's what it felt like.

Ayaw ko naman mag-assume pero parang may pinapahiwatig siya.

"I like you, Theia."

Oo, kinikilig at masaya ako sa narinig ko.

Pero..

"You don't know me." Sabi ko. "You can't like someone you just met."

"I can and I just did."

"I don't know, Nate." I told him. "Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari. One minute, kakakilala lang natin sa isa't isa and the next, gusto mo na ko agad?"

"Say it again."

"Say what?"

"Yung pangalan ko."

"James Nathaniel Go?"

"No."

"Pero yun yung pangalan mo."

"Uh-huh."

"James?"

"No."

Alam ko naman yung dapat na sabihin ko pero I liked his game. I love the idea of him here. With me.

"Is this a guessing game?"

"I think so." Ngumiti naman siya.

Yung ngiti niya.

Baka masanay akong nakikita yun.

Sa susunod baka hanap hanapin ko na.

"Nathan?"

"I already told you, right?"

"Nate."

"Yes."

"But some call you James."

"I know."

"And why is that?"

"My family and friends call me Nathan."

"What about Kuya? Oh I see." Unti unti ko ring naintindihan kung bakit. "Hindi mo siya friend at hindi mo pa siya tinatanggap bilang part ng family niyo."

"Yes. But I might consider that now kasi kasama ka na sa usapan."

Yung puso ko.

Hulog na hulog na. Hulog na hulog sa taong nagpapahirap kay Kuya. Kainis.

"You don't have to consider dahil lang kapatid niya ko." I told him. "I'm sure kayang kaya ipanalo ni Kuya yung tiwala mo."

"Confident ka ha."

"Syempre Kuya ko kaya yung pinag-uusapan natin." I crossed my arms.

"Kakausapin mo pa ba ako?" He asked. "Or magtatalo tayo dahil sa kanya?"

Napaisip naman ako sa sinabi niya at binaba yung kamay ko.

"May I know why?"

"Kasi first boyfriend siya ni Ate?" Sagot niya. "Never naman kasing nagkagusto yun sa kahit sino."

"Kaya ka mahigpit kay Kuya."

"Nag-iingat lang ako. I just don't want her to get hurt and I also wanted to test your brother." Sabi niya. "Kasi kung mahal niya talaga si Ate, kakayanin niya lahat ng pinapagawa ko. In fairness sa kanya, mukhang mahal niya naman talaga yung ate ko."

"At mahal rin siya ni Ate Naomi."

"Yes." He said. "Wala naman akong balak na paghiwalayin sila. I just want whatever makes my Ate happy."

"May sweet side ka rin pala no?"

Namula naman yung pisngi niya.

"Don't tell him, okay? Baka isipin niyang close na kami dahil gusto ko siya para sa kapatid ko."

I act like I zipped my lips. "I won't."

"Now back to the topic kanina." Sabi niya. "Anong pinaguusapan natin?"

"Yung pangalan mo."

"Right." His smile returned. "So, Nate ang itawag mo sa'kin ha."

"Walang tumatawag sa'yo nun diba?"

"Wala. Ikaw palang."

"Pwede namang Nathan."

"Bakit? Kaibigan ba kita? Kapatid?"

"Hindi.. Edi James nalang."

"Ayaw ko ng James." Sabi niya. "Gusto ko Nate."

"Ako naman yung tatawag sa'yo e."

"Ako naman yung tatawagin mo. So dapat, nasa akin yung desisyon."

"Then give me one good reason para tawagin kitang Nate." I challenged him.

"Fine." He smiled. "Call me Nate because I want you to become the most important person in my life."

******