Hoax (VBoys Series #1)

018

EUNICE

"The patient is suffering from severe dengue fever. He has been showing a lot of symptoms like vomiting and bleeding, and..."

Hindi ko na naintindihan pa ang sinasabi ng doctor na nasa harap ko. My ears felt clogged since all I could hear were muffled voices. Nakatitig lang ako sa pintuan ng PICU na nasa likuran ng doctor na nagsasalita.

Everything went by so fast. Kanina lang ay kasama ko sina Indigo sa pag-ce-celebrate ng birthday ni Sky, tapos ngayon ay narito na ako sa ospital dahil sa kapatid ko. I still remember how shocked I was when Tito Denver brought me the news.

"Eunice? Eunice, ayos ka lang?" rinig kong tawag sa'kin ni Indigo.

I didn't respond. I've been standing on the same spot and looking at the same direction since God knows when, Tito Denver's words ringing in my ear. Hawak-hawak ko pa rin ang cellphone sa tainga ko, my lips parted from shock.

Indigo tried tapping my shoulder. "Bakit ka nakatulala riyan? May nangyari b—"

"Eunice,"

I absentmindedly turned to where that voice came from. I saw Jaiden walking towards me, his phone also in his hand. He held me by my forearm gently to make me face him.

"Did he tell you?" mahinang tanong niya sa'kin.

Hindi na ako nakasagot. I slowly nodded my head at him, my mind still clouded with thoughts. Nang tuluyang mag-sink in sa'kin ang nangyayari ay saka ko lang naramdaman ang kaba at takot ko para kay Dain. I looked up to Jaiden who also looked back at me.

"S-Si Dain..." nanginginig na usal ko. I tugged tightly on Jaiden's sleeve like a child, trembling in fear. "Kailangan kong... puntahan si Dain..."

Jaiden turned to our friends. "Tell Sky we're going. Emergency lang," kalmadong sabi niya, then he looked at me. "Let's go."

I didn't speak and just let myself get dragged by him. Wala na rin ako sa tamang wisyo dahil ang tanging iniisip ko ay si Dain. Jaiden held my wrist and kept pulling me with him until we got to the bar's parking lot.

"Ipakuha mo na lang 'yung kotse mo. Hindi ka puwedeng mag-drive," he spoke again, then he gestured to his car. "Get in."

Sumakay na lang din ako sa kotse niya at hindi na umangal pa. What's important is that we get to Dain ASAP. Hindi ko na naisip na hindi ako kumportableng kasama si Jaiden dahil si Dain ang priority ko. I only stayed silent while Jaiden was driving hanggang sa makarating kami sa hospital.

And that was it. We learned that Dain was suffering from dengue. Maybe that's why he got so sick last time. Ilang linggo nang pabalik-balik ang lagnat niya ayon kay Tito. Ngayon lang daw nagtagal kaya nalaman nilang dengue ang sakit ni Dain.

"Thank you, Doc." Jaiden, who was standing beside me, told the doctor as soon as he finished explaining the situation.

Umalis na rin ang doktor matapos niya kaming sabihan tungkol sa kalagayan ni Dain. Nang makaalis siya ay dahan-dahan akong umupo sa mga upuang naroon. I glued my gaze on the floor, but from the side of my eye, I saw how Jaiden stayed standing in front of me.

"You okay?" he asked in a soft voice.

Sandali akong tumingala para tanguan siya, but as soon as I did, umiwas din kaagad ako ng tingin. I didn't know what else to say so I chose to stay silent.