at long last, peace (medtech series #1)

Epilogue 3

I woke up with a heavy headache pero napangiti ako nang makita ko si Telly sa gilid. My body ached all over pero pinilit kong mapaupo para lang hindi na siya mag-alala. Hindi naman ako mamamatay sa suntok, malayo naman sa bituka 'to. Telly looked concerned kaya hinayaan ko na lang din siyang gamutin 'yung sugat kahit ang hapdi kaya medyo napapalayo ako ng mukha dahilan para matawa rin si Toby sa'kin.

Parang 'di ako muntik sinuntok, ah.

Telly sighed, "Pag 'di 'yan ginamot baka ma-infect," she reasoned out. Ngumiti na lang ako at kinuha 'yung gamot sa kamay niya para hindi na siya maabala at kumuha na lang ng salamin para malagyan ko nang maayos ng ointment 'yung sugat. Pakiramdam ko natakot din si Telly sa'kin... hindi ko rin kasi alam kung bakit na lang akong sumugod. I've always known how to control my temper except probably when it's my friends we're talking about.

Mostly when Telly's involved.

Pagkatapos kong maglagay ng ointment, hinayaan ko na lang si Telly na lagyan ng band-aid 'yung sugat bago kami nag-usap tungkol sa mga nagkalat ng chismis tungkol sa kaniya. I was already decided to get them expelled, and Aliyah also knew that it was the right thing to do dahil kung papalagpasin lang namin 'to baka mas lumala pa 'yung sitwasyon.

Telly still looked like she didn't want to believe Rene when Toby told her that she wasn't involved with the bullying case. I knew I had to reassure her that Rene cared for her like we all did—that she was probably hiding things she couldn't tell her.

Pagkatapos naming mag-usap dumiretso na kami ni Aliyah sa dean's office para mag-file ng complaint. Even the dean found their behaviors absurd at ilang beses na pala silang napa-office dahil sa ugali nila.

When we stepped out of the office Aliyah looked like she was just trying to control her anger, "Grabe! Why did they even do that to Telly?" Aliyah looked at me and sighed. "Is she okay now?"

"We'll try to visit her at her apartment," I said. "Didn't you say you have an apartment somewhere?"

Aliyah nodded, "I think it's also the apartment where she's staying," she says, smiling. "I'll talk to her when I get the chance."

I smiled.

"Thank you, Aliyah."

We wanted to surprise Telly kaya bumili kami ng pagkain para bisitahin siya at kumustahin, but the moment she opened the door to her apartment... all of us were surprised when she suddenly bursted into tears.

"Thank you guys... for saving me."

Toby stepped up, "Telly... bakit?"

Telly tried to smile kahit umiiyak pa rin siya bago kami pinapasok sa loob. Madilim nang kaunti, pero nakabukas 'yung dim light kaya kitang-kita namin kung gaano kalungkot sa loob. Isaac and Darren looked at me at tinanguan ko na lang bago sila dumiretso sa lababo para maghugas ng plato habang sila Corrine at Bianca umiiyak at niyayakap si Telly.

Toby and I arranged the cluttered things and put them in order bago binuksan 'yung automatic vaccuum na nasa gilid para malinis 'yung sahig.

"Grabe naman kayo magpaiyak," Telly uttered in between her tears.

Ngumiti kaming lahat at natawa nang biglang sumigaw ng group hug si Isaac kahit basa pa ang kamay niya at hinila kaming lahat para yakapin si Telly.

I wish for her to heal from the things that burden her.

Kahit 'yun lang.

**

Dad and I were glad when Telly finally decided to come back to therapy, which her parents were informed, too. I was happy that she was opening up more about her depression, and that even if it gets difficult for her to handle—I guess I'll always be proud of her little steps.