Bad for You (GU #1)

fifty-nine

Fifty-Nine: Things Happen

Hindi alam kung nasaan ako. Basta gumising na lang ako sa lugar na puro itim ang nasa paligid. Wala akong makita. Ilang sandali ko pang iminulat at ipinikit ang mga mata bago may isang nakakabulag na liwanag akong nakita. Nagtakip ako ng mga mata, naghintay nang ilang sandali bago tuluyang makapag-adjust sa liwanag saka inalis ang takip sa mata.

Puti. 'Yun lang ang nakikita ko. Like I was in a room with just white painted on the walls, ceilings, everywhere. Inikot ko ang tingin sa paligid at doon ko pa lang napansin na may higaan sa gitnang bahagi ng silid. It was covered with black sheet. And there was a figure sitting on the side of it. Kahit na gilid lang ng mukha niya ang nakikita ko, kilalang-kilala ko kung sino siya.

That was when I started to move near him. Then something strange happened. Habang papalapit ako sa kanya ay parang unti-unti naman siyang naglalaho. I panicked. Anong nangyayari? Sinubukan kong bilisan ang paglalakad pero parang namanhid ang mga paa ko. Hindi ito makagalaw. I was frozen at spot, witnessing with my own eyes as he completely faded away. At ang tanging nagawa ko lang ay ang sumigaw.

Humihingal akong napabangon. I looked around. I could see nothing white. I was now really in my room. It was just a dream. Fita. Anong klaseng panaginip 'yun?

Si Slade...siya 'yung nakaupo doon. Bakit ganoon ang panaginip ko? May ibig sabihin kaya iyon? At kung oo, ano naman kaya 'yun?

Naghanap ako ng sagot para doon pero wala. Wala akong mahagilap. Everything was just weird. Hindi ko nga alam bakit nanaginip ako nang ganoon. Normally, I would have dreams about Jasper and Dad. Ito ang kauna-unahan na tungkol kay Slade at ganito pa.

Napailing ako. Wala lang iyon. Yeah. It definitely was nothing.

Dahil hindi na ako nakatulog pa, inabala ko na lang ang sarili sa pagbabasa. Lalo pa't ang lapit na ng finals. Just a week and that was it. Doon ko na itinuon ang atensyon hanggang sa marinig na tumunog ang cell phone ko. When I saw Slade's name, I instantly answered it.

"Good morning," agad kong bati sa kanya.

I heard a chuckle from him first before he said, "Yeah, my morning is definitely good now since I already heard your voice."

Napailing ako doon. He was really good at words. At nakakaloka na hanggang ngayon, kahit ilang beses akong nakakarinig ng mga ganyan mula sa kanya ay hindi pa rin ako sanay. Hindi ko nga alam kung magagawa ko pa bang masanay.

Nang hindi ako sumagot ay nagsalita ulit siya. "You answered fast. Kanina ka pa gising?"

Oops. He knew about that. Fita for Slade for being so observant. At kahit pa gusto kong magsinungaling dahil alam kong magtatanong pa siya kung sasabihin kong oo ay sinabi ko pa rin ang totoo. There was no point on hiding something to Slade. "Yeah. Medyo maaga nga kong nagising."

"Why?" And there was the question I was praying he wouldn't ask. But he already did, anyway. Kaya wala na akong nagawa kundi ang sagutin din iyon.

"Had a dream. Hindi na ko nakatulog pagkagising ko," sagot ko.

"About your Dad?"

"No," agad kong sagot.

"Jasper?"

"No. It was nothing important, trust me. Nahirapan lang talaga akong makabalik ulit sa pagtulog."

After a long pause, he finally said. "Okay."

And I was glad he didn't press the subject anymore. It was my turn to ask. "Um, are we going to eat breakfast together?"

Napahinga nang malalim si Slade at naramdaman ko na ang isasagot niya. "I'm sorry but no. Maaga kasing tumawag si Sir Ruel. He said he needed to see me."