Filimon Sides #1: The Goodbye Girl ▬
"Everyone calls me Tree, but most people know me as The Goodbye Girl. In our University, people would pay me to say goodbye on their behalf. Whether it was breaking up with their significant other, turning down s...
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"Wait, he's in the hospital?! Bakit hindi n'yo sinabi agad?! How's he doing?! Is he okay? How bad is it? Saang ospital?" sunod-sunod ang bawat tanong ko sabay bangon mula sa kama. Wala akong pakialam kahit alas singko pa ng umaga. Dali-dali akong kumuha ng damit mula sa cabinet ko upang magbihis.
"Tree, chill ka lang. Okay lang si Bryan." Bumuntonghininga si Jasper mula sa kabilang linya. Taliwas sa kanyang sinasabi, bakas ang pag-aalala sa boses niya. "Huwag ka nang pumunta rito. Madi-discharge din naman daw siya maya-maya lang."
"He doesn't want me to come see him again?" Halos maluha-luha kong sambit.
"Alam mo naman 'yon pagdating sa 'yo," he muttered, frustration written all over his voice. "Huwag kang mag-alala, mahal ka no'n kaya ganito siya kung makapagtago sa 'yo."
Kung tutuusin, dapat masanay na ako. Sa daming beses niyang naisugod sa ospital, ni minsan hindi niya ako hinayaang bumisita. Pati pamilya at mga kaibigan namin, hinaharang din ako. Ayoko rin namang sumama ang loob ni Blueberry kaya wala akong ibang ginagawa kundi maghintay. Dapat sanay na ako, pero mabigat pa rin ito sa kalooban ko.
Three days passed and I heard nothing from Blueberry—or even from his parents, or even from Braylee. The twins assured me that Blueberry had been discharged from the hospital and that his entire family just went to a trip.
I was more than relieved that Blueberry is alright, but his silence didn't sit well with me. I hated how he didn't call or text me at all, but I couldn't dare to contact him first either.
It was hard, but I tried to carry on with my daily schedules. I couldn't let my mother's hard work go to waste, so I put all of my attention in studying hard. Inaamin ko, paminsan-minsan, sumisilip pa rin ako sa cell phone ko.
"Girl, matagal ka pa ba diyan? Nakauwi na silang lahat, oh?" tanong ni Carri nang pumuntahan niya ako sa library pasado alas singko na ng hapon.
"Mauna ka na. I promised the librarian that I would wait for her here," I assured Carri with a smile.
Ngumisi kaagad si Carri at pabiro akong tinaasan ng kilay. "Ikaw ha? Malaki ba bayad sa 'yo ng librarian?"
Natawa na lamang ako at umiling-iling.
I wasn't planning on having other clients other than Blueberry. Truth be told, I just wanted to focus on helping him with his goodbyes. But after finding out that the librarian needed help on how to say goodbye to her staff for her upcoming retirement, I knew I had to do something.
At first I was in it for the money and small percentage of helping people, but after meeting Blueberry, my principles have changed. I just wanted to help people completely, regardless whether I get paid or not.
***
I couldn't see a single star in the night sky as I walked along the empty pathway that led to the university gate. The air was a chilly, so I slid my hands inside the pocket of the jacket that I was wearing, but not before I glanced at my wrist watch. It was already 7pm, no wonder the university felt almost deserted.
