Smile For Me, Ressler

33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

It's him. Only him.

I feel so ugly.

I have pale skin and I'm starting to lose my hair. May part na sa ulo ko na wala nang buhok. Natawa na lang ako ng mahina sa nakikita ko ngayon sa harap ng salamin.

Lumabas na ako ng kuwarto at nakita ko si Zild sa kusina. Nakaharap siya sa laptop niya habang umiinom ng kape.

"Zild, can I go outside?" I put a cap on my head.

"No, you can't," he replied, not even glancing at me.

"Why? Because I'm almost bald?"

"What? No. Of course, not. It's not because of that."

I let out a sigh. "Please? I want to go out," pakiusap ko sa kanya.

I'll be staying at the hospital starting next week kaya gusto ko sana dalawin 'yong mga taong mahalaga sa 'kin bago ang lahat. Napag-usapan na namin ni Zild 'yon. I have to stop working from the company, and I have to focus on taking treatments.

He let out a heavy sigh, finally his eyes are fixed on me. "Alright, but you should be home at eight."

I grinned ear to ear. "Thanks!"

"You want me to give you a ride?" he offered but I refused.

"I can handle. Don't worry."

I took the bus going to Vera City. I'll be visiting Marcus and Brooklyn. Did I tell you they ended up together? Yes. They got married and they have a two-year-old kid.

Simula no'ng tumira kami ni Ressler sa Realgorez, hindi ko na nakikita masyado sila Marcus at Brooklyn dahil busy kami pare-pareho sa kanya-kanya naming buhay. Kumakain kami sa labas pero siguro thrice a year na lang.

Si Zild naman sa Realgorez na rin tumira simula no'ng tinransfer siya ng boss niya from Vera to Realgorez.

Buong biyahe, gising lang ako at pinagmamasdan ang bawat lugar na nadadaanan ko.

Pagdating ko sa Vera, napangiti ako ng malapad. I missed this place so much!

"Tam," my brother welcomed me with a tight hug. "I have missed you," he whispered.

"I have missed you too, Kuya."

He worked in Italy for two years and now he's finally back for good. He declined a lot of offers from Italy dahil mas gusto niya raw mag-serve dito sa bansa niya. He became a surgeon to serve his country. Iyon ang na-realize niya no'ng nagtatrabaho siya sa ibang bansa.

Nagkuwentuhan lang kami ni Kuya hanggang sa makarating kami sa bahay nila Marcus at Brooklyn.

My brother opened the car door for me. I was about to step out of the car but I halted when I felt my nose is bleeding again.

With his wide eyes, he handed me a lot of tissue from his pocket. Yeah, my brother always has that inside his pocket.

"Are you alright?" he asked me, putting his arm around my back to help me get off the car.

I felt so weak right now, but I tried my best to stand straight for him not to notice.

"Yeah, mainit lang siguro," I lied, avoiding his eyes.

No one knows about my cancer. Si Zild lang talaga ang nakakaalam kahit dalawang taon na ang nakakalipas simula nang malaman ko na may leukemia ako.

Maya-maya lang ay lumabas na ng gate si Marcus at Brooklyn. Pareho nila akong niyakap pagkakitang pagkakita nila sa 'kin.