I See You.

Chapter 26

~ White lips, pale face. ~

Beatriz

"Kain na tayo, bhe." I held Jho's arm and tried to convince her to eat for the nth time today. She just quietly sat on her hospital bed, staring deeply in her phone.

I took a peek and saw that she was scanning pictures of her and Jia once again.

It has been days since she knew what happened to Jia. And to our surprise she just remained quiet. After discovering that her bestfriend passed away she remained silent as she tried to wipe off her tears.

She was trying so hard to stay strong.

"Dalhin mo ako sakanya." Yun lamang ang sinabi ni Jho noong araw na yun. Dinala siya sa puntod ni Jia kahit na may injury pa ito at doon nagtagal si Jho ng ilang oras. Nakaupo at nakatingin lang sa lupa.

I would rather see her cry and lash out than seeing her keeping all her emotions to herself. Sobrang nakakatakot kasi hindi pa umiiyak si Jho.

Parang namamanhid na siya at walang nararamdaman. And, it was as if she would explode any minute.

I guess that what you feel when you've been hurt too much.

"Let's eat na please?" I held her hand and kissed it. She looked up because of my sudden gesture. The bags and dark circles under her eyes were very evident now.

Her face got a lot thinner also because of all the meals that she skipped.

Binawi niya ang kanyang kamay at yumuko lang ulit para tignan ang pictures nila ni Jia.

Sobrang nahihirapan na din sina tita Lovel at Jaja sa pag bantay sakanya. She would often shout at them at pinapaalis sila sakanyang harapan. At kahit na anong pilit nila nag papakain sakanya tinatapon lang ni Jho ang pagkain sa kanila.

A lot changed in a span of five days. But I don't blame her, ikaw ba naman mawalan ng best friend? Hindi ko rin kakayanin.

Kahit ako ay hindi niya na din pinapansin. I go here everyday but in those five days, hindi niya ako kinakausap. Ma swerte na ako ngayon at tinignan niya ako.

"It's been five days, Jho. Hindi ka pa kumakain ng maayos. You need to rest." I sighed when I still didn't get a response from her.

Patience. That's what I need right. Nauubos na kasi ang pasensya ko sakanya.

Minutes have passed but I'm not giving up. I need to get her to eat even just a little bit. Kung hindi ay baka lumala pa ang sitwasyon niya.

Nilapit ko na ang noodle soup sa may sakanya at sinubukang subuan siya. She kept her head low and shook her head. "Hindi ako gutom, Beatriz."

She whispered. I missed that voice, the way she looked at me and the way she said my name. I miss the old Jho.

"Hindi pwede. Your platelet count is low. So please, kahit onti, please eat." Nilapit ko ulit ang kutsara pero nagulat ako sa susunod na nangyari.

Jho threw the bowl across the room as it made a loud noise. The contents of the bowl now scattered on the floor.

"Sabi nang ayoko eh! Ano ba, Bea? Hindi ako gutom!" Her voice echoed in the whole hospital room. I didn't know what to feel. Hurt? Angry? I don't know.

But I'm also human. I have my limits too. Onti nalang at masasagot ko na rin siya.

I stood there dumbfounded with what she did. She continued to look down on her phone but it was now her turn to be surprised with what I did.

I grabbed her phone away from her.

"You won't get this back unless you eat." I told her with authority evident in my voice.