Celestine.
Who the hell was that?
That was the question stuck in my head, well, earlier.
Pero I'm quite pre-occupied with eating sandwiches, my comfort food.
"Kuya, gusto kong magpahangin" I said out of the blue, kaya't lumingon si kuya sa'kin from the TV.
"Okay." Tipid niyang sagot. Inalalayan niya akong tumayo at lumabas na kami ng silid.
The hospital hall was decorated with several house plants. We were heading into an intersection when I saw a glimpse of her, lumilingon lingon siya animoy may hinahanap, a wide smile appear on her face when another girl -her ate, walked their distance.
I felt Ferrine's attention was on me, nagsalubong ang kanyang mga kilay halatang gulat at galit siya sa presensya ko.
I stiffened when Ferrine said something to Ferrah, thus both of their attention was on me. I was rooted in place with tears in the verge of falling.
"Friendship over you whore!"
"Friendship over you whore!"
"Friendship over you whore!"
Those words were like knives burrying deeper and deeper in my heart.
I ran, ignoring Kuya Trek's voice calling out to me.
As I enter the bathroom, I ran towards the cubicle at the end of the room. Sinara ko ang pinto at sumadal roon, sabay ng paghagulogol na walang ingay.
I let my tears fall trying not to make any noise as I heard the bathroom door open.
Walang ibang ingay kundi ang pagragasa ng tubig mula sa faucet at sa muli bumukas ang pinto at rinig ko ang yapak papalapit sa gripo.
"Oh ate? Ano'ng sabi ni Kuya Trek?"
It's Ferrah.
"Tinanong niya lang ako kung ano ang ginagawa natin dito."
And her sister Ferrine.
"Eh siya ano'ng ginagawa niya dito? Pati na yung kapatid niya?" Her tone was full of irritation upon mentioning the wors kapatid which obviously referring to me.
She still got it bad for me, huh?
"Well he said na naconfine raw dito yung kapatid niya, feeling ko nga wala siya'ng alam sa kalandian ng kapatid niya."
"Tss. Yung benda sa ulo? Bakit me' ganon?"
"Ugh! Concern ka ba don?!"
"Hell no! That whore of a bestfriend should hurt more because of what she did to me!"
"Good! Bagay lang 'yun sa malanding yun!"
"Tara na baka tapos na sa check up si lolo"
I heard footsteps as the door once again opened then closed.
Nagpatuloy ako sa paghagulgol, ipit ang dalawang labi pinipigilang mag-ingay.
I was about to open the door when I heard Kuya chuckle behind me.
"Oh here she is. Celestine nandito pala si Jerone"
I stiffened as I heard his name.
"Rone, pasok muna tayo para makapagpahinga muna si Celestine." yaya ni kuya.
"'Kala ko ikaw ang naospital" nagtatakang sam'bit ni Jerone.
His voice sent shivers to my spine...
"Loko, I said visit me at the hospital I didn't say I was the patient, pumasok ka na Tine magrarounds na ang doctor" kuya chuckled.
Hindi ko sila nilingon, I opened the door widely at umupo ng nakatungo ang ulo.
I noticed that they sat on two monoblock chairs that was a foreigner to my room. They were not in my line of vision since I sat at the edge of my bed facing the blank wall.
"There are chocolates in her basket, feel free to grab some"
"Yeah... Why'd you want me to come?" Bakas sa boses ni Jerone ang taka at iritasyon.
I guess he still hates me... I even remembered him saying he loved me... Oh how the world is strange!
"Nothing really, I also asked Franz to visit but hes still stuck in traffic. My parents and I will shift sa pagbabantay 'ryan sa kapatid ko and then I'll treat you to go bar hopping"
"Okay...", he sighed, he doesn't want to be near me anymore bit since kuya is so nice to hime he couldn't reject him, he hasn't even told kuya Trek about our relationship...
"Oh, the doctor's running late, I'll go fetch him"
None of us bothered stoping him since he already closed the door.
Isang nakakabinging katahimikan ang namuntawi sa pagitan namin.
I wanted this for so long, to ask for his forgiveness.
I tried to jump off the roof so I guess I must have the same courage to say sorry.
I walked towards him without breaking eye contact at the floor.
When I saw his converse shoes I knew I was standing infront of the sitting Jerone.
"I'm so s-sorry" I finally said after seconds of silence.
No response...
"Jerone please..."
"Get lost. You are the reason why Ferrah hates me now. You are the reason why the love of my life left me. You're nothing to me before, you are nothing to me now. Nothing."
And again, my heart shattered.
