Thorns of Roses

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I pushed my luck to the brim habang buhat ko si Sir. I was carrying him in piggy back dahil pagkatapos naming magkatitigan kanina for like 5 seconds, he dozed off.

I don't know where to put him actually, bringin him in our dorm would be my safest choice. Gustuhin ko mang ihatid siya sa kanila and check his things ay hindi ko magawa. He almost gave up his life trying to protect his bag. Maybe he is keeping something very important in it.

Malapit na ako sa building ng dorm namin nang biglang tumunog ang heels ng sapatos ko. My left foot ankled and I almost fell down!  Halos masakal ako ni sir nang muntik ko na siyang mabitawan.

I placed him on the flood. Tumingin ako sa paligid at nang makitang wala man lang katao tao roon ay mas lalo akong nawalan ng pag-asa. My backpack is ruined at kumakapit na lang sa  balikat ko and my heels just got damaged! What a life.

Tiningnan ko si Sir. He looks so tired and restless. Maitim rin ang ilalim ng kanyang mata dahil wala na ang salamin. Nasira iyon dahil siguro sa pambubugbog sa kanya.

I smiled. I can't give this boi up.

Pinasok ko ang aking sapatos sa bag and clung both of the strap on my right shoulder. Nakapaa na ako ngayon and I pulled the mister with so much effort and carried him again on my back.

Nakakalito, para kaming nasa K-drama pero ako iyong leading man.

Slowly, I walked until I reached the lobby of the building. Kung tutuusin, hindi naman dorm iyong pinagste-stayhan ko. It was more of a condo, but I was sharing it with my friends; Aly and Calla. Who both study in LSU as an engineering student, just in different field. Magkaklase kami mula noong high school and we treat each other like family.

I don't know about them if they do, but I do.

Nang makarating sa tanggapan ay takang napatingin ang receptionist sa akin. With wide eyes, she called someone form the phone at mabilis ako nitong dinaluhan para ilapag muna si sir sa sofa ng lobby.

Nang makarating ang kanyang tinawagan ay pinakiusapan ko itong tulungan akong buhatin si sir hanggang sa aming room.

He'll stay for the night I guess, hindi ko lang alam kung papayag si Aly. Napakasungit pa naman noon.

When I opened the door of our unit ay mabilis na nilapag ng helper si sir sa sofa.

Calla shrieked when she saw us. Nang marinig siguro ang sigaw ni Calla ay nakita kong nagmamadaling bumaba si Aly. With eyebrows furrowed, Aly went on us and quickly looked at the man I brought.

Nagtatakang tumingin si Calla sa akin at sa lalaki. She paced closer and poked the man's cheek. When Sir responded with a moan, dahil siguro natamaan ni Calla ang nabugbog niyang mukha kanina, Calla again, shrieked at nagtago sa likod ni Aly na kalalapit lang.

Aly looked at Sir a bit longer and looked at me. Awkward akong ngumiti because I broke our first rule; No boys in the unit.

I scratched my head searching for words. But in the end, the best way is to always tell the truth.

"I saw him kanina sa eskinita, binubugbog ng isang manong. I don't know but I think the guy was snatching his backpack kasi nakita kong yakap niya iyon nang sobrang higpit kanina. I didn't know where to bring him so I brought him here. I couldn't look at his details either, I don't want to open his bag..." dirediretso kong sabi.

Aly nodded and looked at the man again. Without uttering any word, she left with her phone calling out someone.

Lumapit sa akin si Calla at marahang ngumiti. She looked at Sir with worry in her eyes and then gasped.

"Hala! Ang dami niyang sugat. And he's very dirty too." Calla, with a small voice. Nagpapanic ang kanyang mata so I tapped her shoulder to calm her.

"Malamang Calla, nabugbog nga e. Linisin na lang natin at siguro ihiga muna sa kama para mas lalo siyang makapagpahinga."

I was about to pull his bag off him pero biglang lumapit si Aly. She fished her phone and took a picture. Habang pinipicturan niya si Sir ay mabilis siyang hinampas ni Calla.

"What are you doing?" Calla voiced out what I've been meaning to ask.

"Taking pictures." Si Aly na para bang wala lang iyon.

"Duh, Aly. Don't make us stupid. Bakit mo ginagawa iyan?" Hahablutin ko na sana ang kanyang phone when she immediately put it in her pockets.

"Just some documentation and threats maybe. Who knows, anyway I called a nurse and guy to fix him. I am actually not expecting the both of you to think na kayo ang magbibihis sa kanya or am I wrong?" Aly quickly uttered.

Walang nagsalita sa amin ni Calla and I even saw the girl looking up thinking something. Pretty stupid move I must say.

Umirap si Aly sa amin at umiling. "Don't do anything stupid. He'll stay at AC's room for the mean time. Antayin niyo na lang ang nurse at ang tutulong." She said and left.

Aapila sana ako na bakit sa kwarto ko tutuloy nang pigilan ako ni Calla. She said that he's my responsibility and my fault. So I must also suffer.

Nang umalis sa harap ko si Calla para magluto, I sit on the sofa in front of Sir Nico. Napabuga ako ng hangin dahil dami kong kamalasan ngayong araw dahil sa kanya!

Sabi na e, these past few days nothing's going wrong at ang saya saya ko pa nga. Tapos ngayon, ito  ang kapalit- my backpack, my shoes, my energy and my bed! I hated the latter.

Umakyat ako sa kwarto para magbihis at maligo habang inaantay ang nurse at helper na sinasabi ni Aly. I wore my comfiest clothes- loose shirt and shorts. Tinali ko na rin ang aking buhok sa isang bun dahil may tech-draw kaming subject bukas, and I still have 1 plate left unfinished.

Nang makababa ako ay may kumatok na. I was about to go diretly to the door nang si Aly na ang nagbukas. She wasn't holding the door widely at kausap pa ata ang nasa labas. I quickly shrugged it off at inayos na lamang ang mga gamit ko.

I don't want to disturb Calla and Aly so I think I'll be staying at the sofa for tonight. Ayos lang naman dahil kadalasan nakakatulog na rin ako rito dahil sa dami ng ginagawa ko and I needed the TV's loud sound to wake me up.

I guess, malas ko lang talaga.