Meet me at the Caroline Street

Six

JOE

I slowly opened my eyes as I heard a relentless murmur around me. It takes a second to see my own eyes clearly on where I was right now.

"Omygosh! Joe is alive!"

Bumungad agad sa'kin ang mukha ni Hedi na nasa gawing kanan ko, nakatikim naman ito ng batok kay Nola. "Gaga ka ba, sa tingin mo kamamatay niya 'yan?"

"Joe? Are you all right? I... I mean your wound." I looked at Quinn who's in my left side. Her voice and eyes, say one thing. She's worried... About me.

"What?" I asked confused.

I raised my hand then I touched the strange thing that rested on my head. I sat on the bed in shock.

"I've been hurt?" I asked.

They all nodded.

"I---" I stopped talking when it finally sink in on what just happened.

"Hindi na ba masakit, Joe?" asked North whom standing on the side of Nola.

I was about to shook my head when I felt something painful. Napadaing ako sa left side ng ulo ko.

"Omygosh! It's bleeding again! Get Binx and Finn, Nola!" sigaw ni Quinn at mabilis na umupo sa tabi ko.

"Where did I got hit? What part of my head?" I asked Quinn whom I looking to.

"In the upper part of your ear, Joe." Quinn answered as she observed the bend in my head.

"Mabuti na lang talaga at hindi malalim ang sugat na natamo mo, kaagad na naagapan nina Binx at Finn." dagdag pa ni North.

Dumating naman ang isa pang lalaking may hawak ngayon ng isang tray ng pagkain, bakas sa mukha at buhok naman nito ang pagsabak sa gulo.

"Shit! Mukha na akong na-harassed sa mga lecheng tao sa labas!" Ronan complained, nang mahagip nito ang mga mata ko ay mabilis niya akong nilapitan. "Tangina. Ayos ka na ba, Joe?" he asked.

I nodded saka ko ginulo ang buhok nito. "Ayusin mo nga sarili mo." I said.

Inilibot ko sandali ang tingin ko sa paligid at nag-angat ng tingin sa wall clock ng Infirmary Ward.

"It was already 3 Pm? Did I slept too long?" ang nasabi ko na lang.

Tumango si Hedi. "Yes and some of our teachers already visited you here."

Muli akong nakarinig ng yabag ng paa paparating sa kinaroroonan namin. Nakita ko si Hedi na kasama ang dalawang sina Binx at Finn.

Tumayo si Quinn at pinalitan naman nito si Binx. Binuksan ni Finn ang puting cabinet sa tabi ko at kinuha ang isang puting benda.

"Stay still, Joe." Binx said while touching my head. She slowly removed the cloth from my head and when it was removed there was a blood stain on it.

"You really need to check your ears up in the hospital." Binx added.

"I will." iyon na lang ang sinagot ko.

"Do you want us to help you, Joe?" asked Quinn.

I shook my head as an disagreement. "No, I can handle myself."

Hindi na muna ako kumibo at hinayaang si Finn na bigyan ng gamot ang sinasabi nilang sugat na natamo ko sa teinga habang si Binx ay pinalitan ang benda nito. Thankfully, Binx has a background training in this kind of field. Isa siya sa mga volunteer dito sa Infirmary kapag hindi nakakapasok ang nurse while Finn, his family own a pharmacy store so he knows some of the drugs here.