Chasing After Wind // Jordi GDL FF

Chapter 9

Jordi had his arms around me the moment I reached the base of the stairs. I groaned in pain habang sinusubukang abutin ang balakang kong nanakit, among other parts of my body which received the impact.

Pero dahil sa ginawa ko'y mas lalong sumakit ang buong katawan dahil sa pananakit ng kalamnan.

Dagdag pa rito ang nag-aalalang tawag ni Manang at pati ako'y natataranta na rin.

Napadaing ako nang tumayo nang maayos si Jordi, this time, karga na ako. Kita rin ang pag-aalala sa kanyang mga mata pero hindi tulad ni Manang ay tahimik lamang siya.

"Did you hit your head?" tanong niya habang naglalakad palabas.

Nakasunod lamang sa amin si Manang. She was dialling someone already, si Mom siguro.

"Hindi naman," I managed to say. "Saan mo ba ako dadalhin?"

He frowned at me as if the answer to my question was very obvious. "Sa ospital."

"Wag na!" agap ko. "Just bring me to my room. Hindi naman ganoon kalayo ang hinulugan ko."

Kahit hindi niya sabihin ay ramdam kong hindi niya pagbibigyan ang sinabi ko. I was telling the truth, naman! Mas masakit pa nga ang kalamnan ko kesa sa pagkakahulog.

I tried to push myself away from him para maipakita sa kanyang ayos nga lang ang pakiramdam ko but I barely managed to lift my arm when pain shot at it again.

"You're being stubborn again." He probably didn't notice it, pero bahagya siyang ngumuso. His brows were furrowed dahil sa init and from the angle I was looking at him, ang cute niyang tingnan.

Nang napansin niya ang tingin ko'y bumaling siya sa akin. His gaze lowered to the small smile on the corners of my lips bago siya tumigil.

"Kaya ka napapahamak dahil sa tigas ng ulong 'to." He casually bumped my head with his pero nang hindi niya maabot ay nauwi sa halik sa gilid ng noo ang aking natanggap.

How he did it so casually without any inhibitions caught me by surprise. Nakakapanibagong may ginagawa na siyang hindi labag sa loob.

He noticed the change in my demeanor kaya umiwas siya ng tingin habang binabasa ang pang-ibabang labi. I thought he was really going to take me to the hospital pero naglakad siya ulit pabalik sa bahay.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! Kakausapin ka raw ng Mom niyo!" bungad ni Manang pagbalik namin sa loob.

I groaned again. As if things can't get any worse.

Jordi caught my eye and gave me a questioning look kaya umiwas ulit ako.

We don't particularly talk about this side of life kasi parang generally assumed na sa aming dalawa na sapat na ang alam namin sa pamilya ng isa't-isa. After all, it was through them and their tradition that we met.

"Kyla! Anong nangyari?! Why didn't you ask for Manang to deliver your breakfast!" bungad niya.

I stopped the urge to roll my eyes lalo na't nakatingin pa rin si Jordi. Magsasalita na sana ako nang sumingit siya.

"Use your head, next time! Gosh! I had to leave a meeting for this!"

Batay sa makahulugang tingin ni Jordi ay marahil naririnig niya ang boses ni Mom kahit na hindi naman naka-loud speaker ang phone ko. I didn't even bother pressing the phone to my ears.

"Tatanga-tanga kasi! Hindi na inisip na makaka-disturb ng tao dahil sa katangahan!" she continued to rant off.

Suminghap ako at ipinikit ang mga mata. I leaned closer to Jordi's arms to stop myself from snapping at my own mother.