The Cursed One (Tagalog/Filipino)

Chapter Fourteen

May balita na ba sa kuya mo?" Pambungad ko kay Eigen, isang araw nang bumisita ulit siya sa kwarto ko sa ospital.

"None," he replied coldly. Sabay kaming napa-buntong hininga. I wish there was. Ilang araw na ring pinaghahanap si Eigen ng mga taga Mayhem. Alphas from different district helped Eigen even though he don't want anybody's help. Pride at its best.

"I hope makita na si Eugene." Wala sa sarili kong sabi at napatulala sa kisame.

Why did I said that? Usually, I do not care about other people's life. I only care about mine. But now.... something's off. Iba na ang mga pinagsasabi ko at hindi na iyong nais na sasabihin ko. Looks like my mouth has its own mind.

"Why? You missed him more than you missed me?" Matabang na sabi ni Eigen na ikinatawa ko nang bahagya

"That's not what I meant, Eigen. I'm worried about your brother."

"So you're worried about him, and to me, you're not?" aniya at diretsong napaupo sa sofa. He loosen his tie and looked at me intently. The hell is he talking?

"That's not what I meant, too. I know your kuya was kind, and he seriously don't deserve to be like this. I mean, to be abducted."

"Oh, so, how did you know my brother had a golden--whatso? You've met him?"

"Yes, I've met him several times! He's my shoulder to cry on! Isa siyang mabait na tao na walang ibang intensyon kun’di ang mabuti lamang!"

Nanlaki ang mata ni Eigen sa sinabi ko. Pati ako ay nagulat. Tangina, ano ba ang pinagsasabi ko? What the... oh my god, what's happening to me?

"Freya... you never met him," mahinahon niyang sabi. Hindi ko siya inimik. Batid ko ring may mali ang sinabi ko.

I seriously didn't know what I was talking about.

Maybe I'm insane?

"I need fresh air. Help me to go outside," Pang-iiba ko ng usapan. Tumango siya bago walang ganang tumayo sa upuan at lumabas para sana humingi ng pahintulot.

Shit, what was I talking about? Hindi 'yon ang sasabihin ko! Nababaliw na ba ako? Dahil ba ito sa mga gamot na binibigay nila sa 'kin? O matagal na akong hindi nakakakita ng ibang tao maliban kina Yeugih, Hendrick, Larken at ang nurse at doktor ko?

Yeah, maybe I'm getting insane.

Bumalik siya ng may kasamang magandang nurse na halata namang nagpapacute habang tulak-tulak ang wheelchair.

"I want you to push the wheelchair," I asked. Hindi niya ako inimik, so as I. Hindi ko siya iimikin pag ‘yang mukhang tuta na babae ang magtutulak ng wheelchair ko. I’d rather walk.

"C'mon, Freya. Sumakay ka na," hindi ko siya inimik.

Instead, bumalik ako sa pagkakahiga at nagtalukbong na lang. Baka maano ko pa ‘yung babae na obvious na may gusto kay Eigen at kanina pa sulyap ng sulyap. What a sore eye.

"I changed my mind. I want to be alone. Pwede na kayong lumabas dalawa at magtitigan." walang pigil kong sabi at pumikit nalang.

Aaminin kong sumakit ang puso ko nang sinabi ko iyon. Damn this. Seryoso, anong nangyayari sa 'kin?

"Freya. Freya-- hey!"

Pilit niyang kunin ang kamay ko ngunit tinampal ko ang sa kan’ya at itinago ang kamay.

Bahala ka r’yan.

I heard him talked to the nurse to just leave the wheelchair but the nurse really insisted. The nerve of this nurse.

"Ako na miss. Marami ka pang gagawin, and my, uhm, the patient was in the bad mood so...." He said, emphasizing the bad mood.

What bothers me the most is, he called me a patient. A f*****g patient.

E'di, pasyente niya lang pala ako! Tangina.

"Sir, wala naman po akong gagawin. Dito po ako naka-assign--"

"Tangina, sa labas nga kayo mag-usap!" Sigaw ko sa ilalim ng comforter at lumalalim na ang hininga dahil sa inis. Talagang papatayin ko na 'yang babaeng yan!

"Look, nurse, you don't understand. You see..." Nagtaka naman ako nang ‘di sila umimik pero humagikhik ang nurse. Ah, so ano ako dito? Third wheel?

Pwede kainin nalang ako ng hospital bed?

"Okay," The nurse said sweetly. Bago ko pa naman marinig ang pagkalabog ng pinto ay naramdaman ko na ang kamay ni Eigen na pilit tinatanggal ang comforter, pero ‘di ako nagpatalo.

"C'mon, Freya. Don't be jealous." He said playfully. I can feel my cheeks reddened at what he said. Ako? Nagseselos? Huh, what the f**k?

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are. Did you forget that we share each others’ feelings?"

I rolled my eyes, even though he can't see it. "Shut up. Sumama ka na sa nurse na 'yon." Hinila ko pa ang comforter. He didn't let me, so he used his force to just remove the comforter. I scowled, pero nanghina agad nung makita ang asul niyang mata. Bwiset, anong meron d’yan?

He smiled. I immediately looked away. Ang gwapo, letche.

"Look at me." He said, but I shook my head.

Fuck you, Eigen Bronson! What did you do to me?

"Hey…" Natatawa niyang tawag at pilit akong pinapaharap sa kan’ya. Ayaw. Ayaw kong tumingin sa kan’ya. Because I can feel the tears trying to escape from my eyes, and I don't want that. Ayaw kong umiyak sa harapan niya.

At ewan kung bakit ako naiiyak. Is it frustation or sa pangt-trip ni Eigen sa 'kin? I seriously don’t know…

He heave a sigh and stopped. Naramdaman ko siyang umupo ng maayos sa hulihan ng hospital bed ko at kinuha ang kamay ko para paglaruan. Damn. Naiiyak na talaga ako.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nagkakaganito. Maybe like I've said earlier, am I insane? Or I'm just.... in denial?

Na-realize kong isa lang pala ang dahilan nito. At ayaw kong sabihin iyon. Kasi hindi iyon katanggap-tanggap sa sistema ko.

"You are really unpredictable, Freya. Ang hirap mong basahin," Untag nito habang pinaglalaruan ang kamay ko.

"Unpredictable ka rin naman. Hindi ko mabasa kung puro fake lang ba ang pinapakita sa 'kin o pinagtitripan mo lang ako." Matabang kong sabi at iniwas ang kamay.

Manigas ka d’yan. Ayaw kong umamin sayo, bahala ka. Baka ako pala ang bokya sa ‘ting dalawa.

"You know what? You really need fresh air."

"Glad you know."

-

Nasa labas kami ng hospital, and to my suprise, hindi naman pala crowded ang hospital. Yes, it was big, pero hindi naman ata ito nakatayo sa sentro. Nasa isang park kami ni Eigen. Maraming bata ang nagkalat, marami ring couple na nagde-date.

"Sa'n ba ang lugar na 'to?" Tanong ko at sinulyapan siya. My breathing hitched when I saw his eyes looking at me intently. Mine locked with his.

"Ataxia." Sagot niya ng ‘di tinatanggal ang tingin sa 'kin. Naiilang akong tumango at hinarap ulit ang malaking field sa harapan.

Ilang segundo rin kaming tahimik nang may dalawang batang lalaki—kambal sila—at tumakbo palapit kay Eigen. I immediately recognized them as the twins I saw at Eigen's house. Wow. Their family seems a fan of blue eye. Lahat kasi sila, asul ang mata.

"Tito Eigen! Tito Eigen!" The one who got a scrub cut chanted. Napatawa naman nito si Eigen kaya diretso akong napatingin sa kan’ya. Bakit ang sarap sa pandinig ‘yong tawa niya?

"Isaac!" Eigen greeted the boy who've got a scrub cut. Lumapit din yung may mushroom cut na lalaki na kamukha no’ng isa at hinila ang coat ni Eigen.

"Ako naman!" He retorted.

"Nye, nye, ako ang nauna!" Pang-iinis niya sa kambal niya at hinigpitan ang yakap kay Eigen. Malapit ng umiyak yung isa nang tinawag ko siya.

As I look at them, I can’t help but to realize how good is Eigen with kids. I smiled to myself. He’d make a nice father someday.

"Pst. Come here," I saw his eyes lighted and ran to me.

"Careful baby! She has dextrose and oxygen!" Tinignan ko ng masama si Eigen sa sinabi niya.

The little boy crumpled his face.

"What's a dextrose and oxygen?" He asked in a foreign accent.

"Kagaya nung nakakabit kay luna Freya, your tita," singit ng isang lalaki na may katangkaran din katulad ni Eigen. He has light blue eyes yet a hooded one. Med’yo singkit ito, at halatang mas matanda sa 'min ng ilang taon.

Naiilang akong ngumiti habang nakangiti rin sa 'kin ang lalaki.

"Stop it, Damion. You're making her uncomfortable."

"No, I'm not. Tama naman ang sinabi ko diba? Or you prefer her calling Gwen? Well, she really looked like Gwen." Napawi ang ngiti ko.

What he just said was like a trigger to me. Naging mapait ang pakiramdam ko, and anger was dripping like an acid on my system. Napaiwas ako ng tingin. Oh, wow, insensitive.

"Damn you, Damion! Alam mo ba ang pinagsasabi mo?" Mariin na tanong ni Eigen.

Naramdaman kong hinawakan niya ang handle ng wheelchair. Kinuha ng lalaking tinawag niyang Damion ang batang nasa harap ko.

“I’m not really a big fan of this phrase, but history might repeat itself, Eigen. Be careful," Seryoso niyang saad habang ka eye-to-eye si Eigen. Hindi sumagot si Eigen.

Ang gulo naman ata ng mga taong 'to.

Para akong binuhusan ng tubig nang marealize ko ang sinabi ni Damion at sinabi ni Yeugih.

No.... That's impossible, right? Hindi... Hindi naman ako mahal ni Eigen.

Pero ikinagulat ko ng husto ang sinabi niya.

"That won’t repeat again. I won’t let anything bad happen to her. I’ll protect her."