Heal Me, Roughly

Chapter 1

"Flash Report: 5 Patay 25 sugatan matapos ang isang malakas na pag sabog sa Prieto Coliseum eksaktong alas otso ng umaga. Ayon sa mga nakasaksi bago magsimula ang nalalapit na pagtatapos ng mga nursing student ng Unibersidad ng DeLoux ay isang malakas na pagsabog ang nangyari. Hinihinalang terrorist attack ito at patuloy na iniimbestigahan ng mga pulis. Live na naguulat ang inyong patrol Dessa Joy Miranda..."

The moment the news ended I heard my dad shrieked out of frustration. Who wouldn't? That Coliseum is our property. I sighed and close my eyes. I laid my back against my bed and tried to rest.

Na istorbo ang pagtulog ko nang isang sunod sunod na katok ang narinig ko sa pinto. I hurriedly went to the door and open it abruptly.

Bumungad sa akin si Juls na nakatingin sa likod niya. Hindi nito napansin ang pagbukas ko ng pinto at patuloy ang pagkatok. This time, she's knocking to my forehead. I got pissed because my supposedly rest was disturbed.

"Juls!"

"Ay! Dede mo big!"

Gulat na saad niya na nakahawak pa sa Kaniyang dibdib at nanlalaki ang mata. Juls is one of our housemaid though I didn't treat her that way.

"My breast are not that big Juls. What brings you here?" I asked

"Ati! 'yong pentings mo! Nilalabas nela sa besment. Dale! Sinasakay nila sa ano... ano nga tawag do'n? Ah basta! Sa kotsi na kolay Rid!" She said with her province accent.

Napaawang ang labi ko at agad tumungo sa living room. I saw how those men carry my paintings. Nilalabas nila iyon at sinasakay sa pulang hammer. Lumapit ako kay mommy para itanong ang nangyayari.

"Mom? What's happening here?" I asked her.

"As you can see. We sell your paintings-"

"You sell?!"

"-and already sold."

"And.. And already sold?!" My voice raised upon hearing her words. What the hell? The paintings are mine!

"You don't raise your voice to your mother Swella!" Her eyes became mad as hell.

"I-I'm sorry mom. But...but those are mine. And you sell it without my consent.." Sagot ko habang nakaturo sa hammer na nasa labas

"Those paintings were yours. And Swella I'm your mother. Kung ano ang sa'yo akin narin. I don't have to ask for your permission. As long as you're living here with us. You don't own anything. I own all of this. Even you."

Napayuko ako sa sinabi niya. Is that it? If you're still living with your parents, you don't have the rights to complain? Gano'n ba iyon? Painting is my escape from this cruel world. My whole life was a mess. So damn mess.. Laging kinokumpara sa kambal ko. Laging naiiwan mag isa. Laging pinapagalitan. Laging pinagkakaisahan. Laging.. Laging nasasaktan.

"Mom's right Swella. Your paintings was sold and that five set of your paintings was cost a million! 3.5 million to be exact."

Napalingon ako sa kapatid ko. She was sitting in the one seat couch.

"P-pero Sweren kasi... para sa mga bata ang paintings na iyon."

"Bata?! Are you stupid Swella? You're aware that our company is facing another major problem, right?" It was my Dad. "At ano bang nagagawa mo-?"

"I'm managing the Prieto Hotel daddy! And the last time I check. Prieto Hotel is one of the reigning hotels here in the Philippines." I closed my fist as the sudden emotion ached my heart. 

Why are they so being unfair? I gave my best for them to treat me fairly but what the actual hell?! Lahat ginawa ko para iahon ang Hotel tapos itatanong nila kung anong ginawa ko? Why don't they try to ask Sweren kung anong nagawa niya?!

"Sinusumbat mo sa akin ngayon iyan Swella?! Ang pagmamanage mo sa Hotel ay kulang pa sa lahat lahat ng hirap namin ng mommy mo para maabot kung anong mayroon tayo ngayon! So better keep your mouth shut and accept the fact that we have to sell those bullshit!"

I inhaled sharply. Bullshit? Those bullshit? Naisip ba nila ang bullshit na iyon ang mag aayos ng problema nila?! I felt my chest became heavier. Nagiinit ang sulok ng mata ko sa nagbabadyang luha.

"Who.. Who buys my painting?" Tanong ko. I just want to know who's the new owner. Because I'm gonna take it back. No way in hell that I'll let my works owned by someone else.

"Mr. Ybañez. Iyon ang pangalan ng bumili ng mga paintings." Mom replied.

"And he's in the Ybañez General Hospital Swella. Baka DOM na. Why sister? Aakitin mo ba para makuha ang paintings mo ulit?"

Sinamaan ko ng tingin ang kambal ko. We're like water and oil. The word truce doesn't exist to us. Particularly to her. She always see me as an enemy. Never in our life she treat me as her sister..as her twin..

Tinalikuran ko silang lahat at umakyat sa kwarto ko. Agad akong nagbihis at lumabas. Nakasalubong ko si Juls na nakatayo malapit sa hagdan. Juls is one of my friend. She always makes me laugh. She's just nineteen years old and from Bacolod city.

"Ati.. Okey ka lang ba? Naku talaga iyang kambal mo napaka ano.. Ano nga tawag do'n? Iyong masama... daybel? Oo! Ang daybel niya Ati!" She said. Lumalaki pa ang butas ng ilong nito na napapakamot sa ulo.

"It's devil Juls. DE-VIL. And she's not that bad. Kambal ko parin siya."

Tumango lang siya akin at nag peace sign. Ngumit ako bilang ganti at agad bumababa. Pagkasakay ko sa sasakyan ko ay agad kong tinungo ang kinaroroonan ng Mr. Ybañez na iyon.

Ilang minuto ay narating ko ang Hospital at agad dumiretso sa Help Desk.

"Excuse me? May.. May Mr. Ybañez po ba dito?" I politely asked the nurse. Kumunot ang noo nito at nagtaas ng kilay.

"Patient o si Doc? Kasi kung patient.." Tumingin muna ito sa computer at nagtype at muling bumaling sa akin. "Walang Ybañez na patient pero kung si Doc ang hanap mo-"

Doctor? Bakit niya binili ang gawa ko?

"Where is he?" Putol ka sa sasabihin ng nurse.

"Hay nako naman! Nasa third floor ang lahat ng office ng mga doctor dito. Yung pangatlong room. Kainis! Patient ka ba o babae?"

Hindi ko sinagot ang tanong ng nurse at agad pumunta sa lugar na sinabi niya. Babae? Baliw ba siya?

*Ting!

I walked straight to the third room and open the door. I froze as I saw the man who wears a white coat with a woman who sits in his lap. They are kissing! They are making out for hell's sake!

"Oh s**t!" Agad tinulak ng lalaki ang babae kaya napasalampak ito sa sahig.

"Ouch!" The woman said.

"I.. I'm sorry. Ano.. Ahmm lalabas na lang muna ako. Y-you can continue and ahm I.. will wait na lang sa labas." Lumikot ang mata ko iniiwasan ang mapatingin sa lalaking nag aayos ng butones ng damit.

"No. Stay. We can continue some other time." He said before kissing the woman once again. "Go babe.. May meeting pala ako. Hindi ako nainform." He smirked.

"Arg! Istorbo!" The man spank the woman's butt, that's make her giggle. Spank? Seriously in front of me? What the?!

Binangga ng babae ang balikat ko bago tuluyang umalis. I closed the door and locked it.

"Whoah! Woman! You just barge yourself here in my office and you locked the door. So what's next? Are you gonna strip or let's make the aura hot first-"

"Give my paintings back."

Putol ko sa sinasabi niya. Kapal ng mukha niyang isipin na isa ako sa babae niya? So full of himself!

"Paintings?" Kunot ang noo nitong sagot sa akin.

"My paintings! I'll pay for that just.. Just give it back to me. Those are mine in the first place."

"Correction Miss. Those WERE yours. As far as my memory remembers, the paintings belongs to me now. Nagbayad ako ng 3.5 million para do'n" His facial expression became cold.

"Pero akin iyon! Ako ang nagpaint! Akin iyon!" I shouted. Yes! I am desperate because those are my works. Pinaghirapan ko at binabalak kong ilagay sa foundation na tinayo ko.

"Kahit doblehin mo pa or make it triple wala akong pake. I'm Rich Miss Prieto. Richer than you.."

"Bakit mo ba ginagawa ito? Bakit mo pilit inaangkin ang gawa ko! Magbabayad naman ako eh. Ibabalik ko ang 3.5 million mo!"

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at tinitigan ng masama. How could this guy owned what is mine! I maybe look like a desperate b***h right now but who the hell cares?! Wala namang nakakaintindi sa akin eh. Hindi nila maiintindihan ang nararamdaman ko! I felt the corner of my eyes burned. No way na iiyak ako sa harap ng lalaking 'to!

"Bakit ko ginagawa 'to?" Hinawak niya ang baba ko and he raised it up. "Miss Prieto. It's for me to know and for you to find out."

Tinabig ko ang kamay at umatras. Ang kapal ng mukha niyang hawakan ako.

"I don't know you."

"Same words years ago.." He stared to me blankly.

"Hindi naman talaga kita-"

"I'm Ish.. I'm Levi Ishmael Ybañez. And I found you now Swella Prieto.. And I swear again. Aangkinin kita kasama ng mga paintings mo."

My heart beats so damn fast. Halos lumabas na siya sa dibdib ko. I bite my lower lip as the realization hit me. It's him! He's the guy of words! Hindi ako makasagot sa sinabi niya.

Isang katok ang bumasag sa katahimikan namin. Agad siyang lumapit sa pinto at binuksan ito. Tumambad ang isang nurse na may hawak na clipboard.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Doc may patient tayo sa room 503. Aiken Joseph Suarez. Sabi ni Doc Mendez puntahan niyo po daw."

Tumango lang siya at agad pinaalis ang nurse. Nilingon niya ako at muling tinitigan.

"I have to go. Lock the door when you leave."

John Lloyd?

Akmang tuluyan na siyang lalabas nang lumingon ulit siya sa akin at nagsalita.

"And Swella. I'm a finders keepers. I found you. And it means I'll keep you." He winked and he left..

Damn!