His name is ... X

< Entry 2.2 - The Plan >

I held Mr. Henry's arms, trying to get some strength and stood up. He immediately helped me.

"I-I need to go t-to Tet-tangco General H-Hospital, Mr. Hen-ry. My best friend....." I trailed off as I can't control my sobs. "Sh-she's in c-c-coma. P-Please help mee-eee" I looked at Mr. Arnold's direction.

"Y-Yes, of course, Madam. I'll get the car ready." Mr. Arnold immediately went out of the door.

"Calm down, Madam. Rose, please pack Madam a few clothes. Everything's gonna be okay." Mr. Henry said, trying to console me. He kissed the top of my head. Mr. Henry has always been a good person to me. He's like my second father. I hugged him while sobbing uncontrollably.

"Here's your bag, Madam. Come, we will accompany you to the car." Rose said while she's holding my back pack.

"Thank you, Rose." I murmured while sobbing. I walked towards the main door. The maids opened it for me. I saw Mr. Arnold quickly opened the back seat door for me.

"We will be up all night so that if you need anything you will be able to call for our assistance. Rose, did you bring Madam's cellphone charger?" asked Mr. Henry to Rose.

"Yes, I did Henry." Rose replied.

"Thank you, Rose." Mr. Henry politely said then turned his gaze back at me. "If you need anything, call us, Madam. Okay? Stop crying. We know how much you love Joeana. We will ask Sonia to pray for her." Mr. Henry said as he guided me towards the car. Mrs. Sonia was one of the maids and his wife.

I nodded, still sobbing. Mr. Henry closed the door and we drove off to the hospital.

After almost 10 minutes of driving, we arrived at Tetangco General Hospital.

"Just leave me here, Mr. Arnold. Thank you for bringing me here. I will just call Mr. Henry if I would want to go home." she said softly.

"Okay, Madam. Stop crying, okay? We don't like to see you cry. Especially Henry, you're like a daughter to her." said Mr. Arnold. I nodded and smiled softly.

Mr. Arnold quickly got off the car and went to my side to open the door. He assisted me on getting out of the car.

"Thank you, Mr. Arnold."

"You are always welcome, Madam. I better be going. Be careful."

I nodded. I turned around and started walking inside the hospital.

I asked the nurse on the front desk for Joeana's room. "She's on the 2nd floor, Room 201-B."

"Thank you." The nurse smiled at me. I started walking on the direction the nurse had pointed.

While I am riding the elevator, there are so many things that keeps on bugging me. Who will do something like that to Joeana? I admit that she is sometimes hard to be with because of her moody attitude but she is a great and loyal friend. When I first transferred to the University, I have no one to talk to. I don't know anyone and I'm also too shy to approach someone to seek for their help. I tried hard to blend in, but failed because of the language barrier since I am not that fluent in speaking Tagalog at that time.

However, one day she approached me while I am sitting alone in the far end of the cafeteria. She asked me if she can sit with me. She then proceeded to introducing herself. We quickly got along and from that, we were inseparable. She's always been there for me when I need someone to talk to. She's like the sister I never had.

When I got to the 2nd floor I saw her family so I immediately approached them. Auntie Jewel, her mother saw me first. She quickly stood up and hugged me tightly & motioned me to sit beside her.

She then proceeded in telling me what happened. Joeana was walking home together with her younger sister when suddenly two men came out of nowhere and snatched their bags. Juliet, Joeana's younger sister give her bag but Joeana refused so they pushed, punched and kicked her until she lost consciousness. When they saw a police car approaching, the two robbers flew immediately. Unfortunately, they didn't catch the robbers as they quickly got out of sight.

Joeana was on a critical condition. I just helplessly sat on one of the chairs outside her room and cried again. I don't want to see my best friend in that state. I can't take it.

"Don't cry, Venus. She don't want to see you cry, remember? We will pray for her. God has mercy. God will never let anything bad happen to Joeana. Go talk to her. They said, Coma patients can be able to hear you. You should talk to her. Tell her everything you want to tell her. Make her feel that somebody will be fighting beside her." Auntie Jewel said. Her voice cracking. She fought back the urge to cry.

Her younger sister Juliet luckily had just a scratch on her left arm. I asked her if she knew the robbers but she said they were wearing masks.

I did what I've been told. I put on the hospital scrubs and hairnet and I opened the door to her room. I saw her, lying on the hospital bed. Her face has so many bruises. She had a bandage around her head. The doctor said she had a major injury on the back of her head. A heavy object was used to hit her head. The doctor said she would undergo CT scan to check if there's any internal damage.

Tears slowly falling from my eyes as I slowly walked beside her bed.

I cleared my throat as I spoke. "B-Bestie, you must fight. You must wake up. I will be fighting by your side throughout the process. I love you, bestie." I said. I held her hand. I did everything just to make my voice normal. But my tears keep on falling down my cheeks.

I need to be strong. She was there for me on times that I needed her help. This will be the time that I return the favor. I will not leave her side no matter what.

Looking at her helpless state, I can feel the anger boiling inside me. What kind of animal did this to her? It's as if they really intended to hurt her. Robbery is just a front but I suspect that the real intention was to hurt her, otherwise she will not be in a critical situation.

"I promise you bestie. I will do everything that I can to ensure that those people will not get away. I will make them pay for what they have done to you." I said quietly as I am holding her hand.

No one messes with my bestfriend and gets away with it......