Detoxify

Chapter 16

Rivalry

Avery's Point of View

Nagising ako sa isang kwartong sobrang puti, like legit white everywhere mapa ceiling, walls, sheets, even the smell parang antiseptic na may pagka-luxury hotel vibes pero hindi, hospital pala talaga. For one second, I literally thought I was in heaven na, like girl, is this it? Is this my grand finale? pero wait lang, ang ingay yata sa heaven?

May mga nag-uusap sa paligid ko, mga boses na pamilyar, pero my body felt so heavy, like may giant truck na dumagan sa akin tapos nagpa-park pa ng dalawang beses. Every breath felt like effort, parang ayaw akong bigyan ng katawan ko ng break.

Pagtingin ko sa kamay ko, may dextrose akong nakakabit. Jusko, parang teleserye moment like ako 'yung bida na nakahiga sa hospital bed tapos may love triangle sa gilid na nag-aaway kung sino dapat magbantay. Char! Pero deep inside, my heart dropped kasi hello, hospital ito. This is real.

"Gising na siya!" sigaw ng isang lalaki, and instantly I knew that voice. Tyler. Of course, siya talaga 'yung pinaka-maingay at pinaka-obvious sa lahat.

Dahan-dahan kong iniangat ang ulo ko, and ayun na nga — tama nga ako. Nasa ospital ako, fully set up with all the IV drama, at andun sila Tyler na parang bodyguard na masyadong invested, Edward na parang nag-order ng catering para sa akin, Tyron na calm and steady as always, and then si Elliot... leaning against the wall, tahimik lang, pero the way he just stood there, parang nag-ooze ng presence na hindi niya kayang i-control.

"Okay ka na ba, ganda? May masakit pa ba sa 'yo?" tanong ni Tyler, halos sumisigaw 'yung concern sa boses niya. And honestly, nakaka-touch kasi hindi siya nagbibiro this time. Like, wow, serious Tyler? Rare event alert!

"Avery, kumain ka muna. Kailangan mo ng lakas," dagdag ni Edward habang inaabot ang tray. May soup, may bread, may something na parang hospital version ng fine dining pero alam mo 'yung feeling na kahit plain food, ang sarap kasi you're alive? Gusto ko sana mag-joke na pwede bang may fries at truffle pasta? pero girl, wala pa akong energy for that.

Si Tyron naman, lumapit at inalalayan akong maka-upo. Gentle as always, like the kind of guy you'd trust with your entire heart, keys, and ATM PIN. The way he adjusted the pillows behind me, parang automatic care, walang effort pero ramdam mo 'yung sincerity.

Pero si Elliot? Still quiet. Seryoso lang ang mukha, arms crossed, hindi tumitingin. Pero bakit ganun, siya pa rin ang gusto kong tingnan? Like, what's wrong with me? Talande much, Avery!

"O-Okay na ako... I think nalipasan lang ako," mahina kong sabi habang umiiwas ng tingin. Pero inside my head, ang dami kong iniisip. Like, what if hindi ako nakita agad? What if I collapsed somewhere else, alone? Kawawa naman ang mom and dad ko — mawawalan sila ng panganay na babae , tapos worse, mawawalan sila ng magandang anak. Like hello, where will they find another trans daughter na ganito ka-pretty at smart? Hindi na ako mapapalitan, sorry not sorry.

Oh, speaking of my family... I truly miss them. I might visit them soon.

Humingi ako ng baso ng tubig kasi parang Sahara Desert na ang lalamunan ko. Habang iniinom ko 'yon, naramdaman ko talaga na life is fragile, girl. As in one moment, you're on stage shining, next moment, you're here habang naka-dextrose, mukhang extra sa hospital drama.

"Eat this, Avery, para magkalaman naman tiyan mo," sabi ni Edward sabay subo. Like, sir, are you auditioning to be my yaya? Pero kinain ko na rin, kasi yes, gutom na ako. At the same time, it felt comforting. Parang, okay, at least may care na ganito.

Habang kumakain ako, nagkukuwentuhan 'yung tatlo, laughing, teasing each other, but me? Silent mode lang. Nakikinig pero hindi nakikisali. Kasi, truth be told, my eyes kept drifting back to Elliot. Bakit siya ang tahimik? Bakit parang may bigat sa mukha niya? Bakit parang ang cold niya when in fact, siya ang reason I'm even alive right now? Hays.

"By the way, si Elliot pala ang nakakita sayo," sabi bigla ni Tyler, like a bomb drop.

Napatingin ako kay Elliot agad. "Oo nga, siya pala 'yung narinig kong boses bago ako mawalan ng malay," bulong ko, half to myself, half to them.

Pero guess what? Ni hindi man lang siya tumingin sa akin. Walang acknowledgement, walang smirk, walang kahit ano. Parang galit? O baka ayaw lang magsalita?

"Thank you, Elliot... for saving me," softly kong saad, hoping kahit konti mag-react siya. Pero nope. Nothing. Zero. Parang hindi niya narinig, pero I know he did.

Then finally, nagsalita siya, pero hindi para sa akin. "She should rest," seryoso niyang sabi. "Let's go." Final na, walang room for argument.

Isa-isa silang nagpaalam, may halik pa sa noo from Tyler (arte!), may pa-wave from Edward, may reassuring pat from Tyron. Pero siya? Naglakad lang palabas, no words, no look back.

And me? Naiwan sa kama, nakatingin sa ceiling, with a chest so heavy I couldn't even name the emotion. Confused, grateful, frustrated — lahat sabay-sabay.

Like, girl, bakit nga ba ako nandito sa hospital? Yes, technically fainted ako, pero deeper than that — bakit ako biglang na-collapse like that? Hindi naman ako nagutom, hindi rin ako nagpuyat ng sobra. Then suddenly, parang someone whispered sa tenga ko bago ako mawalan ng malay. Sino 'yon?

My brain keeps rewinding that exact voice "Don't panic." Jusko, how can I not panic if hanggang ngayon parang nag-e-echo pa rin siya sa utak ko? Like, sino ba siya? Why does his voice feel so freaking familiar, like I've heard it before, pero hindi ko ma-pinpoint kung saan, kailan, or saang chapter ng life ko. Nakaka-frustrate!

Tapos, kung kilala ko siya, bakit hindi ko ma-recall ang mukha niya? As in blank, pitch black, wala. Parang deliberately covered. Nakaka-paranoid tuloy if baka imagination ko lang lahat 'yon, or worse, baka ghost?? Pero hindi naman, kasi hello, my logical brain says may physical presence talaga.

And what if... siya yung same guy behind the photo leak? Or worse, siya 'yung taong nagsabi kay Sir Salvador na "beautiful inside and out" ako? Gosh, if that's the case, paano siya nakakapasok sa circle ko without me knowing? Creepy.

Pero then again, what if hindi siya bad? What if siya talaga yung guardian-type na lagi lang nasa gilid ko? Kasi 'di ba, kung wala siya, what if hindi ako nakita ni Elliot agad? Baka wala na ako ngayon.

Pero balik ulit ako sa main loop: sino siya? Bakit ganun 'yung boses niya? At bakit parang my whole system recognized him, kahit brain ko refuses to confirm? Para akong na-stuck sa riddle na walang clue. Ang hirap.

So I closed my eyes, trying to block out the chaos inside me. But no matter how hard I pushed the thoughts away, they kept circling back, like vultures waiting for me to break. And in just one blink, the room went dark again.

Tyron's Point of View

Before anything else, I guess kailangan ko talagang sabihin 'to — I'm Tyron. Technically, I'm the older twin by two minutes, kaya automatic na ako ang kuya. It's funny kasi people always say na mas chill si Tyler, while I come off as the suplado one. Which, fine, I get. I am suplado. Pero only to people I don't vibe with. Kung hindi kita feel, why should I waste my energy on you, 'di ba? But if you're part of my circle, if you're someone I actually care about? Then you'll see, I'm the most solid guy you'll ever meet.

And yeah, I'm also Elliot's cousin. First cousins on our dad's side. We grew up together — me, Tyler, Elliot, and add Edward into the mix. The four of us? We were the so-called "quadro" ng batch. Everyone knew us. Lahat ng kalokohan, lahat ng gala, every fight we got into, every win we celebrated — we went through all of that together. Para kaming magkakapatid. And for the longest time, I thought nothing would ever change that.

But now?

It's different. Elliot and I... we're not okay. There's this heavy wall between us, and he built it without even giving me the chance to explain. He's cold, detached, and sometimes I swear he acts like I don't exist unless necessary. Civil kung may kailangan, pero beyond that? Dead air. And yeah, I know why.

It's because of her.

There was this girl. Hindi ko siya niligawan. I never promised her anything. I never gave her reasons to hope for more than friendship. We were just org mates. I treated her decently, like how you should treat a teammate. She was... okay. Kind. But nothing more than that. I made it clear, or at least I thought I did.

But she had her own version of the story. Ginamit niya 'yung closeness naming dalawa. She told people na may "something" kami. Worse, she told Elliot na kami raw. And Elliot?

He believed her.

That's what stings the most. He didn't even ask me. He didn't come to me, didn't demand answers. He just... pulled away. Turned cold. And me? Well, ako 'yung tipo ng tao na kung hindi mo ako kayang tanungin ng diretsahan, hindi rin kita pipilitin pakinggan ang side ko. Kasi what's the point of explaining myself to someone who already decided I was guilty?

So here we are. Stuck in this silent war neither of us admits, but both of us feel. May lamat sa pagitan ng pinsan kong noon ay parang kapatid.

Pero right now, I can't dwell on that. Not when Avery's face — pale, weak, with an IV stuck to her hand — keeps replaying in my head like a broken film reel. Hindi ko matanggal sa isip 'yung bigat na dumapo kanina sa ospital. 'Yung moment na akala ko mawawala siya.

Pagkauwi namin galing hospital, the dorm felt like a graveyard. Wala 'yung usual na ingay ni Avery — 'yung random laughter, 'yung over-the-top na kwento, 'yung sobrang extra na pagra-rant about who in the dorm has the "best abs." Ang tahimik. Nakakabingi 'yung silence. Heavy. Like something essential was missing.

No. Not something. Someone.

Avery.

And the thought scared me. What if hindi siya na-save on time? What if Elliot wasn't there? What if that faceless guy who whispered to her meant harm, not help? What if her mom and dad heard the news na their daughter — their only daughter — is gone? Though I know he has younger brother. Na-kwento niya saamin kung gaano ito kakulit.

Napailing ako. I don't even know why I'm thinking this much. Maybe kasi Avery isn't just another person in this dorm. She's... she's something else. Hindi ko pa man masabi kung ano exactly, pero the idea of losing her made me feel a kind of fear I don't usually allow myself to feel.

Nasa garden kami nila Elliot, Edward, and Tyler. The night air was cold, pero mas malamig 'yung atmosphere. Edward tried to spark small talk but it died down quick. Tyler was scrolling on his phone, pretending na busy but I could tell he was just restless. Ako? I was stuck in my own head, trying to figure out what all of this meant.

Then my eyes shifted to Elliot. He was standing by the plants, hands inside his pockets, jaw clenched, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. The distance between us suddenly felt wider than the entire garden.

And I hated it.

Because once upon a time, Elliot was the person who always had my back. He was the one who knew how my brain worked without me saying a word. And now? He can't even look at me.

I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the frustration, but the thought was screaming inside me. How long are we going to stay like this, Elliot? How long are you going to treat me like I did something unforgivable, when I never even got the chance to speak?

But I stayed silent. Because that's what I do. If people can't handle the truth from me, then maybe they don't deserve it.

Still, a part of me whispered — maybe Avery is the bridge. Maybe she's the one who can unknowingly pull us back together. Kasi after all, she's the reason we're still gathered here, still worried, still tied to one another despite the cracks.

And as I looked at Elliot again, I couldn't help but wonder... If Avery was the one in danger... then maybe, deep down, we're still the same brothers we used to be.

"Did you see him?" malamig kong tanong kay Elliot, my voice low but sharp like I wanted the words to cut.

His reply came fast, but it was flat, mechanical. "No. But he's familiar. I just can't remember where I saw him."

Napangiwi ako. Seriously? That's it? That's all he had? For someone who carried Avery out like a hero, ang yabang ng tindig niya, but now that we're actually digging into what happened, he has nothing. Walang ambag. Parang trophy lang na ipinagmamalaki ang sarili.

"You're useless," I spat, standing up from the bench. My hands were already trembling from the frustration so I reached into my pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. I needed this. Promise. I needed the burn, the smoke, something to distract me from the storm building inside.

But Elliot wasn't going to let it slide this time. His voice snapped through the silence like fire catching dry wood.

"Edi sana ikaw ang sumagip, gago. You f*cking moron!"

That did it. That hit harder than I expected. My jaw tightened, and before I knew it, I was facing him head-on. The words came out louder than I intended.

"I wish I did! Sana ako na lang!" My chest felt like it was about to explode. I wasn't just angry at him — I was angry at myself, at the situation, at how everything kept slipping away from me.

And then he smirked. That smug, irritating, dangerous smirk na parang gusto mong suntukin just to wipe it off his face.

"But you didn't," he said, calm but venomous. "Kasi hindi ka talaga meant para sa kaniya. Ako ang laging nandiyan. Ako ang laging una. Akin siya."

The words burned. They weren't just words — they were daggers, twisting, stabbing straight into me. My body moved on instinct. I stepped forward until our foreheads nearly collided, the tension so thick I could barely breathe. Two lions in the same cage, ready to rip each other apart.

And in my head, a storm raged. No, Elliot. You don't get to decide that. You don't get to claim her like she's some prize you automatically win because you were at the right place at the right time.

If it weren't for Tyler and Edward, I swear something physical would've happened right there.

"Tama na!" sigaw ni Tyler, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. His voice was desperate, like he already knew what kind of chaos we were capable of unleashing if no one stopped us.

"Kapag 'di kayo tumigil, ipapaalam ko 'to kay Avery," Edward warned, stepping between us like a referee, his glare sharp enough to cut.

That froze us both. The thought of Avery knowing about this? No. Hindi pwede. She was already weak, already fighting her own battles. She didn't need to carry ours too.

Elliot and I locked eyes again. Neither of us spoke for a moment, but the silence was louder than any curse we could throw. Mabigat. Matagal. Until he finally took a step back, his chest rising and falling like he was forcing himself to calm down.

But I wasn't done. I couldn't be.

I stepped forward again, close enough that he could feel the heat of my words. I jabbed a finger against his forehead, pressing hard, my voice low but lethal.

"I swear, Avery will be mine," I whispered, every syllable dripping with certainty, enough for him and only him to hear.

Elliot's hand shot up, tapping my finger away like I was nothing more than a fly on his skin. His eyes burned, unblinking.

"I will not let that happen."

And with that, he turned and walked away, his back straight, his steps steady, as if he had already declared victory without needing to fight.

I stood there, fists clenched, smoke still burning in my lungs, and all I could think was... this isn't over. Not by a long shot. The real fight hasn't even started.

Because in my gut, I knew — this war between us wasn't about pride anymore. It wasn't even about the past.

It was about Avery.

And I wasn't going to lose.

Not to him. Not this time.