Hora's Punishment

07:00 - Sickly

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"Aaaaaaah!" ang nakakarinding sigaw ng babae na nakatambay sa labas ng classroom nila Hora.

Nagulat kasi ito sa biglang pagkatumba ni Hora sa kanyang harapan. Mabilis namang nagsilabasan sa classroom nila ang mga estudyante at nagkumpulan sa paligid ni Hora. Ganoon din ang dalawang kasama ni Yvan.

Gusto rin sana makita ng lalaki ang nangyayari pero ayaw niyang makipagsiksikan sa namamawis niyang mga kaklase. Kaya pinili na lang niyang tumayo sa gilid ng pinto ng kanilang classroom at maghintay na ilabas sa kumpulan ang kung sino man na nahimatay.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" sigaw ni Coallyn habang dumudutdut sa masikip na kumpulan ng tatlong tao sa harap niya. Halos hindi na siya makalapit sa babaeng nakaratay sa sahig dahil sa dami ng mga lalaking nag-uunahan na kargahin ito.

Kung pwede lang ay ayaw sana ni Coallyn na maki-usyoso pero dahil siya ang class president ay kailangan niyang alamin ang mga kaganapan.

"Pres, dalhin na natin siya sa clinic," sabi ng lalaki na taga-kabilang klase, he was prepared to carry Hora as he was already supporting her back. Nasa mga bisig na niya ang namumutlang diyosa.

"Ah. Oo. Please. Baka ano pang mangyari sa kanya. Lumayo kayo konti, please. 'Wag kayong masyadong magkumpulan," utos ni Coallyn habang iwinawasiwas ang kamay para mahawi ang mga tao sa paligid.

Agad din naman na binuhat ng lalaki si Hora.

"Tabe. tabe!" seryosong mandar niya sa mga tao sa daan. Pero sa totoo lang ay abot langit ang saya nito dahil sa dami ng gustong makalapit at bumuhat kay Hora ay siya ang napagbigyan.

Hora's pale skin seemed more obvious when she was taken out from the shade of the crowd. Hindi ito nakatakas sa paningin ng matangkad na lalaking si Yvan. The moment the man lifted her in his arms half of Hora's figure was glimpsed through the departing people. Yvan wanted to go after her, not because he was worried but because he felt he should. Ganunpaman, hindi gumalaw ni isang pulgada ang katawan niya.

Matapos ang limang minuto sa clinic ay kaagad ding nakabalik si Coallyn na hingal na hingal na tumakbo patungo sa kanilang silid. Ten minutes na lang kasi at magsisimula na ulit ang klase, nasa unang palapag pa naman ang clinic ng curriculum nila.

"Ano daw nangyari?" Mark curiously asked the exhausted class president.

"What happened daw?" the lady in her row added with the same amount of curiosity.

"Omg! Baka nahimatay 'cause Natalie pulled her hair!" A lady in the front gasped with exaggeration.

Hindi pa man nakakarating si Coallyn sa upuan ay tinadtad na siya ng mga katanungan ng kanyang mga kaklase. Lumunok muna siya ng laway at nagpunas ng pawis saka nagpaypay gamit ang ipinampunas na panyo bago sumagot.

"She has high fever," she stated and slammed her buttocks to her seat.

Akala ni Coallyn ay matatagalan pa siya sa clinic dahil sa hindi sumasagot ang Emergency Person na nakalagay sa ID card ni Hora. Pinagsabihan na lang siyang bumalik ng classroom, saka na lang daw tatawagan ulit ang guardian ni Hora kung hindi na busy ang linya nito. Lingid sa kaalaman ni Coallyn na si Ysabelle Estrella ang Emergency Person ni Hora.

Sa loob ng sampung minuto ay naging usap-usapan si Hora ng buong klase. Unang araw pa lang kasi nito ay naging kontrobersyal na ang dalaga.

Meanwhile, Yvan seemed to be unaffected. As if Hora was no more than of a housemate to him. Maybe it was not as if because she was really a stranger to him. Instead, he was talking with the man beside him about the place they would visit after school hours.

Few minutes later their afternoon teacher entered the class. Everyone instantly zipped their mouth and kept quiet. Gaya ng inaasahan ay hinanap ng guro si Hora nang nagtawag na siya ng mga estudyante para sa attendance. The teacher, Mr. Jusay, was aware that she was a transferee student. Pamilyar na kasi ang mga estudyante sa mga guro dahil sa tigda-dalawang section lang ang mayroon sa bawat baitang. The class kept going when Coallyn informed Mr. Jusay about Hora's current condition.

The next teacher also did the same. Mr. Montero was looking forward to see a new face in the class because he had been with these students since their previous years.

Nasakalagitnaan ng pago-orient ng klase si Mr. Montero nang nag vibrate ang cellphone ni Yvan. He intended to ignore it but when he saw the name registered on the phone screen dali-daling itinaas ni Yvan ang kanyang kamay, sabay pakita ng kanyang nagri-ring na cellphone. Tumango naman habang nagpapatuloy sa pagsasalita si Mr. Montero.

Yvan left the class staring at his phone screen. The name reads, Ysabelle.

It's unusual to his sister to call in the middle of her working hours.

"Hello?" he answered, ill at ease.

"Yvan!" Ysabelle yelled on the other side.

Yvan winced and pulled his phone away from his ears. Tila dumeretso kasi sa eardrums niya ang boses ni Ysabelle.

"Nakabalik na ba si Hora? I was calling the clinic but no one's answering," she said, almost yelling.

"Uh— nope. She's not back."

"Really? May ginagawa pa 'ko. I'll be done by six, that's why when you're done go to the clinic and look after Hora," she demanded.

"Why? I have to go somewhere," Yvan protested, trying to keep his voice down. Tahimik pa kasi ang hallway dahil nasa klase ang lahat.

"Anong go somewhere ka d’yan? You have to keep an eye on her until I'm done here. Then, you can go somewhere or wherever you want after. Basta puntahan mo siya!" Ysabelle firmly stated as she dropped the call. Wala na tuloy choice si Yvan kung hindi ang gawin ang utos nito.

Dismayadong bumalik si Yvan sa kanyang upuan ngunit imbis na malungkot ay naiinis siya. How can her sister be so concern to a stranger?

“Freak,” he thought when Mr. Montero mentioned to inform Hora about the orientation. Hindi nagtagal ay natapos na rin ang klase.

"Yvs! Gab! Tara na!" hikayat ni Mark na nasa kabilang pinto ng silid. Katabi kasi ng harapan na pinto nakaupo si Yvan. Kahit matangkad ito ay lagi siyang nasa unahan dahil madalas na siya ang ginagawang alay sa tuwing andyan si Mrs. Verdadera. Gumaganda kasi ang mood ng guro sa tuwing nakikita ang mukha ng binata. May anak kasi na babae si Mrs. Verdadera na nais niyang ipagkasundo kay Yvan.

Wala naman itong problema kay Yvan basta malapit lang siya sa pintuan. Dahil sa simpleng rason na mabilis siyang makakalabas, kasi nga malapit lang siya sa pinto at iwas na rin sa siksikan sa mga nakalinyang upuan.

"Ah. Sunod na lang ako. I still have something to do," sagot niya kay Mark.

"I'll text you the place," sabi naman ni Gabe na katabi niya lang ng upuan. Yvan nodded and left the room.

Habang pababa si Yvan papuntang clinic ‘di maiwasan na may mga estudyanteng ngingitian siya at kakawayan. Bilang pamangkin ng may-ari ng unibersidad inaasahang maraming mga tao ang gusto makalapit sa kanya. But Yvan had the intimidating aura that made it difficult for others to approach him, he seemed serious and formal. That's why people tend to be surprised when they discovered Yvan's real personality, a frivolous young man who loves to party.

There were only two types of people who could approach Yvan. First, people with the same or above his level of intimidation like Gabe. Second, people who were as frivolous as him like Mark. Overall, Yvan was just a young man who lacks proper guidance. He did not have control to his intimidating aura, and his frivolousness was just part of his uncertainty as he grew up. Despite that he still managed to keep his way because of his family's influence. He had to keep his act for their family's reputation. All he had to do was to get a degree and become shackled to his family's endless enterprise. The reason why he's enjoying his time partying right now. It was the only time he considered himself free.

Kumatok ng tatlong beses si Yvan nung makarating na siya sa clinic.

"Come in," a voice from the inside answered.

Pinihit kaagad ni Yvan ang busol.

"Mr. Estralla, how may I help you?" salubong na tanong ng doktora sa kanya.

Mag-isa lang ito sa clinic at halata rin na kapapasok niya lang dahil aktong isasabit niya sana ang kanyang suit sa hanger na nakasabit sa itaas at kaliwang bahagi ng kanyang cubicle. Patapos na rin kasi ang shift nila kaya nagsi-uwi na ang ibang staffs.

Sinuyod muna ng tingin ni Yvan ang loob ng clinic saka sumagot ng, "Uhm where's the student from room 302?"

He wasn't sure what to say or ask or even how to describe Hora. Yvan had never uttered her name. He never tried calling Hora through her name. Yvan only address her in some other ways like, that woman, that stranger, her, that weirdo, or any names that best fit of how he perceived Hora.

Kumunot naman ang noo ng doktora. Sa dami kasi ng mga estudyante na pumupunta ng clinic para humingi ng gamot, magpakunsulta, at kung ano pa hindi na natatandaan ng doktora kung saan-saan galing na room number o grade level ang mga ito. May binunot ma makapal na libro ang doktora sa isa sa mga maliliit na bookshelves sa gilid niya. It was the log book. Using her index finger, she pointed the list of people who had visited the clinic for the day.

"Ah. Siya ba si Ms. Montejo?" the doctor asked, uncertain.

Yvan paused for a second, the sides of his lips lift and replied, "Opo, it's her."

"Kaano-ano mo ang pasyente?" the doctor inquired.

"My sister is her guardian. I was told to come here since she still has some things to do in her office," Yvan answered.

Tumango lang ang doktora sabay abot ng log book sa binate para papirmahan ito. Isa pa, si Hora lang naman ang pasyente ngayong araw. Maganda sana kung gumising na siya para makauwi na ang doktora, nakakabat kasi ang mag-isa sa opisina. Mabuti na lang ay ipinatawag siya sa opisina ng SHS president at nakipagkwentuhan pa sa mga kasamahan kaya natagalan itong makabalik. In fact, the doctor expected to see Hora awake when she came back. She was expecting to leave by 5 pm. However, to her disappointment, Hora was still deep asleep in the clinic's mattress.

"Can you bring her home?" the doctor asked Yvan.

"Nah. Ate told me to wait for her," he answered.

Tumango na lang ulit ang doktor at isinara ang kurtina na naghihiwalay sa mattress na hinihigaan ni Hora sa buong clinic.

May nakitang upuan si Yvan sa ilalim ng mesa na nasa gilid ng higaan at ginamit ito. Naka number 4 siyang umupo rito at inip na ginalaw-galaw ang pang nakapatong sa isa. Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa bulsa saka tinext ang kapatid na nasa clinic na siya. He sighed right after he pressed the send button and looked at the patient lying on the mattress.

The first thing you would notice to the patient was her long and thick eyelashes. They simply stand out with the sun setting on the background from the window. Unexpectedly, she also had a pointed nose despite her fine, small and delicate, facial features. Now that she's asleep, her tiny lips looked fragile as butterfly wings. And when at rest, her jet-black hair turned into a black veil made out of velvet fabric.

“She’s really beautiful.”

“Yet, she could be perfect if she stops acting like a country bumpkin and a nerd. In short, a creep.”

That were the conclusions Yvan came up with within minutes of observing the woman. Nonetheless, her ivory skin appeared white and pale, and she looked in pain. Lines formed on her forehead, as if she was terrified in her dreams. She would occasionally move her head, all tensed.

Yvan wondered if she was having a nightmare, or was going delirious due to her high fever. He was supposed to reach for her forehead when his phone vibrated.

He immediately picked it up to look who was it, "Gab?" he said, uttering the name of the caller.

"Yvs? Where are you?" tanong ni Gabe, "Change of plan. We'll go to the west side of the city, there's a newly renovated bar there," he added as his voice seemed to fade on the other line. Nagmamaneho kasi si Gabe habang nakapatong sa dashboard ang cellphone niya.

"Yeah. Uh-huh," maikling sagot ni Yvan saka pinindot ang End Call.

Ibinalik na ni Yvan ang cellphone niya sa bulsa. Tumungo ulit ang kanyang tingin kay Hora. He did the thing he was supposed to do before the call intervened. He curiously touched the top of her hand, her tempearature was high.  Kumunot ulit ang noo ni Hora nang hawakan ni Yvan ang kanyang kamay. The lines had seemed to bother Yvan, without thinking, he placed his hand on her forehead.

"Ama," Hora mumbled in her sleep.

Sa gulat ay mabilis na inalis ni Yvan ang kanyang kamay at saka tahimik na bumalik sa upuan. Baka kasi magising ito bigla at maaktuhan siyang nakahawak sa noo nito.

“She’s having a nightmare,” bulong nito sa sarili.