Angel in Disguise (Tagalog)

Chapter 5

Ken's POV

"Ayesha!" He immediately took Ayesha on his arms. Hindi na ito umiiyak but I doubt if she's really fine dahil hindi na ito nagsalita pa mula kanina.

"God! Bakit ka umuwi? Anong ginawa sayo ni mommy?" Natataranta niyang tinignan ang mukha nito at maging ang mga braso. And then he sighed in relief when he saw nothing.

Her brother looks so worried about her. Kanina palang when I called him, alalang alala na ito kay Ayesha. It sounded overacting lalo na nung malaman niyang lasing ang mommy nila, but when I saw how he hugged his sister, it felt like I was worried too.

"Magpahinga kana, I'll go buy some food outside. Ihahatid ko na rin si Ken." He kissed her forehead. Tumango naman ito sa kuya niya before she turned to look at me.

"Thank you Ken." I watch her eyes flicker to me.

I smiled. "It's okay, go to sleep." She reached out for a smile before she entered her bedroom. Sumunod ako sa kuya niya nang lumabas na ito ng condo.

"Thank you Ken, I'm glad you were there. I can't forgive myself if something bad happened again."

My forehead creased. "Again?"

He sighed. "Ayesha is too innocent to be blamed. Pero ilang beses na siyang nasaktan ni mommy .Last time, she was hospitalized dahil pinukpok siya nito ng bote sa ulo."

I clenched my fist unconciously. "She hit her? How can she do that?" Sa pagkakaalam ko, Dr.Alcantara is a nice person. I've met her in the hospital, siya yung doctor na huling nag-handle kay Kim, the one she asked a favor with. Anong nangyari sa kaniya?

"She's mentally ill."

Gusto ko sanang itanong kung bakit nagkaganoon ang mommy nila because I perfectly know she's well for the past few weeks we've been together. Pero alam kong wala ako sa lugar para usisain pa iyon.

I just can't believe she can hurt Ayesha like that. She looks so fragile and soft and alluring that I can't even imagine there's no mom who takes good care of her. I mean, everyone knows that she's a good person. Ofcourse I'll expect that she was raised by the warmth of good parents. How can she be so warm-hearted when her own mother had almost killed her?

"By the way, classmate ka ba niya?"

"Ah no, we're friends. Hindi siya naihatid ni Earl that's why I volunteered to."

"I just hope pwede ko ring ipagkatiwala sa'yo ang kapatid ko. I'm getting busier and no one can attend to her. I guess hindi ko naman pwedeng laging asahan si Earl."

"You can count on me."

*

"Guys! Hindi tayo pwedeng forever nalang na ganito! Ano ba naman kayo?" Larry retorted. She looks like a frustrated panda right now. The dark circles under her lashes makes her belong to those cute animals.

"Halos isang buwan na rin eh. Wake up people, we can't just mourn for the rest of our lives!"

"Pwede bang manahimik kang babae? You're not helping."

"And which one helps? Yang pagdadrama niyo everyday? Like hello Cuttie, double dead na si Kim dahil sa pag-eemote natin! Do you guys think she's happy right now?"

I just watch the two of them argue about ..moving on. Well, for me, it's not really that easy. But I think I just learned that I was really meant to let her go.

Si Kim yung unang babaeng kinabaliwan ko, siya ang unang babaeng minahal ko. She's the most amazing girl I've met at mabilis lang nahulog ang loob ko sa kaniya. Nung una gusto kong pigilan ang sarili ko because I know she's inlove with somebody else, with Xian. Pero nung nakikita kong palagi siyang nasasaktan, I decide to offer myself to her.

Pinilit ko siyang tulungan, kahit na hindi na niya masuklian yung pagmamahal ko basta makita ko lang siyang masaya, I'll be fine. But then it all happened.

I must admit na nung una halos mabaliw ako. I can't believe she really left us. Pagkatapos kong magparaya for her happiness, mawawala din pala siya ..hindi lang sakin kundi sa aming lahat.

Fate is really playful at alam kong naging unfair ito sa amin. But I always believe that everything happens for a reason.

"Look at Ken! Diba kahit papano he's helping his self? Guys it hurts but we need to move on."

She sighed when no one dared to answer. "Larry pabayaan mo muna sila. We can't just dictate them to move on.Where's Xian?"

I haven't noticed him lately. At hindi na kami masyadong nagkakausap since he became aloof to everyone, even Armie cannot make him eat or sleep. Xian's like a waste now.

"Isa pa yun! My God!"

"Hanapin mo nalang, kausapin mo lang kahit hindi ka pansinin. He needs someone to talk to."

"And why me?"

I smiled. "Because you're loud and noisy."

She glared at me and I just gave her a peace sign. Larry and I became a part of their friendship. Hindi ko nasubaybayan ang pinagmulan ng malalim na pagkakaibigan nila but I know and I can feel how much they love Kim.

I sighed. I shouldn't think of her again, ayokong malubog nanaman sa sakit.

Nang mapalingon ako ay hindi sinasadyang makita ko ang isang babae. Si Ayesha, kasama niya si Ellyse and I think they're having lunch already. From here ay pinagmasdan ko siyang makipagtawanan sa kaibigan niya.

I feel so amazed because despite of what happened last night, she still looks fine and fragile. How can she even do that? Usually, kapag may family problem ang isang tao ay nadadala na rin nila yun sa school. Or sometimes it's very obvious that they have a problem. But I just find her different, I wonder how strong that girl is.

I decided na iwan na muna sila Larry at Cuttie because I still have classes to attend to. Dumating ako sa room at naabutan ko doon si Xian na nakaupo sa isang sulok at nakikinig sa ipad. I chose to sit far from him, I don't think I have to talk to him since I know his mind is still close to listen to anybody. Ayoko na rin munang makialam because I'm trying to not get involved about Kim for the mean time. I guess that will help me totally get over about her death.

My remaining classes were boring as ever kaya nagmamadali na rin akong umalis ng room when we got dismissed. May practice pa ako.

Papunta na ako sa headquarters ng varsity nang masalubong ko sa hallway si Ayesha. I automatically felt the sides of my mouth forming into a smile when I saw her.

"Ken."

"Hi, how are you?"

She gave me a small smile. "Ayos naman ako. Uhm ..about last night, thank you nga pala. Pasensya kana rin." Bahagya itong napayuko nang mapansing pinagmamasdan ko siya.

I don't know why but I find her lips cute dahil sa maliit na pagbukas-sara nito habang nagsasalita siya. She looks so small and cute. Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong pisilin ang mukha niya.

"It's okay. Ilang beses din namang nagpasalamat ang kuya mo bago ako umalis."

"Pasensya kana rin pala kung ganun yung naabutan mong eksena sa bahay. H-hindi ko kasi alam na..na lasing pala si mommy. Nakakahiya sayo at nakita mo pa yun." I watch her as she bit her lower lip because of embarrassment.

"I understand the situation. Pero sana hindi ka nalang dun nagpahatid kung alam mo naman palang sasaktan ka ng mommy mo." I didn't like the idea na sa lahat ng taong pwedeng manakit sa isang babaeng katulad niya ay iyon pang mommy niya.

She's someone a parent should be proud of. She's a good leader and a good person. I really can't find reasons why her mom got suddenly mad like that. Parang hindi siya yung doctor ni Kim noon.

"H-hindi ko kasi ineexpect na lasing siya. Hindi niya naman talaga ako madalas sinasaktan. S-siguro lasing lang talaga siya." She's not good at lying. I can't believe she can cover her mom like that samantalang sinabi naman na sa akin ng kuya niya ang totoo. She's just too good to be true.

"Yeah, maybe. Nakilala ko na rin naman siya noon, she was Kim's doctor."

"Ah oo, I recommended her to Naomi. A-and about that ..gusto ko rin palang magsorry about Kim."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "What for?"

"When Kim asked her to keep the failure of the blood transfusion as a secret. Siguro kung sinabi niya yun sa inyo baka..baka buhay pa si Kim ngayon."

I'm not really sure if it's just me or it's sadness I just saw in her eyes. Nalulungkot siya dahil sa ginawa ng mommy niya? Seriously? This girl is unbelievable.

"Don't say that. We never blamed your mom,Ayesha. It was Kim's decision to keep it from us at tanggap namin na ginusto niya talaga yun. Come on, you don't have to feel sorry."

"Nalulungkot lang talaga ako. I can't understand kung bakit kung sino pa yung mga deserving mabuhay, sila pa yung kinukuha ni God. I just wish they're happy kung nasaan man sila."

Inaasahan ko nang kakaiba siya sa lahat ng babaeng nakilala ko but it caught me offguard to hear her say such things. How can she be so good and fragile at the same time? Paano nagkaroon ng taong ganito kalawak ang pagtingin sa mga bagay?

Hindi ko na nga namalayang hinila ko na siya at niyakap. I just felt the need to hug her. Isang bagay lang ang napatunayan ko sa saglit na panahong nakasama ko siya. She's an angel.

**