Thunder's Affliction (Updating)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I was preparing Thunder's lunch. Paminsan minsan ko siyang sinusulyapan na abala naman dahil may antibiotics na tinuturok 'yong nurse sa drip niya.

Hindi ko inaasahan na mapapalingon siya sa gawi ko, kaya nagtama ang mata naming dala. My eyes automatically shifted back to what I was doing with my heart, which was already in turmoil inside my chest. The nurse left after that, and we were left alone inside his room again. I straightened up and faced him, who was still looking at me.

"Ready na lunch mo, kain ka na?" Malumanay na tanong ko, pilit na pinapakitang kalmado lang ako kahit ang totoo, konti na lang ay bibigay na ang tuhod ko sa panghihina.

"You should eat now too, call Paulo. Pabili ka ng lunch mo." tukoy niya sa isa sa mga nagbabantay sa labas. Umiling naman ako.

"Kakain ako after mo, I just want to make sure na uubusin mo itong mga 'to." turo ko sa pagkain na inayos ko for him at ngumiwi naman siya.

"I'm not really hungry," sinimangutan ko siya at kinuha na ang tray bago nilapag sa table at inilapit 'yon sa kaniya. Good thing it was a rolling table, na nae-extend iyong desk niya, perfect for Thunder, kasi hindi pa siya nakakalakad.

"Kung gusto mong gumaling agad, kumain ka." inayos ko ang kutsara't tinidor bago siya tiningnan. He looks like he's really not in a mood to eat.

"Baka naman gusto mong subuan pa kita?" may halong pangaasar na tanong ko, kaya mabilis naman siyang napatingin sa akin.

"Fine, I'll eat now. Kumain ka na rin." agad na sabi niya at kinuha na ang kubyertos.

Napangiti naman ako dahil sa reaction niya at tumungo sa couch upang doon maghintay na matapos siyang kumain and choose to play games on my phone. Hindi ko na rin namalayan na napatagal pala ang paglalaro ko, at hindi napansin na kanina pa siya tapos kumain. Nang aksidente akong mapasulyap sa kaniya ay nahuli ko siyang nakasandal sa headboard ng kama at nakahalukipkip habang matamang pinagmamasdan ako. Kumalabog nanaman ang dibdib ko dahil doon at kaagad na napatayo upang lumapit at ayusin na ang pinagkainan niya, and the whole time I was doing that, his eyes never left me.

"I was so fascinated to see that kid grow up to be brave and a very good girl." he abruptly said, leaving my hands hanging from getting the tray. Nagangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya, and I found his eyes amused while staring at me. May maliit din na ngiti sa mga labi niya.

"Nangaasar ka ba?" He flicked his tongue inside his mouth and shook his head. "No, of course not. Hindi lang ako makapaniwala. Who would have thought we would meet again, after what? Twelve years? No, I think thirteen, almost."

Kung hindi dahil sa akin hindi tayo magkikita ulit. Umalis ka to study abroad. Bumalik ka rito may girlfriend ka na, and I was still head over heels. Halos kahit nasa US siya ay madalas kong abangan ang mukha niya sa magazines at TV news. It was me who did all of this, kasi alam kong hindi ako magkakaroon ng chance kung hindi ako kikilos o gagawa ng paraan para magkira kami ulit. I failed so many times, but I didn't give up until he finally noticed me, looked at me, and talked to me, and now that he's too close, I could even get a grasp of thinking it was just a dream. Para siyang isang panaginip pero gising na gising ako, and I know it is real. He's real. We're real.

Siguro ang hindi ko lang magagawang asahan ay ang mabaling ang nararamdaman niya for me.

"Of course, life forced me to. Unlike you, mayaman ka e." ngumiti siya ng malumanay ng sabihin ko iyon bago ko kinuha ang tray at iginawa siya ng sliced fruit, naubos na kasi 'yong pinabigay ni Doc Astro kanina.

"Well kid, not because I am wealthy... doesn't mean I don't have struggles. Life is fair. Mayaman man o mahirap pare-pareho niyang binibigyan ng problema. You can say na wala akong hinaharap na problema kasi mayaman ako, but that's not what you see is what really is it." I shrugged my shoulders.