Remains in the Sand | Los Quiros Series Book #01

16

RITS: Chapter Sixteen

I never lower my guard in my happiest moments... Dahil batid kong may kapalit 'yon. There's no such thing as just ups, it will always be accompanied by downfalls and god forsaken demises.

Napatingin ako kay Lincoln na hindi maalis-alis ang titig sa'kin habang kumakain kami as if I would do something reckless kapag hindi siya nakatingin. Napairap naman ako't hindi nalang siya pinansin.

It was days ago nang muntik ko nang mapatay ang sarili ko sa tub ng hindi ko man lang namamalayan and Lincoln called Lach na nakapajama pa nung dumating siya, halatang kakagising lang at natataranta dahil ilang oras raw akong nagkulong doon sa banyo.

That night, hinayaan lang nila akong manahimik. I knew they have a lot of things they wanted to ask pero hindi sila nagtanong and I really appreciate that they did.

"I'll drive you back," Lincoln stood up after paying for our meal and went to fetch his car.

Walang araw na hindi ako nagtrabaho. Although the guys were seriously against it, wala silang nagawa dahil hindi naman nila alam kung ano ang nararamdaman ko dahil wala naman silang alam tungkol sa mga nalaman ko sa Cauayan. I continued working as if nothing happened... I was still me... Ang kaibahan lang ay madalas raw akong tulala, one thing Dr. Ybanez called me for noong isang araw dahil muntik ko ng mahiwa ang isang buto ng bangkay na pinaga-autopsyhan ko.

"I'm coming back early, I'm fetching you." Lincoln reminded me nang makarating na kami, which I just ignored again at diretsong lumabas ng kotse niya.

He didn't seemed busy with work that I wondered... Though he was still having piles of papers on his laps every night. Lach on the other hand was rather busy fixing everything sa kaniyang nalalapit na pangangampanya matapos maipanalo ang kaso ni Hane, while Leorthon keeps on sending pictures of Duen's and him on our group chat sa tg ever since sumunod-sunod yung events sa Diliman.

I was even happy to see him joining a photography club... Halatang halata sa kaniyang mga mata na masaya siya. At least he was starting to involve himself with things other than studying. He takes a break and enjoys. I reacted heart to all of his pictures.

"Kamusta ka?" Hinimas ko ang likod ni Hane matapos siyang tulungang maupo. She's regaining her strength back. Bahagyang napangiti ako. "May dala akong mga prutas diyan. I don't know your preference, kaya bumili nalang ako ng 12 fruits sa basket."

Nakita ko ang pagsibol ng ngiti sa kaniyang labi. Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong niyakap. "Thank you, Dra,"

Renz came running a few hours later matapos naming magkuwentuhan ni Hane. He apologized na ngayon lang raw siya dumating at may bitbit pang mga bulaklak, wherein Hane told me na araw-araw daw niyang pinapalitan yung mga bulaklak doon sa vase, making the latter's ears turn red dahil hindi nakatakas sa kaniyang pandinig ang panunukso ng isa.

Hindi rin naman ako nagtagal dahil may kailangan pa 'kong puntahan kaya nagpaalam na 'ko sa kanila. Renz talked to me outside saying na babalik na raw siya sa trabaho next week kapag makabalik na si Hane sa bahay niya and I was totally fine with that. He asked me a few things about Islear na tapat ko lang na sinagot. He was worried about our relationship but I assured him that were as fine as before, para wala na siyang ipag-alala pa.