Tin has been staring at me for almost fifteen minutes. I may be stupid but I'm sure, I'm not hallucinating.. This observation gives me a hint that I have a dirt on my face. Not until I wave my hand in front of her sight.
Mali pala ako.
There was no dirt on my face. The least, she was not staring at me after all.
I smiled.
She replied a sigh with hindi mapaliwanag na mukha..
"Anong problema?" I asked.
"It's nothing" she replied. Pero alam ko may tinatago siya saken.
The school bell rang...
"I think we should walk by now, may 5 minutes pa tayo before sa class natin" I suggested as I hurriedly get my bag.
We stood up. Napansin ko hinawakan niya ang ulo niya at she was about to be out of balance.
I got into her place at no time to hold her.
Nahimatay siya.
About an hour,she woke up. Nagtataka siya until she found out that she was in the clinic.
I came to see her. Kakausap lang ng doctor saken about sa situation niya and ayoko isurprise siya about sa balita.
Kinuha ko ang upuan and sat beside her bed.
Nakatingin siya sa bintana where a garden can be seen.
Tahimik lang kaming dalawa at ilang minuto ang lumipas nagsalita ako.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
Di siya nagreply,instead tears ran through her cheeks.
I kknew what it all meants.
"Why did you not tell me?" I asked promptly.
"I'm afraid that you might reject me..just like Michael" she replied.
Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya. How can a father reject his own child? I felt pity for her for she was in the most delicated situation.
"Hindi ko yan gagawin Tin..." I said as I slowly got her hand.. "And you know it" I slowly rubbed her palm to comfort her.
Rubbing her palm when she cries was my way to comfort her since elementary. Sana magwork to sa ganitong sitwasyon.
May biglang kumatok so I opened the door.
I saw Tin's parents with a long face. Her mother was wearing an upset face that she can't even stare at me. Her father was clenching his fist as if he was goin to throw it.
He laid his left hand on my shoulder which I feared on what he would do to me.
"Thank you Shawn,for taking care of my daughter. You have always been a good friend to her. " He said.
I was relieved.. Kung susuntukin man ako ng dad ni Tin, I can say that I truly deserve that fist coz I am also part of the blame..
***A YEAR AGO***
It started a year ago when Tin met Michael - my friend in metropolis. Michael was a varsity basketball player at the same time a lead vocalist of a campus band. Walang babae na hindi magkakagusto sa kanya - including my best friend.
Nung nalaman ko na may gusto si Tin sa kanya, I set a date for them during her 18th birthday.
That date started it all.
