Strings of Memory

Chapter 26

I stared at him blankly.

Ibinuka niya ang bibig niya—his lips moved, forming words, but I couldn't hear anything. Just silence.

What the hell is he saying? Why can't I understand?

I could understand my mom just fine. But this guy? His words didn't reach me. It was like watching a TV on mute, his voice completely erased from my world.

I frowned.

And that reaction alone made him angrier.

The next thing I knew, he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me forward until our faces were just inches apart. He was yelling now, his mouth moving fast, his eyes burning with frustration. I even felt his spit land on my cheek.

But still—nothing.

I just stared at him.

And that only pissed him off even more.

His hand curled into a fist, and before I could even think about moving, he swung.

The punch landed on my cheek.

Hindi ako natumba kahit malakas ang suntok niya, dahil hawak niya pa rin ako sa kuwelyo. But I felt nothing. Walang sakit. Walang kahit ano.

He punched me again.

Nothing.

He did it again.

Still, nothing.

He was breathing heavily now, his knuckles red from hitting me repeatedly. I could see the confusion in his eyes, like he didn't understand why I wasn't fighting back. Why I wasn't reacting. Why I wasn't giving him the response he wanted.

His grip on my shirt loosened slightly, and his glare softened just a bit. His breathing steadied. Then, he muttered something—something I couldn't hear.

And then he let go.

He shoved me backward, and I landed on the ground with a soft thud.

I watched as he turned around and walked away. His shoulders were tense, his fists still clenched at his sides, but he didn't look back.

Dahan-dahan kong hinawakan ang pisngi ko. Wala pa rin. Wala akong nararamdamang kahit anong sakit.

Then, I saw a drop of blood fall onto my arm.

I lifted my fingers to my lips. Nang alisin ko at tingnan, may dugo.

Oh. Pumutok pala ang labi ko.

I didn't even feel it.

Napangiti ako nang mapait.

Fuck. My mom's gonna freak out when she sees me. My face is probably a mess right now.

Nanatili akong nakatitig sa kamay kong may dugo nang mapansin kong may taong nakatayo sa harapan ko.

Dahan-dahan kong inangat ang tingin ko, and that's when the faint ringing in my ears started to get louder again. It grew and grew, swelling into an unbearable noise. I winced, my body tensing at the sharp pain shooting through my head.

Then—

"What happened?!"

His voice cut through the noise like a blade, slicing the ringing into silence.

The world stilled.

I... can hear now. I can hear him.

I blinked, my vision slowly adjusting, and when I finally focused, I was met with a pair of worried eyes. His eyes.