Coffin.
I couldn't wait to go back home. Every time the next class starts, walang nagreregister sa utak ko. Whatever they were writing on the board, I couldn't understand even a hint of it.
Nasa utak ko parin ang mga sinasabi nila kanina. The seriousness of Brett's texts and the worry in Denisse's voice.
Something is wrong.
Something isn't right.
Napatingin ang lahat sakin nang tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo. Nagdismiss na yung prof ng huling class ko. I went back home as fast as I could.
Tinignan ko ang orasan at nakitang quarter to five p.m. na. Hinubad ko yung uniform ko at nagpalit ng isang grey na jogging pants at sweatshirt. I decided to wear flipflops and light pink socks. Malapit lang yung Larex park pero it didn't even help me to somehow decrease the uneasy feeling in me.
My parents weren't around. They said they would be back later at night. I don't know if it was just me or I just feel like there's something different happening and I don't know what it was. And I just don't have any idea what is it about.
I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket as I took it out. Seeing Brett calling didn't shock me at all.
I bit my lip and answered it instead. "Catty.." His voice seemed like he never sleeped for days.
"Why?" Tanong ko.
I heard him scoffed. "Please don't go away? Okay?"
Napakunot ako ng noo. "What are you talking about?"
"Please reach twenty. Please don't go to Canada. Please.. I'm begging you..." Narinig ko na napasingot siya.
"W-Wait... are you crying?" I asked. "Brett? H-Hey." There was a deafening silence, and then he ended the call.
What's wrong with him? What's wrong with these people! Kinakabahan ako! It's like something big might just happen so suddenly!
Napatingin ulit ako sa oras. It was five eighteen.
I decided to just walk papunta sa park. It was a ten-minute walk and I could handle it. Wala pa naman akong dalang perang pang taxi. I have no money right at this moment. Kaya kung may manghohold-up sakin, I would only be able to give them the latest apple. They could sell it for at least seventy-thousand. Siguro naman at masaya na sila don.
Pagdating ko doon sa park ay wala akong nakitang Denisse. There were only children playing by the playground as I hear their small laughters echoing throughout the whole place.
Naghahabulan sila at naglalaro ng mataya-taya. I haven't played that before, even once. Naririnig ko lang kung paano iyon laruin, but never even in my whole life have I ever played it.
I smiled at the sight of them.
Is this youth?
I sat on one of the swings and stretched it backwards, then I let my feet leave the ground as I feel the fresh air going to my face. My hair suddenly went back and the sunlight was all I see. I went back and forth and watched the sun go down.
Napatingin ulit ako sa wrist watch ko. It was now quarter to seven. Ganon na pala ako katagal namumuni-muni.
Biglang napatigil yung swing. My feet suddenly went to the floor as I felt someone's presence. Tinignan ko kung sino iyon at nakita si Brett.
His eyes were dark and his face was serious. I couldn't define what was his aura right now. Halo-halo ang nakikita kong emosyon sa kanya. It was like he was someone else.
He did had another side. I knew it.
"What are you doing here?" he bit his lip and went in front of me.
Nagulat ako nang lumuhod siya sa harapan ko at pinatong ang ulo niya sa tuhod ko at napayuko.
"W-What... Brett what the hell is happening to you?" He didn't answer I felt there were droplets of water dripping on my feet. "H-Hey." Sinubukan kong tumayo but his hands were persistent. His held my hands so tight like he didn't want to let me go.
"If you don't tell me what's happening, I'll leave–"
Ngayon ay yakap-yakap na niya ang mga binti ko. "No! Just... just stay."
"Brett, I... I'm leaving. I was waiting for Denisse. She said we'll meet up here. But now that she's not, I'll... I'll just leave." I said.
"Don't ever go! Damn!" I was surprised with his sudden curse.
"What the hell? Did I even curse at you?"
Napabuntong-hininga siya. He stood up and ruffled his hair. He placed both of his hands behind his head and started to walk back and forth. Ginawa niya iyon ng paulit-ulit. I just stared at what he was doing until I couldn't take it anymore.
Tumayo ako, he looked at me with teary eyes. Ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganito.
"Ano bang nangyayari! Kanina ka pang umaga! Kanina pa kayong umaga!" I shouted at him.
"You've been texting me na parang may nangyari! I'm worrying okay! I don't know what the freaking hell is happening!" he didn't reply so I continued. "Even yesterday. Even in my own debut! The both of you were looking at me and Kayden like we did something wrong! Your stares were terrifying, but of course, I tried to understand na baka magkagalit kayo dalawa." I shook my head. "Pero hindi e. I didn't know what was wrong–"
Bigla niya akong niyakap. "There are just some things that are so complicated to the point that I couldn't tell you." he whispers. "Just please, don't go."
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng manhid. I didn't know what to feel. His words really sounded so sincere though.
"What if I do?"
He breathed sharply. "I... I don't think I can see you lying in the coffin again." Napakunot yung noo ko.
I was about to release our hug, but instead of doing so, he just pulled me closer. Feeling ko tuloy na nagtataksil ako kay Kayden. He won't even know this, right? Hindi naman siguro niya malalaman na ginawa namin to.
"Sshhh... It's not the right time." He patted my back. "Promise me you'll never go."
Napapikit ako. I smelt his fresh cologne. It was simple at hindi masakit sa ilong. "Why?"
"Please don't go when I tell you that your parents passed away just after you got home from school."
YOU ARE READING
Endless You
General Fiction[Youth#1] When you feel love for the first time, you'll never know what to do. There wasn't the word 'right' neither the word 'wrong'. You would just scream between pillows and cry on someone's shoulder because you felt it. For the very first time...
