OXYGEN

XXXVII

Every breathe you take, is a life for me.

***

"You okay, Cora?" Darcy asked habang nasa loob kami ng lift.

I smiled at her weakly, trying to hide the emotions that I am dealing.

"Oo naman," sagot ko sa kanya.

Lalo akong natahimik habang inaalala ang pagkapit ni Doctor Glory kay Doctor Elliot habang papalabas sila kanina sa lift. They're perfect for each other. Doctor Glory is probably smiling from ear to ear because she's that close to Doctor Elliot.

The way she look at him is obviously telling me how she admires him. Sino bang hindi? Doctor Elliot is a total package. If only men and women are together, she would've probably thrown herself to him.

Pagpasok namin sa kwarto ay naabutan namin sina Rewele, Fiona at Suzy na nagtatawanan. They looked at us for a minute before they started laughing again.

Hindi kami kumibo ni Darcy at nagpatuloy lang sa paggawa ng kakailangan namin. Rewele started whispering something to Suzy and Fiona and the two laughed harder.

Pagkatapos kong magbihis ay humiga ako sa kama. I tried to close my eyes and pulled myself into the abyss. Pumasok ulit sa isipan ko ang mukha ni Doctor Elliot. I can't stop thinking how he managed to ignore me. Like a wind that's invisible in his naked eyes.

Mariin akong pumikit hanggang sa makatulog ako.

I was dead asleep for hours until Darcy tapped my shoulder. I immediately wiped my eyes before looking at her.

"Bakit?" Mahinanon kong tanong.

"There's an emergency," she answered.

Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

"What do you mean?"

"Women are outside the white palace, protesting about the results of the exam," aniya na may lungkot sa mukha.

Mabilis akong umayos ng upo at hinarap niya.

"The results are out?" Tanong ko sabay yogyog sa balikat niya.

She nodded her head. Agad na pumasok ang kaba sa dibdib ko nang maalala si Herriene.

"Kailangan nating tingnan ang result! I need to find out kung nakapasa ba si Herriene!" I shouted and fixed myself.

"Who's Herriene?" Mabilis niyang tanong at tumayo sa harap ko.

"My roommate!" I exclaimed.

Tumango siya ng dahan-dahan at tinulungan ako sa pagbibihis. Halo-halong takot, kaba at excitement ang nararamdaman ko sa mga oras na ito.

Papalabas na sana ako sa pinto ng biglang nagsalita si Darcy.

"Wait, Cora! May ipinabibigay pala si Doctor Elliot sayo," pigil niya sa akin.

Nilingon ko siya at nakita ko ang maliit na envelope sa kanyang kamay. Result siguro iyon ng evaluation ng project ko.

"Ilagay mo nalang diyan sa bag ko, kunin ko mamaya," sagot ko.