That Golden Boy: Collection of Random Short Stories

55: ONCE UPON A POTTERHEAD

Tumikhim pa muna ako para basagin ang katahimikan ngunit nag-umpisa na rin siyang magsalita. "Jean, promise me something."

I gave him a puzzled look. "A-Anything..." I thoughtfully uttered.

"Never try to save me again," he earnestly remarked. "

"If I had some friends other than you, l would put myself on the line-"

"But you hadn't. Had you?" He crossed his arms, his blue eyes focused at me like laser beams. I just shook my head as a respond but still, it looks he's waiting for me to say something more.

"Promise me..."

"Yeah, noted Harry." He sighed in relief and broke our eye contact. May dinukot siyang kung ano sa kaniyang bulsa at napagtanto kong isa iyong flash drive.

"Here, wala ka pang Harry Potter movies 'di ba? Nakapag-download ako kagabi, you can those files para makapag-binge watching ka rin."

Kinuha ko na iyon sa kamay niya't magpapasalamat na sana nang mapansin kong dumudugo na naman yung mga sugat niya. "Yung sugat mo oh, halika nga, pumunta tayo sa clinic, gagamutin natin 'yan." Kakamot-kamot siyang sumunod sa'kin hanggang sa makarating kami sa clinic.

Hindi lang isang beses... dalawang beses...

I looked at Harry because for the third time, we ended up here in the clinic. May ilang loko-lokong estudyante na naman ang nang-trip sa kaniya.

He doesn't want me to pity him but I can't help myself to show my emotions. Hindi niya pinapatulan yung mga nangti-trip sa kaniya idagdag mo pa yung mga pambubugbog ng tiyuhin niya kaya nakaramdam rin ako ng inis.

Pero hindi ko siya masisi, alam kong may dahilan siya kung bakit hindi niya magawang lumaban.

"N-Napanood mo na?" patukoy niya muli do'n sa movies na nasa flash drive. "Hindi pa rin e. Baka panoorin ko na mamaya."

Pauwi na kami, napagpasyahan naming magsabay na lang dahil papunta raw siya sa palengke na madadaanan ko rin pauwi ng bahay.

Ngayon lang kami nagsabay kaya medyo nanibago pa 'ko. "Do you think magic really exists?" He wandered in a while.

I smiled in an instant. "Yes... There's something magical about..." Ano kayang magandang halimbawa?

"About what?" he interestedly asked.

"Aha! For example... There's something magical about putting yourself into life. You've got to stand up and take responsibility for your own life and you cannot abandon that." I purposely mumbled.

I think he got what I mean.

"Loving yourself could be an example for that. Alagaan mo rin kasi minsan yung sarili mo, kung kailangan mong lumaban, lumaban ka lalo't nakapanig ka sa tama." Napangiwi siya sa sinabi ko. "Yes or no lang yung sagot sa tanong ko pero ang dami mong nasabi... Pero salamat."

"Ikaw ba? Naniniwala ka bang mayroong gano'n?" Inalalayan niya pa muna ako sa tabi dahil may dadaang tricycle saka niya 'ko nilingon.

"Yes, but like you, not literally. The appearance of things change according to the emotions, and thus we see magic and beauty in them..." Nginitian niya pa muna ako bago nagpatuloy. "While the magic and beauty are really in ourselves."

***

My days went gloomy. Harry haven't been going to school these past few days. No'ng hapong sinabayan niya pa 'kong umuwi yung huling kita't usap namin.

Sumaglit rin ako sa bahay nila noong nakaraang araw para kausapin siya ngunit naglayas raw ito ayon sa mga kapitbahay. Sa kanila ako nagtanong dahil natatakot akong lumapit sa tiyuhin niyang balbasin at malaki ang katawan.