Chapter 10: Techno Alvarez
Kaagad na bumalik sa ulirat ang nakatulalang si Techno nang bigla ay hampasin ni Minrod ng sobrang lakas ang mesa nito gamit ang dalawa nitong palad. Sa sobrang lakas ng pagkakahampas niyang ‘yon, ay hindi mapigilan ng mga kaklase niya ang mapapitlag.
He was obviously mad.
“Speak yourself,” with furious eyes, he commanded the latter firmly.
“I told her not to butt in, but she didn't listen.” He answered while avoiding the latter’s furious gazed.
“Minrod, I told you I'm fine—”
“I can see the blood clearly!” He yelled and irritatedly cutt Solo’s sentence.
Gun butt in, “Then who’s that guy who just attacked the two of you a while ago? What was that all about?”
Bahagyang lumapit si Solo kay Techno para tanungin ito, “What money is he referring to?”
Pailalim naman siyang tiningnan ni Techno, “None of your concern.”
“That’s bullshit, Alvarez.” Talagang galit na galit si Minrod dahil sa malulutong nitong pagmumura. “Bakit kailangan mong magkautang sa lalaking ‘yon? May bisyo ka ba? Umiinom? Naninigarilyo? Drugs? Gumbling?”
Doon na sinalubong ni Techno ang mga tingin ni Minrod, “Mukha ba akong adik sa panting in mo, Cameo?” He asked. “At tsaka isa pa, ano bang ikinagagalit mo? Ang pagkadamay ni Solo sa gulo ko o ang sugat niyang natamo?”
“What do you think the reason would be?” That roaring voice of a Minrod Jiv Cameo creeps the hell out of him.
“Minrod, I said I’m fine.”
That’s when Minrod face Solo, “You could have gotten yourself killed!” He yelled.
“But I didn’t!” Solo yelled back.
Humugot ng isang malalim na hininga si Minrod, saka niya hinilot ang kaniyang sintido, na para bang nauubos ang pasensiya niya sa tigas ng ulo nitong kaniyang kausap.
“Asla, kindly accompany her to the clinic and let the school nurse clean her wound, I’ll follow you there later.”
“No, I’m not going anywhere.” Seryoso naman nitong sagot, saka nito binalingan si Techno. She place her palm on the table, that’s why the blood from her hand started dripping on the surface. "Speak yourself, explain everything to me and make me understand why you got in this kind of situation. I’ll help you in the best way I can.” She almost begged but that latter don’t even pay an attention to her. “Techno please, let me hear you out.”
Napatitig si Techno sa mga dugong patuloy na tumutulo sa kaniyang lamesa. He nodded, then face Solo with an expression that can scare anybody, but not Solo Elis.
Tumayo si Techno. “Sino ka ba sa tingin mo, ha? Bakit ba kailangan mong makialam? Kung hindi ka lang sana nakialam kanina edi sana, hindi lumaki ng ganito ang problema ko. Ang ayos-ayos ng pakiusap ko kaninang huwag kang makialam. Ano ‘yon? Sa sobrang talino mo hindi mo naintindihan? At tsaka, bakit ba may pake ka, ha?”
Halos mapaatras si Techno sa gulat nang bigla ay kinwelyuhan siya ng sobrang higpit ni Solo. Sa biglaan at mabilis na kilos na iyon ni Solo ay napakislot ang mga kaklase niya sa gulat. By looking at Solo’s eyes who got a blank emotion, hindi niya alam kung bakit siya biglaang napalunok at natakot. Hindi niya pa gano’n kakilala si Solo at pakiramdam niya’y na-triggered ‘to sa sinabi niya kanina.
Titig na titig din ito sa mga mata niya kaya naman hindi niya ito matingnan pabalik. Ang dugo naman sa mga palad ni Solo kanina ay dumikit na ngayon sa malinis na uniporme ni Techno.
“I claimed myself as one of your friend — so I guess — I got the right to care. I did understand what you’ve warned me during the commotion earlier, but I’m not that kind of person who leaves a friend during hard times just to save my ass and run for my life. Now, if you don’t want me to care about you, tell me your problem. And let me help you just for this thing, just this one.”
Pabato nitong binitawan si Techno kaya naman pabagsak itong napaupo pabalik. Bigla na lang ay bigla itong nawala sa sarili at tumulala. Para rin itong nanghina dahil sa mga nangyayari sa paligid niya.
“I told you I’m f-fine,”
Solo sighed, “If you don’t want to talk about what happened, then say so. Don’t just lie and say it’s fine.”
Tumahimik ang classroom nila. Hanggang ngayon ay sobrang sama pa rin ng tingin nina Minrod at Gun sa nakatulalang kaibigan. While the other ones look so worried, especially Asla.
Lumapit si Asla saka naupo sa harapan ng kaibigan. Habang umiiyak sa sobrang pag-aalala, ay hinawakan niya ang kamay ng kaibigan niya.
“Techno, please say something and let us help. Don’t just say that you’re fine because you’re visibly not. Tell me your problems. You can’t keep it all inside, you know? Bottling it up won’t do any good.” Asla begged her friend.
“I need that money for my mother’s theraphy.” Finally, the latter spoke up. “She was diagnosed with Acoustic Neuroma five months ago,” bahagya siyang nag-angat ng tingin sa kaibigang umiiyak. “Wala na kaming pera, Asla. Kaya kailangan kong umutang para maisagip ko ang buhay ng Mama ko.”
That breaks Asla so much. Asla is a softhearted and sensitive type of person, kaya naman mas lalo siyang naiyak habang pilit nagku-kwento ang kaibigan niya, na ngayon ay pinipilit na lang ang sariling magsalita.
Humugot ng isang malalim na buntong hininga si Techno, saka ito umiling-iling. “Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko, wala na rin akong mga kamag-anak na pwede kong lapitan—”
“Then you should have tell me,” Asla cut the latter. “You know how I wanted people who’s in need.”
“Pero ayaw kong magkaroon ng utang na loob. Ayaw kong may maihusga ka sa‘kin pagdating ng panahon.”
“Alam mong hindi gano’ng tao si Asla, Techno.” Seryosong singit ni Gun.
Hindi na lang umimik pa ang huli at pinili na lang ang manahimik. Nasabi na niya ang rason, wala na dapat siyang ipaliwanag pa. Ayaw niya sanang malaman ng mga kaklase niya ang tungkol dito pero wala na, nasabi na niya. Napilitan siyang sabihin sa mga ito ang totoo.
Bigla ay bumulabog ang pintuan ng classroom nila at bumukas ito ng sobrang lakas, “Cameo, Alvarez, and Severino. To my office, now!” Sigaw ni Mr. Ocampo.
Kaagad lang ding umalis si Mr. Ocampo. Tuloy ay hindi maiwasan ni Minrod ang mapabuntong hininga ng marahas, saka niya bahagyang niluwagan ang necktie ng uniporme niya. Pakiramdam niya’y nasasakal siya sa mga nangyayari.
Bigla na lang ay hinila niya si Solo palabas doon sa classroom nila. Halos kaladkarin niya na rin ito makalayo lang doon. Nang mairita si Solo sa ginagawa niya ay roon niya lang binawi ang braso niya.
“Ano bang problema mo, ha?” Solo asked the latter with brows met.
“I am worried!” He hissed.
“Bakit, ba? Bakit ba nag-aalala ka sa‘kin, ha?” Kunot na kunot ang noong tanong ni Solo.
“I don’t need a damn reason to get worried!” Sigaw na naman nito sa kausap. “Damn it, Severino! You’re getting into my nerves!”
“Then I’m sorry, okay?”
Napatitig si Minrod sa babaeng kaharap niya. He can feel the sincerity behind those words. Now he’s calm and back to normal. Ito lang naman ‘yong talagang hinihintay niyang marinig mula kay Solo.
“I just can’t stop myself from butting in during the commotion a while ago. I just can’t stand there and watch Techno to get hurt. I don’t want to regret things, again.”
Minrod sighed and nodded. “Pumunta na lang muna tayo si opisina ni Mr. Ocampo.”
“Hmn,”
Kaagad na kumilos ang dalawa. Nagpatuloy sila sa paglalakad hanggang sa makarating sila sa opisina ng kanilang Adviser. Nang makapasok sila sa loob ay kaagad na tumama sa kanilang dalawa ang masasamang tingin ng guro nila. Maluwag na rin ang necktie na suot nito.
“Where’s Alvarez?”
Bigla na lang ay bumukas ang pintuan at pumasok si Techno, kaya naman hindi na rin nag-abalang sumagot ang dalawa.
“This is not what I’m expecting from the task that I had assigned you a while ago.” Panimula ni Mr. Ocampo. “You could have call the guard to help you. Severino, it’s not necessary for you to butt in. Now look what you’ve got, a wound.”
Napayuko na lang si Solo dahil sa pangangaral ng guro nila sa kanila. “Cameo, you failed as their protector. Where have you been when the commotion happened?”
“Sir,” sumingit ang nakayukong si Techno. “I’m the one who’s at fault. I’m the one who put them to danger so please, let’s not involved them from my problem.”
“Alvarez,”
“Please, let them leave your office, Sir. Ako po ‘yong kausapin niyo, ako po ‘yong pangaralan niyo. Sa‘kin po kayo magalit. They have nothing to do with this, I have to deal with this all by myself.”
Walang nagawa si Mr. Ocampo kung hindi ang paalisin ang dalawa. Sa oras na nakalabas ang dalawa ay tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo niya. Saka siya naglakad palapit sa kaniyang estudyante.
Tinapik niya ang balikat ng nakayukong si Techno. “Anak, bilang ikalawang magulang mo, normal lang sa‘kin ang magalit at pagsalitaan kayo. Hindi ko kayo kayang tingnan ng nahihirapan at nasasaktan kaya habang may magagawa ako, ilalayo ko kayo sa anumang kapahamakan.”
He sighed, “You know you can approach me when you got problems, right? Pwedeng pwede mo akong lapitan, dahil makikinig at makikinig ako sa mga hinanakit mo sa buhay. Bata ka pa, Techno. Eighteen years old ka pa lang, at kailangan mo pa ang gabay ng isang magulang.”
“If you don’t want to open up, you still have your friends. I know you got each others back in times of any conflicts and circumstances. You don’t have to be selfish and keep it all yourself. Pamilya tayong lahat dito, Techno. Mga kaibigan mo sila, kaya may karapatan tayong lahat na alamin at malaman ang problema ng isa’t isa.”
“Techno, you can tell everyone about your problem, because they will surely understand you.” Mr. Ocampo smiled. “I heard what you said regarding your mother, tell me right away if you needed my help, it’s either financial matter or medicine. Understand?”
“Y-yes, Sir.” Sagot ni Techno habang nakayuko pa rin.
“Come here, ihahatid na kita pabalik sa classroom.” Mr. Ocampo presented.
*****
“I didn’t know that he have that big problems on his shoulder. I mean, this is too much for him to handle.” Si Asla na ngayon ay nakaupo sa pwesto niya habang magkahawak ang mga kamay.
“And what does he mean about they don’t have money anymore?” Ada asked.
“I don’t know either. I guess, none of us know.” Luna answered.
“What should we do then?” That question from Rin make them to remain silent.
Not until Solo sighed and talked, “We have to help him in the best way we can, that’s the least thing we can do.”
“Like what?”
“Supporting his mother’s hospital bill,” Solo answered Ada calmly.
“Let me take care of the medicine,” Ada added. “I got a cousin who worked on a pharmacy.”
“For any further problems regarding his mother’s health, tell me right away and I’ll take care of that. My sister is a Doctor. I’ve been in a situation before that’s worst than this, and I don’t want Techno to experience the same shit.”
“Techno,”
Bigla na lang ay binanggit iyon ni Solo habang nakatingin sa nakabukas na pintuan ng classroom nila. Napatingin din ang mga kaklase nila roon, only to see Techno together with their class adviser, Mr. Ocampo who were smiling at them and looks so proud after hearing their entire conversation. And Techno, who’s supposed to be happy is not happy at all. He was just calm and silent, and got a blank emotion as well.
“By the way, Severino.” Tawag pansin ng guro kay Solo. “I called your guardian a while ago and tell him the exact thing that happened to you. And I guess, he’s on his way right here.”
“G-guardian?” Solo literally stuttered. Bigla na lang ay napalunok siya nang pumasok sa isip niya si Zon. Paniguradong mapapagalitan siya nito ngayon. Damn! “Uhm, excuse me.”
Kaagad siyang lumabas sa classroom nila at tinakbo ang elevator. Nang makarating doon, she went inside and immediately press the G button. She was alone inside the elevator that’s why she got the chance to speak her thoughts up.
“Damn! Now I’m dead. I am literally dead once he see me being like this. I just hope he won’t hit me for the first time.” Walang tigil niyang pagsasalita sa loob ng elevator.
Bigla na lang ay napatingin siya sa kamay niya kung saan ay medyo natuyo na rin ang mga dugong kanina lang ay umaagos doon. Nagsisi pa tuloy siyang hindi siya nakinig kay Minrod kaninang ipalinis ang sugat niya.
Bigla na lang ay naramdaman niyang nagvibrate ang cellphone niya mula sa bulsa ng kaniyang blazer. Nang makita ang pangalan ni Zon doon sa caller ID ay nagdalawang isip pa tuloy siya kung sasagutin ba niya ang tawag o hindi.
Bigla na lang ay bumukas ang pintuan ng elevator. Lalabas na sana siya pero kaagad siyang natigilan nang bumungad sa kaniya ang nakatayong si Zon, na ngayon ay hawak-hawak ang telepono niyang nakadikit sa tenga nito.
Solo gulped, “Zon—”
Hindi na siya nakapagsalita pa nang bigla ay hawakan siya nito sa kabilang braso, saka siya nito kinaladkad palayo roon sa elevator. Mabuti na lang talaga at class hours na, kaya naman wala ng mga estudyateng napapadaan sa paligid.
“Zon, let me explain.”
Binitawan ni Zon si Solo, saka sila tumigil sa paglalakad. “I already know what happened, Solo.”
Zon’s calm voice made Solo to feel hesitated. Sa totoo lang ay ramdam na ramdam niya ang galit nito, pero nakakamanghang nagagawa pa rin nitong kumalma. This is what Solo love’s about Zon. Aminado siya sa sarili niyang sakit sa ulo lang ang madalas na dulot niya rito, at nakakamanghang isipin na kahit kailan, maski isang beses, ay hindi pa siya nito nasasaktan. Alam din niya kung paano nito pinapakalma ang sarili nito kapag mainit ang ulo nito sa kaniya kapag may nagagawa siyang hindi nito ikakatuwa.
“What did I say?” Zon take a step backward, and asked Solo while messing his hair. It’s one of his effective way to control himself from getting mad at the latter. He would rather hurt his self than hurt Solo Elis.
Solo looked down, “You told me to behave.” She answered.
“What did you do?”
“The exact opposite.”
“And you don’t even bother to get your wound clean and cured it on the clinic? Hay, Solo. Why are you giving me such headaches?” Parang batang tanong ni Zon.
“Aren’t you going to hit me for causing you much trouble and problems?” Nanghahamong tanong ni Solo sa kausap.
Zon gave her a fuming mad look, “You know I don’t hit girls.”
“Then aren’t you going to yell at me?”
“I’ve gone mad at you for several times now, Solo. And never in our entire life happened that I yelled at you. And that will never gonna happen, even for once.”
“Then—”
“Stop talking and let’s go to the clinic. Para kang bumalik sa pagiging taong grasa sa rating mo ngayon.”
“Nahiya naman ako sa‘yo,” sagot naman ni Solo saka inirapan ang kausap.
How thankful she is for having a guardian like Zon. To her, he’s the coolest guardian that she could ever ask for. She may have the worst attitude and got a hard headed head, she swears — she still got the best guardian she could ever have.
Nang makarating sa clinic ang dalawa ay kaagad na pinalinis ni Zon sa nurse na nakaduty ang sugat ng kasama niya. Kahit ang sugat sa pisngi ni Solo ay pinapalitan na rin niya ng isang malinis na band aid. While the wound that Solo got on her arm were wrapped with gauze bandage.
“I didn’t know that Hunter can do such things and throw you a damn dagger.” Si Zon na ngayon ay nakatayo habang nakacross arms.
“I could have beat him up if I wanted to. He’s kind of nuisance who did nothing but to bugged me. So annoying.” Then Solo rolled her eyes.
Ngayon ay silang dalawa na lang dito sa loob kung saan may mga hospital beds. “Sobrang laki at lawak nga talaga nitong school niyo.” Zon uttered.
Solo didn’t mind what he said. Sa halip ay naglabas ito ng cellphone niya at may tiningnan doon. “I got a task for you to work on, Zon.”
“What?”
Hinarap nito ang cellphone niya sa kausap para ipakita rito ang isang litrato na medyo blurred, pero medyo klaro pa rin ang mukha. Ito ‘yong lalaking umatake sa kanila ni Techno kanina. Patago niya itong nakunan ng litrato kanina habang tumatakbo ito palayo dahil sa biglaang pagdating ni Minrod. And that’s kind of strange.
“Is he the one who’s responsible for that wound you’ve got?” Kunot noong tanong ni Zon nang mapansin ang hawak na balisong noong lalaki sa litrato.
Solo nodded, “I want you to look for him and tell me right away once you got to see him.”
“Why? What are you planning to do?” Zon asked confusedly.
Solo sighed and put her phone back inside of her pocket. “I don’t want to leave an unfinished business, Zon. I don’t want to call it victory not until I got my revenge for him.”
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