ERALD
NAGKATINGINAN KAMING dalawa ni Clyde nang itanong ni Charlotte ang mga pangalan namin. The question "What the hell is going on" was written all over our faces.
"Madam President, hindi magandang biro 'yan," tugon ko. "Alam kong na-miss mo rin kami kaya siguro naisipan mong mang-trip sa amin."
At first, I thought she was trying to pull off a prank, playing with her selective amnesia card. But when she said nothing to suggest that she was just joking, the seriousness of her condition became apparent to us.
Napatawa nang marahan si Charlotte. "Seriously, who are you two?"
Her innocent facial expression also offered no clue that this was just a trick. May kuryosidad sa mga mata at may bahid ng pagtataka sa mukha niya. She totally forgot about Clyde and I!
"My name's Clyde Caballero," the four-eyed man beside me introduced himself before motioning his hand to me. "And he's my classmate, Erald Castell. Pareho kaming member ng QED Club."
Mabuti na lang, "classmate" ang ginamit niyang term para ipakilala ako. Baka masuka pa ako nang wala sa oras kapag "kaibigan" o "friend" ang nabanggit niya. Proper choice of words matters!
"And I am the president of the QED Club, right?" tanong ni Charlotte, nakaturo ang daliri sa sarili habang papikit-pikit ang mga mata. "Now that you have mentioned your names, familiar nga sila sa akin. Clyde and Erald... Ah! I've read them in my journal! But sadly, I don't recall meeting you two in person."
This must be the effect of her lingering memory reset. Ang kaso ngayon, parang ilang weeks ang nawala sa kanyang memorya. Dati kasi, iilang senaryo lang ang hindi niya maalala. The trauma of almost being drowned must be too strong that it erased her memories of us existing in her life.
"This happens sometimes," Charlotte frowned. "May problema yata sa memory storage ng utak ko. My mind may not recall who you two are, but my heart says that you are my friends."
Friends, huh?
"We understand," Clyde smiled. "Erald may disagree with your choice of word, but the fact is that we three know one another."
"Why don't you come in? Dito na tayo sa loob mag-usap," Charlotte swang the door open and let us inside of their unit.
Base sa laki nito na halos kalahati lang ng isang regular classroom, nasa dalawa hanggang tatlong tao ang nakatira. Four-eyes said that Charlotte's living with her mother. I was not ready to meet her face-to-face again. But thankfully, she was nowhere to be seen, thus averting our untimely meeting.
"Please have a seat!" our host gestured to the couch. "Ipagtitimpla ko lang kayo ng juice."
Umupo kami ni Clyde sa couch habang inihahanda ni Charlotte ang refreshment. She was crushing ice and pouring water into the pitcher. Nag-volunteer si apat-na-mata na tulungan siya, but our host declined the help.
"Did you know about her condition?" Clyde whispered as he returned to his seat. "That she can't recall some parts of her memories? This wasn't the first time she forgot about something."
If this was his attempt at small talk, fine, I would bite. "Noong nasa leadership seminar tayo, naikuwento sa akin ni Charlotte na nagkakaroon ng lapses sa kaniyang memory. Kaya nga tuwing nakikita natin siya sa club—"
"—lagi siyang nagsusulat sa kaniyang journal at kumukuha ng mga litrato gamit ang SLR camera niya?" Clyde finished. "Gano'n na ba siya mula pagkabata?"
May ideya naman pala itong si apat na mata, bakit niya pa itinatanong sa akin?
I shrugged, pretending to not know what had happened. "She might have been involved in an accident a few years ago. Baka dahil doon, na-damage ang part ng utak niya na responsable para sa kanyang alaala."
Hindi na dapat malaman ni Clyde kung ano ang nangyari sa nakaraan so why should I bother telling him the truth?
His eyes squinted, staring at the floor as he touched his chin. "It was during the club fair incident when she had her first memory reset that we know of. Remember noong nakatanggap siya ng letter mula sa execom? Hindi niya matandaan na ikaw ang nag-defuse ng bomba kahit nandoon siya sa scene."
Wala naman akong kondisyon ng kagaya kay Charlotte kaya tandang-tanda ko pa 'yon. There was no need to remind me.
"The second time it happened was during the leadership training seminar." Clyde's eyebrows furrowed deeper and closer to each other. "Hindi niya maalalang natuloy pala ang activity pagkaligtas natin sa kanya."
I was about to protest his use of "natin" but I remembered that he also played a role on reviving our club president back then. Ako ang nagpakabasa sa swimming pool habang si Clyde naman ang nagsagawa ng mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I would let that slide.
"Your main point being...?" My left eyebrow raised.
Enlightened, Clyde turned to face me as he raised his forefinger. "May common denominator ang dalawang insidente. Her memory resets happened when she felt a fear of dying in the fake bomb threat and when she almost drowned in the pool. That's the only explanation on why she had these episodes. Don't you agree?"
Kahit ayaw ko mang makipagtitigan sa kaniya, napilitan ang mga mata kong sumalubong sa kanyang tingin. I agree to his observation, but it was such a shame that he got to it first. "Extreme emotions can trigger her memory resets."
"Posibleng tama ka," tumango si Clyde sabay sulyap kay Charlotte na hinahalo na ang powdered juice sa pitsel ng tubig. "Something happened in the past that led to her condition. If not, she must have been born with that curse, if I can call it that way."
Napasampal ang mga kamay ko sa aking mukha. Kahit saang anggulo kasi tingnan, ang puno't dulo ng sumpa, gaya ng sinabi ni apat-na-mata, kay Charlotte ay dahil sa 'kin. Kaya kung may dapat sisihin... Ugh! Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi ko! Kinakatok na ni konsensya ang pinto ng bakal kong puso.
Inilapag ni Charlotte sa glass table ang dalawang babasaging baso at isang pitsel ng pineapple juice. Being the gentleman, si Clyde na ang nagbuhos ng inumin para sa amin.
I can't believe that I would say this, but it pained me to see our club president in a state where she had to suffer from memory losses. Knowing that she's alive was a blessing, but to live in a world where she might forget her experiences wasn't a good condition.
Hindi ko siya magawang titigan sa mata. Because whenever my eyes stare at hers, all I could see was my own reflection, guilty for whatever my action had caused her.
"Aware ako sa mga nangyari na sa club, thanks to my journal," sambit ni Charlotte pagkaupo niya sa kabilang couch. "How I wish that I can remember sharing those moments with you. Pasensya na, ha? Medyo pumapalya ang memory storage ko, eh."
Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa baso at nahinto ako mula sa aking pag-inow. She tried to laugh it off, but I felt a burden in my heart when she tried to. Diniretso ko na lang ininom ang juice at saka ini-refill ang aking baso.
"Do you have an idea kung saan galing ang kondisyon mo?" tanong ng masigasig na si Clyde. Muntik ko nang maibuga ang pineapple juice nang marinig ang tanong niya. Talagang gusto niyang malaman ang puno't dulo nito. I can't fault him for his vigor to know the root cause. After all, he's concerned about Charlotte.
"My mom said that I almost got hit by car four years ago sa isang crossing malapit sa school," Charlotte recalled, putting down her glass. She took a pause as if she was recollecting her memories. "My head hit the ground kaya nagkaroon daw ng damage sa temporal lobe ng utak ko. They thought that I was going to die in a hospital. But fortunately, they transfered me to another facility and conducted an operation on me. Four years later, here I am, still alive and kicking... and forgetting some of my memories!"
Parang sinasaksak ang puso ko habang pinapakinggan ang kanyang kwento. She was smiling, but there was a lingering sadness in her eyes. All she could do was to remain positive.
"Four years ago..." Clyde repeated after taking a sip. "Do you still remember kung saan ka naaksidente?"
"Malapit sa Central Elementary School," sagot ni Charlotte. "Elementary pa lang ako noon. Patawid na ako sa pedestrian lane nang may nagmamadaling kotseng muntik nang sumagasa sa akin. My mom told me that someone pushed me out of harm's way. Hindi na namin matandaan kung sino. If it weren't for that person, I might have been run over and, you know, dead. I hope that I will meet that person someday and thank him for saving me."
Despite the guilt that I have been feeling throughout this visit, I felt somehow relieved that Charlotte acknowledged my effort to save her back then. My dad and sister tried to persuade me that committing heroic acts is outright stupid, but the girl whom I pushed away from harm's way affirmed that what I did was anything but stupid.
For years, I was led to believe that my heroism cost someone her life. I began to doubt if the scenario could have played out differently. Paano kung dahil sa pagka-atat kong magligtas ng buhay, napasama pa tuloy ang tutulungan ko? What if my attempt to save Charlotte from danger wasn't necessary at all because she could manage herself? What if she had quick reflexes and could have dodged the incoming car?
Bahagyang naibsan ang pagdududa sa dibdib ko. Para akong nabunutan ng tinik.
Nagawi ang tingin ko sa aking katabi. Didikit na sa labi ni Clyde ang kanyang baso nang bigla siyang nahinto. He sat like a statue for a moment. Na-brainfreeze ba siya? Hindi naman gano'n kalamig at kadami ang yelo sa iniinom namin.
"Hey, are you okay?" tanong ko.
Four-eyes shook his head and his consciousness appeared to have returned. Ang akala ko'y inaatake na siya. "I'm fine! This is nothing."
"Teka, may kukunin lang ako. Be right back!" Iniwan muna kami ni Charlotte sa sala at dumiretso siya sa kanyang kwarto.
Diretso kong inubos ang pineapple juice bago ako napatingin kay Clyde. Definitely there was something strange in his reaction earlier. I would have wanted to ask him, but probably that was none of my business. Baka naawa lang siya sa aksidenteng kinasangkutan ng club president namin noon.
"Wala naman pala tayong dapat na ikabahala," komento ni apat-na-mata sabay baba ng kanyang baso. "Charlotte only needs to rest until she feels better. Baka makapasok na ulit siya this week."
Aba, doktor na pala siya ngayon? "Once she's okay, we will deal with the rogue K-OS Club. The execom is expecting us to solve the leadership seminar mystery and to bring those accountable to justice."
"You told me at the ecopark that you already know who's behind it, didn't you?" Clyde gave me a sideward look. "Hindi na tayo mahihirapang pabagsakin sila kung kinakailangan."
"Unfortunately, I don't have anything to prove that that person is the brains behind the rogue club," I sighed. "Noong una kaming nagkita, nagpakilala siya bilang supreme leader ng kanilang grupo. Noong nagkausap kami kaninang umaga, he confirmed that he ordered Charlotte's abduction. Sa kasamaang palad, hindi ko na-record ang mga sinabi niya sa dalawang pagkakataong 'yon."
Even if I did, Torry said that he would still find a way to get away from it. Such confidence.
"Thus we have to find a way to link him to the chaos they wreaked?" Clyde adjusted his eyeglasses. "That's where the list of seminar attendees comes in. We have to identify who among them is the conspirator and make him pinpoint their mastermind."
"Easier said than done," I commented. "The task will be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack."
"Napakaseryoso n'yo yata riyan?" Lumabas na si Charlotte mula sa kaniyang kuwarto, may nakasabit na digital camera sa kanyang leeg. I can't help but notice that the one hanging around her neck was a different model.
"Nagpalit ka ba ng camera?" tanong ko habang inaayos niya ang settings ng kanyang gadget. "Hindi naman ganyan ang ginagamit mo dati."
"I lost my camera at the ecopark," sagot niya, pasulyap-sulyap sa akin. "Sabi kasi ni mama, nawalan daw ako ng malay sa kalagitnaan ng leadership seminar kaya hindi na napansin kung saan napunta 'yon. Wala tuloy akong copy ng mga litratong kinuhanan ko roon."
Ngayong nabanggit niya, wala akong maalalang nakasabit na camera sa leeg niya noong tinali siya sa pool. Wala rin akong napansin na camera sa paligid. Baka aksidenteng nahulog nang dukutin siya ng taga-K-OS Club?
"Ready na ba kayo for picture-taking? Let's restart making some memories together!" Charlotte squeezed herself between Clyde and I. She stretched out her hand holding the camera and focused the lens on us.
"One... Two... Three!"
Click!
Napapikit ang mga mata ko nang bumulaga sa akin ang nakasisilaw na flash. Medyo nandilim ang aking paningin, ang akala ko nga'y hindi na ako makakikita.
"Bakit naka-on naman ang flash? Muntik na akong mabulag!" reklamo ko.
"So-Sorry! Nakalimutan kong i-adjust ang settings. Isa pa?"
"Teka—"
Click!
Muling kumuha ng litrato ni Charlotte. Wala nang nakabubulag na flash. She checked the photo on the preview screen and smiled. "I may no longer remember what happened before but I can feel the synergy among the three of us."
"We may have our own differences, but still we are the best team that we've got," sagot ni Clyde. "Right, Erald?"
Napatango na lang ako. Ayaw kong sirain ang mood, lalo na ni Charlotte, so I played along. "Yeah, yeah."
Hindi na kami masyadong nagtagal sa unit ni Charlotte. Our short visit was over. Hinatid niya kami sa elevator lobby at hinintay na bumukas ang pinto nito. Smiling, she waved her hand as the elevator door closed.
"See you this week!" We heard her say before she vanished from our eyeshot.
"She may not remember us, but she's still the same Charlotte that we met at the clubroom," Clyde commented, staring at the floor number display. "I hope this would be the last time her memory was reset."
"As long as we keep her from extreme emotional triggers, she won't suffer another episode of memory loss again," I replied, crossing my arms and staring at my own reflection on the mirror. "We must keep her away from the pranks of the K-OS Club. Baka muli na naman siyang targetin."
Nabaling ang pataligid na sulyap sa akin si Clyde. "Mukhang concerned ka na ngayon sa kaniya, ah? You seemed to not care about her before."
Tumaas ang kanang kilay ko. "I may not be a good member, but I sort of respect her as our club president. And mind you, we still have scores to settle with that rogue group. The moment they put Charlotte in that pool, they officially declared war against us. Nagkakamali ka kung iniisip mong ginagawa ko ito para kay Charlotte. Ginagawa ko ito para sa club."
Kumurba ang mga labi ni Clyde at bumuo ng pang-asar na ngiti. Kahit wala siyang sinabi, napatibok niya ng ilang segundo ang ugat sa aking sentido.
Ding!
We got out of the elevator as soon as we reached the ground floor. Saktong paglabas naming dalawa ng hotel nang biglang huminto ang isang kotse sa tapat namin. Lumabas ang isang driver na nasa mid-thirties na at binuksan ang pinto sa backseat.
May balak ba siyang dukutin kaming dalawa ni apat-na-mata? O baka naman...
"My dad asked our driver to fetch me," Clyde explained, turning to me. "Magkita na lang tayong dalawa sa school bukas. Let's deal with the K-OS Club as soon as we are complete again."
Hindi ko inakalang may pagka-rich kid pala itong si Clyde. At may driver pa talaga sila.
Strangely, the car that he got into was familiar. Alam kong maraming nagkalat na ganyang model dito sa city pero tila may kakaiba sa isang ito.
Pagkasara ng car door, tuluyan nang nag-drive palayo ang kotse. Hindi lang ang model ang pamilyar, maging ang tunog ng engine nito at ang plate number. Saan ko na nga ba nakita ang—
Halos malaglag ang panga ko nang maaala kung saan ko unang nakita ang kotse.
I already saw that vehicle four years ago, on the day that I saved Charlotte from that same car.