"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito?"

Buong akala ko na sa akin magfofocus ang pagpunta nila rito pero mukhang magsisimula lang sila ng world war III e! Kanina pa sila nagtitinginan gamit ang nakakapatay nilang mga tingin. Putangina!

Never would I have imagined being in the same room with both of my parents! Akala ko mangyayari lang ito sa burol ko, pero grabe magkasama sila ngayon.

I'm actually surprised that my Mom hasn't stabbed my father's chest just to kill him. "Ikaw? Ano'ng karapatan mo para magpakita rito sa silid niya sa ospital?!" Bulyaw niya kay Dad and he scoffed at her.

"Wow! Ikaw pa talaga ang nagsabi niyan? E ikaw 'tong nilayo ako sa anak ko dahil takot kang malaman niya ang totoo at ikasuklaman niya!" Sigaw naman ni Daddy and my Mom slapped her in the face.

"I did that for her, Mikael! Hindi mo alam ang buong kwento, putangina."

"I know enough. Kaya alam mong sa ating dalawa ay ako ang may tunay na karapatan para maging magulang niya pagkatapos ng lahat ng ginawa mo sa amin, sa pamilya natin noon!" Dad screamed and I took a deep breath before telling them to stop.

"Hindi na kayo, highschool. If you guys went here to fucking fight and bring up the past, sana ginawa niyo na lang ito sa ibang lugar at hindi sa harapan ko dahil nakakarindi kayo," I said coldly and they both went silent.

"Sorry, anak. Hindi ko lang kasi maintindihan kung bakit nandito ang ama mo," tinapunan niya muli ng tingin si Daddy.

"Matanong nga kita, Mom..." Umayos ako ng upo saka siya tiningnan sa mata. I could tell that she was intimidated with my facial expression. She better be, because I deserve to know every single side of the story as to why she and my father separated kahit alam naman nating lahat na siya ang may mali.

"Bakit ka pa nandito at dumalaw sa aking? Ikaw nga dapat ang wala dito dahil ikaw ang tanging dahilan kung bakit sira ngayon ang pamilya natin!" I shouted at nagulat naman si Mommy sa sudden burst of emotion ko. "Putangina, you cheated on my father at may kapal ng mukha ka noon para sabihin at ipaniwala sa akin na siya ang nanloko? Bullshit!"

I saw how Mom hesitantly looked at me as she tried to hold my arm pero hindi ko siya hinayaang gawin iyon. "Hindi iyan totoo, anak! Sinasabi lang 'yan ng tatay mo para makuha ka niya sa akin," she acted like she was about to cry. I rolled my eyes as I turned to my phone that was vibrating, my friends were probably worried about me.

"Don't even try to beg in front of me to believe you. Kasi si Dad na mismo nagkuwento at naalala ko ang mga pinagusapan niyo noong gabing naghiwalay kayo. Ikaw ang rason, Mommy! Ikaw ang dahilan kung b-bakit..." Dahan dahang umagos ang aking mga luha kasabay naman no'n ay ang pagbagsak ng ekspresyon sa mukha nilang dalawa.

"Hey, don't cry, love." Dad said as he sat right beside me at niyakap ako. Tiningnan lang kami ni Mommy and I know that a lot was running in her mind right now—it looks like she was guilty.

"For so many years... I suffered because Dad wasn't there for me. I was fucking bullied in college!" I screamed at nakita ko ang gulat sa mukha ni Mommy while Dad was just listening to me.

"Sa lahat ng school family events, sa father's day events—ni isa wala akong naranasan. Sira kasi 'tong putanginang pamilya natin! Naalala ko pa noon..." I turned to Mom, "akala mo nagdrop sko dahil kulang na tayo sa pera? Parte lang iyon sa mga rason! Lagi nila ako binubuhusan ng tubig, tinatapunan ng basura, minamaltrato dahil wala akong amang sinusuportahan ako."

"All of the people I trusted..." I couldn't finish my sentence because the tears were overflowing. Ayaw na nila tumigil! "They turned their backs against me kasi maraming taong inggit sa talino ko kaya ginamit nila ang kahinaan ko against me. They projected their insecurities sa akin which resulted in me getting depressed, being an alcoholic, and dropping out of school."

I stayed silent, bigla namang pumasok ang doctor kaya sinubukan kong punasan ang mga luha ko pero huli na noong nakita niya akong humihikbi pa rin habang nakatitig sa kaniya.

"So, you're ready to be discharged. I advise you to be sober for a few days para hindi ka mabinat. Your hospital bills are already paid," the doctor said and my forehead creased.

"Sino po nagbayad?" I asked.

"They told me to not let you know, I'm sorry." My doctor smiled at me before calling a nurse para tanggalin na ang swero ko.

Pagkalabas ng doctor ko ay bigla naman akong niyakap ni Mommy. Nagulat ako kaya hindi ko agad iyon naagapan. "Pasensya ka na anak. Hindi ko alam."

"Paano mo malalaman kung masyado kang abala sa mga lalaki mo?" I sarcastically asked and she acted like she didn't hear my retort.

Pumasok na ang nurse kaya tinanggal na niya ang swero ko.

"Mommy, it hurts!" I cried when a lady was trying to put a needle onto my skin. I was in a hospital. I hated this place because it always finds a way to hurt me.

I am hurt!

"Baby, you have to be strong. I told you not to play in the rain, look you're sick again." Mom told me and I pouted before looking away because the lady in a white uniform can't find the right vein to put the needle in.

"Dad said it was fine!" I argued and Mom gave me a disappointed look. A few minutes later, I was in my hospital ward and moments after the nurse talked to Mom, Dad came rushing into the room.

"My love," he said when he saw me lying on the hospital bed. I showed him my IV and gave him a sad look. "Does it hurt, Ana?" He asked and I nodded.

"The doctor said I would be here if I don't become strong again," I told my Dad. "Am I not strong, Daddy?"

He shook his head, "Of course you're strong, love. You're just vulnerable today because you're sick. But, I know something that could help speed up the process of you getting out of here," he said and I gave him a curious look. He took out a bucket of chicken and fries from the bag he was holding and gave it to me.

I was already holding a chicken drumstick when Mom took it away from me, "Drink medicine first before eating that." I obliged before starting to eat.

"Ayan ang sinasabi ko sa iyo, Mikael. Alam mo namang prone si Rienne sa mga sakit and yet you took her out at naligo sa ulan! You know how dangerous that is? Paano kung hindi pa rin bumaba lagnat niya? Ikaw ang may kasalanan noon!" Mom shouted at Dad but I didn't care about them because it was normal for them to scream at each other. I was already used to it.

"Okay, kasalanan ko na naman! Lagi na lang ako kingina."

"Huwag ka ngang magmura sa harap ng anak mo! Swerte mo hindi niya tayo nauunawaan ngayon, dahil kapag nakarinig ako ng mura galing sa bibig niya—ikaw na naman ang may kasalanan no'n!" Mom said frustratedly at Dad while her arms were crossed.

"Ikaw nga ang dapat umayos dito dahil naririnig tayo ng anak natin magaway! Sa bahay na natin tapusin itong usapan na ito."

If only the screams stop.

"Aalis na muna kami ng Tatay mo para magusap. Tatawagin ko na rin si Claire, alam kong hinihintay niya tayong matapos," Mom said and I nodded. I was sitting on the bed when the door opened and I was expecting Claire to be the one to show up when I saw Kaito looking at me with his tired, but still concerned eyes.

"Oh, buti naisipan mo pang magparamdam sa akin? You didn't even bother explaining to me why you were out so early and replied after leaving me on delivered for hours!" I shouted at him but he heavily sighed before looking deep into my eyes.

"Rienne..." He looked hesitant. Pero I know that something was off about him because of the way he approached me, the way there was tension between us. "Please... Don't start with me right now because I am tired."

My Jaw dropped because of the way he replied to me. This wasn't Kaito. Bakit niya ako ganito itrato ngayon? Something was definitely going on and I needed to know what.

Bago pa ako ulit makapagsalita, pumasok muli sa kwarto ang mga magulang ko kasama si Claire and she was holding a mcdo paper bag at binigay ito sa akin. "I thought that food can make you feel better. Also, huwag ka na muna pumasok bukas, ah? Kaya ko na 'to. Pahinga ka muna," she said and I nodded before taking out the fries and started eating.

Bago ko makalimutan, pinakilala ko si Kaito kay Mommy kahit galit ako sa kanilang dalawa. "Kaito, this is my Mom. Mom, this is Kaito. Dad already knows Kaito because we've already been into his household." I told her which pissed her off.

"Gaano na ba katagal simula noong nakita mo ulit ang ama mo?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Not important."

"Uwi na tayo?" Dad asked, and as I was about to answer bigla naman sumingit si Mommy.

"Umuwi ka na sa akin, anak ko."

I both disregarded them at tumingin kay Kaito who was already looking at me pero mukhang malalim ang kaniyang iniisip dahil hindi niya nakuha ang ipinapahiwatig ng tingin ko sa kaniya.

"Hahatid mo ba 'ko?" I asked Kaito and he nodded before opening the door for me kaya sumunod ako. Hindi niya hinawakan ang aking kamay.

Sobrang daming hindi tama talaga ngayon, putangina!

Noong nasa tapat na kami ng kotse niya, hindi niya rin ako pinagbuksan ng pinto so I broke the ice. "Something is clearly wrong with you. Ano ang nangyari? May ginawa ba akong mali for you to act different around me?" I asked him and he just stared at me.

"Putangina, alam kong alam mo na sobrang daming tumatakbo sa isip ko pero hindi mo man lang ako bibigyan ng paliwanag para tumigil na ang kung ano anong mga kaisipan na bumabagabag sa akin," I told him frustratedly trying fight back the tears that I can feel pooling under my eye.

"Fleurienne... Can't you just be happy that I am here?!" He shouted and I flinched. Hindi na siya ang Kaito na ginusto ko. Bakit siya ganito? "Buti nga pinuntahan pa kita rito e!"

Doon ako tuluyang nainis sa kaniya, "Bro, what the fuck? I didn't fucking asked you to be here, dipshit! You could've just told me that you don't like to see me through text so that I won't be here at the parking lot of the hospital shouting at you, you fucker!" I burst and I saw the hint of regret in his face pero huli na ang lahat. I turned my back against him at nagsimulang maglakad.

Tumulo na muli ang mga luhang pinigilan ko kanina habang naglalakad ako palayo sa kaniya. I wished he didn't change. Pero ano ba ang nangyari? I didn't do anything wrong for me to deserve that.

I never would have imagined Kaito changing the way he acted. It's like there was never a connection between us. Like everything was just for show.