TW: Disturbing scenes/informations.

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MAY tila kung anong mabigat ang nakapatong sa aking noo, dahilan upang hindi ko kaagad magawang imulat ang aking mga mata. Sinubukan kong igalaw ang aking kanang kamay upang tabigin ang bagay na 'yon. "Aray!" reklamo ng isang boses.

Napalingon ako sa gawing kaliwa. Naro'n si Lyden, nakaupo sa isang silya habang nakangiwi sa akin. "Kailangan talagang manakit, Ceri?" reklamo niyang muli. Nangunot ang aking noo nang maigala ko ang aking mga mata. Saka ko lang napagtantong nasa clinic ako at sa kasamaang palad ay itong batang ito pa talaga ang nagbabantay sa 'kin.

May hawak siyang maliit na bimpo. 'Yon yata ang nakalagay sa noo ko kanina na napapatungan ng mabigat niyang kamay. "Hindi naman ako nilalagnat, Ross," wika ko.

Kumunot naman ang kaniyang noo nang marinig sa 'kin ang pangalawa niyang pangalan dahil minsan ko lang siyang tawagin gamit 'yon. Ngumuso siya bago muling bumaling sa akin. "Oh? I see," kumakamot niyang sagot. "I thought you had a fever because your face was red when I found you earlier," katwiran niya pa.

Nakuha niyon ang aking atensiyon. "Wait, what happened earlier? Paano ako napunta rito? The last thing I remember..." tanong ko habang nakakunot ang noong inaalala ang mga pangyayari kanina no'ng pumunta ako ng palikuran mag-isa. Bahagyang sumakit ang aking ulo nang pilirin kong alalahanin 'yon. Pansin ko rin ang biglaang pagtaas ng aking mga balahibo.

"Don't you remember? You called me, but I only heard you sniffing and gasping for air. Although some words sounded like a whisper, it's a good thing Avril told me that you went to the restroom on your own. Judging by the poorness of your connection, I concluded that you were in the restroom with the poorest signal reach within the campus. Tama nga ako," mahabang paliwanag niya.

"And then, that's it?" tanong ko. Pinagtaasan ko pa siya ng kilay, naghihintay ng susunod niyang sasabihin. Ngunit tila wala na siyang iba pang ipaliliwanag. 

"Yes, that's all... why?" nagtatakang tanong niya.

His brows were almost meeting in between. Probably getting weirded out by my question.

"Didn't you... uhm, see something? Or, perhaps someone inside the restroom... nothing?" I asked him again, consequently, this time. 

He scratched his nape before answering, "No."

Now it's me who's furrowing my brows out of both curiosity and frustration.

"Why?" Worry is evident in his tone. "Was there anyone who came before me?" he guessed.

I shook my head without looking at him. "Nothing. Never mind," I reassured him.

"Okay?" he hesitated. It took me another few minutes before he spoke again. "Anyway, should I tell Heaven that you're unwell?"

Naputol ang lalim ng iniisip ko.

Oo nga pala't ngayon ang napag-usapang pagkikita namin kasama si Ate Heaven. Kaagad akong nakonsensiya at bumuntong-hininga. Umiling ako. "No need. Kaya ko naman. Sasama ako mamaya, nahilo lang siguro ako kanina," sagot ko sa kaniya.

Naabutan ko siyang nagtitipa na ng mensahe para sa pinsan niya, upang sana'y sabihing hindi ako makasasama mamaya. Natigil siya nang marinig ang sagot ko.

The clicking sound of his fingernails through the phone's screen abruptly stopped. He looked up at me with furrowed brows and a worried expression. "Huh? But you are pale," he stated.

"I am fine," I argued.

"No, you're not. You're clearly unwell; I'm rescheduling the lunch," he argued as well.

I raised a brow at him and heaved a sigh in the end. "Lyden, don't be stubborn. I said I am fine. Or at least I will be after I take some rest," I insisted.

It was his turn to breathe out a heavy sigh, scratching his nape again. "Alright, since you say so. I'll go to my next class. Make sure to take some rest. Don't worry about your professors; I already made an excuse letter for you," he said, gathering his belongings so hurriedly that he almost dropped his phone on the floor. "I'll fetch you here later," he reminded me before dropping a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Okay," I assured him.

"Bye, ate." He waved his hand while walking bakwards. I watched him disappear from my sight.

After he left, I inhaled a huge amount of air and then breathed it out. It still bothered me that Lyden didn't see the creature that I'd encountered a while ago in the restroom. I felt a slight pain in my head, making me close my eyes as tightly as I could. I tried relaxing myself.

Baka nga nahilo lang ako, kaya may kung anong nilalang na ang nabuo ng malikot kong imahinasyon.

Nahiga ako sa maliit na clinic bed upang ikalma ang aking sarili.

Nagpapatugtog ng nakaaantok na musika ang nurse na naka-duty ngayon, kaya naman hindi ko namalayang naidlip na pala ako. Nagising na lang ako dahil sa ingay na nagmumula sa tabi ng kinahihigaan ko, pati na rin ang likod ng kung sino man 'tong nasa tabi ko na halos ugain na ang kama. Iminulat ko ang aking mga mata upang tignan kung sino 'yon. Naabutan kong nagtutulakan at nagbabangayan sina Avril at Lyden. 

Dahan-dahan akong bumangon upang maupo. Ilang segundo pa bago nila napansing gising na ako.