Chapter 5
A Small Talks

Hindi ko alam kung bakit hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin kilala si Prince, ’yong sinasabi ni Rasie. He often told me about him, but I had no idea kung sino talaga siya.  The doctor said, that there was damage in my cerebrum especially in the frontal lobe which is the one who holds thinking, memory, behavior, and movement.

Mag-iilang araw na ako rito sa hospital at madalas lang hinahatidan ng pagkain ni Rasie. I just don’t know him that much. He just introduced himself as my friend. Naniwala naman ako dahil kung hindi ko siya kaibigan, bakit niya ako inaalagaan dito sa hospital?

There was just something which I didn’t know. Who does the person cause me such pain? Gusto kong maalala kung sino ang mga taong ’yon. Gusto kong gumanti. There was a scar in my head. At sa palagay ko, isang matigas na bagay ang tumama rito. I am tired of forecasting!

What if...’yong taong nasa harapan ko ngayon...ay siya pala ang nagdudulot nito sa akin kaya binantayan niya ako? Paano kung siya pala ang nanakit sa akin? Nakakapagod nang mag-isip nang kung ano-ano pa.

Ang hirap kapag nagising ka na lang na hindi mo alam kung ano ang nangyayari sa ’yo. Ang hirap na sa pagmulat ng iyong mata, wala kang pamilyang nakikita at tanging isang tao lang ang narito upang iparinig sa akin na may saysay ako sa mundo. How about my family? Where are they?

I stopped thinking when someone entered with his wheel chair.He wore shades with Rasie on his side. His posture amazed me. My eyes glistened while gazing at his pointed nose, wavy eyelashes, thick brows yet well-shaped, and his...body. He is such a god who fell from heaven! I cannot imagine that I have seen a man like this!

“How are you...Lev?" his smile drawn on his face. He looks at me with love and care. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita pero...parang ang sarap niyang mag-alaga. Napapawi agad ang mga katanungang namuo sa aking isipan.

I smiled at him back. “I’m not...really that fine. But...thank you for visiting me. May I know you?”

“I’m Prince Dale Sandoval, Rasie’s brother," sa sinabi niya pa lang, nakikita ko na sa kaniyang mga mata ang nagniningning na umaga. His hazel eyes piercing my soul. Ang sarap niyang titigan.

Rasie went beside me and put the back on his hand on my forehead. “You’ll be fine soon. Huwag ka na munang babalik sa inyo. Baka mapatay ko pa ’yong Tit—”

“Ras...” I can see how Prince’s eyes signaling Rasie. He was hiding something from me na hindi ko kailangang malaman. Nakikita ko kung paano ito umiwas ng tingin sa kapatid at ngumisi sa akin.

I just heaved a high. Kahit ba naman kayo? What are those things that I mustn’t have to know? Tapos may binanggit siya ngunit naputol dahil sa pagtawag sa kaniya ng kapatid niya kuno. Are they playing with me?

“I will explain everything to you...when you are fully healed,” Rasie said. “But now...you need to take care of yourself.” He smiled at me.

Hindi ko maiwasang isipin ang binanggit niya sa akin. Para siyang may tinatagong sikreto na ikasasakit ng kalooban ko kung sakaling ay malaman ko man.

Ibinalewala ko na lang muna iyon at pekeng ngumisi sa kanila. Rasie went to the edge of my hospital bed and took something in his pocket. My eyes dropped on the phone he was holding. That’s mine!

He handed it to me and smiled. “This is your phone. Prince will be the one to look after you today.” He glanced on Prince who’s smiles is almost up to his ear. “May kailangan kasi akong asikasuhin ngayon. Kaya... aalis muna ako, ha?”

I just nodded. Kumalat sa buong kwarto ang amoy nila. Parang may naalala akong pabango na ganito pero hindi ko lang matandaan kung sino. Siguro...ang kailangan ko munang gawin ngayon ay magpahinga o kaya’y... makipag-usap muna kay Prince. Baka may makuha akong impormasyon.

Tumalikod na si Rasie matapos ako painumin ng gamot. Agad na siyang umalis sa harapan namin at maya-maya pa ay binalot na kaminng katahimikan.

I was staring at the small table beside me with my medicine and water. 

Prince moved near to me and chuckled. “You become beautiful now, Lev...”

Nginitian niya pa ako nang mapansing blangko. Tinapunan ko lang siya ng tingin at humugot ng malalim na hininga. Why do people like him can make me feel like everything were perfect? His smiles made me feel that we have to cherished all things whether it is bad or good. Kahit ganito ang sitwasyon ko, sa bawat ngiti pa lang niya ay napaparam na ang lahat ng mga iniisip kong negatibo.

“Uhm...you have...” I trailed off. “... Disability? Why can’t you walk?” I asked him, smiling. I opt to hide my curiosity why he used wheelchair. I guess...there were no scars or something on his long legs that’s why he can’t walk.

He let out a sigh and took a glimpse on me before dropping his eyes on his legs. “I was accident in this past few months. I can’t walk and still on recovery. Do you feel uncomfortable when I’m around? Just tell me, okay?” In his eyes I found something ehich I couldn’t explain. I am too valued that even him...has injury, I still couldn’t believe that he came to me and spend his time.

“I am thankful because you’re here. Do you know... what happened to me? The person behind this case? Bigla na lamang paggising ko ay nasa hospital na ako. I don’t have really idea why I suddenly goes here,” even I was too cold, I manage to keep talking to him so that he won’t feel bored while sitting on his wheelchair.

“I don’t have ideas. Rasie wasn’t around today. I guess...mayroon siyang idea about sa ’yo.” He held my hands and put it on his lap. “As of now...you must take your medicine and rest. Don’t think too much about what happened to you. Hindi mo naman iyon mahuhulaan kung hindi pa maayos ang sugat mo sa ulo at ang sugat sa...puso mo. You must have to rest and take your medicine regularly,” aniya na parang nanenermon sa akin. I know he won’t leave, but...in his words, he reminded me what things should I do made me feel comfortable.

I looked at his hazel eyes, thick brows and kissable lips. I wanna touch it. I breathed heavily when I felt his gaze on me.

“Hindi ka naman siguro aalis, ’no? Babantayan mo ba ako?” I was like a child, asking my mother to stay beside me. Because this time, I badly need someone beside me...even he was just a stranger. Because even my mind can’t read what they think, but my heart can.

Alam ng puso ko kung sino ang taong kailangan ko. Even my shadow knows who really the person I want to be with. Once na maganda ang pakikitungo nila at maramdaman kong safety ako, ’yon na ’yon.

“What are you thinking?!” He laughed a bit. “I won’t really leave you. Now that I found you, I won’t let fate robbed you again from me. That won’t really happen again, Lev...” his eyes glistened as if they were hit by the sun light.

I was filled with a vast love and care from his words. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at dahan-dahang tumayo  upang matanaw ko ang kabuuan niya. He just smiled at me.

“Are we good before? Hindi ba kita nasaktan...o kaya’y nasabihan ng masama? Sana...friends tayo noon, ’di ba?” I asked him while my brows creased. I felt the breeze of the silence embraces me after I spoke.

He bite his lower lip and rolled his eyes as if he was thinking something. “Uhm...just sleep and rest. Saka na tayo mag-usap kapag magaling ka na...” He guided my head back to my pillow.

Kahit papaano, nakikita ko naman sa mga mata niya na wala kaming problema. Ang tanga ko, ’no? Bakit ko pala ito tinatanong sa taong ngayon ko lang nakita? Ayaw ko lang mag-isip masyado. I just want to rest, to assure that everything was okay, and to think that...I was just an accident like him na may tsansa pang magamot at bumalik ang memorya ko.