Adi's entire body shivered the moment she heard Zed's name. Phone remained to her ear as she processed what she just heard. Her lower lip trembled, and her vision started... blurring.

"Miss Adi?" A student, she didn't know who, walked towards her. "Miss Adi, okay lang po kayo?"

"Miss Audrey?" The man on the other line spoke. "Ma'am, he's being transported to Laurent Medical Center. He asked for you, too. We're heading there now."

Adi cleared her throat, tried so hard to calm herself. "O-Okay," then dropped the call.

Bago pa man tuluyang makakilos, nakita niya si Beatriz at Nathaniel papasok ng classroom. Hinawakan ni Bea ang braso niya at inaya siya palabas habang kinakausap ni Nathaniel ang klase niya.

"Tumawag sa office ang paramedic kasi hindi ka raw kaagad nakasagot," ani Bea na nakahawak sa kaniya. "Bad fall raw ang nangyari kay Zed. Nag-usap kami ni Nath na ipagda-drive ka niya kung saang hospital naroon si Zed, ako na muna sa klase mo. Kinausap ko na rin si Dean, pumayag na siya."

Nanatiling nakayuko si Adi, iniisip kung tama ba ang narinig niya at pilit kinukumbinsi ang sariling maayos lang ang lagay ni Zed.

Nakabagsak ang mahabang buhok niya habang nakatitig sa sahig na para bang makatutulong iyon para kumalma ang dibdib niya. Naririnig niya si Beatriz, naiintindihan naman niya ang sinasabi nito ngunit hindi pa gaanong nagpoproseso ang sinabi sa kaniya.

"Adi?" Beatriz got her attention. "Pupunta na kayo ni Nath sa hospital. Ako sana, pero mas mabilis siyang mag-drive. Okay lang ba sa 'yo? Ako na muna ang bahala rito sa klase mo. I'll update you."

Adi breathed multiple times and tried so hard to smile. She faced Beatriz and thanked her before heading inside the classroom to face her students.

"Guys, Miss Bea will be handling the next part of the exam," aniya habang papalapit sa lamesa. "I have to go, sobrang importante lang. I'm sorry."

Her students understood. She immediately took her bag and Nathaniel walked beside her. Hiningi nito ang susi sa kaniya at panay naman ang hingi niya ng pasensya dahil sa pang-aabala rito.

For the first time in weeks, Adi didn't mind the stares and just kept walking. Zed was on her mind, and as much as she wanted to see what had happened, she couldn't. She didn't.

Hindi naman kalayuan ang hospital sa university, but it took forever. Seconds felt like hours. Hindi rin nakatutulong ang paghinto nila sa traffic kahit na panay ang hanap ni Nathaniel kung saan mas madaling dumaan. Nakatutulong din na hindi ito nagsasalita o nagtatanong kung kumusta siya.

No small talk, just them trying to reach the hospital as fast as they could.

Adi looked down when she heard her phone ring. It was another unknown number, and fear consumed her that she didn't want to answer. Two rings, three rings... she finally had the courage to.

"Hello?" she nervously answered. "I'm on my way. How's he?"

"I'm one of the nurses taking care of Zared. He's currently undergoing a CT scan and a few other tests." The woman on the other end of the line was calm.

She let out a sigh and shut her eyes. "Is he conscious po?" she murmured, biting her lower lip.

"Yes po. The doctors and the coaching staff want to complete the imaging and testing. Sinabihan po kami na papuntahin na lang kayo sa room na naka-prepare for Zared and that his doctos will meet you there," pagpapatuloy nito. "He'll be in VIP room 319."

"T-Thank you," Adi exhaled then dropped the call. She faced Nathaniel, who gazed at her. "Thank you, ha? Pasensya na. Hindi ko rin talaga kayang mag-drive and—"

Ngumiti si Nathaniel at tinanguan siya. "Oo naman, walang problema. Pagkabasa namin ng posts kanina ni Bea, nag-usap na kami. Magsabi ka lang palagi."

Muli siyang nagpasalamat at deretsong tumingin sa daan. Panay ang patunog niya ng mga daliri at malalim na huminga para pakalmahin ang dibdib niya. Mabilis ang tibok, ramdam niya. Nag-iinit din ang palad niya pati na ang likod ng tainga niya kaiisip.

It took them more than thirty minutes to arrive. Pinababa na siya ni Nathaniel sa entrance ng hospital para ito na ang mag-park ng sasakyan. Bitbit ang cellphone, dumeretso siya sa reception area bago siya iginiya papunta sa VIP area.

Pagdating sa floor, sinalubong kaagad siya ng isa sa coaching staff na naghihintay sa kaniya. Kausap nito ang doctor ni Zed na inaya siya papasok sa kwarto.

"Nasaan po si Zed?" tanong niya nang makaharap ang dalawa. "Okay lang po siya?" Humarap siya sa miyembro ng coaching staff. "Ano pong nangyari? H-Hindi ko mapanood iyong video."

Nakatingin sa kaniya ang dalawa.

"Hindi ko po kayang panoorin," pag-aamin niya.

Tipid na ngumiti si Edison, ang isa sa miyembro ng coaching staff na sumama sa ospital.

"During layup, he collided mid-air with another player. Nawalan ng balanse si Zed kaya bumagsak siya," Edison slowly and calmly told Adi what happened. "Hindi maganda ang naging bagsak niya. Most of the impact was on his back, and the back of his head hit the floor."

Adi's fingers curled into her palm. She felt the pain from her fingernails, but didn't bother. She faced the doctor and asked, "How are the results? Ano po ang ginawang tests?"

"We did the CT and reviewed the scan, which came back normal. No bleeding in his brain, no swelling, no skull fracture." The doctor sounded reassuring. "The CT confirms no serious injury, but they requested an MRI as an added precaution."

She bit her lower lip and crossed her arms. "Even if the CT is clear? That's... that's good."

"Yes. We just wanted to be sure. CT scans are for detecting bleeding and fractures. An MRI will show us things like subtle brain changes that a CT can't always show."

Adi nodded and looked down, didn't know what to feel. Everything felt heavy.

"Given the height of the fall and the brief loss of movement, we want to rule out any injury," the doctor continued. "Just to clear the air, it's standard for athletes. We don't mean to alarm you or anything, we just wanted to be sure."

Gusto ni Adi ang mga narinig niya dahil kung siya lang, iyon din ang itatanong at sasabihin niya. Tumango siya at nagpasalamat sa dalawa.

"Once all the tests are done, dadalhin na siya rito sa kwarto." The doctor smiled. "You can wait for him here."

Adi exhaled and nodded. "Thank you po."

"No worries, Mrs. Almazan. We'll see you later."

Nang maiwang mag-isa sa kwarto, naramdaman ni Adi ang panghihina at awtomatikong napaupo sa hospital bed na nasa likuran niya. Para siyang binuhusan nang malamig na tubig. Nanlalamig at nanginginig ang kamay niya habang paulit-ulit na inaalala ang kalagayan ni Zed.

Yumuko siya at humagulhol. Saktong pagpasok ni Nathaniel kasama si Edison para ibigay sa kaniya ang susi ng sasakyan bago ito nagpaalam na babalik na sa university.

Panay ang pasasalamat niya at alam niyang kulang pa iyon, pero nag-insist si Nathaniel na ayos lang ang lahat at sa susunod na sila mag-usap.

Kinakausap siya ni Edison, pero hindi siya sumasagot. Nakikinig lang siya habang sinasabi nitong kasama sa benefits ni Zed ang lahat ng test, ang VIP treatment ng hospital, at sisiguruhing magiging maayos ang lagay nito.

Nagpasalamat siya, pero hindi pa rin siya mapalagay. Hangga't hindi niya nakikita at nakakausap si Zed, hindi matatahimik ang isip niya tungkol sa lagay nito.

Samantalang pinakikinggan ni Zed ang sinasabi ng doctor tungkol sa situwasyon niya. Maayos naman ang lahat, sinabing puweden a rin siyang maglaro kaagad kung gusto niya. Walang naging problema sa pagbagsak niya, siguradong sasakit lang ang katawan niya ng mga ilang araw.

But the entire coaching staff decided that he wouldn't play for one to two games, depending on him. Mas importante ang healing at well-being niya na ipinagpasalamat niya.

Sinabi sa kaniya na nasa ospital si Adi. Na dumating kaagad ito pagkatapos tawagan, na naghihintay na sa kaniya sa kwarto, at nakausap na rin ang doctor tungkol sa sitwasyon niya.

Zed remembered that mid-air, everything was in slow motion, and he only thought of Adi. Fuck the career, fuck himself.

Nang bumagsak, si Adi lang ang nasa isip niya. Habang inaayos siya sa stretcher, si Adi lang ang gusto niyang makita. May takot sa parte niya. He didn't want to hurt Adi like that. Hindi sa ganoong paraan, hindi sa makikita nito ang nangyari sa kaniya.

He hoped Adi hadn't seen what had happened to him. Iyon na lang din ang hiling niya nang marinig na tinatawagan ito ng paramedic.

During the physical exams, inside the CT and MRI, he thought of his situation, but all for Adi.

Not this time.

Hindi pa.

Hindi muna.

Huwag muna sa mga susunod pa.

Kaya nakahinga siya nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang sabihin ng mga doctor na maayos lang ang lagay niya, kailangan lang niyang magpahinga. Gusto na rin niyang pumunta sa kwarto, gusto na niyang makausap si Adi. Gusto na niya itong makita.

It was a near-death experience for him—blacking out, ears ringing, and head spinning. Paulit-ulit niyang naririnig ang pagtawag sa kaniya ng teammates niya pagbagsak.

But he only thought of Adi's face this morning. How she excitedly told him about the dinner tonight, about how she was happy they had breakfast together... and how he whispered I love you before leaving her.

He didn't want it to be the last i love you.

Nang sinabi ng doctor na dadalhin na siya sa kwarto, tinanong niya si Edison kung nasaan si Adi. Sinabi nitong naghihintay sa kaniya, tahimik, at hindi gaanong nakikipag-usap sa kahit na sino, kahit sa doctor pa.

His heart tightened, and everything felt so slow. Ang tagal-tagal bago siya dalhin sa kwarto at nang makapasok sa loob, nagtama ang tingin nila ni Adi. Tumayo ito mula sa sofa, naglakad papalapit sa kaniya... tahimik na nakatingin sa doctor na sinasabing maayos lang ang lahat, pero ina-advice na mag-stay muna siya magdamag para sa observation.

Kay Adi lang siya nakatingin. Panay ang tango, nagtanong kung ano ang kailangang gawin, o kung mayroon pang kailangang asikasuhin.

But the coaching staff assured everything was arranged and that they should just relax. Wala na ring problema.

"Thank you," Adi smiled at everyone before facing Edison. "Puwede po bang wala po munang visitors kahit sa coaching staff or teammates? I just... want him to rest for now."

Edison nodded. "Oo naman. Kung may kailangan kayo, tawagan n'yo lang ako. Magpapadala na rin kami ng pagkain para sa inyo."

Zed also requested comfortable clothes for himself and Adi, who thanked everyone and asked for some privacy.

Ngunit bago pa man sila tuluyang makapag-usap, pumasok sa loob ng kwarto ang isang nurse para ibigay ang ilang gamit ni Zed na nakalagay sa patient belonging bag na kaagad tinanggap ni Adi.

Zed wasn't fully lying down. The head of the hospital bed was raised, leaving him half-reclined, pillows stacked behind his shoulders. He felt fine, physically... but mentally and emotionally, he wanted to comprehend Adi's silence.

Nakatayo si Adi sa gilid ng hospital bed at inilabas nito mula sa bag ang phone, kwintas na suot niya kanina, at ang singsing na kahit kailan, hindi niya inalis. Kung hindi lang kailangan kanina sa lahat ng test, hindi niya huhubarin.

Upon seeing the ring, Adi doesn't say anything. She just stepped forward and buried her face into Zed's chest and clutched his hospital gown, letting herself sob loudly.

"N-Natakot ako," bulong ni Adi. Mahina ngunit sapat para marinig ni Zed.

"Ako rin," suminghot si Zed at hinaplos ang likuran ni Adi na nanatiling nakasubsob sa dibdib niya. "Ako rin, sobra."

If only Adi knew that her face would be the only one he would want to see, even during his darkest time. His chest tightens painfully.

Not from the fall.

From this.

"Okay lang ako." He caressed Adi's back, still sobbing on his chest. "Baby."

Adi looked up, tears streaming down her face. "I was so scared and—"

Zed didn't let Adi finish and pulled her in for a hug. "I love you," he kissed the side of her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

—
T H E X W H Y S
www.thexwhys.com