LORENZO ELRIC GARCHITORENA

"OH, THANK goodness, Lorenzo, you're awake." I gently opened my eyelids and I saw all white from above. Nasilaw pa nga ako sa puting liwanag mula sa itaas kaya dahan-dahan kong kinusot ang aking mga mata, pero na-realize kong suot ko pala 'yong salamin ko. I also heard a familiar voice just near me. Nag-process muna ang lahat bago ko na-realize na...

...am I already dead?

It took few seconds before everything comes into place. Nagising na lang ako na nakahiga sa isang maliit na kama at nakita ang isang angel na nakaupo sa tabi ng kamang iyon. She's smiling with a relief written onto her face. She is still wearing her jersey from the Unity Walk a while ago.

"Nasaan ako?" I asked Jyrah, a bit panicked as I rose from the bed. Doon ko lang na-realize ulit ba nasa loob pala ako ng school clinic. Yeah, I'm a bit stranger to this place dahil ngayon lang ako nakapasok dito.

Inilibot ko pa nga ang mga mata ko sa paligid. There are some anatomical charts that are being stuck on the white walls.

"W-Wait, did I faint?" I asked another question with a groggy tone. Then, I suddenly feel a heavy and heated feeling; oo nga pala, nilalagnat pa rin ako.

"Oo," she agreed with a worried tone. "Bigla ka na lang tumumba malapit sa may auditorium kaya buti na lang, agad kang dinala rito." Yeah, I remember! And I started to scratch my head in a total embarrassment. Mukhang nakagawa pa ako ng commotion sa start pa lang ng event. I almost spatted at my face.

"Kaya nandito na rin ako para i-check ka kung okay ka na. And it seems na ako pa ang makaaabot sa pag-gain ng consciousness mo." I almost flustered on what she said kaya napakamot na lang ako ng ulo. 

"Ano'ng oras na?" I asked her again dahil tinatamad pa akong tumayo sa kama para kunin ang bag kong nakalagay sa katabing maliit na table. And then, she checked her phone. 

"11:14 AM." My eyes widened in shock on after what I heard from her. No way!

"So, tapos na ang Cheerdance Competition?"

"Yes. An hour and a half ago," she answered crossing her arms.

"At nakapag-perform na ang classmates ko?"

"Yes?"

Dang! Sayang naman ang opportunity na iyon. Sayang tuloy at hindi ako nakapag-perform. What would it be like then? Pero okay na rin iyon kaysa magkaroon ng sumasayaw na tuod sa gymnasium. Kung puwede lang sanang isayaw ko na lang ito para mawala ang lagnat ko.

"Hay, buti gising ka na." Between our conversation, the school nurse came in with some checklist on her hand.

"Thank you sa pag-antabay sa kaniya, ah?" she then approached Jyrah and patted her shoulder.

"You're welcome po, Nurse Mina," Jyrah then smiled and diverted her attention to me. The truth is, my body is still weakened and I still have a dizzy feeling.

"Lorenzo, right?" she then asked me while checking my name on the list."

"So, iyon... kailangan mo pang magpahinga nang ilang oras at hindi ka muna ina-advice na umuwi right now unless may magsusundo sa iyo." Uh, oh, mukhang mag-aaalala sa akin nito ang aking mom. Alam na niya kaya?

The nurse started to enumerate some instructions for me even though my mind is not processing and comprehending on what she is saying as if they were just random blabbers.

"And then, kumain ka na rin para ma-regain ang energy mo. Wait, check natin ang temperature mo." She let out a thermometer and inserted it into my mouth. My body temperature reached 39°C.

"You need to drink paracetamol para bumaba na ang body temperature mo. Tapos, kailangan mo na ring kumain. Understood?" the nurse instructed me again.

"Y-Yes po." Iyon na lang ang sinabi ko. Pagkatapos ay may kinuha siya saglit at bumalik na may dala-dalang blister pack ng paracetamol at iniabot sa akin.

"Inumin mo na ito pagkatapos Kaya magpahinga ka lang muna riyan habang binabantayan ka ni Miss Beautiful." Napangiti naman si Jyrah and I admit that her smile is therapeutic to me.

Wala na rin akong alam sa mga nangyayari sa outside world. Kumusta kaya sina Onemig? Alam din kaya nila ang nangyari sa akin? Wow, since when ako nagkaroon ng concern sa kanila?

Before the school nurse left us, mayroon pa siyang paalala, "O siya, kung may kailangan pa kayo, puntahan n'yo na lang ako sa desk, okay?"

"Gusto mo na bang kumain?" Jyrah then focused her eyes on me. I got stuck with her doll-like eyes, perfect shape of her nose, and red lips. She may look a bit boyish with her attire but it suits her. Kahit ano namang suotin niya, bagay pa rin sa kaniya. "Nagpa-deliver na rin naman ako at on its way na raw."

Napailing tuloy ako sa sinabi niyang iyon sa akin. Why she keeps on doing this? "Hala... nakakahiya naman."

"Lorenzo naman, okay lang iyon, ang mahalaga ay ma-regain ulit ang energy mo."

"Wait... 'Di ba, time na niyan ng match ninyo?" Muntikan ko na tuloy malimutan. Ito na kasi ang first match ng volleyball at nahiya tuloy ako sa pang-aabala ko sa kaniya.

"Mayamaya na rin niyan."

After that, her phone suddemly rang and she excused herself to entertain that call. A few minutes later, she came back carrying a paper bag of food that she ordered and placed it on the small table beside the small bed near the medicine blister pack. And then, she sat again.

"O siya, kainin mo iyan, ha? Huwag pagugutom and don't forget to rest." She then touched my nose with her forefinger and then rubbed my hair with her hands which made me blushed.

"Uy, namumula siya," pang-aasar pa niya pagkakita sa akin. Well, I can't help it.

"Heck no!" I blurted out to hide it. I suddenly think of some alibi para hindi mahalata. "'Di ba, nilalagnat ako?"

"Sus," she answered with a grin, as if she's unconvinced.

But before she stood up again, I suddenly blurted out words even with a frail tone, "Ikaw rin, good luck sa match ninyo. Sayang at hindi kita mapanonood."

"Oo nga, eh. Yeah, I will." She made an assurance before leaving. Involuntary pa ngang lumitaw ang ngiti sa aking nga labi sa mga sumunod ko pang narinig, "Pagaling ka, ha?"

When she left I lay down once again and smiled like a crazy dog. Why does she affect me this way?

Honestly speaking, I'm not in the mood to eat, pero sayang naman ang in-effort para sa akin ni Jyrah.

Bumangon ulit ako at tumunganga para isipin ang life choices ko. Pero dahil walang magagawa ang pagtunganga ko, I stood up from my bed, yet limping and my legs are still shaky to get my bag from the table to call Mom.

But then again, I heard some familiar noises and I realized that they were Onemig, Malcolm, and Cheena. I was bit surprised after seeing them.

"Lorenzo!" Cheena blurted out and in a jiffy, she swiftly gone near me and started to squish me with her hug that almost made me suffocated. Hindi ko tuloy alam ang ire-react ko sa mahigpit na pagkakayakap sa akin.

"Ay, pasensiya na." Napakalas tuloy siya sa pagkakayakap sa akin.

"Pinitpit mo naman si Lorenzo." Onemig then nudged Cheena whose excitement subsided as she sat on the chair that was once occupied by Jyrah. While the other two just stood up. Para namang ang set-up ay na-confine ako.

"Mehn! Akala pa naman namin, napaano ka na kanina." Onemig is already the one who shared his sentiments.

"Dios mio, akala ko iiwan mo na kami. Lorenzo, bakit?" Malcolm, the pineapple guy even started to become dramatic as he held both my shoulders and shook me. Are these guys sadists?

"What the heck are you all saying?" I asked these people what's the problem. Am I really that dead? I just lost my consciousness, for your information.

"Grabe ka naman. Nag-alala lang kami sa iyo. Buti na nga lang, nakasalubong namin si Jyrah at sinabing gising ka na kaya napunta kami rito," Cheena explained her side. Honestly speaking, I didn't expect those words to come from these people. Are they really concerned about me?"

"Halos mag-panic nga kami noong nalaman naming hinimatay ka. Eh, nasa may gymnasium na kami noon," Malcolm added to the narrative. 

Mukhang nagbigay ako ng legacy sa mga tao sa first day ng Sports Fest nang wala sa oras. My mom and dad should be proud, then. 

"Masama na pala pakiramdam mo, sana hindi ka na pala sumali sa Unity Walk." Yeah, Onemig is right. I regretted joining the activity while ago. Mukhang torture lang talaga ang nakuha ko roon.

"Basta, ang importante, gising ka na at walang nangyari sa iyong masama," sagot ulit ni Cheena na para bang comforting ang kaniyang paraan ng pagsasalita.

Pero iyon, pasimple namang kumukuha ng fries itong si Malcolm mula sa paper bag na dala ni Jyrah sa table. Tiningnan naman siya nang masama ni Cheena, lumapit, at saka naman hinampas sa balikat.

"Uy, baliw ka! Kay Lorenzo iyan, bakit mo naman iyan ang nilalantakan mo?" she scolded him while he's still munching. I just simply grinned with these two. At least, they made my mood a bit lighter.

"Swowrgy nwagh.. " Malcolm then gulped the piece of fry he's chewing before clarifying what he said. "Sorry na kasi."

"Hay, naku, patay-gutom ka talaga, Malcolm," Onemig commented to his fellow. I just realized that why am I surrounded with these crazy people?

"No, it's okay." I gave my consent. Well, it's fine for me especially that  my tastebuds aren't really working right now.

"Oh, iyan, kumain ka na at baka si Malcolm pa ang makaubos ng pagkain mo," Cheena then said while letting out a take-out food box from the brown paper bag together with a spoon, fork, and paper napkin on top and handed it to me.

"Gusto mo, subuan kita, baby?" Onemig then striked again with a mischievous grin while I opened the food box which has chicken and spaghetti in it.

"No thanks, kaya ko na." I squinted my eyes and answered with a sarcastic face.

Even with no appetite at all, I tried to ingest the food. Hindi rin naman ako nakararamdam ng gutom pero kailangan ko ngang kumain para makainom ng gamot.

I suddenly started to get conscious while these people keep on staring at me. Hindi naman ako makatingin nang deretso sa kanila. Yeah, I do feel conscious to myself when people are staring at me while eating.

"Kain na rin kayo." I stopped for a while and attempted to broke the awkward air that lingers within the room.

"Okay na, katatapos lang naming mag-lunch," Onemig insisted. "Right after ng chess match namin."

"Wait, so kumusta?" I asked him with intrigue from the result while sipping from a cup filled with pineapple juice.

"Well... siyempre, nanalo tayo." He's confident with his answer while grabbing a piece of fry to Malcolm.

"Wow! Congratulations. " Despite my grogginess, I still answered with dimming energy.

"Mukhang may manlilibre nito," paghirit pa ni Malcolm na naubos na ang kinaing french fries.

"Ikaw, puro ka libre," Onemig rebutted back to this guy. Mukhang sa tatlo, si Malcolm ang napupuruhan sa pambabara ng dalawang ito.

The chattettings continued at nasermunan pa nga sila tuloy ng school nurse sa kaingayan nila. I was about to rest but I feel that being accompanied by others has a therapeutic effect.

But I appreciated their effort and concern towards me. I haven't been appreciated in my entire life and it's so overwhelming to feel that there are still people that care about someone who decided to shut his door to them.

Hindi ko man nararamdaman ito sa classmates ko (like what do I expect to those people?). Hindi ko naman alam na sa ibang tao sa buong campus ko mahahanap iyon.

Should I open my door to them freely? May hesitation pa naman pero hindi ko alam kung magagawa ko ito sa ngayon. But who knows?

-30-