Pagkababa ko ng kotse ay kaagad akong pumasok sa loob at dumiretso sa receptionist.
"Miss, may dinala bang hindi gaanong katandaan na babae dito? Car accident po ang nangyari." Hinihingal ko pang tanong. Hindi ko maalis ang kaba na nararamdaman ko ngayon sa dibdib ko. My father died because of the same accident. Ayaw ko nang mangyari ulit 'yon kay mama.
"Name po ng patient? At kaano-ano po kayo ng pasyente?"
"Elizabeth Vargas. Anak niya po ako." Sabi ko. Tumaas muna ang kilay niya bago inabot ang telepono at may pinindot siya doon.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Walton. May babae pong naghahanap kay Miss Vargas." Saad niya sa kabilang linya.
"Sabihin mo si Zelene 'to." Singit ko pa. Pagkababa niya ng tawag ay ibinigay niya na sa akin ang room number kung nasaan si mama.
Kaagad akong tumakbo patungong elevator at pinindot ang pinakamataas na bahagi ng gusali. Nang marating ang palapag ay bumukas na ang elevator, muntik pa akong atakihin sa puso nang may dalawang naglalakihang lalaki ang naghihintay. Namumukhaan ko ang isa sa kanila; siya 'yong isa sa mga naghatid ng mga gamit sa hotel room ko.
"This way, miss." Hindi na lamang ako nagtanong at sumunod na sa kanila.
Ilang minuto ang paglalakad ang ginawa namin bago ko matanaw ang iilan pang mga lalaking naka suit kagaya nila. They were wandering around carrying those heavy guns. I am not suprised anymore when I noticed that there were not people walking around but us. I am sure Mr. Walton rented this whole place. I did my research last time and learned that he also owns this hospital.
Parang halos ata nang tinatapakan ko ay pagmamay-ari niya.
Nang dumaan kami sa harap nila ay yumuko sila. Binati ko na lamang sila. Huminto kami sa isang pintuan, kumatok si kuyang naka-suit bago kami naghintay muna ng ilang segundo bago tuluyang bumukas ang pintuan, "Come in, Zee." Malungkot akong tiningnan ni Mr. Walton bago niluwagan ang siwang ng pintuan.
Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago tuluyang pumasok. Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kama ni mama kung saan siya nakaratay. Parang tumigil na naman ang mundo ko, this is the same situation happened when my dad got into this same accident. Kaso nga lang, wala na siya ng maabutan ko. I remember the moment when I got the news about my father's accident like it was yesterday. I was in complete shock and felt a deep sense of panic. My heart was racing and I couldn't catch my breath the time I got that news. I couldn't stop crying and felt helpless and lost. It was one of the most difficult and emotional moments of my life, at ngayon, naulit na naman.
"Ma..." My eyes clouded with tears. I sat on the chair beside her bed and slowly held her hand that has a little scratch marks.
"The doctor informed me that she has a several fractured bones so he advised that your mom will stay here for days for further examination. Thankfully she didn't hit her head. Do not worry, sweetheart. Your mom is a strong woman, she'll be okay." Narinig kong saad ni Mr. Walton sa likuran ko. Medyo nabawasan ang bigat na nararamdaman ko ngayon dahil sa sinabi niya pero hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang humagulgol. She doesn't deserve this.
"Ma..."
...
Dalawang araw na akong hindi pumapasok sa school simula nang ma-aksidente si mama at hindi pa rin siya nagigising. Even the dark circles under my eyes couldn't hide the exhaustion and worry about my mother. Ilang araw na din akong hindi kumakain ng matino. Nandyan naman si Mr. Walton na nakikipagpalitan na magbantay kay mama pero hindi pa din ako mapalagay kaya ito ang naging resulta. I took a sip of coffee and sighed.
Nagulat pa ako ng may humawak sa balikat ko. "Zee, you need a rest. I rented the room beside this. Halika na. Look at yourself, your mother would be mad if she finds out that you aren't taking care of yourself." Napabuntong hininga ako saka tumango. I think he is right. I need a rest. May plano din akong papasok na bukas dahil madami na akong absences. Nasabi naman sa akin ni Mr. Walton na sinabihan niya ang dean na ma excuse muna ako ng ilang araw at pumayag naman daw ito pero ayaw ko pa din na umasa doon. Madami na akong nami-missed na lessons.
Sino ba namang hindi papayag kung ang may-ari na ng school ang kaharap mo, 'di ba?
"Please escort her to the room." Maowtoridad na utos ni Mr. Walton sa isang tauhan niya. Walang buhay naman akong sumunod dito. Nang makapasok ay kaagad akong humiga.
"Mama..." At tuluyan na akong nakatulog.
NAGISING ako sa isang tunog ng katok. Napatingin ako sa bintana, umaga na pala. I rubbed my eyes and yawned while walking towaeds the door to open it. Bumungad sa akin ang tauhan ni Mr. Walton habang may dalang isang malaking paper bag.
"Good morning, Miss Vargas. Mr. Walton ordered me to bring this to you." Sabi niya at inabot sa akin ang paper bag at nagpaalam kaagad. I closed the door and check the paper bag on what's inside. There's a bathroom essentials inside together with my school uniform and my bagpack na kompleto na ang laman nang mga kakailanganin ko sa school.
I entered the bathroom to get ready for school. Napatingin ako sa salamin dito sa loob, mukha na akong zombie.
Third Person's P.O.V
Sa kabilang banda ay nagsasaya ang mga kaklase ni Zelene dahil inakala ng mga ito na lumayas na ito sa kanilang seksyon. Nasa isip nila ay baka lumipat na ito sa ibang klase kaya hindi na nila ito nakikita na pumapasok sa kanilang klase.
"Thank god! That woman disappeared!" Said by Drake Kimons, their class president and the one who got kicked in the ass by Zelene. Hindi niya pa din ito napapatawad sa nagawa ng babae at never niya itong papatawarin.
"Aww I miss my honeybunch so much." Pekeng malungkot na saad ni Tristan habang nakapahalumbaba.
"Which one?" Tristan acted like he was insulted by Arken Perez's words and held his chest dramatically.
"Ganoon na ba talaga ka dami ang mga babae ko?"
"Ay, hindi ka ba informed?" Sarkastikong sabat ni Shawn Lee na naglalaro sa kanyang telepono.
"Tsk!" Napa-ismid na lamang ang binatang si Tristan nang biglang nagmamadaling pumasok sa silid si Azriel Travis. Hinihingal pa ito na mukhang galing sa pagtakbo. Nangunot ang noo ng lahat sa inasta ng kanilang kaibigan.
"The Walton's are here!"
Four words causing everybody from the room to stand up except the one and only Drake Kimons. Chill lamang ang binata habang ang iba ay hinanda na ang mga sarili sa kung ano man ang mangyayari at hinihintay ang sasabihin ng kanilang leader na si Drake.
"What the fuck are they doing here again?!" Naiinis na saad ni Dravis Laurant. Marinig lamang niya ang kanilang pangalan ay kaagad na nag-iinit ang kanyang ulo. He hates them to the core!
"Calm your shit down Dravis. Do not make a move unless kung sila ang magsisimula." Saway ng kanyang kambal na si Draven Lauren. Sa kanilang dalawa ay malalaman mo kaagad ang kanilang pagkakaiba. Dravis is a short tempered man who always solved everything physically without thinking twice while his twin Draven is the type of man who thinks and plans everything first in his head before making a move.
"Tss!"
Napatingin sila sa mga tao na pumasok sa silid but the four guys in front caught their attention more. They were looking around their classroom, examining it. "This shit place hasn't changed, it still look like a garbage." Ged Walton remarked.
"This place looks as if it haven't been clean for ages!" Dwayne Walton said and chuckles. The other side didn't react about the Walton brothers insults. They are trying to remain calm as possible.
"What are you all doing here?" David Collins, their vice president asked.
"Where is the girl?" Emerson Walton asked. Nagtataka sila kung bakit hindi na nila ito nakikitang pumapasok ng ilang araw. They suspected that her asshole classmates was the one behind all of this.
"Why do you even care about her? That's good that she's out of our lives." Bulong ni Ged na ang magkakapatid lamang na Walton ang nakarinig. Randolph Walton immediately looked at his brother warningly.
Napatingin silang lahat kay Drake Kimons ng biglaan itong tumawa nang malakas. Ged Walton raised his brows seeing him laugh. He wanted to punch his face badly.
"Aww... Are you looking for your little STEP sister?" He sarcastically said and stood up from his seat. Hindi na nagulat ang magkakapatid na nalaman kaagad ni Drake kung anong koneksyon nila sa babae. He is an heir from one of a powerful company and ordering someone using his wealth to investigate them isn't suprising anymore.
Drake walk towards where the four brothers are standing. The others in the room felt the tension between them. Everytime they meet or see each other, may hindi magandang mangyayari parati and they can sense it now.
"Just tell us where is she." Ani ni Emerson Walton, naiinip na sa mga nangyayari. He just wanted to get out of the place and sleep on his comfy bed.
Nang-aasar naman na tumingin si Drake sa kaniya habang may nakakalokong ngisi sa labi. "Maybe she runned off after what we did to her. You know what I mean," He teasingly said causing the tension rises even more. Emerson clench its fist and was about to punch him but someone did it for him instead, it was Randolph. Their father assigned them to look out for their stepsister kung hindi ay sila ang malalagot and knowing that they didn't do their job properly, they are worried and afraid hindi sa kanilang ama but their stepmom to be dissapointed at them because they failed to protect her daughter.
"Stop fooling us around, asshole!" Randolph shouted. Hindi na din nakapag-pigil ang iba at kaagad nakisali sa away dahilan para nagkarambulan na ang loob ng silid.