Athena’s P.O.V.
Mabilis niya akong inalalayan upang makatayo. Hinubad niya ‘yong jacket niya at agad iyong isinuot sa akin. Bahagya akong nakasandal sa katawan niya gawa nang hindi ko maitapak ‘yong kaliwa kong paa.
“God, Helena! Okay ka lang ba? May masakit ba sa’yo? Saan ka na naman ba kasi nagsususuot? Alam mo bang pinag-alala mo ako, ha? Masyadong delikado sa lugar na ito tapos nag-iisa ka lang. Sana kasi ay hindi ka na lang pumayag na ikaw ‘yong kumuha ng gold flag, sana ay inutos mo na lang sa iba—” natigilan siya sa pagsasalita nang bigla ko na lang siyang niyakap. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong umiyak.
Dati, inis na inis ako sa tuwing sinusundan niya ako so I had to do my different walkout stunts. Three months ko pa siyang iniwasan noon because I didn’t want to be friends with him, until we were paired to organize this Annual Camp.
All of a sudden, I found myself secured whenever I was with him—bagay na kailanman ay hindi ko naranasan kay Daddy. I was still hesitant and there were a few times that I still tried to stay away from him, but I knew for a fact that the true reason why I was avoiding him was because I got too scared of falling for him completely.
Having him beside me in this kind of situation—silently crying while hugging him in the rain, was one of the best feelings I had ever experienced in my damned entire life. My fears were all gone and suddenly replaced by hope. It felt like I had just been saved again by my knight in shining armor and I could spoil this moment all night long.
“Ssh, hush now. I’m here, everything will be alright.” Cristoff said while gently caressing my back. He even fixed some of my hair strands na tumakip sa aking mukha. “For now, we need to find a place dahil sobrang lakas ng ulan. Kailangan natin ng masisilungan. Kaya mo bang maglakad?” tanong niya.
Tumingin ako sa basang-basang mukha niya. Gwapo naman pala talaga si Cristoff—bagay na hindi ko nakita dati, o sadyang hindi ko lang talaga pinagtuunan nang pansin. Maybe, I literally drooled over him during the swimming pool scene but I was just too afraid to admit it.
Tumango lang ako sa kanya. Maingat naman niya akong inalalayan pero sa unang hakbang ko pa lang ay napangiwi na ako sa sakit na aking naramdaman. Hindi ko pa pala kayang maglakad. Sobrang sakit talaga ng na-sprain kong kaliwang paa.
“Dapat sinabi mo sa akin agad na hindi mo pala kaya.” Nagulat ako nang bigla na lang niya akong kinarga, “Tsk! ‘Kita mo, oh? Ang gaan-gaan mo, kung tutuusin ay kayang-kaya kitang ihagis eh. Hindi ka kasi nagkakakain,” pagbibiro pa niya sa akin.
I didn’t mind him anymore. I would just argue with him once I was already fully recovered. Sa ngayon ay pagbibigyan ko na lang muna siya dahil masyado na akong nilalamig at nanghihina para patulan pa ang mga pang-aasar niya. Isinandal ko na lang ang ulo ko sa dibdib niya. It felt like I found my haven where I could actually feel free, safe and sound. Matagal din niya akong kinarga bago kami nakakita ng isang maliit na kubong pwede naming silungan.
He was really careful to place me in the cot that was made of rattan, then he sat beside me. He took off his T-shirt and squeezed it hard to dry it. Next, he removed his pants and all was left was his black boxer shorts. He was half-naked again—the main reason why I looked away. I didn’t know how many times I swallowed, I just felt the need to.
“H-Helena, kailangan mong t-tanggalin ‘yong d-damit mo kasi lalo ka lang lalamigin. Baka magka-trangkaso ka pa ulit,” he was stuttering. He wasn’t able to look at me straight in the eyes.
It was a good thing that I was wearing my red sleeveless shirt and cycling shorts inside. That way, I wouldn’t be ashamed to take off my clothes in front of him, after I took off his jacket and gave it all to him. He immediately wrung my clothes using his fine-looking biceps and placed them beside his.
Hinubad niya ‘yong rubber shoes ko at saka ko bahagyang nakita na namamaga na pala ‘yong kaliwa kong paa. Binuksan niya ‘yong dala niyang backpack, lumuhod sa aking harapan at pansamantalang nilagyan ng bandage ‘yong paa ko bilang pangunang-lunas.
“Thanks, Cristoff. May first aid kit ka talagang dala ha?” Nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya.
“Pinag-alala mo kasi ako! Eh baka kung napaano ka na kaya nagdala ako nito… and my instinct was right after all. May dala rin akong pagkain dito. Nagugutom ka na ba?”
Akma niyang kukunin ‘yong pagkain sa bag niya nang umiling ako.
“Sure kang hindi ka pa talaga nagugutom?”
Tumango naman ako.
Tumabi na lang siya ulit sa akin at saka isinandal ‘yong ulo ko sa balikat niya. Hindi naman ako tumanggi. Kahit nawawala kaming dalawa, masaya pa rin ako dahil kasama ko siya. I couldn’t imagine myself to spend the night alone sa ganitong lugar.
“Cristoff, bakit?” tanong ko. I was just curious why he followed me.
“Anong bakit?” tanong naman niya pabalik.
Inangat ko ‘yong ulo ko at nakipagtitigan sa kanya. “B-Bakit mo ‘ko hinanap? Sigurado akong pinigilan ka ng mga teacher natin dahil delikado sa daan—” he placed his forefinger in my lips to stop me from asking.
“I couldn’t wait until tomorrow without doing anything. I didn’t care if it was too dangerous, Helena. Mas gugustuhin ko pang ako na lang ang mapahamak… ‘wag lang ikaw,” masuyo niyang sabi.
Umiwas ako nang tingin. My heart was beating freaking faster now. I didn’t know what to feel and I couldn’t find the right words to say. May parte sa pagkatao ko ang nagsasabing dapat akong kiligin, pero may parte rin namang nagsasabing ‘wag ko siyang pansinin. My mind and heart were actually battling. Tuluyan na akong nahulog sa kanya kahit alam kong mali.
“Dapat kasi ay nagpasama ka na lang talaga sa’kin, Helena? Hindi ‘yong basta-basta ka na lang pupunta sa gubat nang wala kang kasama! Ano? Kaya mo? ‘Kita mong nangyari sa’yo! Alam mo ba kung gaano mo akong pinag-alala, ha?” sermon niya.
I looked at him again but I just wanted to laugh at his sermons, “At bakit ka naman mag-aalala?”
Pero nagulat ako nang bigla na lang niya akong niyakap. “Mahal—” naramdaman ko ang saglit na paglunok niya, “mahalaga ka sa akin, Helena. I couldn’t imagine what might happen next to you if I didn’t see you. If I wasn’t able to find you, baka habambuhay kong sisihin ang sarili ko.”
Hindi ko tinanggal ‘yong pagkakayakap niya sa akin dahil nagdulot ‘yon ng kakaibang init na pilit na umaalis sa ginaw na nararamdaman ko ngayon. Matagal din kami na nasa gano’ng posisyon.