Nagising ako sa malakas na kalabog at ingay sa labas ng dorm. Madaling araw na dahil kasabay ng ingay ay ang pagtunog ng alarm clock ko at ang pagyogyog sa balikat ko nina Mia at Dianne.

"Sofia! Bumangon ka, si Jave!"

Napabalikwas ako. "Ano 'yon??"

"May masamang nangyare."

"Sinugod siya sa hospital, nakita siya ng janitress sa labas na namumutla, nilalamig at dumudugo ang ilong."

"No. No. No." sunod sunod ang iling ko. Naalimpungatan ako hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. Bigla akong nilukob ng matinding takot. Napuno ang puso ko ng pagaalala. "Nakipagaway ba siya?"

"Siguro..kasi dumudugo ang ilong niya--"

Hindi ko na pinatapos si Mia. Tumakbo ako palabas ng dorm nang hindi alam kung ano ang susunod na gagawin. Umiiyak ako na natataranta. Ano ba talagang nangyayari sa kanya??

"Sofia!"

Napalingon ako sa nakabanggaan ko. Si Jiro iyon. "Jiro, si Jave? Anong nangyari sa kanya? Nasan siya?"

Hindi sumagot si Jiro. Umiling lang siya sa akin na kinalukso ng kaba ko. Napansin kong nasa likuran niya si Ms. Ysabel. Anong ginagawa ni Ms. Ysabel dito sa school ng ganitong oras?

"Sofia. Can I talk to you for a second?" seryoso at walang emosyon ang mukha ni Ms. Ysabel.

Pumasok ako sa loob ng kotse niya para doon kami mag usap.

"How are you, Sofia?"

Hindi ko kayang sagutin ang tanong niya. Nanatiling mailap ang tingin ko, iniisip ko si Jave. Hindi ako mapakali. Narinig ko ang sunod-sunod na buntong-hininga ni Ms. Ysabel.

"I don't know what's happening to you. You have always been a responsible and quiet student. But I have been receiving notifications lately that you're missing your classes most of the time, and then just recently you started a big fight inside the campus." hindi pa rin ako nagsalita. "Look, I know I'm not in the position to tell you things but are you aware that you are in the path of destroying your future?"

"Anong nangyari kay Jave?"

"I'm asking you a question, Sofia."

Ako naman ang napahinga ng malalim. "I wanna transfer to a different school."

Tumaas ang kilay niya sa akin. "What? Kung anuman ang dahilan mo mas mahalaga pa ba 'yon sa future mo? I mean Westside is one of the most prestigious schools in the world. You can get a job that you want anywhere just by the name of the school itself. This school has the best teachers to mold you and help you get a successful career in the future. This is like Harvard. An Ivy league school already! Nakapagsimula ka na sasayangin mo pa ba?"

"I tried. I tried hard to go on with my life here. But I can't. I just can't. I'm sorry. And thank you for everything that you have done for me. I have to go.."

Natahimik bigla si Ms. Ysabel. Madalas na walang emosyon ang kanyang mukha pero sa unang pagkakataon lumambot iyon. "Jave is not in a relationship with Bella."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Nagtatanong ang mga mata ko.

"He has his reasons for wanting to leave you but it was never because of another woman."

"He kissed her in front of many people. What does that mean?"

"It means he's going away and he wanted to protect you from all his enemies that will be left behind."

"Kaya si Bella ang ipinain niya?"

"He figured Bella will go back to Ireland soon. And you..you will stay in this school in the middle of all the people who hates him. He has to do something."

"He wanted to protect me? By hurting me, is that it?" gusto ko na namang maiyak. "Mahal pa ba niya ako?"

"Of course! Have you ever doubt that about him? His world practically revolves around you."

"Kung ganun bakit niya ginagawa 'to? Bakit niya kailangang lumayo? Saan siya pupunta?"

Nagkibit balikat si Ms. Ysabel. "There are some things that I couldn't tell you. Someday everything will make sense and will fall into rightful places. But for now, you have to trust him with his decisions. Honestly Sofia, you have to give him more credit than this, especially after everything that he had done for you."

Hindi ako nakaimik.

"Jave fought so hard just to keep you in this school where he can best protect you. Pero heto ka ngayon nagkukumahog na umalis nalang at iwanan ang lahat. Ganyan ba ang pagmamahal na pinagmamalaki mo? Walang pundasyon? Mahina at walang tiwala?"

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga. "Look, I'm sorry. I can't blame you for behaving this way nor for hating Jave after all the pain that you suffered. I know I promised my brother not to tell you anything...pero hindi ko na kaya. Nasasaktan akong makita na kontrabida siya sa paningin mo samantalang ikaw lang naman ang iniingatan niya."

"Anong ibig niyong sabihin?"

"He's sick, alright? He's not dying or something. Like what you see in the movies or you read in dramatic novels. It's nothing like that!" namumulang bulalas ni Ysabel.

Napalunok ako, at namumutlang napatitig sa kanya. She surely said he was not dying but that was not enough consolation for me. Naririnig ko ang kaba sa boses niya.

"Well, he had a serious head injury the last time he was out in a riot. Tinamaan ng matigas na bagay ang ulo niya, it resulted to a cracked skull and some tiny pieces of it was deposited on his brains. He should take the surgery as soon as possible to avoid complications pero heto siya, inuuna ka muna bago ang sakit niya sa utak! There's 70% chance he's gonna make it. 10% he'll die in the process. And 20% possibility that he might forget you after surgery."

Nanginig ako. "Nasan siya?"

"Dad will take him to the US for operation. Ang kailangan mong gawin ngayon ay umarte na wala kang alam sa nangyari dahil hindi niya gustong malaman mo ito."

"Bakit?"

"Dahil hindi mo kakayanin kapag minalas siya at sumama sa liwanag. 'Yon ang eksaktong sinabi niya. Sinabi niyang mas kayang mong magpatuloy sa buhay mo na may galit sa kanya kaysa naman malaman mong namatay siya sa operasyon. Ikakasira daw ng buhay mo 'yon. 10% na nga lang ayaw pa niyang isugal sayo oh."

Tumulo na ang luha ko.

"Wag kang umiyak dahil hindi mamamatay ang kapatid kong 'yon. Masamang damo 'yon hindi kailangan sa langit 'yon. Mas lalong hindi kailangan ng karibal ni Satanas sa impierno."

I can hear the desperation and fear in her voice it was very evident. Hindi totoong hindi ito nag aalala. Suddenly it all made sense to me. "Si Mr. Viktor, hindi siya totoo di ba?" nanginginig ang labi kong tanong.

Bumuntong hininga si Ms. Ysabel. "Hindi. Jave sent him for you. Pero totoo ang net worth na meron ka ngayon. Nilipat niya sa pangalan mo ang lahat ng pera at ari arian ng namatay niyang ina."

"Hindi niya kailangang gawin 'yon!"

"Sofia, ganun ka kamahal ka ni Jave. Mahal na mahal ka niya, ikaw nalang ang natitirang kinakapitan niya. So please just do this small favor for me. Hindi kailangang malaman ni Jave na alam mo na ang lahat. Wag ka nang makialam, wag mo na siyang hanapin. Wag mong siyang bigyan ng alalahanin dahil pagkatapos ng lahat ng ito. Anuman ang mangyari, babalik siya sayo. Sigurado ako doon."

"Pero maaring makalimutan niya ako?"

"Well, you don't have a choice."

Nanghina ako. Hinang hina ako halos hindi ko maigalaw ang dibdib ko para huminga.