Lahat ng mga tao sa nakaraan ko ay konektado sa mga taong nakakasalumuha ko ngayon?
“How did you two meet?” tanong ko pa ulit. Parang alam naman niya agad kung sino ang tinutukoy ko dahil bigla siyang napaayos sa kaniyang kinauupuan.
Tumikhim siya at naging seryoso ang kaniyang mga mata. “We meet in New York. My parents and her mother were good friends,” he answered.
Her mother… bitterness crept inside me. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t suffer. They ruined what we had in the past. They ruined it all…
“Why’d you ask?” he asked me.
I gave him a small smile, “Wala lang. Hindi ko lang akalain na may naka relasyon ka pala,” sagot ko habang nakatingin sa kaniyang mga mata, “you’re in love with Gwyn so I thought you wouldn’t enter into a relationship kasi hihintayin mo pa siya,” dagdag kong muli.
“Our relationship didn’t last that long. I don’t like her either. I was just forced by my parents to try having a relationship with her,” he told me.
“Your parents forced you?” I asked back.
“They are fond of Joana so… and besides I was young back then and I am not really serious to her so we decided to end our relationship.”
I raised my brow, “You’re not serious to her, then what about her? I bet she still likes you.”
Sa panghahalik niya pa lang kanina kay Reeve bago siya umalis sa sasakyan at sa kung paano niya ako ayaw isama sa usapan nila ay masasabi kong gusto niya si Reeve.
“You jealous?” he smirked playfully.
“Asa!” angal ko naman agad. Ako nagseselos? Gosh… I am not that lowkey to be jealous of her. Kung magseselos man ako doon naman sana sa may high-end class na babae. Hindi sa low-end class.
He laughed playfully at my reaction and I frowned at him.
“I am not!” pagdedepensa ko pa kahit na wala naman siyang sinasabi.
“Chill, I didn’t say anything,” he cooly stated.
“You can chill now in the living room and I will be washing the dishes,” pag-iiba ko ng usapan at agad na niligpit ang mga pinagkainan namin. He also stand up and helps me clean the dining.
“Pahinga ka na doon ako na maghuhugas ng pinggan,” sabi ko ulit sa kaniya ng wala pa siyang plano na umalis dito.
“I’ll help you.”
“No.” I said firmly, “sit back there and I will be the one to wash it. Ikaw na nga ang nagluto ikaw pa huhugas ng pinggan? Ang swerte ko naman ata.” Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay para malaman na seryoso ako sa gagawin ko.
At isa pa, iniiwasan ko ng mapahiya sa harap niya. Too much embarrassment in front of him today is enough. Bawal ng dagdagan pa.
“Okay..” pagsusuko niya.
“Just watch a movie there or whatever you like,” I told him.
Then I started washing the dishes. Hindi naman marami kaya madali lang din akong natapos. After I finished washing the dishes I quickly went to the living room to check on him and I saw him watching a medical drama.
“You’re fond also of watching a medical drama?” nakangiting ani ko sa kaniya at dinaluhan siya. He’s sitting in the long size of the sofa facing the tv and I sit beside him.
“Yeah,” he lazily replied without looking at me.
“On what field do you wish to study if you’d proceed on medicine? I asked out of nowhere. The doctor in the drama that we are watching is a neurosurgeon. Naisipan ko lang na itanong sa kaniya.
He looked at me then looked back again on the tv. “I want to be a surgeon,” he replied.
Wow… we have the same ambition. I also want to be a surgeon. Basically, I wanted to save lives the reason why I chose to be a surgeon. If the time permits I wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I wanted to dig deeper into the strongest muscle of the human body which is the heart.
“If you wish to be a surgeon in what field of specialization?” tanong ko ulit. I imagine him already wearing a scrub suit and holding a scalpel saving lives. How beautiful could that be if I get to see him wearing that.
“I wanted to pursue a cardiothoracic surgeon,” he looked at me in the eyes when he answered my question.
“Woah… we have the same ambition! I also wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon!” masayang litanya ko sa kaniya. His answer shocked the hell out of me!
Wow… It is just amazing that he also wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. Saving the heart of the people. Made them beat again. The thought of it excites me.
“You know! We both could team up in the future. You’re the chief surgeon and I can be your resident!” masayang pagbabahagi ko sa kaniya.
He chuckled deeply, “Do you want to?” he asked.
Without second thoughts I nodded. Naiisip ko pa lang na makakatrabaho siya sa iisang hospital bilang ganap na doctor ay nakaka-excite. Teaming up to save the lives of the people.
Nabigla ako ng bigla niyang hapitin ang katawan ko papalapit sa kaniya to close the distance between us and whispered to my ear, “Then, will make it happen.”
Hindi ako makagalaw sa pwesto ko sa labis na kaba na aking nararamdaman. Nararamdaman ko pa rin ang mabangong hininga niya that makes a tickling sensation on me. Hindi niya pa rin kasi inaalis ang kaniyang mukha malapit sa tainga ko.
I am silently praying that he wouldn’t be able to hear the beating of my traitor heart.
Napapikit ako ng makiliti dahil bigla ulit siyang nagsalita malapit sa tainga ko. “Rest now and I will be going home,” bulong niya sa akin.
Binuksan ko lang ang mga mata ko ng maramdaman ko ng tumayo siya at inayos ang kaniyang damit. Napatayo rin ako at hinatid siya sa pintuan.
“Ingat ka,” mahinang bilin ko sa kaniya.
“I will. Rest now,” he smiled and tap my head then he started walking to his car. He looked back before he opens the door of his car. I smiled and wave my hand and mouthed him ‘goodnight’.
This night felt surreal. My traitor heart keeps on beating so fast whenever I’m with him. I am not dumb not to notice the actions of Reeve. He's showing me signs again and I am afraid to ask him because he might answer again that he doesn’t know.
We’re both not sure of our feelings… Bahala na…
This time, I’ll let fate decide on its own.
Joana isn’t showing the following days. I know she has a plan on why she’s here in the Philippines. Pero hindi pa rin siya gumagalaw. Whatever will be, hindi ko siya aatrasan. Too much of ruining me in the past and I will never let it happen again now.
I was young and didn’t know how to decide on my own before kaya ganoon na lang nila na agaw ang lahat. Pero hindi ko na ito hahayaan ngayon. It is just funny how we are still connected to each other even when I cut her off in my life…
“So you met her again?” si Renaissa.
Kiniwento ko sa kaniya ang mga nangyari noong nakaraang linggo. Especially when the part that I met that evil bitch.
“Yup,” I answered
“Then ano ang gagawin mo ngayon?” seryosong tanong niya.
We don’t have a duty in the hospital now so we’re here at school. Pero meron kaming oral recitation mamaya. Renaissa and I decided to study together. Kay Reeve sana ako sasama kaso hindi ko siya mahagilap dito sa paaralan kaya kay Renaissa na lang muna.
“Waiting for her plan,” sagot ko naman sa kaniya.
“Plan?” takang tanong niya sa akin.
“She’s back and I know she didn’t back for no reason. She might have some agenda’s here,” pagpapaliwanag ko naman sa kaniya.
“Don’t you think that she’s the instrument sent by God?” she carefully asked me.
Pinangunotan ko naman siya ng noo? Instrument? How come that she’s an instrument sent to me when she’s clearly up into something. The evilness they had didn’t change at all. They are all relationship wrecker.
“Instrument? No, I don’t believe it. She’s up to something and I can sense it,” dahilan ko naman sa kaniya.
She shifted on her seat and close the book she’s studying. Mas ipinokos na niya ang attention niya sa akin ngayon. “For what I can see, Henzy Neve. She can be an instrument sent to you because clearly, you don’t forgive the people in your past. Maybe she’s an instrument because it’s time to face them and forgive those people who hurt you. The hatred in your heart was too big that you can’t move on,” she seriously stated.
I chuckled without humor, “Well then, for me she still up to something. I don’t believe that she has a good intention of showing up now. Kung meron man, edi sana matagal na nilang ginawa.”
She sighed in disbelief when I was against her at hindi na umimik pa. I also didn’t talk and just focuses my attention on my books.
I was in the middle of studying when my phone vibrated. I stopped what I am doing and open my phone only to see that Reeve was the one who texted me.
From Reeve:
Where are you?
To Reeve:
Library, why?
Hindi ko nalalapag ang cellphone ko ng mga vibrate ulit.
From Reeve:
Let’s meet in the canteen when you’re done.
To Reeve:
Sure! See you!
“Henzy… could you please recite the seven nursing care plans and nursing diagnosis for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Hindi ko na hinintay ang reply ni Reeve at itinoon ko ang attention kay Renaissa.
“Hindi mo alam?” takang tanong ko.
“Alam ko. I just want you to recite it para mas ma retain sa utak ko,” sagot naman niya.
“Okay.”
“The seven NCP and NDx are, first Innefective Airway Clearance, second Impaired Gas exchange, third Ineffective Breathing Pattern, fourth Imbalanced Nutrition, fifth Risk for infection, sixth Deficient Knowledge and lastly Activity Intolerance,” I recited in front of her.
“You’re the best!” she happily said and clapped her hand.
“Baka gusto mong e elaborate ko pa isa-isa sa’yo?” pinangkitan ko siya ng mata. Mas tumatalab sa kaniya minsan kung mismo ako tumuturo sa kaniya kesa sa Prof. namin.Matalino nama ‘to pero inaabot lang ng katamaran minsan.
“Yes pleaseeee,” pagpapa cute pa nito.
I gave her my cocky smile, “You wish!”
“Sige na Henzy!” pagpupumilit niya pa.
“Saan d’yan?”
“Iyong Impaired Gas Exchange. How do we assess the patient?” tila hindi niya maintindihang tanong sa akin.
“Diba ang Ndx ay Impaired Gas Exchange. As a nurse we need to assess the patient who has that diagnosis as we need to assess and record its respiratory rate and depth. We also need to monitor vital signs and cardiac rhythm,” pagpapaliwanag ko.
“How about the Therapeutic Intervention?” tanong niya pa ulit.
“Hmm… we need to evaluate the level of its activity tolerance. We need to provide them a calm and quiet environment. And if it is an acute phase we need to limit the patient’s activity and or encourage them to rest,” I answered.
Nakikita ko pa rin ang pagkunot ng kaniyang noo tila hindi pa rin na iintindihan ang mga pinagsasalita ko.
“So kailangan limitahan ang mga galaw ng pasyente dahil kapag malala na ang respiratory distress nila ay posibleng hindi nila makayanan ang basic self-care activities, tama ba?” paninigurado niya pa.
“Yes they can’t perform basic self-care activities because of hypoxemia and dyspnea,” I added.
“Ohhh.. now I get it.”
“Btw, the most common cause of COPD is smoking, right?”
“Yup,” I answered.
“Pero hindi lahat smoking ang rason. Aside from smoking the cause also of it is the long-term exposure to other lung irritants or could possibly affect our lungs. An example is air pollution, or inhaling dust form the environments or in the workplace can contribute to the result of COPD.”
“Paano nila nakukuha ang ganitong sakit since, COPD can’t be cured. It is treatable but it can’t be cured.”
“COPD is most likely genetic. Merong rare genetic condition na kung tawagin ay alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Iyong mga taong may ganyang condition are most likely to have low blood level AAT a type of protein that is made in the liver. So kung mababa ang level ng AAT mo it can possibly lead to lung damage or most likely to get COPD.”
“Naks.. iba talaga basta matalino. Pa share katalinohan, Henzy. Baka sakaling gumana rin sa akin,” she joked.
“Gaga, magbasa ka kasi ng libro at isa puso. ‘Wag puro reklamo!” asik ko naman.
“Eh.. sa nakakatamad eh!”
“Huwag din pairalin katamaran. Atska, matalino ka naman tamad nga lang,” pang-aasar ko sa kaniya.
“Iba pa rin level ng katalinuhan mo. Mala pang Einstein!” she said exxageratively.
“Kung mala pang Einstien katalinuhan ko ‘di na sana ako nag-aaral para sa oral recit mamaya,” I jokinly said.
“Btw, aalis na ako. Going to meet Reeve at the canteen. Bye!” pagpapaalam ko sa kaniya.
“Hoy! Ang daya mo! Nahanap mo lang the one mo kinalimutan mo na ako!” pag-iinarte niya at ngumuso pa.
“Baliw. Bye na!” nagmamadali ko namang sabi at agad na lumabas sa library.
The canteen and the library aren’t that far. When I enter a bunch of students welcome me. Punuan ngayon dahil lunch time na. Usually senior high school department lang naman an gang o-occupy ng canteen kapag tanghalian, dahil irregular schedule ang college department.
Madalas lang na may college na kumakain kapag lunch time at ‘yon ‘yong may mg free time, like us.
Kahit na maraming estudyante ang nagkukumpulan ay patuloy pa rin na hinahanap ng mga mata ko kung saan naka pwesto si Reeve. I saw him sitting at the corner of this canteen where we last time ate together.
I was about to go near him when my eyes caught something that I shouldn’t see. The girl whom I least want to see is happily sitting in front of him. They were both laughing.
The heck? Anong ginagawa niya dito. Seeing her face ruins my mood instantly. Joana’s eyes landed on me and she smirked.
She did something that my eyes couldn’t forget. She pulled Reeve closer to her and harshly brush her lips on Reeve’s lips.
And at that moment I hate to admit it but I was jealous.