"I'M REALLY sorry, Tara."
She smiled at Lian who was sitting on the side of her bed assuringly. Gumanti siya ng pisil nang hawakan nito ang kanyang kaliwang kamay, mahina nga lang iyon dahil hindi pa siya gaanong nakakabawi ng lakas.
"It's not your fault, Li. I'm fine, I'm gonna be fine," aniya subalit maging siya man ay hindi gaanong kumbinsido sa sinabi. She was scared, the only things that's making her strong were her family and friends. She was surrounded by the people who loved her and who would always there for her, no matter what. "Did I ruin the event?" Noon niya naalala ang exhibit, hindi na niya alam kung anong sunod na nangyari mula nang mahulog siya.
Perhaps her worries reflected in her eyes because this time, it was Lian who smiled at her with assurance. "No, it ended great. Almost all of the paintings were sold. Including yours. Pablo even ask for you but you were already ushered to the hospital."
Hindi niya maiwasang hindi makaramdam ng panghihinayang dahil hindi niya muling nakausap si Pablo o makakuha man lang ng larawan kasama ito.
"I'm relieve." Sinamahan pa niya iyon ng buntung-hininga, all was well. The event was successful and she was alive.
Napatingin siya sa taong nasa kanyang kanan at nakaupo sa isang monoblock chair. Ngayon niya lang ulit naalalang naroon ito sa kanyang tabi, hindi ito umalis doon kahit na nag-uusap sila ni Lian. Nanatili naman itong tahimik at hindi nakikisawsaw ng may usapan.
Iniwas niya ang ulo nang ilapit na naman nito sa kanya ang kamay na may hawak na berry at akmang isusubo sa kanya. "Ayoko na sabi."
"Dalawa pa lang nakain mo," ani Harrison na nakakunot ang noo. "You need to it to regain your strength."
"Ayoko na nga! Kung hindi ka makikinig lumabas ka na lang dito," she retorted. But Harrison will always be Harrison, hindi ito makikinig sa kanya kaya sinamaan niya ito ng tingin nang hindi nito ibaba ang kamay. Napipilitang isinubo niya ang prutas. Wala siyang ganang kumain ngunit alam niyang kailangan niya iyon upang mabilis na gumaling. "I'm sorry, Li," pagpapaumanhin niya sa kaibigan nang ibalik ang tingin dito.
"It's okay, it is fun watching you two," Lian answered with utmost sincerity.
She heard Harrison snorted, subalit hindi niya pinansin ang binata. Nakita niya ang pagkunot-noo ng kaibigan kaya tinanong niya ito kung para saan iyon.
"Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit ka napunta sa pasilyong iyon. It was far from the gallery and it was deserted. Kung bababa ka naman sa hagdan ay stock room ang sasalubong sa 'yo."
Nagsalubong ang kanyang kilay dahil sa narinig, sandaling natahimik at binalikan sa isipan ang nangyari kahapon. Naalala niya ang nakaunipormeng babae na pababa ng hagdan. Bakit ito magtutungo sa stock room?
"There was a girl. I heard her crying when I was about to get back to the gallery after using the toilet. Lalapitan ko sana siya upang tanungin kung okay lang siya o kung may maitutulong ba ako. She looked... messy. Her hair was messy and it covered her face, I couldn't see her face, but I saw the bruises on her arm that's why I chase after her when she climbed down the stairs," she explained as clearly as possible. Iyon ang unang beses niyang nagkuwento kung ano ang nangyari simula nang magkamalay walong oras na ang nakakaraan.
"Kakatapos lang maglinis ng janitor kaya basa pa ang sahig at hagdanan sa bandang iyon ng gusali. Nakalimutan niya ang signage para sa basang sahig kaya umalis siya sandali para kumuha, pagbalik niya nakita ka niya. He was sorry, Tara, but it's your decision if you seek justice for what happened."
Umiling siya, wala siyang sinisisi sa nangyari. Aksidente ang lahat. Hindi ginusto ng janitor na may mapahamak. Isa pa, ang sabi nga ni Lian ay stock room ang nasa ibaba ng hagdan at walang ganoong nagpupunta roon. "It was an accident, Li, walang may gusto sa nangyari."
Tumango si Lian at muling pinisil ang kanyang kamay. Kapagkuwan ay sabay silang napatingin kay Harrison nang hawakan ang kanyang braso.
"Let me," he said flatly, looking at Lian who was holding her hand. Tumango naman huli at binitawan ang kanyang kamay na agad na kinuha ni Harrison at pinunasan. Umikot ang kanyang mga mata dahil sa ginawa nito ngunit hinayaan na lang niya.
"What happened to the girl? Is she okay?" she asked her friend when she remembered the girl she had seen.
Sandaling nanahimik ang kaibigan na tila ba nag-alangan ngunit sa huli ay sinabi sa kanya ang nasa isipan. "There's no girl, Tara. You were alone when the janitor found you."
"But..." she protested. She was certain that she saw a girl.
"You might have seen Amelia." Lian sighed softly before she continued. "There was hearsay that that part of the building was haunted. Some people believed it, but some didn't. But Mang Jener, the janitor, believed, he said that he could feel her presence every time he cleaned that place, he even seen her twice. The ghost was named Amelia, and the janitor said that she might lure you to that place. I didn't believe it at first, but after what happened to you—" Lian trailed off and uncertainty was written in her eyes.
"T-This girl, the ghost A-Amelia, what does she looked like? H-How did she... died?" Hindi siya naniniwala sa multo dahil kahit minsan ay hindi pa siya nakakakita ng ganoon, or so she thought. Ngunit nang marinig ang sinabi ni Lian ay kinutuban siya at dumagundong sa kaba ang dibdib.
"Dating pribadong paaralan ang gusali noong late nineties na nagsara dahil nga sa nangyari kay Amelia. She was born with a cleft palate kaya tampulan siya ng tukso ng ibang mga estudiyante. She was bullied by almost everyone in the school, until the bullying had gone out of hand, a student pushed her on the stairs, she would've survived if the administration helped her, but the other students who seen what happened didn't say a word. Amelia died a horrible death, mula no'n ay hindi na natahimik ang kaluluwa niya. Nagsara ang school dahil sa apila ng mga magulang ni Amelia, but the one who did that to her remained free." Kinilabutan si Tara sa nalaman, maging ang mga buhok niya sa batok ay tumindig. Hindi siya matatakutin ngunit napahamak siya dahil kay Amelia. "Amelia was short and thin, she always kept her face hidden with her long hair to hide her deformity. Ang sabi ng janitor nang makita niya ang multo ay suot pa rin nito ang uniporme ng paaralan na siyang suot din nito nang mahulog sa hagdan. I... I researched about what I've learned when I heard what the janitor said."
"I-It was her..." nanlulumong kompirma niya. Napaglaruan siya ng multo, she was sure of that. May mga bagay talaga sa mundo na hindi magawang maipaliwanag ng kung sinuman. Perhaps Amelia wanted something, but she was not cut for that. Kung ano man ang kailangan nito ay sana makuha nito at makahanap na ng kapayapaan.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Maaari namang hindi si Amelia 'yon."
She let out a long shaky sigh and tried to calm herself though she was still in a state of shock. Who won't she if she almost died because of a ghost! She swore she wouldn't set foot again in that place.
"I'm alive and I'll be okay, soon, that is all that matters," aniya upang pagaanin ang paligid.
Tumango si Lian at dumukwang sa kanyang pisngi upang gawaran siya ng halik. "You'll recover quickly, I know you will, Tara. Everyone's looking out for you," Lian murmured to her ear, then glanced at Harrison. When she looked at her again, there was a mysterious smile on her face.
Nagpaalam si Lian sa kanila dahil kailangan pa nitong sunduin ang anak sa eskuwelahan. Ibinilin pa siya nito kay Harrison bago umalis. "Take care of her."
"Always," Harrison answered in monotone.
Isang mahabang buntung-hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan ng makalabas ang kaibigan sa loob ng kanyang hospital suite, naiwan silang dalawa ni Harrison doon na himalang tahimik.
Ipinikit niya ang mga mata at ipinahinga ang katawan sa bahagyang naka-recline niyang kama. Tanging ulo lang ang kanyang malayang nagagalaw sa ngayon. Bagaman ay nasugatan ang kanyang ulo dahil sa pagkakahulog ay hindi naman iyon malala. Hindi gaya nang nangyari sa ibang bahagi ng kanyang katawan.
Ang kasama ay naramdam niyang tumayo sa kinauupuan at hindi katagalan ay lumundo ang paanang bahagi ng kama at may malamig na bagay na maingat na lumapat sa kanyang paa. Harrison was cleaning her left foot and legs like what he did to her hand. Maayos ang kanyang kaliwa paa ngunit sinabihan siya ng doctor na 'wag muna iyong galawin, nang mangahas din siyang galawin iyon ay tumindi ang sakit sa kanyang bewang na napinsala sa kanyang pagkahulog. Ibang usapan na sa kanyang kanang paa na hindi niya talaga maigagalaw dahil may nabaling buto. The doctors had to put metal screws and rods to hole her bone in place.
She let out a series of sighs when her eyes still closed. Patuloy siyang binabagabag ng nalaman mula kay Lian. Siguradong hindi siya patutulugin no'n.
"What are you thinking?" Boses iyon ni Harrison na siyang nagpamulat sa kanya ng mga mata.
Tumigil ito sa ginagawa at nakatingin na ngayon sa kanya. "Do you believe in ghosts? You think a ghost did this to me?"
Sandali siya nitong tinitigan na tila ba binabasa kung anong laman ng kanyang isipan. Nakaramdam siya ng kaunting pagkailang sa pagkatitig ni Harrison sa kanya na kahit kailanman ay hindi pa nangyari subalit hindi siya nag-iwas ng tingin dito.
"Perhaps a part of me believes that they exist though I haven't seen one."
"P-Paano kung... kung sundan ako ni Amelia?" tanong niya na bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata sa sindak.
Hinintay niya ang pagtawa at panunukso ni Harrison sa kanya ngunit hindi nito ginawa. Sa halip ay isang ngiti ang sumilay sa mga labi nito kasabay nang pagpisil sa kanyang ilong. Agad na nalukot ang kanyang mukha dahil sa ginawa ni Harrison at ikiniling ang ulo upang mabitawan siya nito.
"My muscles will protect you, Violet," he said with an amused smile.
Tara snorted and gave him a sullen look. "Go find someone to talk to, I'm not interested in your muscle," she spoke blandly.
Harrison chuckled with her rebutted and something bizarre happened to her while staring at him chuckling in a manlike manner. Her teeth were as white as the pearls clam with soft and full lips. Matagal na niyang kilala si Harrison ngunit ngayon lang niya nakitang tila kay lambot ng mga labi nito, namumula rin iyon dahil sa panaka-nakang pagkagat na tila inuudyukan siyang titigan.
"Hey..."
Napakurap-kurap siya nang iwasiwas nito ang kamay sa kanyang mukha. Nang mapagtanto ang ginawang pagtitig dito kanina at ang naging takbo ng kanyang isipan ay nag-init ang kanyang mukha.
"Are you okay? You look reddish. Were you really that scared that she might come after you?" The smile on Harrison's lips was gone, his expression softened then worries came after. "She won't," he added with a voice full of conviction.
"I was scared, happy? You shut up now or I'll throw you outside the hospital," she miffed though it wasn't the truth. Nakakabawi na siya sa mga natuklasan, and she started to made peace with it. Nakatulong din ang pang-de-distract ni Harrison Sinabi lang niya iyon upang pagtakpan ang dahilan nang pamumula ng mukha. "Give me water, hurry!" she said abruptly when he was about to open his mouth and yanked her gaze at him smoothly.
Agad naman itong tumalima at kumuha ng tubig na may straw upang madali siyang makainom. She was drinking when they heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," Harrison answered and a delivery man entered the room. May dala itong bulaklak at prutas para sa kanya. Nang malaman niya kung kanino iyon galing ay napuno siya ng kasiyahan, abot-tainga ang kanyang ngiti nang makaalis ang delivery man at sininghot ang bulaklak na nasa kandungan. "Who's Pablo? He has a stunted name, he must be an old-wrinkled guy." Bahagyang tumango-tango si Harrison na kinukumbinsi ang sarili sa huling sinabi.
"No!" mabilis niyang salungat sa sinabi nito. "Pablo is a very manly name and he is not an old-wrinkled guy, he was hot!" she exclaimed and laugh softly. Since when did she find a man hot? Pero totoo naman ang adjective na iyon na pantukoy kay Pablo ayon sa mga nababasa niya sa peryodiko.
"Since when did you find a man hot?!"
Nagtaas siya ng ulo kay Harrison at sinamaan ito ng tingin dahil sa pagsigaw nito. "Bakit mo 'ko sinisigawan, gago ka! Don't stress the patient sabi ng doktor."
Tila may malaking suliraning pinaraanan ni Harrison ng mga daliri ang buhok bago muling tumingin sa kanya. "You don't like men, you like women, remember?" he convinced her with a frustrated voice.
Nangunot ang kanyang noo dahil sa inaakto nito, bakit ito nagkakaganoon? He was crazy! Right, Harrison was crazy, hindi na dapat siya nagtataka kung bakit paiba-iba ito ng mood. Pinuno niya ng hangin ang baga kasabay ng pagpikit upang panatilihing malamig ang ulo habang kausap ito.
"FYI, I like Pablo. I like him when I was a ten, I like him until now." She just doesn't like Pablo, she loved him as an artist. Kung bibigyan siya ng pagkakataon ay gusto niya itong makilala pa at maging kaibigan.
Mariing umiling si Harrison sa kanyang naging sagot na para bang hindi sumasang-ayon. Kapagkuwan ay mabilis na dinampot ang bulaklak sa kanyang kandungan at naglakad patungo sa direksiyon ng pinto nang hindi man lang nababawasan ang pagkunot ng noo.
"Hey! Where are you going? What are you going to do with my flowers? Give them back... Harrison! You can't leave me here alone."
"Tyler is almost here... I'll get you much better flowers, the most expensive, the most beautiful," Harrison answered without glancing back.
"No! Harrison!" Her protest landed on deaf ears as Harrison finally went out of her room. After five minutes, Tyler, together with her cousin Krishia entered the room. Both of them became anxious when they saw the redness of her face.
"What happened?" it was Tyler.
Tara, who was mad, answered, "I'll kill him!"