#CTG14 Chapter 14

"I'm worried..." Rory said. We're in Yago's unit. Jax wanted to drink kaya sinamahan namin. He got himself a bottle that he's drinking all by himself. Watching him like this was... saddening. I knew he was mad at me for doing what I did, but I always knew that I was just looking after him. Hindi lang namin siya mahatid pauwi dahil mas mag-aalala iyong parents niya kapag nakita siyang ganito. He looked really bad.

"Patigilin mo na uminom..." Rory told Yago when he stood up to get something from the kitchen kung nasaan kaming dalawa ni Rory.

"Bayaan mo," Yago said. "He'd eventually stop. Let him mope."

I nodded. This was the worst part... He'd eventually get this out of his system. Alam ko naman na magkakabalikan pa rin sila. Sa future. Kapag okay na silang dalawa. Hindi ngayon. They're both destroying themselves and they knew it... They weren't just strong enough to admit it.

Habang busy uminom iyong dalawa, nagreview na ako para sa quiz namin sa Civpro. I wished they'd stop drinking para makapag-aral na sila. Pakiramdam ko badtrip si Dean sa section namin kaya baka maraming ibagsak. Usually kapag ganon, iyong top 30% lang ang pinapasa kaya kailangan talaga naming umayos... Made-delay kami ng isang taon kapag hindi kami pumasa sa CivPro.

"Is he still drunk?" I asked when I saw Jax and Yago arriving in school. Naka-akbay si Yago kay Jax habang naglalakad. Mukhang inaalalayan niya dahil hindi diretso maglakad si Jax.

Rory nodded. "Yeah... Mostly si Jax lang. Ayaw tumigil, e. Akala ko nga dadalhin na namin sa ospital para i-pump 'yung stomach."

I excused myself and bought him bottled water from the cafeteria. May time pa naman bago iyong quiz namin. He needed to sober up. Ipapa-basa ko sa kanya 'yung reviewer ko para naman may masagot siya kahit papaano. Hindi pa naman siya natatawag sa recit sa CivPro... Kaya pa namang habulin... Kailangan niya lang talagang umayos.

Kailangan niyang umayos. Naaalala ko na naman na sinabi ni Papa na balita niya raw ay bumaba iyong grades ni Jax... Kung paano niya nalaman, hindi ko alam...

"Si Jax?" I asked nang bumalik ako sa pwesto.

"Pumunta silang dalawa sa CR," Rory said. We waited for a couple of minutes before we both found it weird kung bakit sobrang tagal nila sa CR. Rory tried to call Yago, but he wasn't answering. Naglakad-lakad kami sa school para hanapin sila.

"Jax, tama na," Yago said. Agad bumilis ang lakad namin ni Rory nang marinig namin iyong boses ni Yago. We ended up in the end of the hallway. Mabuti na lang at walang klase sa dulong room. I looked around. Wala masyadong tao... But that's only a matter of time dahil malapit ng magdismiss.

And there they were.

Si Yago na hawak si Jax.

Si Iñigo na naka-tayo sa harap ni Katherine.

This was... a sight.

"May quiz pa tayo," Yago said. "Tara na."

"Katherine..." Jax called. I saw how hard Katherine was trying not to look at him. I knew she loves him so much... Kasi kung hindi? She wouldn't break up with him. She'd just let him take that destructive path and watch him ruin his life for her.

But she loves him enough to break up with him. Because she knew that at this time, that's the best option.

"Jax, tama na," she said. "Break na tayo, 'di ba?"

I wanted to turn my back and just walk away. I didn't enjoy watching this. I didn't enjoy watching them like this. But I just couldn't leave them.

This was so fucked up.

"Let's talk," Jax said.

"Ayoko," Katherine replied.

"Katherine—"

"Ayaw niya nga," Iñigo cut in.

"Hindi kita kausap," Jax said. His eyes were still red—from crying or from the lack of sleep, I wasn't sure anymore. Everyday, I reminded myself not to punch Jax even though sometimes, I was so pissed at him already.

"Ako na bahala dito," Iñigo said to Katherine. She looked at Jax one last time before she quickly walked down the stairs. Sinubukan na habulin siya ni Jax, pero mabilis siyang pinigilan ni Iñigo. I internally cursed when I heard the doors opening. Shit. Hindi sila pwedeng mag-away dito.

I looked at Rory. "Punta na kayo sa classroom," I said. "Ako na bahala kay Iñigo," I continued before I went in the middle of the two. They looked like they go in a brawl anytime and we seriously couldn't afford that—not in the middle of the fucking finals.

Rory and Yago tried to pull Jax away from Iñigo.

"Let it go, dude. Break na kayo—" Iñigo said before Jax's fist landed on his face. Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa bilis ng pangyayari. It felt like this internal alarm rang inside me. We'd get suspended. Shit. Papalabas na iyong mga prof.

I quickly pulled Iñigo away before it turned into a full-blown fist fight... but even before I could pull them away from each other, I saw black.

* * *

"Cha!"

I tried to sit down, but my vision was blurry. I looked around, but I couldn't completely open my right eye. Nakita ko si Iñigo sa tabi ko. He looked really worried. Shit.

"Ano'ng oras na?"

"4:30," he said. "San ka pupunta?"

I didn't bother answering his question. All I could think about was my quiz in CivPro. First quiz namin 'yun ngayong finals... Sabi nila, iyon lang daw iyong quiz namin ngayon tapos baka puro recit na... Kapag hindi ko nakuha 'yun, kinakabahan ako para sa grades ko dahil kalahati ng recit 'yun.

"Cha," I heard him say again.

"Where's my bag?" I asked instead. Baka naman good for 1-hour iyong quiz. Kaya ko pa humabol. Kahit 30 minutes lang ako magsagot basta hindi ako zero sa quiz.

Umikot ako sa clinic hanggang sa matigilan ako nang makita ko iyong mukha ko sa salamin. Shit. It wasn't completely bruising yet pero... fuck. Paano ako uuwi na 'to?! Ano'ng sasabihin ko kay Papa?! Na nasuntok ako sa school?!

Huminga ako nang malalim.

"Umuwi na sila Jax..." I heard him say. "One week suspension."

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko. There's no use in getting mad. Tapos na. Nangyari na. Mapapagod lang ako kapag nagalit ako... pero gustung-gusto kong magalit. Pero pagod na ako. Pagod na akong panoorin sila. Pagod na akong umawat sa kanila. Pagod na akong paalalahanan sila.

Nakita ko iyong bag ko na naka-patong sa upuan. Mabilis kong kinuha iyon at nagsimulang maglakad palabas.

"Cha..." I heard him calling my name again. I gave him no attention. I just... I just wanted to go home and forget this day ever happened. One-week suspension. I'd just think of it as my vacation. Natawag na ako sa halos lahat ng subjects ko... Sa Wills at Torts na lang naman ako hindi natatawag... Okay naman iyong recit ko sa kanila dati... Babawi na lang ako... Wala naman akong choice.

Diretso akong naglakad palabas habang nagbubook ng sasakyan ko. I began to think of a feasible explanation. Maniniwala kaya si Dad kapag sinabi ko na tumama iyong mukha ko sa doorknob? Saan ko ba sasabihin na tumama iyong mukha ko kaya may blackeye ako? Ayoko ng palakihin pa 'to. I just wanted this whole situation to end. I just wanted to get back to just fucking studying.

"Stop," I said when I felt him standing beside me. I just couldn't listen to him say my name one more time. "Just... stay away from me."

I wasn't looking at him, but it was as if I felt him stiffened.

"Hindi ako galit... but I just can't handle any more of this. I just want to graduate and take the BAR and be a lawyer," I said. I briefly closed my eyes as I felt my vision blurrying. Mukhang sa ospital muna ako didiretso.

"Stay away from you?"

I nodded, taking in a deep breath because my vision was starting to blur. I reminded myself to call Chester and tell him that I'd be going to the hospital para samahan niya ako. I couldn't tell Dad. He'd go to school and demand to know what happened. I just really wanted to close this part of my life.

"Yes. Just like before," I said before I got inside the car. I rested my head against the seat as I told the driver to bring me to the hospital instead.

* * *

It was like luck was finally on my side. Dad was in some business trip at next week pa siya uuwi. By then, hindi na gaanong maga iyong mata ko... There's some bruising, but makeup could take care of that.

Charlie and Chase were worried about me. Akala nila sinuntok ako ni Dad—which was ridiculous because as strict as our Dad was with us, he never hurt us physically. Chester went home to take care of me, which was nice... Pati si Ahia bumisita din. Kung alam ko lang na kailangan ko palang masuntok para makumpleto kami...

I assured them that I was fine. After a week of suspension, bumalik na ako sa school. Hindi naman alam ng mga classmate ko na na-suspend kami... O baka alam nila? Ewan ko. Ayoko ng isipin 'yun. I just wanted to concentrate on studying.

"Welcome back," Rory said.

"Suspended ka rin," I replied.

"Three days lang," she said. "Umawat lang ako, e."

Umawat lang din naman ako... Akala ba ni Dean nakipagsuntukan din ako kina Jax at Iñigo?

But I remained quiet. I wanted to focus on studying. Nag-aral lang din naman ako nung nasa bahay ako. Hinabol ko iyong mga backlogs ko at nagdigest for CivPro... Naging productive din naman 'yung suspension ko kahit papaano.

Napa-tingin kami ni Rory nang bumukas iyong pinto. Nandun si Jax. He got suspended for a week, too... He took his seat. He looked... normal. He didn't look drunk anymore. Pagka-upo niya pa lang, kinuha niya iyong codal sa bag niya at tahimik na nagbasa hanggang sa dumating iyong prof namin.

The class started. Natawag kaming apat dahil absent kami last week.

"Yuchengco," Atty. Haleon called. Jax stood up. "Case of Kho v Court of Appeals."

Lihim akong napa-ngiti nang magsimulang magdiscuss si Jax ng case. This was the Jax I knew—focused and determined to graduate. He loves Katherine... I knew that one day, they'd find their way back. But for now, we have to focus on the goal.

The day continued. It was almost 10pm when we were dismissed. My mind was already tired. Sabay-sabay kaming naglakad palabas. Rory wanted to have dinner somewhere and I was already hungry.

"Samgyup tayo?" Rory asked.

"Ayoko. Sa malapit na lang," I replied.

"Okay... Basta 'wag fastfood," she said. She began to suggest restos we could go to. She asked Jax kung saan gustong kumain, but Jax said na kahit saan okay lang basta malapit lang kasi mag-aaral pa raw siya pag-uwi.

Habang naglalakad kami pababa, natigilan si Rory at Yago dahil nakita namin na papalapit sa amin sina Katherine at Iñigo.

But we all continued to walk and crossed paths like we didn't know each other. Kagaya ng dati.