30 Days with Fina by JellOfAllTrades

Chapter 18

The clacking of high heels on the tiled floor woke me up from my slumber on the living room couch. Turning to my side, I saw my mother elegantly dressed in red and putting on her golden dangling earrings. She was checking herself in front of the mirrors on the antique narra cabinet just beside the TV set.

"Kung inaantok ka na naman, dun ka na sa kwarto mo sa itaas matulog, Jell." She said, eyeing me from the mirror's reflection.

"'San punta mo?" I asked, sitting up.

My dad came into view wearing a tuxedo with a matching red bow tie that is similar in color with mom's dress. He flashed his pearly white teeth at me and winked at my slightly surprised expression.

"Hindi ka nakinig sakin nung isang araw, ano?" He chuckled.

"Just answer the question, please." I rolled my eyes at him. Sometimes, my dad can be quite a charmer when he pleases to. I actually got that from him.

"Na-invite kami ni Governor sa fund-raising nila." My mom answered, turning to face me and then flashing me her smile. "So, what do you think?"

"You look wonderful as always," I smiled. "Kayo lang ba?"

"Thank you." Mom chuckled, obviously contented with my answer. "Kasama si Mamita. Nasa itaas pa siya, nagaayos."

"Gagabihin kami kaya sana lang magbehave kayo." Dad said.

"Behave naman ako ah."

"Kaya nga wag gagawa ng kung anong kalokohan. Okay na yung takbo ng stay mo dito oh. So far, so good." Mom said, backing dad up.

"Fine, whatever you say."

There was a creaking on the stairs and we all looked up at Mamita going down. Dad reached for her hand by the last step to assist her.

Mamita is wearing a violet sequined dress that surprisingly makes her look younger by ten or twenty years. She abandoned the ancient cane she always carries around and is trying to straighten up her back to no success. Mom noticed this so she went up and retrieved the cane.

"Mamita, mahihirapan lang kayo pag 'di nyo to ginamit." Mom said, handing her the cane that used to be owned by our great, great-grandfather.

"Matanda na talaga ako," Mamita sighed and then seeing me, added, "sana lang bago ako mamatay makita kong maayos ang patutunguhan ng pinaghirapan ko."

Wow, so that means I still haven't won her acceptance. I'm still wrong in her eyes. Then all I did for the school expansion was for nothing.

"Tara na, Mamita. Mahaba pa ang biyahe papuntang Lucena." Mom said, catching my eye.

"Sige, ingat kayo." I stood up. "Ma, bili niyo ako ng donuts on the way back ha?"

"May Mister Donut sa palengke, bumili ka na lang dun." Mom answered, frowning at my childish request.

"Pengeng pera?" I smiled and put out a hand. See, I know she would say that.

"Talino ah," Dad said, impressed. He pulled out his wallet and handed me a newly printed one thousand peso bill. "Oh, ayan. Para di ka tulog ng tulog dito. Bumili ka ng bagong movies para sa inyo ng mga pinsan mo."

My smile widened at his request. "Sure. Thanks, dad!"

"Sige na, una na kami." Mom said, assisting Mamita to the door.

After they left, I got myself ready to go out. Fina is expecting me in the playground at three and I can't wait to see her again.

I told Mary I was leaving and she just nodded, guessing that I'm going to the seawall again.

On the road, while walking, I bumped into a guy that is busy playing with a basketball and talking with his jock friends. I didn't notice him because I was too excited thinking about Fina.

"Oy!" The guy said, annoyed. When he saw me, his frown disappeared and was replaced by a perverted smirk. "Sorry, miss. Nasaktan ba kita?"

He seems to be familiar. But I'm not just sure where I saw him.

"Jell!" There was a shriek that made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

"Oh great," I bit my lip, stepping back.

From behind the guy that I bumped into came out an obviously angry Ashley.

I tried to breathe to calm myself down. "Hi, Ashley." I managed as my eyes darted around trying to find an escape route.

"Bakit ka tumakbo nung isang araw?" She pouted and then approached me to hug my arm.

Okay, those are definitely my alarm bells ringing in panic.

I looked at the guys she's with and remembered that they were the ones playing basketball by the seawall the other day. The one I bumped into was the same guy who tried to hit on me after his ball bounced into my direction.

"Ashley, wag dito." I muttered, pushing her away.

"Bakit, may ginawa ba ako?" She looked at me, teary-eyed.

Wow, she's acting like a totally clingy girlfriend.

"Wala kang ginawa....it's just....." Okay, I can't think of any excuses.

"Alam mo, kung hindi mo rin pala ako gusto sana di mo na lang ako pinaasa!" She voiced out.

"Pinaasa?!" I almost shouted in response. Damn, this girl is unbelievable.

The guy I bumped into earlier stepped in. "Hoy, wag mong pagtataasan ng boses si Ashley!"

"Nauna siya." I frowned at this burly neanderthal. Wasn't he listening?

The guy glared at me so I just shifted my focus back on Ashley.

"Pwede ba, Ashley. Wag kang umaktong parang girlfriend ko. Wala namang nangyari."

She slapped me then and there. "Ang kapal ng mukha mong sabihin yan matapos mo kong halikan at iwan sa ere!"

"Buti nga hinalikan lang kita eh! Mas gugustuhin mo bang may ginawa ako sayo bago kita iwan?" I retorted.

The guy lost his patience with me and with a bone-cracking punch, I fell sideways to the road. I felt blood gush out from my broken nose and I tried to stand up despite the blinding hot pain.

"Bastos ka ah! Wala kang respeto!" The guy said in anger.

"Wala naman talaga akong respeto sa mga taong hindi nirerespeto ang sarili nila," I chuckled.

He tried to punch me again but I ducked and got in his defense. I threw an uppercut at him that connected with his jaw and he fell down with a thud.

"Tayo, gago. Isa pa lang yun oh," I taunted him.

He immediately got to his feet but before he can get any bearing I barrelled towards him and pushed him to a nearby garbage can.

I smiled in triumph as he collided with the container and trash spilled out.

"Bagay sayong basura ka." I said, wiping the blood from my nose.

I faced Ashley and saw that she was in shock. Probably not expecting me to win that one.

"Kung magpapatulong ka na lang din naman, bakit---!" My sentence was cut short when somebody pushed me from behind. I stumbled forward and the other basketball guys caught me by the arms.

"Magyayabang ka pa ha!" The garbage guy said, punching me in the gut.

The wind got knocked out of me but I managed a smug smile. "Mas malakas pa sumuntok yung lola ko sayo,"

There was another punch aimed at my side this time. My eyes blacked out for a moment but I managed to keep standing.

"Lalaban ka pa?"

"Gago, pano ako lalaban eh may nakahawak sakin!" I retorted.

A punch was thrown at my face and I tasted a metallic tang in my mouth. I spat the blood out and smiled at the garbage guy. "Duwag ka ba? Lumaban ka ng patas! Hindi yung pinapahawak mo ko dito sa mga unggoy mo!"

With a nod from the garbage guy, the monkeys holding me pushed me forward and I stumbled, falling to my knees.

"Eh lampa ka pala eh! Hanggang salit-AH!" I barelled again to garbage guy and kneed him on the groin. He collapsed to the ground but one of the monkeys pulled my left arm, spinning me around and then punching me full on the face.

I fell down on the road and they began kicking me hard. I heard a girl shriek in the distance, a man shouting and everything turned black.

*****

I haven't really dreamed in my sleep for a while now so when I opened my eyes and saw Fina sitting beside my bed I thought it was a dream.

"Buti naman nagising ka na." She said, relieved.

"Nasa langit na ba ako?" I muttered.

"Hoy, hindi pa!"

"Eh bakit may anghel akong nakikita?"

Fina smiled and pressed my cheek. I winced in pain. "ARAY!"

"Magbibiro pa kasi eh," Fina chuckled.

I tried to sit up but my body felt like it was being poked by a thousand needles all at once. Fina held me by the shoulder and kept me down.

"Wag ka munang gumalaw."

"Kaya ko naman eh,"

"Please, wag na matigas ang ulo. Baka lalong lumala eh." Fina said, worriedly looking at my stomach.

"How bad is it?" I muttered, looking at the white ceiling of my bedroom.

"Broken nose tapos puro pasa na yung iba." Fina said. "Tumawag ng doktor yung kuya mo kasi alam niyang ayaw mo sa ospital. Inayos na nila yung ilong mo kanina. Di mo na naramdaman kasi tulog na tulog ka."

"Buti naman tinupad niya," I mused. I once made a pact with Kuya Ken that if we get into a fight, we'd avoid the hospital as much as possible. I tried to feel my nose and although there was a small bandage on the bridge and it hurts, it's in the right shape.

"Jell, anong nangyari?" Fina asked.

"Just bumped into some guys tapos nagkainitan. Ikaw, how did you find me?"

"Hindi ako nakahanap sayo. May mga tricycle driver daw kasi na nakakita sa nangyayari kaya pinuntahan ka nila. May nakakilalang Folloso ka kaya tinawag yung kuya mo. Ayun, dinala ka nila dito sa kwarto mo tapos tumawag ng doktor."

I let out a deep sigh.

"Hindi ka dumating sa playground kaya nag-alala ako. Tinawagan kita pero walang sumasagot." Fina recounted. "Pinuntahan na lang kita dito sa bahay niyo kasi baka umalis ka na ng hindi nagpapaalam. Gusto ko man lang malaman kung umalis ka na tapos ayun, nalaman kong kaya di ka pala sumasagot kasi nakipagbugbugan ka na."

"Hindi naman ako aalis agad ng walang paalam eh."

"Naninigurado lang ako."

We were silent for a few minutes until the door opened and Mary came in with a tray of food.

"Gising ka na pala, Ate Jell." She smiled at me, putting the tray on the bedside table. "Ate Fina, para sayo daw 'to. Balik na lang ako para sa pagkain ni ate Jell."

"Bakit nauna siya?" I frowned. "Di ba dapat ako muna kasi ako yung pasyente?"

"Mahiya ka kasi jan sa nurse mo. Student Government president namin yan sa St. Peter." Mary retorted, making Fina red. "Sige na ate Fina, babalik ako."

Mary left and once again, the room grew silent.

"Kumain ka na," I said.

"Mamaya na lang,"

I saw that the sky is already dark outside. I must have been out for hours. "Fina, anong oras na?"

"Seven,"

I nodded. "Akala ko oras na para mahalin mo ako eh."

Fina poked my bruised cheek again making me wince. "ARAY KO HA!"

"Nabagok ba yang ulo mo? Kanina ka pa ha!" Fina said, her cheeks flushed rosy red.

I managed a smile. She's blushing! "Oy, kinilig siya. Crush mo na ako noh?"

"Kapal ng mukha mo." Fina frowned, looked away, and then with a teasing smile she poked my side, sending a jolt of pain through me. I almost cried out but I made no sound, just the expression of someone shouting in pain.

"Hala, sorry!" Fina said in panicked worry as I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing.

"Masakit yun ha." I muttered, blinking away the tears that are forming.

"Sorry," Fina apologized, holding my hand. I winced again when her hand grazed the bruises I have there but it also feels contradictingly okay for her to do that.

I just looked at her and wished that I'm strong enough to sit up and hug her. I really do feel like hugging her.

The door opened again and Mary came in with a tray in hand. Behind her are my brothers and Gerald.

"Oh, kamusta ang basagulera kong kapatid?" Kuya Ken mused, tapping my knee and sitting beside me on the bed.

"Buhay pa naman," I smiled.

"Good, kasi papatayin ka nila Mamita pag-uwi nila mamaya. Word travels faster when you don't like the news."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Sino nagsabi?"

"Si Manang Pacing. Nagpanic eh," Kier answered. "Tinawagan agad si mommy pagkakita sa duguan mong mukha."

I let out a sigh. No way to get through this now. I pressed on the palm of Fina's hand and just gave her a small smile.

Kuya Ken and Kier's eyebrows rose at the sight of our hands but I ignored them. I'm already shish kabob when mom gets home anyway so why worry about getting any more trouble?

"Hoy, Jell. Nalimutan mo na yung pinagusapan niyo ni mommy?" Kuya Ken asked.

"Walang malisya 'to, hoy."

"Talaga lang ha?"

"Wala nga kasi."

They just stared at us until Fina grew uncomfortable and retrieved her hand.

"Sige na, mukhang okay ka naman na. Iwan muna namin kayo." Gerald said, opening the door. "Kumain na kayo ha?"

They left us alone but before Kuya Ken closed the door, he made sure to give me the 'I'm-watching-you' sign.

I tried to sit up despite the blinding pain so that I could eat. Fina helped me and took the job of spoon-feeding me. I turned away from the spoon, frowning at her.

"Kumain ka na," Fina said. "Wag ka nang maarte."

"Ako na. Akin na 'yang kutsara!" I tried to reach for the spoon but Fina held it tight.

"Susubuan na kita, wag nang makulit. Please."

"Kaya ko na nga kasi yan!" I insisted, still holding her hand with the spoon full of food.

"Jellane, isa!" She counted, eyeing me.

"Dalawa!" I counted too, smirking at her.

"Jellane, wag kang makulit!"

"Bakit, anong gagawin mo sakin?" I challenged her.

We stared at each other as she tried to think of a comeback but what surprised me was when I caught her looking at my lips and then turning a shocking shade of red.

"Fina..." My hand released her. "Did you just--?"

"Ano?" She turned her attention back at me and desperately tried to hide the redness of her cheeks.

"Gusto mo ba akong halikan?"

"Hindi ah!" She rejected, standing up and putting down the plate.

"'San ka pupunta?"

"Uuwi na ako. Gabi na."

"Teka lang, Fina!" I tried to stand up but the pain was unbearable.

"Kaya mo na kumain mag-isa 'di ba?" Fina shook her head, trying to look like she doesn't care if I'm in pain but the worry was obvious in her eyes. "Uuwi na ako, Jell. Pahinga ka na."

And with that, she left my room and left me confused with what happened.

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A/N:

Mangaasar pa ha. Ayan, iniwan ka tuloy.