CHAPTER V: Do not Cross the Line

Drake’s POV

KANINA pa ako pabalik-balik sa mga classrooms na nadadaan ko, pero hindi ko  makita ni anino manlang ni Dianne. Para akong mahihilo sa ginagawa kong ‘to. In the first place, I don’t know why I am doing this. There’s a strange force that suddenly drives me to do this strange actions and make my heart beat fast. And only when I’m with Dianne that my heart beats slowly again. I need to find her or else my chest would be exploding any moment. Hyperbolically explained but that seems to be the feeling I have as of the moment.

Most if not all may experience differently to what I’m feeling right now, for their heart might beat faster whenever they’re with someone— who have special place in their hearts or uncomfortable with. But I’m the total opposite of it. I guess, I feel more comfortable when I’m with them.

Habang naglalakad ako papunta sa palikuran, I saw a group of students in a huddle, busy looking at their phones, and making noise because most of them are talking simultaneously. There I saw Dianne with them, looking at her phone. However, she seems  flustered and not okay. I don’t know what’s going on but I came to check what’s  happening.

Hindi ko napansin na andoon din pala si Aiden. Hanggang sa biglang lumapit si Dianne sa kaniya at saka sinampal. Nagulat ang lahat sa ginawang ‘yon ni Dianne.

“Ikaw ba ang nagupload ng video?” tanong nito kay Aiden na namumula ang pisngi dahil sa pagkakasampal ni Dianne.

“Wala akong alam diyan! Pati rin ako nagulat nang makita ko ‘yan,” tugon naman ni Aiden.

Hindi ko man alam kung anong nangyayari at pati na rin kung anong nangyari, alam kong malungkot si Dianne. And just by looking at her teary eyes makes me sad as well. Totoo ngang gumagaan ang aking pakiramdam ko sa tuwing andiyan si Dianne, pero ibang usapan na kapag nakikita ko siyang malungkot at umiiyak.

Sa kalagitnaan ng pagtatalo ni Aiden at Dianne ay siya namang panghihimasok ang babaeng tinawag na Kathleen ng isa niyang kasamahan at saka walang pakundangang nagtanong. “ Are you the girl in the clip. Wow! Congratulations! You’re so famous pala sa mga guys, lalo na sa mga barumbado,” tudyo nito kay Dianne, sabay tawa kasama ng ibang mga estudyante.

“Aiden, do you also know this girl? Ah wait, I mean this hooker?” tanong nito kay Aiden sabay tingin niya kay Dianne na parang diring-diri ito.

I don’t know who these girls are, right in front of my face, but I am sure that she is into other people’s business.

Ipinakita niya sa ‘kin ang clip kung saan pinalilibutan ng grupo ng mga kalalakihan si Dianne. Honestly, I was a bit shocked when she showed that to me. Not because I wasn’t expecting that to happen but because I pity Dianne for whatever purpose the one who posted that clip on the students’ group forum have. I don’t know what his intention is, or who it is. But the fact that I’m seeing Dianne in this tough situation, I am starting to put myself in her shoes. Kita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata ni niya.

Sa mga sandaling ‘yon halos hindi makaimik si Dianne. Nagsimulang pumatak ang kaniyang mga luha sa mga oras na ‘yon. Wala akong magawa kundi ang ialok sa kaniya ang aking panyo.

“Drake, what are you doing?” the girl—who badmouthed Dianne earlier, said. “ Are you trying to console this bitch?” dagdag pa niya.

Gusto kong punasan ang mga luha ni Dianne sa kaniyang mukha, ngunit agad na kinuha nito ang panyo mula sa aking mga kamay at saka ipinunas ito sa kaniyang mga luhaang mata, kaya naman hinayaan ko na lamang ito.

Bigla na lamang lumapit ang babae at saka itinulak si Dianne. Buti na lamang at mabilis ko siyang nasalo sa mga braso ko. Dahil kung hindi ay baka napano na siya.

“Miss, with all due respect, don’t you think you’re crossing the line here? Just because Dianne is in that clip, doesn’t mean your guess was right.  Don’t you think, she’s the victim here?” bulalas ko.

“Huh? Are you blind,” sagot nito na parang maka paniwala sa sinabi ko.

“We don’t have the right to judge her. We still do not know what happened here and yet you already drew your own conclusions as if you know her a lot,” mariin kong saad sa kanila.

I might not be as talkative as others when it comes to having conversations. And some might always see me as a warm and quiet person. But when someone’s been insulted, especially when these people are very important to me, I  just couldn’t stand to let others treat them like that.

 Seeing Dianne crying reminds me when I first saw her at the hospital, where I first saw her.

One rainy evening, while I was driving my mom’s car heading home, a woman in front of me  went across the street. In surprised, I suddenly press the brake pedal down, without knowing that I didn’t fasten my seatbelt.

Unfortunately, I accidentally bumped my head on the steering wheel of the car, that’s why I got minor bruises and blood on my forehead.  However, instead of thinking myself first, I thought of the woman that almost got run over by me on the street. She was startled and also got minor bruises.

“Ma’am, okey lang po ba kayo?,” I asked, but she didn’t respond to my question.

When I saw her, she obviously doesn’t know what to do. She kept saying “Dianne”, like she was looking for her

“Si Di-anne, nakita mo si Dianne? Si Dianne ko,” she constantly asked, as if that person was missing.

“May contact number po ba kayo ni D-ianne?” I asked, but she kept on saying weird things,  so I decided to assist her and brought her to the hospital.

My father’s friend uncle Rogie, who was also a doctor in the Florencio Lagria Hospital, insisted that I also need to get treated, so I’d been admitted to the hospital to get some stitches for my wounds.

After that, I looked immediately for the woman I brought in the hospital. While I was walking, I saw a girl—daze and asking the medical receptionist.

In daze, the girl bumped me while she was busy looking for something.

“ Sorry!” she said in a soft tone. I just nod at her because she seems flustered.

I went to the room where the woman I brought at the hospital had been placed at, but there I saw a girl crying. She seems familiar to me. And then suddenly, I remember the girl I bumped into.

“Ma, saan ka ba kasi nagsususuot. Kanina pa kami nag-aalala ni Dengdeng sa ‘yo. Buti nalang nakita ka ni Tita Margie dito sa Hospital, kaya agad niya akong tinawagan.” The girl said while she’s crying. I can say that she was exhausted because of how she looked. Her face was covered with mixed tears and sweat. Perspiration are all over her neck, but how could be her face looked so angelic?

I assumed that this must be her daughter because she called her mom, I thought of entering the room but I realized that she must spend time with her mom, so I decided to stay at the waiting room.

After couple of hours, I didn’t think that I would be taking a nap at the waiting room. I just woke up when a girl was trying to wake me up.

“Sir! Sir!” she constantly uttered.

When I open my eyes, I saw a girl looking at me. I was a bit startled, that’s why I sit properly.

“Ah, sir kayo po ba yung nagdala sa mama ko rito sa pagamutan,” she asked.

I wasn’t sure at first about what she had been trying to asked, not until I remember her face. The one who cried a river. The daughter of the woman that almost got run over.

I smiled subconsciously. She may be thinking I was crazy because of her reaction, that’s why I cleared my throat and reply her. “Ah, oo”.

“Sorry po sa abala. Maraming salamat. Hindi ko po alam kung paano ko po kayo mapasasalamatan,” she uttered.

“Ah, no, hinde! Wala ‘yon, ako nga dapat ang humingi ng tawad eh, kase muntikan ko na siyang masagasaan, sorry!” I replied.

Since I was the one who almost hit her mom, I insisted that I’ll be the one paying the hospital bills.

After that night, I thought I wouldn’t be able to saw her again.

                                   *****

NASA gitna pa rin kami ng isang kaguluhan dahil sa video ni Dianne na na-leak sa student’s group forum. Ayaw magpaawat ng mga estudyanteng sobra kung manuya. Halatang masama ang tingin nila kay Dianne.

“Why are you defending that woman, when obviously, she’s a whore,” muling pag-iinsulto ni Kathleen. “Siguro nagmana sa parents niya,” dagdag pa nito

Sisitahin ko na sana ito nang biglang sinunggaban ni Dianne ang kaniyang buhok. “Anong sinabi mo?” bulyaw niya rito, habang  mariing sinasabunutan ni Dianne si Kathleen.

Pilit namin silang inaawat ngunit patuloy parin sila sa kanilang ginagawa. Hanggang sa kusa na mismong bitiwan ito ni Dianne.

Hindi na napigilan pa ni Dianne ang umiyak, habang dinidepensahan nito ang kaniyang mga magulang, sa mga panlalait ni Kathleen. “ Laitin mo na ako hanggat gusto mo, huwag lang ang mga magulang ko. Wala kang alam sa akin, palibhasa hindi niyo nararanasan ang mga nararanasan ko,” anito, na nakatingin kay Kathleen, Aiden at maging sa ibang mga estudyante na naroroon. “Wala akong dapat ipaliwanag dito dahil alam kong kahit anong sabihin ko, alam kong hindi kayo maniniwala sa 'kin. Paniniwalaan lamang ninyo kung anong nakikita niyo, kahit hindi niyo lubusang alam ang buo kong pagkatao,” nanginginig na sabi nito, habang patuloy paring bumubuhos ang kaniyang mga luha.

Dahil sa pagkapahiya, nag-walk out sina Kathleen maging ng kaniyang mga kasamahan. Maya-maya pa ay nagsialisan na rin ang iba pang mga estudyante. Kaming tatlo na lamang ang naiwan. Ako, si Aiden at si Dianne.

Sa mga sandaling ‘yon, hindi ko lubos akalaing sa ganitong sitwasyon ko makikita si Dianne. Gusto ko itong patahanin, ngunit kahit gusto ko man, alam kong hindi ko maaalis ang lungkot at sakit na nararamdaman nito.

This is not the first time I'm seeing herr crying. But this one really breaks my heart. I wanna comfort her and say that everything will come to light and everything will be fine. But I do not know where to start.

Until I get the courage to go near her and hug her tightly.