Chapter 6

6.

The snake.

“Welcome back to the living, Antonios!” nakakalokong bati sa kaniya ng kaibigan niyang doktor na siya rin ang nag-opera sa kaniya. 

Agad na sumama ang timpla ng mukha ni Antonios nang makitang may dala itong balloon na kulay blue at may nakalagay pa na ‘baby boy,’ dumagdag lang iyon sa pagkairita simula nang magising sa aksidente ang binata. 

“What the fuck, Nik?” 

Why the fuck did he brought me a stupid gender reveal balloon?!

Napaigik siya nang tapikin nito ang binti niyang naipit ng kotse. At kung puwede niya lang ito sakalin ngayon din ay ginawa na niya ito. Ngunit hindi pa rin maigalaw ng binata nang maayos ang katawan. 

He had a few broken bones and scratches from where he doesn't know where. Especially, he had a surgery on his left arm, sanhi sa natamong sugat nito sa mga basag na salamin ng kotse niya. 

“Why’s the sour face of your patient here, Nikolas?” tanong naman ng kasunod nitong lalaki na naka-top knot ang buhok sa doktor niya. 

Nagkibit ito ng balikat at may kung anong tiningnan sa monitor.  “Masakit siguro ang katawan o baka drama niya lang.” ngumisi ito. “Alam mo na…nagbibinata ng paurong.” biro pa nito. 

Sabay pang humalakhak ang dalawang hudyo sa paghihirap niya, ngunit wala siyang ibang magawa kundi balewalain ang mga ito. Pero kumunot ang noo niya nang mapagtantong hindi ito naka-doctors robe. 

“Mabuti’t kilala ka pa ring doktor kahit ganiyan ang suot mo.” komento niya, hindi na napigilan sabihin ang napansin. 

Sino bang hindi maguguluhan rito, doktor nga pero mukha namang hindi dahil sa suotan nito. Naka-black scrub top ang kaibigan, pero ang nakakaiba roon ay hindi iyon ‘yung tipong pang-duty na maluwang at walang porma. Sa kay Nikolas, hapit iyon sa bawat guhit ng dibdib at braso na hindi man lang naitago ang tattoo nito. Habang ang pambaba nito ay isa lamang grey jogger-style scrub pants.

And Antonios knew that outfit was not for a regular hospital in the country but what can he do about it? May ari ito ng hospital…pasyente lang siya. 

“It’s not about the clothes, Nios, it’s about looks.” he sheepishly elaborated. 

“And skills.” dagdag naman n’ong isang hudas. 

He lazily sat up with the help of the man with a top-knot hairstyle. 

Antonios swiftly nodded. “Thanks, Vik.” 

Ngumiti ito ng tipid bago tumikhim at sumeryoso. “Nik here called me.” Imporma nito sa kaniya at nang hindi siya nagsalita ay nagpatuloy ito. “Do you want to sue the people behind this incident? Cause I know you know, this is not just an incident, Nios. Someone wants you dead.” 

He knows that, heck! He already knows that will happen pero hindi niya inasahan na mangyayari agad—lalo na habang kasama niya si Annalise. And damn he was livid.

Annalise hasn't woken up for about a week now. He’s beyond pissed and wants to punch someone. Hurt the one who made the woman suffer. 

He did not wait for long, shitty months just so they could cause her pain. 

“Also…Isaiah did a freaking wild job in suppressing the photos and videos that were leaking across platforms.” Pailing-iling pa itong nag-recount sa kaniya. “People were feasting on your dick online, man! Nag-viral kaagad. If you could just see what’s happening there. It was something else.” 

Tumikhim si Nikolas, of course, it wasn’t because he was sick but it was from stopping himself from laughing. Antonios’ already pissed ayaw nitong galitin pa lalo ang binata, they’re old friends and the older he gets to know Antonios—he knows he will never forget and he loves taking revenge. 

Antonios groaned, “Viktor, can you see my fingers?” he asked, and Viktor’s eyes landed on his finger. Two sides were curled while the middle flicked up. “Fuck you.” 

Viktor chuckled, “thanks man, but I like pussies more than your dick.” 

Hindi na napigilan ni Nikolas ang tumawa ng malakas that it caused Antonios to hyperventilate from anger dahilan upang tumunog ang patient monitor. At lumagapak ang napakaraming mura ng binata sa kanila. 

“Calm down, Nios, geez…it’s only your dick. Photos of your girl were omitted and deleted, okay?” Pang-alo sa kaniya ni Vik. “Also I already filed a lawsuit to each press company if they won’t cooperate. Stop being grumpy.” He clicked his tongue. “As well as your marriage contract.” 

“Putang—what marriage contract?!” gulat at pagtatakang tanong ng doktor. 

Viktor sighed in total defeat bago itinuro ang binata na tahimik lang nagmamasid sa kanila pero may tinatago itong ngiti. 

“He asked me to make him…no…to forge a marriage contract for him, Nikolas.” Madrama nitong ani. “He also specifically told me that if any of our friends contact me, telling this motherfucker asked for me, dadalhin ko iyon!” para itong nagsusumbong sa kaibigan. “I become an illegal conspirator for the sake of friendship, Man!” 

“That was one hell of a skill you got there, my friend. You should add that to your resume.” Nikolas teased but his face was serious. Bumaling ito sa kaniya. “Are you sure you are going to do this? What if she isn’t the girl you left behind, Antonios?” 

Instead of getting annoyed from Nikolas’ prying. Antonios didn’t feel anything but his friends’ concern and worry for him. He knew Nikolas was only looking after him, and if he didn’t ask him that, he knew one of his friends would. 

“She’s her, Nik. I can feel it, and you know my instinct will never go wrong.” matigas niyang sagot sa kaibigan. 

“It did, Nios. Your failed instinct put you at my surgery table.” anito. 

Viktor stiffend from the atmosphere becoming cold. Napapailing nalang tuloy siya, these two will never change, it’s as if Nikolas was its father and Antonios was its stubborn child. 

“What’s this? Is this a room or a cooler?” Ani ng bagong dating. 

Antonios, Viktor, and Nikolas looked at the person as if he said something stupid. At halos tumunog na naman ang monitor sa pag-altas ng presyon ni Antonios ng makita ang mga kaibigang naguunahang pumasok sa inuukupang kwarto. Na may dala-dalang iba’t-ibang pasalubong na hindi naman niya alam kung saan pinulot ng mga hudyo. 

“Well, the father and son are at it again.” ani Viktor na nagmamadaling lumapit sa center table at kumuha ng prutas. 

Sabay-sabay ngumiwi ang mga bagong dating at isa-isang umupo sa couch, sa sahig, at ang iba naman ay pinausog siya tapos pinagitnaan at sinimulang pinakain sa dala nitong mga prutas na parang bata. 

Nikolas sighed as if he was hurt. “Of course I’d get mad! Who wouldn’t be? He married someone without inviting any of us!” 

Para iyong kulog at kidlat sa mga nakakarinig, someone even fall off on his bed. Before all of his friend’s looked at him in shock. 

“Kasal ka na?!” sabay-sabay nitong tanong, tinalo pa ang choir. 

This is one of the days he hates. Hindi niya kayang pagsusuntukin ang mga overeacting niyang mga kaibigan. 

Just great. He couldn’t walk, couldn’t fuck, and now he was cornered by idiots. 

And Antonios knew—shit was about to go down.