Thursday, October 28
Oct 28 Thurs.
"I couldn’t tell you why she felt that way,
She felt it everyday.
And I couldnt help her,
I just watched her make
The same mistakes again.
Whats wrong, whats wrong now?
Too many, too many problems..
Don't know where she belongs,
Where she belongs.
She wants to go home,
But nobody's home
Its where she lies,
Broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go..
Dry her eyes,
Broken inside.
Open your eyes and look outside,
Find the reasons why
You've been rejected,
And now you cant find
What you left behind.
Be strong, be strong now,
Too many, too many problems.
Dont know where she belongs,
Where she belongs.
She wants to go home,
But nobody's home.
Its where she lies,
Broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go..
To dry her eyes,
Broken inside.
Her feelings she hides.
Her dreams she cant find.
She's losing he mind.
She's fallen behind.
She cant find her place.
She's losing her faith.
She's fallen from grace.
She's all over the place..
Yeah, oh
She wants to go home,
But nobody's home.
Its where she lies,
Broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go..
To dry her eyes,
Broken inside..
She's lost inside, lost inside..
She's lost inside, lost inside.." –Nobody's Home
...
A little girl walked up to me and showed me her hand.
"Ate..help..its bleeding.."
I didnt know what to do. I turned around at the teacher, and told the girl:
"Pakita mo kay miss.."
She was a grownup. She should know what to do.
...
But the teacher told her to go to the clinic. What the heck?!
I turned to the girl, as she pushed the caf door open. She seemed lost..almost going to cry..
I got up, grit my teeth at the searing pain of the fresh wound on my foot, shoved my way past the teacher, and went after the little girl.
Sure, she was a tiny grade 2 student, and I was a towering 3rd year high school teen..
But we were both lost and wounded children, nonetheless.
...
I felt my motherly instincts bubbling to the surface.
"O, dont cry..halika, samahan kita sa clinic, okay?" I asked, stooping down and patting her head.
She looked up at me with glossy eyes, nodded and said:
"Owkay.."
I gently took her by the hand, and led her through the empty corridors to the clinic. Talking with her took my mind off the pain in my heel.
"Masakit ba?"
She nodded her head, sniffling.
"Ah, okay lang yan..kayang kaya mo yan, you're strong naman eh! Haha..whats yor name?"
She looked up at me and smiled.
"Rheezan.."
I smiled back. "Hi Rheezan, Im ate Celine.."
"Hi.."
"Lam mo Rheezan..dati, may sugat ako sa face ko..dito o.." I pointed at my left cheekbone. I saw her eyes widen as I showed her how big my wound used to be.
"P-pano mo nakuha yun?"
"Haha..bike accident. Kaya ingat ka pag nag-bike ka, ha?"
"Yeth!" she giggled.
...
Inside the clinic, the nurse cleaned her wound and put a ban--aid on it.
"Kapatid mo ba sha?"
"Ah..hindi po.."
The nurse gave me a puzzled look.
I blinked..as I realized how unusual it must have been for a high school student accompany a 2nd grader who was a complete stranger all the way to the clinic. But I shrugged it off as we thanked the nurse and went out the door.
We took the shortcut through the field to go back to the multi. She was telling me something about her mom, when I saw her shake her wounded hand and prod at the band-aid.
"Oy, dont touch it.."
"But it stings.."
"I know..but it wont heal if you open the wound again.."
"T-talaga..?"
"Uh-huh..gagaling din yan, you'll see..kagaya nitong sugat ko sa paa.."
...
When we got back to the caf, the green pep squad was gone.
"Ate, they left us.."
"Dont worry, di kita iiwan..hanapin natin sila, okay?"
We went up the multi, and found them assembled for the start of the intrams. I asked her where her friends are, but she pointed out that to join them, she would have to go through a crowd of people and squeeze herself in the line.
"Then go..sige na, join your friends.."
"But..but.."
"Bakit..?"
"Baka isipin nila na feeling ako..cutting in line.."
I looked at her fellow grade 2 classmates. And if I was her, from the way they were staring at me, I would also be terrified of even going near them.
But I knelt down, and held her shoulders.
"Wag kang matakot! Mabait ka naman eh! You can do it!"
She looked at me, inhaled deeply, nodded, whipped out her green and white streamer, and made her way through the crowd.
By some chance..the crowd got up and reassembled..giving her a chance to find her place.
I smiled as I watched her laugh with her friends.
...
Maybe someday..she'd remember this moment..
Coz I'll never forget it.