Something Phenomenal

Phenomenal: One

Day 164 in the hospital

I was lounging at the cafeteria, sitting on one of those cold steel chairs with matching steel tables, smooth and sanitized every half an hour. I held my head back, slouching even more while texting Shane.

ICED COFFEE! GONNA KILL YOU IF YOU FORGET.

I smiled and throw my phone down on the table. I sure do a lot of threatening for someone who can barely breathe properly without the assistance of medicines.

After somewhat ten minutes, Shane walked in the cafeteria looking around. He's wearing black long sleeve sweater where the brown McDonald's paper bag was held against his chest, jeans and white sneakers.

On his other hand was a take away carton from Starbucks. My face beamed almost immediately. "Shane!" I waved my hand frantically with a beaming smile.

He gave me a gaze that tells me he's pissed, but not totally pissed. He's mad but he can't be mad at me. And yes, he's a guy with such a weird name.

"Here's your grab food delivery," he muttered as he approached me, his voice oozing with sarcasm.

"You're such a baby."

I gleefully ransack the food he placed on the table. He sat, rested his elbow on the cold steel table and placed his cheeks against his open palms while watching me.

"Happy?"

"Definitely," I said, mouth full with half chewed fries. Tinusok niya ang green straw sa plastic cup at inabot sa'kin. Ah, caramel macchiato, it's been so long.

With so much food in front of me I was humming and swaying on my seat happily.

"You look stupid."

I burst out laughing with Shane watching me. "You're stupid," I countered.

He smiled.

"So how's the world outside?" I asked, halfway from finishing the entire thing alone, double burgers, fries, pies and all. It's been months since I had fast food and the greasy taste was skyrocket from the land of bland hospital food I was living in.

"Magulo padin," walang interest na sagot niya.

He leaned against the bench, placed his hands on the back of his neck and held his head back. But before he could even completely relax, he had to stand right away to pat my back because I just choke on half chewed burger.

"Dahan dahan naman! Hindi tatakbo mga 'yan!"

Sa sobrang bigat ng palo niya, pakiramdam ko hindi niya ako tinutulungan at bumabawi lang siya sa'kin. I swatted his hand away. "Okay na ako."

"Patay gutom."

I grabbed my coffee and took a long sip. Tuluyang tumayo si Shane. Akala ko iiwan niya ako, 'yon pala bumili siya ng bottled water sa vending machine sa gilid.

Binuksan niya ito at pinatong sa harapan ko. I faced him with an apologetic grin before he sat back with a huge breath. "Thanks, Shane. You're the best."

When I was done eating, I dusted the grease and salt off my hands, careful not to touch the needle and lobes on the back of my bruised palms.

"Spill it."

Shane put the trash back inside the paper bag before he faced me. "What?"

"Bakit ka nandito? It's not like you'd volunteer to visit me on your precious free time."

Shane hates hospitals. Indefinitely, no questions ask. He's one of the best people in my life but he's such a dweeb when it comes to needles and hospitals.