Hospital Series 1: Paraluman

Chapter 25

Nandito ako ngayon sa lobby, nervously fidgeting my keys in hand. Para akong tangang mabilis na nagpaalam kay Uno as soon as I received Ayumi's message. My heart is beating wildly, parang batang nahuli ng nanay na nagsisinungaling. Hindi ko nga alam bakit ako kinakabahan. They're my friends and I trust them. 

Or maybe because I trust them so much that I'm scared they might be able to pop my bubble. Everything's surreal with Uno that it feels like a dream I don't want to get out from. 

I can hear their laughs from the outside. Lalo na ang malakas na boses ni Nicko na may binibidang kung ano. Kasunod ang boses ni Sandra na malamang binabara siya. Mukhang kumpleto sila, ah. I breathe out and opened the door. 

"Ay, nandito na pala bagong favorite person ko," bungad ni Nicko pagkapasok ko. Tumayo siya at pinagpagan ang inuupuang stool kanina. "Upo ka, Trish. Nilinis ko na 'yan para sa'yo."

Weird out, I looked around me. Beside Nicko was Sandra who's looking back at me and beside her, was Ayumi who's smiling brightly--er, weirdly at me. Nakahilig naman si Cassie sa lababo, frowning at her phone and probably oblivious of my presence. 

"Nandito na si Trish, pwede ka nang umalis," pantataboy ni Sandra kay Nicko. That somehow appeared funny for Nicko. 

"Ito namang boss ko, selos agad eh," nakangisi niyang sagot kay Sandra. Umupo na siya sa stool na ini-offer niya at kumuha ng slice ng pizza. "Syempre, gusto ko maki-chika. So, Trish, what's the tea ba?"

He said it in an attempt to imitate how I talk. Sandra gave him a look that made Nicko purse his lips in surrender. Ayumi laughed loudly that got Cassie's attention. I smirked, all my anxiety gone. I've been with these people for years already, they're my bestfriends. Why the hell am I scared? These people would just want what's best for me.

"Kadiri ka," I said bago kumuha ng slice ng pizza at sinubo 'yun. Damn, I miss creamy spinach pizza.  Umupo ako sa katabing counter at hinarap sila. They're all looking at me like a chika-crazed media, I almost laughed. "So...alam niyo lahat 'no?"

I kind of expected na itatanggi pa nila but Sandra was fast to speak. "Patay malisya lang ako, pero matagal ko nang alam."

"Same," si Cassie sa gilid na sinundan ni Nicko ng pagsang-ayon. 

"Ha? Panong matagal?!" Medyo gulantang ako dahil Uno and I were discreet. Akala ko ngayon lang nila nalaman dahil sa picture. "Wait, so all this time alam niyong may something, ganun?" 

I looked at Ayumi. "Ay sis, nakahiwalay ako sa inyo. Ang alam ko lang pogi si Baby De Silva. Now ko lang nakita."

"Both of you weren't discreet about it," si Cassie ang sumagot sa'kin. "I kind of knew something's off nung nahuli namin kayo sa OPD."

"Ah weh? Ang galing mo naman," Si Nicko ang sumagot kay Cassie. Kinutsara niya yung creamy spinach sa ibabaw ng pizza niya at nilagay sa pizza ni Sandra. "Ako nung conference lang eh, yung bigla siyang nagpastarbucks."