Kumakain kami ngayon sa dining table ng aming almusal. Nandito pa rin sina Gavin, Lea, Celine at Cohen. Si Loren ay wala na dahil maaga ang duty sa hospital at si daddy ay hindi pa gising.
Nag-uusap sila tungkol sa lovelife ni Sage na hindi niya ikinukwento sa amin nang maisatinig ko ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.
"Sa tingin niyo, paano napunta ang parasite sa tae?"
"What the fuck?!" Reklamo ni Lea at muntikan pang masamid sa juice na iniinom niya.
Nagtaas ako ng kilay kay Sage na umuubo ngayon dahil nabulunan yata sa pagkaing isinubo niya. Si Celine naman ay nag-iwas ng tingin at pilit na nginitian si Cohen. What the hell is their problem?
"Save that later Sadie, we're eating." Si Gavin ang sumagot na ikina angat ng parehong kilay ko. Bahagya akong ngumisi at pinagmasdan silang mawalan ng gana sa pagkain.
"Pasalamat talaga 'to birthday niya kahapon." Bulong ni Sage kay Gavin na hindi ko na lang pinansin. Maybe I should ask Loren later through the phone.
Ngayon ang balik nina Lea at Gavin sa Maynila. Sina Celine at Cohen naman ay uuwi na rin sa Royal Village at maiiwan na naman kami ni Sage dito kasama si daddy.
Well may klase ako ngayon kaya bahala na si Sage dito, tapos naman na siya ng pag-aaral kaya kumpanya na ang inaasikaso niya ngayon habang nag-aaral pa si Lea.
"Class, don't forget to bring your own patient on the practicals next week. That's all for today." Sabi ng prof namin habang unti-unting nalalagas ang buhok niya— biro lang, kakatapos niya lang iannounce ang mga grades namin at mataas naman ang mga marka ko.
Hinintay ko munang makalabas ang halos lahat ng mga kaklase ko bago ako lumabas at maghubad ng PPE.
"Sana all pumasa sa blood banking!" Nilingon ko si Lovely na nagtatanggal ng kaniyang gloves at mask. May hair net pa rin sa mga ulo namin dahil kalalabas lang namin ng lab.
"True! Pota, iyon na nga lang sana ang pambawi ko dahil bagsak ako sa practical exam last month. 'Yung moving system, mali mali ang spelling ko ng mga bacteria at parasites dahil ambibilis nilang pumindot ng buzzers! Napepressure tuloy ako, nakakainis!" Sagot naman ni Izza.
"E kamusta pa ako? Mali ako ng arrow na sinundan noon kaya nagulo ko iyong rotation ng buong batch! Galit na galit si panot e, nahihilo na nga ako kakaikot natin!" Now it was Cathleen.
I'm not close with anyone here but I must say they are the most approachable and jolly ones in our block, and I don't like the fact that they're too loud when they're talking. Malalaman mo talaga na kasama mo sila sa perimeter dahil maririnig at maririnig mo ang bawat buka ng mga bunganga nila.
"Aw, pinagalitan! Hahaha!"
"Oh talaga Lovely? Hindi ka pinagalitan kasi mali mali 'yung numbering mo tapos no erasures kaya wala kang score?"
"Punyeta!"
It was a hectic month indeed. Medtech is really not the easiest course. Actually, nagsisimula ang kalbaryo ng isang medtech student pag tungtong ng third year dahil iyon ang pinaka cruicial at exciting na year para sa amin. Mahirap sobra, it's like the survival of the fittest. Kung mahina ang sikmura mo at takot ka sa karayom ay first year pa lang laglag ka na.
Marami na akong pinagdaanan sa Maynila kaya hindi na bago sa akin ang mga ganitong bagay ngayong fourth year na ako. Pero gayun pa man ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasang mahirapan.
"Uy Sadie! Congrats pala!" Cathleen said loudly that had my brows creased before nodding. "May patient kana sa practicals next week?"
I silently heaved a sigh when they started walking towards me. Okay, how do I get away from these loud asses.
"Oo." I answered without looking at them.
Nagtungo ako sa locker room kung nasaan ang bag ko. Sumunod naman sila na ikinairita ko talaga. I hate it when someone tails me. Kahit si Moli ay natatarayan ko talaga kapag palaging nakabuntot sa akin.
"Amp! Sana all!" Lovely said, iyon na yata ang paburito niyang salita.
"Pota, patient crisis is real! Wala nang gustong pumayag na maging pasyente ko!" Reklamo pa ni Izza.
"Gaga, sino bang gustong maging pasyente? Tanga ka." Sagot naman ni Cathleen at nagsimula na silang magbangayan sa likod ko.
Dahil sa irita ay pabagsak kong isinara ang locker ko nang makuha ko na ang aking bag. Natigil sila sa pagsasalita dahil sa gulat pero hindi kona sila nilingon pa at naglakad na ako papalayo.
Dumiretso ako sa common bath room at naligo kaagad. Hindi puwedeng hindi ako maligo pagkagaling sa lab dahil napapraning ako sa tuwing uubo ako o mangangati. Iniisip ko kasi na kumapit na sa akin ang mga bacteria na pinakielaman namin sa lab.
Nang matapos ay halos ipanligo kona ang alcohol bago ako umuwi. Hindi pa naman ako sigurado kung papayag si Luke na gawin ko siyang pasyente next week, pero ine-aim ko na kaagad na papayag siya kaya ako um-oo kanina kay Cathleen.
Nang makalabas ako ng campus ay walang emosyon akong nagtungo sa parking. Ang back pack ko ay nakasabit lang sa kanang balikat ko, sa kaliwang kamay ay bitbit ko ang aking tackle box habang nakasabit naman sa kanang daliri ko ang susi ng sasakiyan.
Napakunot ang noo ko nang mapansin ang kumpulan ng mga estidyante sa parking slot kung saan ko natatandaang ipinark ang mercedes na iniregalo ni Loren.
Hindi ako huminto sa paglalakad at pinindot ang remote key nang malapit na ako kaya nagulat ang mga tao nang mag-alarm ang sasakiyan. Lahat sila ay napalingon sa akin at gulat ang mga mata.
Hindi ko sila tinapunan ng tingin, sa halip ay dire-diretso akong naglakad patungo sa pintuan ng driver's seat at laglag ang kanilang panga nang buksan ko iyon para pumasok. Para silang mga kahoy na nanigas sa kanilang mga puwesto habang nakatanaw sa akin.
Tinted ang salamin ng sasakiyan kaya malaya ko silang sinamaan ng tingin. Ano, diyan na lang sila? Paano ako uuwi?
Bumusina ako ng dalawang beses, dahilan para mabilis silang tumabi at magbulung-bulungan. Napairap ako sa hangin nang malinis ang driveway at agad na akong nagmaneho palabas ng parking lot.
I'm not bragging about this car dahil hindi naman ako ang bumili, pero hindi ko maiwasang mairita dahil sa bagal nilang umintindi. Dapat kapag nandiyan na ang may ari ay tatabi sila, don't block the drive way nga e?
While I'm on my way back to the mansion, I suddenly thought about Luke's number. Nakalimutan ko pala iyong i save kagabi dahil pagkapasok na pagkapasok ko sa kuwarto ay nagbabad na ako sa microbiology book na binabasa ko.
I slowly reached for my bag on the front seat and opened the zipper using only my right hand. I inserted my hand to search for my phone inside and when I found it, I immediately took it out of my bag.
I opened it through the face lock and creased my brows automatically while I try to recall his digits. I typed the numbers on my phone and stared at it for a couple of seconds before dragging my gaze back to the road.
Should I call him? What would I say? Hi? The heck, I don't know. Should I go straight to the point and ask for his veins? Kailangan ko na kasi siyang pagpractisan bago ang actual na venipuncture sa practicals. Dry run kumbaga. I really want his veins dammit.
I inhaled deeply as I gulp to anticipate my decision. Alright, I'm calling him. I tapped the call icon and bit my lower lip when it started to ring. I held the phone tightly as my grip on the steering wheel went tight too. Fuck, why am I so nervous? Maybe because we're not close?
I almost stopped the car when I saw 0:01 on the screen, an indication that he already answered it and he's now on the other line. Shit why isn't he speaking? Does he expect me to speak first? Hell no.
I was anticipating for his voice when he ended the call immediately. What the fuck? How dare him? I creased my forehead in annoyance as I dialed his number again. Damn, who gave you the right to turn my call down?
He didn't answer. I was thinking of sending him a message instead but I couldn't use my both hands to type. There's a one-hand feature in my phone but it'd be too small and it's not so safe to type that long while driving.
So I decided to dial his number again, biting my lower lip and tapping my fingers on the steering wheel while waiting. When he finally answered on my third attempt, I know i shouldn't miss the chance.
"Yo, can I have a little of your blood?" Trying hard to lit up my voice, I forced my tone to be sweet, but to no avail because of my resting bitch face.
"Are you crazy?" A low, baritone voice lingered my ears that had me biting my lips harder.
"Nope."
"Who the hell is this?" Now he sounds so irritated, I smirked while imagining his confused face.
"That's not the correct answer," I replied while looking directly on the road. C'mon, be mad some more.
"I'm hanging up now."
I raised a brow before saying, "You should've said yes the first time I asked." Now, my smirk is gone and I felt my own eyes darkened and became heavier as I gaze the road.
"What?" He asked confused. "I don't even know you, and why would you ask a stranger for their fucking bloo—"
"Nevermind. You're giving me your blood whether you like it or not." I said before pressing the end icon and tossing my phone back inside my bag. I shouldn't have asked him in the first place when I can force him anyway. Poor him.
"Sadie pahingi nga ng alcohol—"
"You're stereotyping medtech students too much, don't you think? Hindi kami umiihi ng alcohol kaya maghanap ka ng sarili mo." Mariin kong sagot kay Sage na sinalubong na naman ako ng paghingi niya ng alcohol. Parang tanga.
Ganoon nalang lagi, sa akin sila humihingi ng alcohol kahit marami namang nagkalat na sanitizers at alcohol dito sa mansion. Bakit ba kasi sila nagpagawa ng ganito kalaking bahay kung pati mga katulong ay hindi maalala kung saan nakalagay ang mga alcohol.
"Damot!" Sigaw niya nang malampasan ko siya at dumiretso ako sa kuwarto ko.
Inilagay ko sa maruming damit ang lab coat, ipinatong ko ang aking bag sa upoan, at sa study table ko naman inilagay ang tackle box ko. Umupo ako sa upon at pagod na sumandal doon habang nakapikit.
Nagpahinga ako ng ilang minuto bago muling inilabas ang cellphone ko sa bag at idinial ang number ni Lea. Hindi rin siya kaagad nakasagot kaya badtrip na ako nang sagutin niya sa pangalawang tawag.
"Hi! Sorry hindi ko agad nasago—"
"Favor." Diretsong ani ko kaya naputol ang sasabihin niya.
"Can't you say 'Hi' first you bitch?" She exclaimed so I rolled my eyes.
"I have a favor—"
"And I don't care. Say 'Hi' first!" She still forced so I heaved a sigh and clenched my jaw in annoyance. Kung hindi ko lang talaga kailangan ng tulong niya.
"Fucking Hi." Matigas na ani ko kaya humalakhak siya sa kabilang linya at tila tuwang tuwa pa.
"Hello! Hahahaha!" Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko sa inis. Akala niya ba nakikipagbiruan ako? "So what is it?" Sa wakas ay naitanong niya.
Bumuntong hininga ako at nag-abot ng isang highlighter para paglaruan habang kausap siya.
"It's about Luke."
"Omg! You like him?!—but wait, he doesn't like girls with piercings! I'm sorry—"
"Fuck, cut it. I don't like him, damn it." Iritadong ani ko kaya natigil siya. "I need his blood." Pag-amin ko.
"Oh.. that.. okay, so why are you calling me? As if I am his veins and I have his blood you motherfucker?"
"Tell him to come here tomorrow." I said.
"What? Why? I mean, why me? You haven't asked him?"
"Ayaw niya."
"Oh? And you think papayag siya kapag sinabi kong pinapapunta mo siya?"
Pinaglaruan ko ang highlighter at pinalipatlipat sa aking mga daliri habang nag-iisip.
"You wouldn't tell him. I just need you tell him to come here tomorrow. That's all."
"Uh-huh? And if he didn't oblige?"
Kumunot ang noo ko, doesn't she know that Luke likes her? Is she not aware that when she was gone to El Nido, Luke have been waiting for her every day here in the mansion hoping she'd come back? He even followed her there after a week because he couldn't stand it. Is she that dense or she's just head over heels for my cousin?
"Trust me, he will." I said with finality. When she agreed and bid her goodbye, I didn't answer and just ended the call before I started to read some contexts about laboratory management.
When the evening came, Lea texted me that she already send Luke the heads up and Luke hasn't replied yet. I was kind of bothered that maybe he's busy or whatever but I still hoped that he wouldn't let Lea down.
True enough, when the next morning came, I went down to eat breakfast wearing my pj's but to my surprise, I saw Luke entering the mansion dashing in his black pants and black polo shirt, exposing his well tinted right shoulder and biceps. He still has his aviator on and his car keys hanging on his neat fingers.
Our eyes met along our ways and I stopped to examine his arms, only to gawk in awe because of its tempting appearance. Damn, I can't wait to extract blood from those protruding veins.
"You're Sadie." He said, not a question. I raised a brow in response. "Lea asked me to come over,"
I nodded and looked up to his still gloomy eyes. Damn sad and burdened, I like it.
"Hmm.." I nodded again, "Luke right? I heard you're brave,"
Kumunot ang noo niya na tila nagugulohan sa sinabi ko. Gayon pa man ay hindi siya sumagot at nanatiling nakatitig sa akin ang mga mabibigat ngunit malungkot na mga mata.
"You should be. 'Coz you'll be losing ounces of blood from now on," I remarked before the sides of my lips automatically rose a beam.
JOJISSI