Taste of Life

9

The boredom of not studying kicks in just now. It's Tuesday and Dad told me I can have a day off. Since I've been going to the Grid almost all week. I just played my games the whole day and stayed in my room. Mom keeps on checking on me tho. She brings food she's trying to cook.

Mom's on a phase na she want to be a good cook. Today, she wants to perfect corndog. Last week, she forgot to add the baking powder so it failed. Ngayon, she's bragging it looks better than the last time. But it all taste the same to me.

"I added cheese on this one. Try." She said bago isubo sakin. I'm playing that's why sinusubuan niya ko. She wants praises lang naman so I said it. "It taste good, Mom."

"Right? But I feel like may kulang pa." She said bago inubos ang corndog on her own. Bumaba na rin siya when she realized na I'm seriously playing. It's 3:30pm when I received a text message from Eli.

From: Eleanor
Do you want to have dinner today? I'm kinda free. Bawi because I'm missing your bday dinner tomorrow.

To : Eleanor
Oki. I'll pick you up. CHOOSE A PLACE.

I finished my game and wore a blue polo shirt and black trousers. Don't really know saan gusto ni Eli pero para nalang sure. I texted her my outfit and told her na if mag fine dining kami, she needs to say it now.

I waited for a response but it didn't came. So I decided to drive to her condo and wait nalang sa unit niya. Baka kasi matraffic din ako. I parked my car in front of her condo's building and smiled to the guard.

"Long time no see! Iba sumundo noong nakaraan?" Manong guard said. Napakunot ang noo ko. Who picked her up last week?

"Ah opo. Busy po kasi." I just smiled.

"Nako bantayan mo mukhang maraming nakapila." He jokes.

"Ay best friend lang po pero sige po babantayan ko." I went to the elevator and checked if my spare key is in my pocket. I texted Eli about what I planned pero hindi pa rin siya nagrereply. Baka she's still in class. I doorbelled twice before using my keys. Noong walang sumagot, I opened the door na.

I almost had a heart attack when I saw Eli on the floor. I immediately went to her and check her pulse.

I carried her to the bedroom atyaka tinawagan si Mommy.

"Yes anak?"

"Ma, Eli fainted. Do I need to bring her to the hospital? What should I do? I carried her to her room. Is that okay? Should she be lying down?"

"Anak, huminga ka. Don't panic."

"She has a pulse, Ma. She looks so pale."

"Try to wake her Troye. Uhm check if she can feel. You know the space between the thumb and the pointing finger? Press it, it should hurt a little."

So I did.

"If she didn't react, go to the hospital na and I'll follow you there."

But when I tried to press the second time, she made a noise.

"Ah. Ang sakit." I saw tears coming from her eyes.

"Ma, she woke up."

"Okay. Get her food and water. Matulog kamo siya ng maaga. And iccheck up ko siya sa weekend."

I sighed. And heard how mom ended the call.

"I'll get you water. I'll order us food, ano gusto mo?"

"Huh? Aalis tayo diba?"

"Anong aalis? You fainted for like 7 minutes idk hindi ka nagrereply tapos pagpasok ko you are already unconscious."

"Naliligo kasi ako nung text ka nang text. Akala ko kasi traffic. So I let you drive." She reasoned out.

"We won't go out. I'll order food. You should rest. And drink lots of water."

Parang wala siyang lakas to argue so hinayaan lang niya ko. I went to her kitchen para maghanap ng brochures because Eli likes to keep and collect them. Binuksan ko ang ref niya. Water lang ang laman. I also check her drawers, and saw a box of cereal and lots of instant noodles.

Napakunot ang noo ko and went back to her room.

"Anong breakfast mo kanina?" I quizzed her.

Napakamot siya ng ulo. "Uh ano. Cereal ata. Oo tama cereal."

"Without milk?"

"Ay hindi pala ko nag breakfast kasi ubos na pala gatas. Nalimutan ko bumili." She smiled like it can erase my worries.

"Anong dinner mo last night?"

"Uhm noodles ata? May exam kasi ako kanina I don't have time to cook. Don't judge me."

"You always have exam. You told me that. So hindi ka nakain?" I raised my eyebrow.

She didn't answer. And I clearly saw how bad the situation is.

"Okay. You can tell me now. What happened? What's happening?"

She just looked at me with teary eyes. I held her hand.

"What? May masakit ba sayo? Where does it hurt, Eli?"

A tear falls down on her cheek hearing that question. I close the space between us and embraced her.

"Bakit? Saan masakit?" I asked again but she cries even more.

She pushes me lightly to end the hug. I was lost why but she pointed at me, she pointed at my heart.

"Ikaw, Troye, Ikaw yung masakit."