Taking Chances

Chapter 4

I woke up for the second time on time for lunch. I feel better. The throbbing on my head was gone. I just feel a little sluggish now. The nurse came and told me to go and eat my lunch. She checked my temperature and my fever's gone now, too. She said I must be stressed, with the start of senior high and all. I just agreed to get it over with. She also handed me lunch from a near fast food. It's a chicken meal with fries, a burger, and iced tea.

I didn't know you also get free lunch when you go to the clinic. No wonder students go there to sleep and cut class.

I'm on my way back to the building now, with my bag on my right shoulder and the food on my left hand. I go up the stairs and stopped on the second floor. If Vaughn's classroom is on 207-A, it must be directly below ours, so I walked to the left stopping in the last classroom.

Sumilip ako sa loob at nakita ang iilang estudyanteng sa loob kumakain. Ang iba sa kanila ay may hawak na packed lunch at ang iba ay may take out galing sa parehong fast food, katulad na katulad ng hawak ko.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang lahat sa kanila hanggang sa makita ko si Vaughn. Nakasuot ng headphone at may hawak na libro. Percy Jackson. It's the fourth book. Pumasok ako at huminto sa harap niya. Hindi man lang siya nagtaas ng tingin. I snapped my fingers in front of him.

"Oh, hey" he removed his headphone and put a bookmark before closing his book and giving me his attention.

"hi." Umupo ako sa tapat ng upuan niya. Ipinatong ko din ang pagkain sa armchair.

"Kumain ka na?" I asked.

"Not yet. I was waiting for you. Want to eat together?"

I nodded. I showed him my food, but he frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Fast food? Really?"

"What's wrong with fast food? It's actually a lot. I was planning on sharing it with you." I'm a little confused. What's with the food that's making him frown?

"Never mind. Are you sure you want to share that? It's got to be expensive."

"Oh, I got it from the clinic." I shrugged before pulling out the food from the plastic bag. "What do you want? The burger or the rice meal?"

"Clinic? I'll take the burger."

"Yeah, clinic. We'll share the fries."

"Sure. But what do you mean clinic? They gave out fast food on the clinic?" It's my turn to frown.

"They don't? I went there for a headache. The nurse gave me this."

"No, they don't. I was assigned there last year. We don't give out expensive fast food."

I shrugged. I don't really care. Free food is free food.