"Nurse Eli?" I looked at the kid who called me.
"Yes? How are you feeling?" I smiled at her.
"I'm okay. But sometimes I can't breathe." She answered.
"You'll be okay now, sweetie. We'll take good care of you."
Shane was a smart kid. She's going in and out of this hospital since she was 7. Nitong mga nakaraang buwan ko lang sya nakilala dito.
"Am I dying?" It breaks my heart to hear those words from a 10 year old kid. She's too innocent in this harsh world.
"No. We will not let it happen." Napangiti naman sya sa narinig mula sa akin.
"I've been praying to Papa God to give all of us a long life, Nurse Eli. I know God will hear all of our prayers."
"Of course. You just need to trust Him."
"I heard my mommy crying last night." She added.
"She questioned Him. She asked Him why did He chose me?" I looked at her and smiled.
"You know what? When you are in a garden full of flowers, what would you pick first?"
"The one that blooms and is beautiful." She answered me curiously. Right. I touched her long hair and smiled.
"So don't ask Him why He chose you. He picked you first because He liked you. He sees something beautiful in you, in your heart and soul."
"Does that mean that He'll get me? I will die." She's on the verge of crying. Natawa naman ako.
"No, silly. It doesn't mean that if He picked you, He will get you. Remember that some people just want to see a flowers grow without literally getting it, and they also guard those insects that go to the flowers."
"Insects are bad for them, right? They're trying to destroy the flowers."
"Some of them, but some insects don't. They helped the flowers grow, to be strong and beautiful." I quickly answered.
"So Papa God was guarding me? And my disease was like an insect. It helps me to be stronger and more faithful. I just need to trust Papa God." We both smiled after she said those words. Nakakatuwang isipin na for a young age, madali na syang nakakaintindi ng mga bagay-bagay.
I left her afterwards. Her Mommy came and noticed her daughter being talkative again.
Natapos na ang duty ko ngayong araw. I'm going home so I grabbed my bag and went out to feel the fresh air. I want to breathe.
It's true that life is unfair. We are living in a world where perfection is just an imagination. We can't get all the things we want.
Happiness and pain are like companions. One cannot be completed without experiencing the other.
I sighed. Napatingala ako sa kalangitan at napansing makulimlim na naman. In the last months, I have noticed that I have become more carefree. I was not that responsive before. Yes, I talked to them, but now is different. I smiled and talked a lot.
I felt the raindrops on my skin, so I hurriedly got my umbrella out of my tote bag. But before I could do that, a warm hand touched my shoulder and pushed my body towards him. I looked back and saw Rav holding a transparent umbrella.
I feel like I'm one of the main lead in koreanovela. I laughed a bit.
His eyes are smiling while he is looking at me. It's been two weeks since I last saw him.
"Did you miss me?" He asked and I shrugged.
"Ang daya mo naman, by. Ask me too, and I will tell you how much I missed you."
"Saan ka nagpunta?" I curiously asked. Sa loob ng dalawang linggo, wala akong nabalitaan sa kanya.
"Oh that. I just fixed something. Why? Miss mo talaga ako no?" He laughed at his own joke. Funny.
Napaismid naman ako. "I didn't expect that I would actually miss your presence."
Nanlaki naman ang mga mata nya sa narinig. Ibang-iba ang Rav na pinapakita nya sa akin ngayon. People knew him as a cold and snobby person. Yung tipong di namamansin at walang pakialam sa paligid. Tanging mga malapit nga lang siguro sa kanya ang nagagawa nyang kausapin.
When he's with me, he's not afraid to show his true feelings. how exaggerated his reactions can be at times, and how he incorporates his funny jokes.
"Imara Alessia, kinikilig ako." He murmured, but I still heard him. He avoided my gaze and smiled. What a weirdo.
"Ano? Tapos ka nang kiligin?" Ilang minuto na kaming nakatayo dito at umaambon pa.
"I was having my moment, by. Come on, Let's eat dinner. You're okay with seafoods?" Napatango naman ako. He held my left hand and guided me into his car. I looked at him and he's still smiling.
Wala na ang ulan nang makarating kami sa lugar. He took me to a cozy restaurant. As usual, the place is nice and breath-taking. I can see above here the city lights. The cold, fresh air was touching my skin.
"You like the place?" He asked.
"Of course. You always brought me to awesome places."
Napangiti naman si Rav. He ordered their famous bilao seafood that is good for two people. We started eating and I noticed that he didn't touch the prawns. He only eats the crabs, oysters, and scallops.
"Rav, you don't like prawns?" He laughed at my question.
"Nope, by. I'm just too lazy to peel. Why? Will you help me?" Nang-aasar nyang sabi. Napanguso naman ako at sinimulang balatan ang prawns. This is the least I can do for him tutal naman ay nilibre nya ako.
Rav looks happy while eating the prawns I peeled for him. Magana syang kumain. Tapos na akong kumain at umiinom nalang ng mango juice.
I scanned the whole place and saw people who were also happily talking while eating. Some are families, some are friends, and some are just having their own me time.
Rav smirked when he caught me looking at him. He was done eating and just finishing his drink.
"Be careful with your stares, by. You might get lost and find yourself falling in love with me." He suddenly blurted out. Natawa naman ako sa kanya.
"Oh shit. That's how I feel now." He murmured and I couldn't understand what he said so I continued laughing.
Happy moments are hard to find these days. Some are just faking it, for social media. True happy moments are the kinds of bonds found off-cam.
