Alejandro's Hombre

Ch. 20: Amethyst, The Fiancé

"Gabe, may problema ba kayo ni Doc Xander?"

tanong ni Rigor sa pinsan habang hinihintay nilang makabalik sina Luke at Gift. nasa grocery store ang dalawa para mamili ng mga stocks pagka-uwi nila ng bahay.

"wala naman. why did you ask?"
sagot nya sa labas lang ng bintana ang tingin. He still feels a bit tired and his body is still adjusting outside after being confined in the hospital for months. 4 months, to be exact.

"pansin kasi namin kanina, ni hindi mo sya binati o tiningnan man lang." Rigor said. "tell us, Gabe. may hidwaan ba kayo or something? akala kasi namin talaga, okay na kayong dalawa. that you're friends now."

He sighed and didn't replied. sa totoo lang, wala naman syang dapat sabihin. the guy avoided him just like that, ignored him and pretended that they didn't knew each other at all. to say he was damned offended is an understatement.

"akala ko nga rin, eh. not until I noticed that he's intentionally avoiding me for reasons I don't fucking know." He said coldly. "and I honestly don't give a damn. I thanked him for what he did for me, for saving my life. I apologized for my rude behavior and I accepted his offer of friendship. we were cool, we finally got along. but then... nothing. I saw him in the Hospital gardens for my morning physical therapy, laughing with his doctor mates. I waved at him and smiled, but he turned away when he saw me. and then he stopped seeing me all of a sudden. if that's not enough reason to avoid him as well, then I don't know what is. "

He was having his daily morning walk with Dr. Matthew and some nurses when he heard a chorus of laughter coming their way. They came from a group of Doctors passing by---and he spotted Xander among them.

He had his smile on, a very rare feat for him to do since his parent's death long ago. but since he and Xander became friends and somehow close to each other since the Doctor's frequent visits to his hospital room, Gabriel found a sense of comfort and peace in him whenever Xander is around. He starts to crave for Xander's presence, and misses him when he's not dropping by. It alarms him at first, because he noticed in his self that he's starting to have weird feelings for the handsome surgeon; and it feels good holding him close, like the way he loves to hug Xander's tiny waist.

but he was dumbstruck when Xander glanced at him and immediately turned away, even dragging one of his companions as if he's fearing something. and since that day, Xander did not visited anymore.

and he didn't cared at all. He's tired of people's bullshits, most specially if he knew he did nothing wrong. He was upset, but he understands just the same. maybe the wealthy man realized that he's not his cup of tea, that he must not hang out with a poor guy like him.

so he motivated himself to get better so that he could get out of the hospital. If Xander doesn't want to see him, so is he.

"ganun ba. grabe naman, bakit ka naman nya iiwasan ng ganun-ganun lang?" Jiro ask. "he seemed okay to me. like, maayos sya makisama sa amin nung nasa ospital ka pa."

"well, we don't know him that much, I guess. Hindi mo naman makikilala ng husto ang ugali ng isang tao in that short period of time." Gabriel said nonchalantly. "Maybe he realized we're not his kind of crowd, kaya umiwas sya ng ganun. doves don't fly with crows, 'ika nga."

Rigor and Jiro didn't said anything else after hearing Gabriel's flat toned answer. they just shrug their shoulders and attended to each of their thoughts. to Rigor, he does not believe that Xander would do that just because he thinks lowly of them. He may not have known him that long, but he still feel that the Doctor is a good person. maybe, there's something much deeper than this.

Jiro on the other hand agrees with Xander. they're like birds but not of the same feathers, anyway. it's unfortunate, for he sees the Doctor as a good friend. well, it looks like the oil and water can never, ever mix. He just shook his head as Rigor turn the engine on, when they saw Luke and Gift approaching the pick-up truck.