Girl of Never : Days to Love (Chat MD Series #4)

Day 77 : Humor me

Humor me
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Late na 'ko nakabalik sa FHR Lab from our new site. Kanina, after no'ng accident sa resto, tahimik lang uli si Harry nang bumalik sa kotse at ihatid ako. When I asked him about the burns, he just said not to worry and that's it.

Halos thirty minutes lang siyang nagtagal sa new site. Kinausap lang niya si Kaye at ang ilang lab assistants namin. Tapos, umalis siya nang hindi nagpapaalam sa'kin. Not that I expected him to. But still...

Dumaan ako sa office para i-check siya pero wala na siya ro'n. I went to my sleeping quarters pero hindi ako mapalagay. Kahit masulyapan ko lang siya, okay na 'ko.

Dahan-dahan akong naglakad papunta sa katabing quarters at nakiramdam sa pinto.

Harry sleeps on the first bed on the left by the door. Parehas sa'kin.

I checked the time on my wristwatch. Past twelve na. Usually, kapag nasa quarters na siya ng ganitong oras, nasa laptop siya. But I don't hear anyone typing or what not.

I opened the door with caution. Madilim sa quarters. All eight double-deckers were empty.

Nasa lab pa siguro siya.

Pumasok ako sa silid at naupo sa hinihigaan niya. I'm tired today. I wanted to see him.

Hinaplos ko ang unan niya. Kinuha ko. Niyakap.

Why am I particularly sad tonight?

Bago ako tumayo ay iniwan ko sa higaan niya ang plastic ng anaesthetic cream. May stock naman kami no'n sa lab but knowing him, I doubt he would take care of his burns. Mas malamang na makalimutan niyang napaso siya at magtrabaho lang siya nang tuloy-tuloy. He doesn't even remember his meals. Buti na lang na-arrange ko na sa delivery ang oras ng dating ng pagkain. Nakiusap din ako sa isa sa mga crew sa canteen para i-receive at ihanda iyon para sa kanya.

Mabigat ang loob ko nang bumalik sa quarters ko. It wasn't raining tonight. May mga gabi lang talaga na nalulungkot ako. Sa pagod siguro.

I showered and prepped to sleep. Pero ilang oras na 'ko sa higaan, nakailang ikot at posisyon na 'ko, hindi pa rin ako makatulog. I was alert with every sound outside the room.

Pinigilan kong mag-message kay Harry ng 'I miss you' sa chat dahil baka lalo akong hindi pansinin. Hindi na rin pati niya binabasa ang messages ko.

I sighed.

Nakakatulog na 'ko nang bahagya nang makarinig ako ng kaluskos sa pinto. I heard my door slowly opened. I froze. Ang lakas ng kaba ng dibdib ko.

Anong oras na ba? Is it Harry?

When I heard the door slowly closing this time, mabilis akong bumangon.

"Harry!" I called out in the dark.

I rushed to open the door and found him startled.

"Hey..." sabi niya.

He's by the door.

Kumalma ako. As if, he pacified every strange and unnamed chaos inside that's making me feel heavy.

I smiled in relief. I can sleep now. Nakita ko na siya.

"May problema ba?" kunot-noong tanong niya sa'kin.

Umiling ako. "Nothing. Just a little tired."

Nakatitig kami sa isa't isa. The shadows in the hallway hid most of his facial expressions... except his eyes.

"Humor me..." I told him.

"Huh?"

Lumapit ako sa kanya.

"Humor me for two minutes," sabi ko. "Please?"

"What is it?" tanong niya.

I stood closer to him.

"Don't step back," sabi ko.

I saw him swallowed.

Kumapit ako sa tagiliran ng shirt niya at tumingala sa kanya.

"Just two minutes..."

Hindi siya kumibo. Isinuot ko ang kamay ko sa magkabilang tagiliran niya at dumikit. Niyakap ko siya. Inilapat ko ang pisngi ko sa dibdib niya, pumikit, at huminga nang malalim.

I'm contented with two minutes of skinship with him. I won't ask for a minute more. Until I hear my heartbeat going wild.

I breathe to calm my heart. Pero parang lalong dumoble. Parang may echo rin.

I opened my eyes and listened closely.

It wasn't my heartbeat. It was his.

Nagsikip ang paghinga ko. Why would his heart beat this way for me?

Habang pumapatak ang segundo, lalong bumibilis ang tibok ng puso niya at tibok ng puso ko. I could feel him holding his breath. I could feel his skin heating up. And if I look up, I'm sure he would be red.

Tumingala ako sa kanya.

He's been saved by the low light. Hindi ko masisigurong namumula siya. But I know the tension in his body.

Nakaiwas ang mata niya sa'kin.

I'm not the type who assumes. I probe. I won't start probing now but I know what I heard and I know what I felt.

"Time's up, Jianna," he whispered.

Oh, I know it's long over. I held him for more than two minutes.

"Galing ka sa lab?" tanong kong nakakapit pa rin sa tagiliran niya.

"Sa Lab 2," sagot niya. "Remove your hands."

Hindi ko siya pinansin. " 'Yung burns mo?"

"I'll take care of it."

"May anaesthetic cream sa quarters mo."

"Okay, thanks."

Tumitig ako sa kanya hanggang ibaba niya ang mata niya sa'kin.

"Let go. You should be sleeping," he said.

Yeah. I should be. Kaya ba siya nag-check sa quarters ko? Dahil akala niya tulog na 'ko?

"You should sleep, too," I told him.

"Yeah."

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. By now, he's breathing normally. Siguradong tahimik na ang puso niya.

But I want to test whether I could make it crazy again. So, I placed my palm in his chest, tiptoed, and kissed him close to the corner of his lips.

"Goodnight, Harry," I whispered.

I stepped back and placed my palm to my chest. Tumalikod ako at bumalik sa loob ng quarter ko.

Why do we have the same crazy heartbeats? I need to know. #0825g / 11202016