Taking Risks

6

HIM

I don't know why I'm suddenly nervous as fuck. Here I am - inside my room, pacing back and forth, my phone in one hand, my other hand going through my already disheveled hair as I try to compose what I need to tell Ninna. She asked me to text her when I'm already by my bedroom window at around this time.

9PM. Ano bang nakain mo RJ at um-oo ka naman kanina? Oh di ngayon, aligaga ka tuloy.

I remember my incredulous look a while ago when she asked me where my bedroom was. And probably noticing my are-you-kidding-me face and that I wouldn't be answering her lest she tells me what her intentions were, she took back what she said embarrassingly and explained why she needed to know where my room was. It was actually pretty cute.

To meet her patient. Na sabi niya ka-edad ko daw halos.

That didn't stop me from still feeling nervous, however. But goddamnit. Why must I feel this way?? I mean - it's not like I'm meeting the president of the Philippines or something. It's just my neighbor. And based on what Ninna told me this afternoon, a neighbor who needed a friend.

To be honest, I got curious when Ninna said that her patient cannot go out of the house due to some sort of illness. What did she say it was? Severe Combination of...???

Ahh... Well... Nevermind.

Basta may sakit daw siya at hindi pwedeng lumabas kasi pwede siyang mamatay.

I remember my eyes widening when Ninna told me this earlier and asked with a slight frantic voice if it was ok to leave her patient alone in their house. She dismissed me with a wave of a hand and even said, "Tsk. Ayos lang 'yun! Kaya niya naman siguro ang sarili niya ng ilang minuto lang."

I shook my head and shrugged when she said that. Thinking that it wasn't really gonna be on me but on hers if something did happen to her patient. Though it still didn't deter me from telling her to go back home. And quick.

Which she did after confirming with me about my room and getting my number. She actually explained that her patient's room is right by my room's window too. And that it felt like fate that we should meet.

Fate. Huh.

Not that I don't believe in it. It just seems so... I don't know.

Parang lokohan lang. Parang hindi naman totoo. Kung may fate talaga eh di sana hindi ganito ang--

*sigh*

I scroll up through my contacts once more and hit Katring's number instead, needing my best friend and perhaps another set of a common-sense voice. After only a couple of rings, she answers.

"Lampa, ba't ka napatawag?"

I pout even though she cannot see. "Grabe naman siya sa lampa."

She laughs her tinkering yet mocking laugh and I can't help but smile as well.

"Bakit? Totoo naman! Jusko, kahit sa flat surface na wala namang ikakatapilok, natatapilok ka pa rin. I'm really surprised na kaya mong mag-balanse sa surfboard sa sobrang kalampahan mo."

"Alam mo - kung lalaitin mo lang ako, ibaba ko na lang 'tong telepono! Sayang lang load ko!"

"Hahahahahaha! Sorry sorry! Eto na eto na. Ano bang kailangan mo at napatawag ka?"

"Grabe. May kailangan agad. Hindi ba pwedeng gusto ko lang marinig ang malambing at malumanay at walang kasing--"

"Ricardo, isa."