My ride, I love you

Tawan

Chapter 3: Tawan

I yawn...

Actually, I yawn every morning. No matter how long, how short, and how efficient our sleep is, we still yawn every morning. I learned about yawning mechanism during the second year of my university life, and have already forgotten why we yawn.

For me, this simply means my body clock is telling me it is time to get a coffee.

As my first morning routine at work, I pass the lift lobby and then the cafeteria, heading to the one and only coffee shop in our hospital.

This early in the morning, we usually don't see patients or strangers in the shop. There is only a mixed crowd of resident doctors from different years, each wearing short doctor gown. The coffee shop is almost like an altar which all doctors must visit on a homage everyday before going about their daily work routine. We worship the sacred coffee, the caffeine divinity that blesses us with life energy to survive the day and the work.

"Where've you been last night, Tawan! Why weren't you in the dorm?"

Nadia's screech gives me a jump when he asks from right beside me. So early in the morning and without coffee in my system, my conscious is still floating somewhere out there as if my soul hasn't fully come back into my body, and it makes me easily startled. I slowly turn to him, plastering on a smile.

"Uh... Why do you ask?"

"Well, last night I went to your room but you wouldn't answer the door. It was just eight but the lights were off, so I thought maybe you weren't in."

"Oh, did you want to see me? You need something? If you wanna talk now, I'm free. I don't need to rush to my ward this morning."

Wishfully, he won't realize I am avoiding his previous question.

"Don't try to change the subject. Where were you last night."

My wish has been denied. Nadia still presses for an answer, seemingly even more concerned about this topic than anything he was originally visiting me for last night.

Oh well, sooner or later he will figure it out anyway, as Nadia is my all-time number one best friend. It's only a matter of time. Might as well just tell him now.

"Senior Por's condo."

I whisper from between my teeth, keeping the volume down and only audible for the two of us.

"What did you say? I couldn't hear it."

Apparently, it wasn't loud enough. Nadia frowns, leaning in with an ear.

"I. Went. To. Stay. At. Senior. Por's. Condo."

I answer even more quietly this time, but directly into his ear.

Although the coffee shop is crowded, no one pays attention to other people's conversation. They are either engaged in their own conversations with each other or on the phone with a nurse in the ward. And those who aren't talking are concentrating on their phone screen.

There is almost no need for me to whisper to Nadia.

But, I don't know, maybe I am scared of being overheard or found out about the thing between my dear Por and me. There might be a reason, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

"Oho! And have you done it? Oops, sorry, I forgot."

"Heh, it's cool. I don't mind you asking."

I pat my best friend on the shoulder.

"Nay, I mean I forgot I shouldn't have asked because there could have been only one answer. Surely you've done it, impossible not to. You went all the way to his room, duh!"