Scars and Skies Above (Sky Series 1)

Flight MG-001: Encounter

GABBY

"Finally, it's over." I sighed as I removed my face mask and cap. I leaned on the wall outside the Demonstration Room, defeated but relieved. I was still wearing my scrubs, at sobrang init. Tapos na ang practicals namin, ubos na rin ang lakas ko. At wala pa akong tulog! This day was so tiring.

"Gabby!" Rinig kong tawag ni Gia habang patakabo palapit sa'kin. Kanina pa siya tapos sa practicals niya at hinihintay na lang ako.

"I'm done na. Nakakapagod, napatay ko pa yung dummy patient ko." I said as she stopped in front of me.

"Sis! Same!" She laughed and fanned herself. Gia and I are both third year nursing students. Kaya parehas kami na mayroong exam ngayon.

"Girl, bakit ganon tayo? Feeling ko bagsak na 'ko this sem." I wanted to cry. Paano ba naman yung case na napunta sa'kin napakahirap. Sino ba naman hindi matatakot sa dummy na nagsasalita at nagrereklamo na masakit ang dibdib niya. The robot was actually controlled by our instructors. The demonstration room is divided into two by a two-way mirror. Yung half ng room, naroon kami, mga estudyante na nagpa-practical exam. Yung other half is the control room. Naroon ang mga clinical instructors namin to control the computers connected to the robot which is the dummy patient we're taking care of. And because of the two-way mirror, kitang kita ng mga instructors namin kung ano ang nangyayari sa loob, pero hindi namin sila kita.

"Ikaw, bagsak? Kailan pa nangyari 'yon? Stop thinking about it! And don't worry, it's not just you. Most of us killed our dummies, too!" She was laughing while talking that's why I didn't know if she was serious or not.

"Are you serious ba?" I asked.

"Oo nga! And besides, it's my birthday today, kaya magcecelebrate tayo later sa Mile High. 'Wag ka nang ma-stress!" Hinawakan niya ang braso ko para hilahin paalis sa sinasandalan ko papunta sa elevator. "Tinawagan ko na rin sila Lexi at Jules. They're waiting for us downstairs."

Birthday nga pala ni Gia ngayon at may celebration sa Mile High mamaya. Isang linggo na rin namin ito pinaplano. Isa 'yong club sa rooftop ng hotel at lagi kami roon. I almost forgot about her birthday because of the stress this practical exam gave me.

Pagkababa namin, sinalubong agad kami nila July and Lexi.

"Gia, my baby girl, Happy birthday!" Sigaw ni Lexi pagkalabas namin ng elevator.

"Shh! Ang ingay mo but thank you, loves!" Gia said as she hugged Lexi.

"Girls! Let's go get prepped!" Lexi exclaimed. She looked like an excited puppy wiggling her tail on her owner.

"Yes please, I'm so excited for tonight. Let's get wasted!" Sabi ni Gia.

"Nako, Gia, baka magpabuhat ka na naman, ha." I told her.

"Okay lang 'yon. Free pass, birthday niya naman ngayon, ako bahala." Jules winked at Gia.

Napahawak ako sa noo ko at umarte na sumasakit ang ulo.

"Stop acting, baka pagdating natin sa bar, mauna ka pang magkalat diyan." Jules said.

I smirked and flipped my hair. "Well, maliit na bagay."

Tumawa siya at hinila na kami plabas ng building. "Tara na nga, magpapaganda pa tayo, bilisan niyo." She said. Sumakay kami sa kotse para makabalik na sa condo at magbihis. We already put our things on Gia's condo last night kasi plano na talaga namin na dito na magayos. And besides, katapat lang 'to ng university. Mas accessible.

Gianna, Alexia, July and I met when we were in high school. Lexi is a political science student, and Jules is an engineering student. The four of us hit it off so fast, that's why hindi na kami naghiwa-hiwalay. We even matched our schedules para yung mga minor subjects namin ay magkakaklase kami. We have other close friends and acquaintances in our circle, but our bond is different.