An Unpredictable Universe

2. Kian: Her

"You're going to help me assist a new patient today," Dr. Flora exclaims, while fixing her auburn curls as she stared at herself in the mirror.
A new patient? I haven't helped Dr. Flora assist a new patient since last month, so this is definitely news.
"What's the patient's name?," I ask.
"Sabrina. She has severe osteosarcoma and she's been my patient for quite sometime. We should visit her now," Dr. Flora advises and then turns around gesturing me to follow her out of her office.
Walking down the hall, she continues, "Sabrina just turned eighteen, so she's a year younger than you. She has always been such a bright charismatic girl, but this disease has changed her to become somewhat mute and down."
She's only eighteen.
She's so young and she has cancer... Every time I hear about some child or young adolescent get cancer, my whole body starts feeling heavy.
"How long has she been ill for?," I question while staring towards the end of the corridor.
Dr. Flora's mouth twists as she pauses to speak.
"She's had this disease ever since she was five years old, but then it went away for some time. And then it came back and worsened once she became fourteen. She has been staying in this clinic since she was fourteen basically." Dr. Flora's face seemed emotionless as she spoke.
My experiences in this hospital was purely distress, after hearing that two out of the eight patients I've helped assist, have died in this past month.
I've built friendships and attempted to have the patient's look at life in a better light when it gets tough for them. And even if the hope isn't guaranteed, it's best to have that mindset because life is unpredictable.
"Should I help her with anything today?," I ask, while shoving my hands into the pockets of my scrubs.
We both stop in front of a grey door, and Dr. Flora shakes her head with sparkling eyes.
"I just want you to meet her and I'll introduce you both. She needs to get comfortable around you, since you'll be helping me assist her for a while." Dr. Flora walks over to open the door.
I shyly walk behind Dr. Flora as we walk into the room, and there I saw Sabrina. I peered at her, and saw her staring at the window alongside her bed and continues to, until Dr. Flora spoke, "Sabrina! Hello darling!"
Sabrina jumps, and then steadily looks at us slightly cocking her head while observing Dr. Flora and I.
She has light brown eyes, pale snowy skin, and a dainty charm to her. Her light hair is gently laid on her shoulders and her small hands stay placed by her sides.
"This is Kian! Kian meet Sabrina," Dr. Flora announces and grins while walking towards Sabrina. Awkwardly, I wave back and smile while continuing to stand in the corner of the room like a dummy.
Dr. Flora speaks, "Sabrina did you eat your breakfast already provided by nurse Teresa?"
Sabrina glances at the ceiling for a moment and then blankly nods.
"Perfect. Today, is the last day you'll see Teresa in awhile. Nurse Teresa has decided to take off for the rest of the year since she's visiting her family in the Philippines. In that case, Kian who's an intern here at the hospital, will be taking her place for some of the things she does for you. He will give you your daily meals and make sure you get the materials you need for now," Dr. Flora says, while putting some water into a glass and placing it on a table next to Sabrina's bed.
"Here's some water for your pill. Swallow," Dr. Flora says, while handing the cup of water to Sabrina. Sabrina leisurely takes a pill from her pill container and takes a sip of the water.
"Good, Well, Kian stay here for a few minutes with Sabrina. I'm going to be back. I need to go talk to nurse Frances about the other patient Marcus. Keep her company," Dr. Flora says suddenly, while hurriedly exiting out of the room.
I watch Dr. Flora leave the room and then turn my head to see Sabrina staring at me with narrow eyes.
I immediately look down and gawk my focus on my white shoes, out of awkwardness from not knowing what to say. Then, I just realized they need some cleaning and I cringe at myself.
"I like your hair. Can I have some?," Sabrina asks suddenly.
I look up and see Sabrina slightly smiling at me with crinkled eyes.
I slightly turn pink unexpectedly and rapidly blurt out, "Oh. uh, sure?"
Sabrina sighs and continues, "I'm joking. Anyways, if I had hair like yours, I wouldn't ever let my hands leave my head. I'd play with my own hair and touch it for hours. I wouldn't ever cut it either. It's too precious. I'd end up being like Rapunzel."
Puzzled, I nod back in response and leisurely say, "Oh, thanks for the compliment then. And I'll try to remind myself that I have to be more grateful of my hair. By the way I like your sense of humor. It's definitely unconventional."
Sabrina purses her lips and then smiles to herself. She folds her thin arms and says, "If I wasn't in this hospital, I would probably get a job in a circus and be a clown. Or be a comedian and spread lame ass jokes and positivity all day to my audience. I just wish I could make people smile more often."
Impulsively, I bow- I'm such a god damn weirdo, why Kian.
"Let me be your audience. I'll bring the show live here in this room. Perform for me. Enlighten me with your jokes and I'll enjoy all of them."
Sabrina sits up a little, fixing her posture and puts her hand on top of her chest and chuckles making me flush a bit.
"Thank you. Thank you. Although, it's weird I'd want to spread positivity to others when I'm not always positive to myself," she says.
Sabrina broadly smiles and then turns her attention to her window. She quickly stops smiling and then says, "Thank you for making me smile though. I haven't smiled like this in ages."
The wind blows Sabrina's hair to the side revealing her soft light brown eyes and light freckles that are scattered lightly around the bridge of her nose and around her cheekbones.
She then looks at me for a moment and we are now staring at one another for a few seconds without saying anything. My eyes are locked in place and I want to look away but I don't. More like can't.
"Hey, hey, hey!," Dr. Flora wails abruptly as she walks past me.
I look at her and smile shyly, while pushing back one of my light brown baby curls from my face.
"Have you guys talked a little and caught up? Kian is the sweetest boy I know, Sabrina. I think you'll end up adoring him more and more as you get to know him better," Dr. Flora announces.
"Uh, yes," Sabrina blurts out while glancing a quick look at me and then focuses her attention back on Dr. Flora.
"Yes indeed. And that's great you guys are enjoying one another's company! It's important to create friendships, whether it's with the doctor, a nurse, or another patient. We are all a family in this hospital," Dr. Flora says, while picking up her clipboard.
Sabrina looks at me again and curls the side of her lips.
I smile back timidly, and Dr. Flora says, while fixing her stethoscope with her other hand, "Okay Kian! Let's make our way to the other patients' rooms. I'll see you tomorrow Sabrina. Also, Kian will gladly visit you on Monday to help assist your needs."
Dr. Flora waves goodbye and hurriedly exits out of the room.
I look at her Sabrina, but she's facing the window just like before and this time she doesn't face me. She doesn't even say goodbye.
She just stares at her window and has her hands by her sides again.
The sun's light from her window makes her pale skin glow and her eyes sparkle from afar.
I wonder what she's thinking.
"Kian come on," Dr. Flora wails and I run out of the room bashfully after breaking my sudden trance.
As I follow Dr. Flora down the hall silently, I begin to smile to myself recalling Sabrina's sweet smile. She's beautiful, I think to myself.
Her face remains ingrained in my mind making me grin foolishly. Cancer has never took away her charisma and beauty as she probably thinks it has. She's still beautiful inside and out and I hope she realizes that.
She reminds me of Snow White because of her pale snowy skin and rosy pink lips. I hope she can see that beauty she has. If she doesn't, I hope I can prove it to her.