Celene POV
Our supposed cousin's date was ruined because of Ace. Well, not entirely ruined. It's just me who lost interest in doing things.
Tulala ako madalas at palaging lumulipad ang isipan sa kanya. 
Damn! Ako naman ang may gusto nito kaya dapat wala akong pakialam sa kanya, dapat hindi ko na siya iniisip pa!
I'm hoping having hectic schedules will be a good way to forget him. Malapit na akong magtapos, so I will be busy after my recovery. 
Well, sa lagay ko ngayon masasabi kong I already recovered.
"Hey couzy, bakit ang tamlay mo?" tanong ni Aihama sa akin. 
I sighed. 
But before I can even answer her question, na-distract na ang dalawa ng may makitang bag. Good thing cause I'm not ready to be interrogated. 
They bought the bag. We had lunch after. Aihama paid for the food kasi aalis naman daw siya at baka matagal pa bago sila makabalik dito sa France. 
The food was good but I had no appetite at all. Parang nawalan na ako ng gana. Sunod lang ako nang sunod sa dalawa not bothering where we were going. 
"After this, we need to go to airport na" malungkot na sabi ni Aihama after naming kumain ng ice-cream. 
Napabaling ako dito matapos marinig ang sinabi "Bakit sa airport?" 
Cerene instantly groaned. "Hindi ka ba nakikinig? Of course sa Airport para makasakay ng airplane." I gave her sarcastic smile.
Aihama laughed.. 
Turned out ngayon din pala ang alis niya for Philippines. Tumawag din pala si tita Helen which apparently hindi ko narinig o namalayan man lang dahil distracted ako!
"Bisita ka ulit soon" pagpapaalam ni Cerene dito habang pinapaypayan ang mata gamit ang kamay niya. 
Nagyakapan sila. Cerene is close with her  and I understand why she's hurting. 
I hugged Aihama too when she was about to go. 
Hindi muna kami umalis hanggang hindi nakakalipad ang airplane na sinasakyan nito. For a split moment, I want to fly to Philippines too! But I immediately shrugged the idea. 
How could I even think of that? Hindi ko na kayang iwan pa sina Mom and Cerene.
Cerene sighed for a hundred times already habang nakatanaw sa eruplano na kanina pa nawala sa paningin namin. 
Iniwan ni Aihama ang car nito kay Cerene nang malaman na sira parin ang kotse nito. Good for her, ang ganda ng kotse ni Aihama.. mukhang mamahalin. 
"Anak, sure ka ng magdu-duty ka na? Baka mapano ka" nag-aalalang sabi ni mom ng makitang bihis na bihis ako ready for a long duty. 
I gave her a reassuring smile. "Mom, I'm ok.. Besides hospital ako magduduty.. kung may mangyari man.. Mabilis din po akong magagamot" 
Mom seems worried pero wala na itong nagawa. She knows how time consuming medical school is kaya somehow she understands me. 
I arrived at the hospital thirty minutes early and checked the things I needed to do. 
Soon enough, nag start na ang busy schedule ko. I was assigned to assist my attending physician with some minor procedures in the operating room.  I then checked some of the patients that needed attention. I don't know why there are so many patients today at halos walang tigil ang pagdagsa nila. 
It was almost 12 PM when I was walking to one of the ward room para matingnan ang isang patient. Already tired from standing too long but I can't afford to stop and relax. 
The patient that I'm going to look for was assigned to room 4.  I immediately located him at laking gulat ko ng makita kung sino ito. I hadn't even glance at his name from my record dahil sa sobrang pagod kaya ganito na lang ang gulat ko. 
God! What happened to him? 
"Nate!" gulat kong tawag dito. "What happened?" He was badly hurt. From the bruises on his face, I can say na binugbug ito! But who would do such a thing? 
Nanlaki rin ang mga mata nito pagkakita sa akin! 
"Celene? You work here? Wait, You're a doctor?" he didn't answer me, instead he threw a question. 
I smiled awkwardly. "Not yet but soon" hindi pa ako graduate kaya hindi pa ako pwedeng tawaging doctor. "Anyway, what happened to you?" I asked again surveying his bruises.
Magsasalita na sana ito ng bigla na lang itong tumahimik. He's warm face earlier become cold. His glad face the moment he saw me died instantly. 
What? Did I do something wrong? 
"I'm going to sleep. You can leave" galit niyang sinabi. Humiga ito at tinalikuran ako. 
My brow furrows. What the hell? Hindi ko pa ito na-examine! 
"I will leave when I finished my work"  mahinahon kong sabi. I badly want to ask him pero dina ako pinansin.
I examined him. Hindi nga lang ako maka focus dahil sa bigla nitong panlalamig. I know he was about to say something but stop!
Nang matapos ako ay agad din akong tumalikod para umlis. Maybe he needs rest?
Nanliit ang mata ko ng pagharap ko ng pinto, nakita ko si Ace with his white coat na pansin kong bagay sa kanya. Naka sandal ito sa  pintuan ng room like he own this place. His eyes is all over me. 
I cocked my head away. Hindi ko ito pinansin at lumabas na lang. It's my last task so I'm eager to have my break. 
But then, I felt someone tailing me. Huminto ako at binalingan ito. It's still him wearing his poker face na wala kang makikitang emosyon sa mga mata nito. 
What is his problem na naman ba?
I rolled my eyes at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. He tailed me again but not until may tumawag sa kanya dahilan ng  paghinto nito. Napahinto din ako.
Binalingan ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses. And goddess! It's from the beautiful doctor who worked here in this hospital. She's one of my seniors as she is currently on her residency program. Tumaas ang kilay ko at binalingan ang dalawa. Agad akong humalukipkip. 
The doctor smile so brightly na kulang na lang e display ang lahat ng ngipin nito.
Damn.. I hate her annoying smile!
This annoying and irritating doctor is obviously hitting on Ace. Who wouldn't? lahat naman may gusto rito. Itong babae nga lang  ang may lakas ng loob para kausapin ito. 
Sa kalagitnaan ng pag-uusap nila ay napabaling sa akin si Ace with questioning gaze. Napatuwid ako ng tayo. Nanlamig ako ng mapagtatanto ang sitwasyon. Nag kunwari akong may binabasa sa hawak kong paper at unti-unting humahakbang paalis.
Shit! That was so awkward! For goodness sake! Bakit ako humito? And the worst is nakita niya akong nakikinig sa usapan nila! 
Nang mawala ako sa paningin nila ay kulang na lang takbohin ko ang room namin dahil sa pagmamadali. Mabilis kong  pagdating sa room for medical student. 
I heaved a long sigh! 
Ipinalibut ko ang mata ko sa room pero walang tao. Medyo hingal akong umupo sa isang upuan at ipinatong ang ulo sa desk katapat nito. I internally scolded myself for acting out of my character. I should not care who he talked too so why?
God! 
I heard the door open but I remained in my position. It's probably one of my colleague. Naririnig ko ang footsteps nito pero wala akong naririnig na boses. That's weird kasi I'm expecting some commotion or a rant from them but nothing came. That's so unusual. Palaging maingay ang room namin dahil sa kanila. Inangat ko ang ulo ko at laking gulat ko ng tumambad sa akin ang nakatitig na si Ace! 
Napatayo ako ng wala sa oras.
"Why are you here? This is not your room" I shockingly asked. I then glared at him.
He didn't say a thing. He stared at me with his scrutinized gaze I'm not comfortable with. Nakapamulsa ito habang nakatayo sa harap ko. 
I cleared my throat to distract him from staring. His stares makes me uncomfortable.
He step forward kaya bigla akong nagpanick. God! Ang seryoso ng mukha niya making me intimidated! Hindi lang isa ang hinakbang niya, humakbang hanggang sa nasa tapat ko na ito.
Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko. Damn!
"What are you doing?" pagalit kong tanong with panicking voice. 
He ignored me. Nang makalapit ito sa table kung saan ako malapit ay tinignan ako nito with his smirk plastered on his face. 
The hell? 
"Relax, I'm just going to get this" nakangisi niyang sabi habang nakalahad sa harap ko ang susi ng kotse na kinuha niya sa table. 
Shit!! 
"Then leave, now!"
He sighed before he walked toward the door and left. The moment he closed the door, I silently screamed in frustration. 
I stayed there for another thirty minutes before I decided to have my lunch. Kung hindi lang ako nagugutom ay hindi na ako lalabas. 
I walked faster praying hindi ko siya makita. Ang hirap niyang iwasan for god sake! 
To my dismay, nang makarating ako ng cafeteria ay saka naman nagsilabasan ang mga kasamahan ko. They already finished their lunch. 
Great! Now I have to eat alone! 
Although marami nang staff na natapos kumain, punuan parin ang cafeteria. I immediately order my meal at papunta na sana sa table na vacant kanina only to find out its already occupied. 
Well, its my fault.. Kung hindi lang ako nagkulong for damn thirty minutes ay maabutan ko pa ang mga kasamahan ko! 
Nagpalinga-linga ako at may nakitang vacant na seat. The problem is katabi nito ay si Ace. My stomach grumbled begging for me to eat my meal. 
Should I go or not? But I'm starving!
Lumapit ako sa table nila only to be stop midway. I saw the female doctor earlier. She was merrily approaching that way and she suddenly sat at the empty seat. 
I gape at her.
From my view, it look like naka reserve ang seat for HER! Ace smiled the moment he saw her. May nakalagay na bag sa upuan at tinanggal niya ito pagkarating niya. 
There is a sudden unknown-feelings surged inside me.  My heart aches seeing them. Parang nawalan na ako ng gana!
I look down at my tray. The food I'm carrying is not that appetizing anymore. Nawala din ang nararamdaman kong gutom. I then look up to see them. Gusto kong umalis pero parang ayaw pang umalis ng paa ko.
One of his friend glance at me. I think his name is Ashton sa pagkakatanda ko dito. He whisper something to Ace dahilan kung bakit ito napabaling sa gawi ko. 
He was smiling but became serious after seeing me. 
I gave him a deadly stare before I walked out of the cafeteria. No longer hungry, I threw my meal. 
Bago ako tuluyang makalabas ay bumaling muna ako sa gawi nila na agad ko ding pinagsisihan. 
That female doctor and Ace's friends are laughing as one of them says something. The most hurting part is, Ace laughed with them like he never saw me there standing! 
Pagod na nga ako, nadagdagan pa ng sama ng loob. Mabilis akong pumunta sa room ng mga kasamahan ko. May kanya-kanya kaming chair and desk kung saan nakalagay ang mga papers na ginagamit namin such as making medical reports. 
Pumunta ako sa desk ko at agan agad ipinatung ang ulo ko dito. I feel dizzy all of a sudden. 
Yong mga salita na galing sa mga colleague ko ay noise na lang para sa akin. Hindi ko ma-comprehend kung ano ang pinagsasabi nila. 
I feel a hand tapping my shoulder "Celene, are you ok?" tanong ni Diana, one of my colleague. Siya yung minsang nanghiram ng libro sa akin. 
Inangat ko ang ulo ko at tumango sa kanya.  "You look pale, you sure you're ok?" hindi siya nakumbinsi sa tango ko. 
Ngumiti ako ng pilit dito. 
"I'm a bit dizzy, but I'm ok. Maybe I'm just tired" I said convincing her that I'm ok
"I don't think you're ok, considering that you just recovered from your injury" nag-aalala parin niyang sabi. "Don't worry, I will tell Doc. Fammi to switch our place. Mine is not that tiring from yours" 
I argued na hindi na pero nagpumilit siya. Now, she's gone doing my work. Ako naman ang gagawa sa task niya. Ipapatawag lang daw ako ni Doc. Nicole para sa gagawin ko. 
Not long enough, ipinatawag din ako sa office nito. I'd say this hospital is big. Napakaraming department kaya its took me ten minutes ng marating ang office ng doctora. 
Nang makita ko ito ay kumatok ako. I heard her say I can enter, so I entered. 
Pero bigla akong nagalit pagkakita ko sa doctora. Thank God I managed to forced a smile which she returned afterwards. 
"Miss Cruz... Diana already told me you're going to switch her place" bungad nito sa akin. 
"Yes Doc, thank you" lutang kong sabi.
Hindi na siya nagsalita kaya umupo na ako sa upuan sa unahan niya. Her office is big and well planned. 
I feel weak and dizzy pagkaupo ko. Dapat kumain na lang ako kanina! Bakit nagpa-apekto pa ako sa doctora na ito. Apparently, siya ang babae kanina sa cafeteria. 
Nabaling ako sa pintuan nang bumukas ito. Hindi man lang kumatok ang gumawa non. 
I grimaced as I saw the person. Tumambad sa akin si Ace na seryosong papasok habang nakatingin sa paper na dala nito. 
Doc. Nicole giggled after seeing him. I bit my lips and immediately averted my eyes anywhere in the room away from him. 
I have no more strength to feel angry. Nanghina na ako sa kinauupuan ko. Mabuti na lang at narating ko pa ang office na ito na hindi pa ako nahihimatay. 
"You're here. This is Ms. Cruz, she switched place with Diana" pagpapakilala sa akin ni Doc. Nicole dito. 
For a split second ay tinignan ko ito and he had this concerned look on his face. 
I shrugged.. Concern for what? He can't be concern. Wala naman siyang pakialam sa akin. 
Hindi nga mahirap ang work ni Diana. Sa sobrang gaan ay ako na ang pinaupo ni Doc. Nicole at siya na ang gumawa ng dapat kong gawin. 
She obviously enjoying the work since kasama nito si Ace! 
Napuno ng tawa niya ang room. Ace laugh too but just minimal laugh. Hinayaan ko na ang dalawa. Aside from realizing na wala akong papel sa buhay niya ay hinanghina na rin ako. 
Nakasandal na ang ulo ko sa mini sofa ni doc. Nicole. Pumipikit-pikit dahil sa sakit ng ulo. 
It pissed me off na palagi akong tinitignan ni Ace kaya napapatingin din si Doc sakin. 
But then, nang hindi ko na kinaya ay nakatulog na ako. 
....