Chapter 2

A Chapter by M.N.

CHAPTER 2

THE V-DAY

I feel like the walk from the coffee shop to my hospital is endless. I looked at my watch once I saw the hospital logo, it’s 7:05. S**t. I’m 5 minutes late. I’ve never been late most normal days but we are sometimes allowed to be late. We have a certain amount of minutes or times when we are excused to be late, so I can take one of those “reasons” to be excused today.

I walked to my ward and everyone greeted me a good morning. I suddenly want to reply, “What’s good in the morning?”

But decided to just stick with the much nicer reply of saying good morning back and with a smile. They haven’t started to endorse yet because they are waiting for me. I’ve been with them for almost a long time for them to know the reason why I was late and they didn’t even bother to ask me why or greet me a Happy Valentine’s Day. I don’t know which one sounds more lonely, having no one to date on this day or people thinking that you are so bitter that you turned out to hate heart’s day. I mean I don’t hate it, I always look forward to the day after Valentine’s day because there are lots of discounts you can get from the things they weren’t able to sell on the said day. So, see. I’m still thankful for February 14^th.

Today is not a busy day. I guess people are avoiding celebrating heart’s day on a hospital room. I only have 2 patients assigned to me which I find kind of sad because that means I won’t be that busy and time would past by slowly.. And there is a possibility that coffee-shop-guy will pop into my imagination anytime soon.

I got distracted when someone called me for rounds. My first patient is a 23 year old new mom and she just finished delivering her baby normally last night. They can go home anytime this afternoon. My second patient is a 28 year old female patient she is G2P1 with an admitting diagnosis of Threatened Abortion. G stands for gravida which means number of pregnancy, so this is her second pregnancy and P stands for Parity which means pregnancy that is carried to a viable gestational age. For her case, we just need to give her some medicines and monitor her. She can go home today too, if everything is stable but she needs to be on proper bed rest and to avoid stressful situations once she gets home.

When I went back to the nurse’s station, Justin is standing with his back on me and I saw the single tulip and a white chocolate bar with red ribbon wrapped in it placed on top of the station. Just seeing the white chocolate bar makes me want to strangle him because I know that it’s for me. Someone probably says that I’m coming coz he faced me and grabbed the flower and the chocolate.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” he says while smiling like a kid with a new toy and spreading his arm holding the tulip on the other hand and the chocolate on another.

“Really? Do you want to get admitted to this hospital on this specific day?” I replied.

He knows me too well to understand what I meant by that.

“C’mon, it’s Valentine’s Day! At least pretend that you are happy for the sake of the people around you. Don’t ruin their happy mood just because you don’t feel like celebrating today. For some people, this day means a lot to them.”

“Yeah, well, whatever. You know that I can’t say no to white chocolate.” I replied and grabbed the chocolate on his hand.

“You’re welcome! Now, where’s the love there? Come and give your best friend a hug!”

I slightly punched him and said “It’s not like we haven’t seen each other in a month.”

I haven’t seen him for almost 2 weeks though because he went back to Texas to visit his parents.

“I specifically picked to return on Feb 14^th to surprise my best friend on heart’s day.”

“Aw.. Aren’t you the sweetest.” I said while rolling my eyes.

“Anyway, I have to go. I haven’t really finished unpacking yet. I just came to see you. Talk to you later.” He said and gave me a hug.

“Alright, time for work anyway.” I replied.

“What are your plans tonight?” he asked.

“Do I look like someone who have plans on this day?”

“Oh god, why did I even bother asking?”

“Ha-ha. I’ll text you if I got sick and decided to go out tonight. Maybe Kira, Jass and Mae have plans though.” I replied sarcastically since he deserved that.

“That is if you are willing to chaperone them on a date.” He said while laughing and going to the lift.

Justin and I have been best friends for 4 years now, even before coming here in the US to work as a nurse. He moved from Texas to California to be with me and because there are more work opportunities for him here compared to his hometown but he always says that he moved so that I won’t feel alone in a new place. He just always says that so I can think of him as sort of a hero or something. He got a job after just a few tries of applying. I mean the guy wouldn’t have a hard time looking for possible jobs. He has high grades and lots of internships to put on his resume.

He also even won’t have time to look for someone to date even at the last minute. I know some of the nurses here who have a crush on him and are nice to me because I’m his best friend and they want me to introduce them to him, and some who are irritated by me because they thought I’m his girlfriend.

He’s 5’10, with blue eyes, a reddish brown hair color, and facial hair that I kind of like so I told him not to shave it all. He also worked on his body and he have abs now and perfectly sculpted shoulders and legs compared to being uhm.. skinny the first time we met in person.

He’s working for one of the 500 fortune companies here in LA so he always wears something formal for work that I sometimes tease him if he always has a meeting. I am just not sure what he does except that it involves computers and god knows what. Every time he tries to explain it to me, I can’t get it so he just always says nevermind. I get back to him by explaining some nursing stuff too so we can be even.

He lives about an hour away from my apartment and nearer to his office but he sometimes picks me up from work and then we go out to have dinner or just accompany him to go to bars and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid and drive him home. I don’t mind being the to drive though because he doesn’t want me to drive his beloved Audi R8 when he’s fully functional but he doesn’t have a choice when he’s drunk so I sometimes make him drunk just to drive his car. I know, so evil me.

I’m not really alone though, Kira came with me as we got accepted to the same hospital. We were living together for a year until she moved out to live with her boyfriend.

When she told me that she’ll move out to live in with Seth, I acted like I was sad that she’ll leave and she makes it up to me by cooking and doing all the chores for the whole week before leaving but in reality, I was kind of relieved because I won’t hear their late night “Ohh’s” but I was sad too because she won’t be with me. I knew she’ll make it up to me so I acted sad and I got a maid for a week.

People always say that she is an exotic beauty that we tease her that she should be added to the list of the exotic animals. She’s 5’4 but still has very long flawless legs. She can pull of any short shorts, skirts or whatever as long as it’ll show her legs. If Jeepers Creepers is real, he’ll chop both of her legs off.

She has long hair like mine but a bit shorter and she always keeps it black and doesn’t want to dye it with any color, and is petite like me since we can eat lots of foods without gaining that much weight. She also has a light skin for an Asian that she got from her mom. With her face, it won’t be a question that had lots of boyfriends in the past. We tease her that we think she can complete a whole month on the calendar for the number of exes that she had since she was born. She doesn’t consider most of it as an ex since we started counting those guys she met while she was in grade school and says that it doesn’t count.

She’s the kind of friend you want to have but you don’t want to have her as your enemy. She’s the motherly type and will scold you if you did something wrong.

We don’t work in the same department because we have different working experiences. She works in the general female ward in Capitol and besides, I don’t know what will happen if we’ll work at the same area and at the same time.

She and Seth met at the bar but he’s not that a*****e-type bar guy even though we thought he is just by looking at him. You would’ve thought that he’s only there to look for someone to hook up with. We were celebrating our 6 month here in the US with Pammie, and Seth saw her went to the restroom and followed her to ask for her name. When she went back to our table he followed her and asked if he can join us for a few minutes and said that she wanted to get to know Kira more. He was pretty nice to all of us, and a gentleman so we liked him that night.

He looked like Tom Felton, Draco in Harry Potter for those who know him by that name, except that he has black hair and brown eyes and minus the hot British accent but he is still hot overall.

They started dating the day after that and the rest is history.

Pammie moved to San Jose with her parents a year ago but we only see each other twice a month coz it’s like a 5 hour drive from her place to ours. We told her to just move here so we can be all together again like the old days.

She came from a family of Politicians in the Philippines, and her grandmother and grandfather was the governor of a certain province before being replaced by her uncles. They were sort of the royal blood in that place.

She was born here in US and was ¼ American by her father but she grew up in the Philippines with her grandmother. She stands 5’5 and is the second tallest of all of us. She has brown, sort of kinky hair but thanks to the rebonding technology she now has smooth straight hair. A lion would be ashamed of the hair she has before, especially during her grade school years. I like her hair though, the smooth straight version, because of its natural color that she doesn’t need any hair color anymore.

She’s pretty as well, a gym addict, and is super conscious with her body that as if she’ll gain 10 pounds just by drinking a glass of water. She hates us every time we insist that we go on a food trip because she has no choice but to eat and then spend a lot of time burning the fats the she gained.

She’s been in a long-term relationship with her girlfriend, Eva, and they are planning to get married soon in New York.

She’s still thinking of whether opening her business someday, probably a bar too, that’s why she studied Business Administration before moving here to be with her parents. I guess one of the reasons why she agreed to finally move here is because Kira and I finally got a job here.

Jasmine moved here a couple months ago, the company she’s working for needs employees from the Philippines to work here in LA for their newly opened branch. So, once she told us about that we encouraged her to apply and luckily she got the job as well. Who would’ve thought the b***h would be the head of the Communications Department of their company.

Jasmine is the tallest of all of us, 5’7. She has longs legs too like Kira, is very pretty as well with black hair and black eyes. She and her boyfriend broke up when she decided to accept the job here because he says he cannot do long distance relationships, f**k that. Some people can make it work, why can’t some? They were already together for 1 ½ years, it won’t be that hard for it to work because they already have a foundation. Some people can make it work without even meeting yet. Boo.

She lives just about 20 minutes away from our apartment with Mae.

Mae moved here a few weeks ago. Her company is supposedly going to send her to Hayward but an LA spot opened on the last minute and she took it. Now, that’s what you call luck. She and Jasmine are living together now since her work is only just a few minutes away from Jass’s place.

She’s working for a call center company and she is the team leader for the medical department. They answer to those people calling and inquiring something medical related or about their health insurances.

She’s single (for now) as well and a bit taller than me by an inch. She likes to keep her hair long until her shoulders and dyed it brown.

The four of us Kira, Mae, Pammie, and I met when we were in freshman year. We were in the same class but we really don’t talk much because I was a shy type. Kira and I however are seated next to each other because of our surnames. We’ve all became best friends when we failed one subject and we have to re-take it that same year. We all blame the traffic and a*****e night us for failing that subject. Seriously, the class starts at 7am, 7 frickin’ AM. What about the nights were you have to study for something and you can’t sleep early because you are so busy advance studying? Okay, that’s not me but still.. I hope they can move the class to 10 AM in the future. Not all humans are a morning person.

Jasmine is the high school best friend of Pammie, she brought her some days during our “bible study” and we all hit it off with her so that’s when she became part of the group.

It’s only 3:00 PM, I still have 4 hours more. Patient 1 will go home at 5:00 PM, so I’ll only be left with Patient 2. Seeing new moms with their new babies sometimes makes me think what it would be like to see and hold my own baby. I always loved babies, they look like an angel.. except when they cry too much.

During this day, I avoid as much as possible to check my phone but I got bored so I decided to get my phone on my bag. I have a few messaged and missed calls. A text and a missed call from Justin asking what is my shift today, a few from the girls asking me if I want to go out later. I shoved the phone back to my bag and went to finish my chart.

It’s almost 7PM when I checked my phone again.

I have a new message from the girls saying that they’ll kidnap me if I didn’t reply, so to prevent them from showing up unannounced in my department I replied.

@Kira: Don’t you have a date with your boyfriend tonight? I know you specifically asked for an off this day. So, me being the nicest best friend, is telling you to just spend the day with your baby, babe or whatever.

@Pammie: As if you’ll drive for 5 hours today.

@Mae: You? No date? That’s impossible.

@Jass: If only you’ll give me a bouquet made of bacon and fried chicken.

I have another new message from Justin and a new one from my brother.

I opened Justin’s first.

Don’t throw the chocolate or that would be the last present you’ll get from me. Anyway, is it okay if I won’t be able to take you out tonight? Megan agreed to go out on a date with me.

I actually felt quite relieved knowing that he have someone to go out with tonight, like on a real date and not a girl best friend’s February 14^th date.

Of course, just so you know I am already eating it right now and the flower will go straight to the flower vase in the kitchen. Happy? That’s good news, good luck on your date! I’m sure the girls would be a bit persuasive so who knows maybe I’ll run into you or something. Tell me about the date tomorrow. Love you and thanks again.

I opened the other message from my brother, it only says Happy Valentine’s Day and he’s asking if I have a date for tonight. Ha ha, very funny. I only replied that it’s only a happy weekend for me.

I almost ate half of the chocolates Justin gave me when I reached my house. I went straight to the kitchen and opened the lights. I look for the vase and threw the old flower in the bin and replaced with the single tulip.

I was about to turn on the lights on my room when I hear someone shouted “Boo!”

I almost got a heart attack. There are the girls hiding in each different corners of my room.

“I know its heart’s day but you guys took it to another level. Like, I need a new heart. You guys almost killed me.”

“Oh please, like that would stop up from taking you out.” Kira says.

“Where’s Seth?” I asked.

“He’s in the car on the other side of the road. We know you’ll probably freak out if you saw the car right outside your house.” Mae said.

“Okay, so we’ll leave in an hour. You can be ready by that right? Just think of that this is an emergency.” Jass said.

“We already picked your outfit so you won’t have anything to worry about.” She continued.

My eyes grew big hearing that they already picked my outfit. I can argue anytime with them but this is the only day when they know that they’ll win so I grabbed by bathrobe and towel and went straight to the bathroom.

When I’m done, I saw a red dress laid on the bed. It’s not that formal but it’s not that casual as well and it isn’t mine.

“Whose dress it this?” I asked.

“I want you to wear that, no questions asked.” Kira said.

There’s only 5 minutes left with the one hour they have given me to get ready. I decided to pair the dress with my black pumps, curl my hair and apply a Smokey eye make-up. While I was getting ready they had managed to find the hidden stock of brownies I made the day before. Best friends, they ransack your kitchen.

“So, where are we going?” I asked.

“We are celebrate your 8^th year of being single on Valentine’s day!” they all said at the same time like they rehearsed it.

I just raised an eyebrow and went straight to the door.

“Whatever, but we have to hurry I still have to go on morning shift tomorrow.” I replied.

“No, you don’t. Checked your schedule today.” Kira said winking.

That is the bad side of having your best friend work at the same hospital as you.

“Nice, so we pretty much have all the night until tomorrow morning to ourselves.” Pammie said.

“And this is the first time we are all together since Jass and Mae moved here. I also asked for a two day leave so I don’t have to go back until Monday.” She continued.

“Okay, okay! Enough with making my conscience work.” I replied.

“Where’s your car?” I asked Pammie.

“It’s in Kira’s place. We picked up Jass and Mae too, so you have to bring your car.” She replied.

Great, that means since I’m one of the drivers for tonight I have to drink less which is okay because I hate having a hangover.

“Sure, no problem but I still don’t know where we will go.” I said.

“There’s this new bar 30 minutes away from here. It’ll sort of remind us of The Gardens.” Jass says.

The Gardens is the place we usually go to chill back home. It’s like restaurant-bar, you can order good food and drink as well. They have cocktails, beers and hard liquors too. Typical Jass, she’s only been here for a few months and she already knows the best bars in town. The girl treats alcohol like it’s her oxygen.

“Sounds homey. Have you been there?” I asked.

“Not yet, but my co-workers says it’s a good place and Kira said Seth went there once with his workmates.” Jass replied.

“How sure are you that he only went there once?” Pammie said while we all laughed.

Apparently, Kira is the only one who doesn’t find it funny and just raised us an eyebrow.

Kira and Mae rode with Seth while Jass and Pammie rode with me. I followed Seth since I don’t know the directions to the place. Good thing the traffic is not that bad and we reached the place 40 minutes after. There are lots of cars outside that it’s hard to find a parking space.

“There are lots of people here today, how can we get in without waiting for an hour?” I said.

“Seth already reserved us a seat, so stop worrying.” Mae said.

Seth went inside the bar while we stayed in the car. Kira said that he’ll just text her if we can come in.

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