Chapter 4

We are eating our breakfast today in our dining table. Gavin, Lea, Celine and Cohen are still here. Loren is gone because he has a duty at the hospital in this early and daddy is not awake yet.

They were talking about Sage’s love life that he wasn’t telling us when I voiced out what was running through my mind.

“How do you think the parasites got into the poop?”

“What the fuck?!” Lea complained and almost choked on the juice she was drinking.

I raised an eyebrow at Sage who is coughing now because he must have choked on the food he ate. Celine averted her eyes and tried to smile at Cohen. What the hell is their problem?

“Save that later Sadie, we’re eating.” Gavin replied raising both my eyebrows. I grinned slightly and watched them lose their appetite.

“She should be glad it was your birthday yesterday.” Sage whispered to Gavin that I just ignored him. Maybe I should ask Loren later through the phone.

Now Lea and Gavin are back in Manila. Celine and Cohen will also go home to the Royal Village and Sage and I will be left here with daddy.

Well, I have a class now so Sage will take care of it, he has finished his studies so he is taking care of the company now while Lea is still studying.

“Class, don’t forget to bring your own patient on the practicals next week. That’s all for today.” Our professor said as his hair was slowly falling out – just kidding, he had just finished announcing our grades and my grades were high.

I waited for almost all of my classmates to come out before I went out and took off my PPE.

“Hope all passes blood banking!” I looked at Lovely removing her gloves and mask. We still have a hair net on our heads because we just came out of the lab.

“True! Damn, that would have been my only recovery because I failed the practical exam last month. The moving system, I misspelled bacteria and parasites because they were so quick to press the buzzers! I was under pressure, annoying!” Izza replied.

“How am I? The arrow that I followed was wrong so I messed up the rotation of the whole batch! Sir was so angry, I’m so dizzy that I thought we’re going to spin!” Now it was Cathleen.

I’m not close with anyone here but I must say they are the most approachable and jolly ones in our block, and I don’t like the fact that they’re too loud when they’re talking. You will definitely know that they are with you on the perimeter because you can and will hear every opening of their mouths.

“Aw, you were scolded! Hahaha!”

“Oh really, Lovely? You weren’t scolded because your numbering was wrong and there was no erasures so you didn’t have any score?”

“Motherfucker.”

It was a hectic month indeed. MedTech is really not the easiest course. Actually, the ordeal of a MedTech student begins when he enters the third year because that is the most crucial and exciting year for us. Too hard, it’s like the survival of the fittest. If your stomach is weak and you are afraid of needles, you will have a miscarriage in the first year.

I’ve been through a lot in Manila so things like this are not new to me now that I’m in my fourth year. But even so I still couldn’t help but struggle.

“Hey Sadie! Congrats!” Cathleen said loudly that had my brows creased before nodding. “Is there a patient in the practicals next week?”

I silently heaved a sigh when they started walking towards me. Okay, how do I get away from these loud asses.

“Yes.” I answered without looking at them.

I went to the locker room where my bag was. They followed which really irritated me. I hate it when someone tails me. Even Moli really makes me irk when she always tails me.

“Amp! Sana all!” Lovely said, that’s probably her favorite word.

“Damn, patient crisis is real! No one wants to agree to be my patient anymore!” Izza’s complaint.

“Gaga, who wants to be a patient anyway? You fool.” Cathleen answered and they started arguing behind me.

Irritated, I closed my locker when I got my bag. They stopped talking in shock but I didn’t look back at them and I walked away.

I went straight to the common bath room and took a shower right away. I can’t help but take a bath after coming out of the lab because I feel better every time I cough or itch. I think the bacteria we ingested in the lab have stuck to me.

When it was over, I almost took a shower with alcohol before I went home. I’m still not sure if Luke will allow me to make him a patient next week, but I’m hoping that he’ll agree right away so I said yes to Cathleen earlier.

When I got off campus I went to the parking lot without emotion. My back pack was hanging on my right shoulder, in my left hand I was carrying my tackle box while the car key was hanging on my right finger.

I frowned when I noticed the crowd of students in the parking lot where I remember parked the Mercedes that Loren had gifted.

I didn’t stop walking and pressed the remote key when I was close so people were surprised when the car alarm went off. They all turned to me and startled eyes.

I didn’t look at them, instead I walked straight to the driver’s seat door and dropped their jaws when I opened it to enter. They were like trees that hardened in their places as they stared at me.

The windshield was tinted so I could look at them freely. What, are they just there? How do I go home?

I blew the horn twice, causing them to quickly step aside and murmur. I was blown away by the wind when the driveway was clean and I immediately drove out of the parking lot.

I’m not bragging about this car because I didn’t buy it, but I can’t help but be annoyed because they’re slow to understand. When the owner is there, they should be there, don’t block the drive way, right?

While I’m on my way back to the mansion, I suddenly thought about Luke’s number. I forgot to save it last night because as soon as I entered the room, I was soaking in the microbiology book I was reading.

I slowly reached for my bag on the front seat and opened the zipper using only my right hand. I inserted my hand to search for my phone inside and when I found it, I immediately took it out of my bag.

I opened it through the face lock and creased my brows automatically while I try to recall his digits. I typed the numbers on my phone and stared at it for a couple of seconds before dragging my gaze back to the road.

Should I call him? What would I say? Hi? The heck, I don’t know. Should I go straight to the point and ask for his veins? I need to practice him before the actual venipuncture in practicals. Dry run cracks. I really want his veins dammit.

I inhaled deeply as I gulp to anticipate my decision. Alright, I’m calling him. I tapped the call icon and bit my lower lip when it started to ring. I held the phone tightly as my grip on the steering wheel went tight too. Fuck, why am I so nervous? Maybe because we’re not close?

I almost stopped the car when I saw 0:01 on the screen, an indication that he already answered it and he’s now on the other line. Shit why isn’t he speaking? Does he expect me to speak first? Hell no.

I was anticipating for his voice when he ended the call immediately. What the fuck? How dare him? I creased my forehead in annoyance as I dialed his number again. Damn, who gave you the right to turn my call down?

He didn’t answer. I was thinking of sending him a message instead but I couldn’t use my both hands to type. There’s a one-hand feature in my phone but it’d be too small and it’s not so safe to type that long while driving.

So I decided to dial his number again, biting my lower lip and tapping my fingers on the steering wheel while waiting. When he finally answered on my third attempt, I know I shouldn’t miss the chance.

“Yo, can I have a little of your blood?” Trying hard to lit up my voice, I forced my tone to be sweet, but to no avail because of my resting bitch face.

“Are you crazy?” A low, baritone voice lingered my ears that had me biting my lips harder.

“Nope.”

“Who the hell is this?” Now he sounds so irritated, I smirked while imagining his confused face.

“That’s not the correct answer,” I replied while looking directly on the road. C’mon, be mad some more.

“I’m hanging up now.”

I raised a brow before saying, “You should’ve said yes the first time I asked.” Now, my smirk is gone and I felt my own eyes darkened and became heavier as I gaze the road.

“What?” He asked confused. “I don’t even know you, and why would you ask a stranger for their fucking bloo-”

“Nevermind. You’re giving me your blood whether you like it or not.” I said before pressing the end icon and tossing my phone back inside my bag. I shouldn’t have asked him in the first place when I can force him anyway. Poor him.

“Sadie ask for alcohol-”

“You’re stereotyping MedTech students too much, don’t you think? We don’t urinate on alcohol so find your own.” I replied emphatically to Sage because he always greeted me whenever I get home asking for alcohol. Like a fool.

It’s always like that, they ask me for alcohol even though there are a lot of sanitizers and alcohol scattered here in the mansion. Why did they build such a big house when even the helpers can’t remember where the alcohol is.

“Selfish!” He shouted as I passed him and I went straight to my room.

I put my lab coat on the dirty clothes, put my bag on the chair, and put my tackle box on my study table. I sat down and tiredly leaned there while closing my eyes.

I rested for a few minutes before taking my cellphone out of the bag again and initialing Lea’s number. He also didn’t answer right away so I was on a bad trip when he answered the second call.

“Hi! I’m sorry I didn’t get it right away-”

“Favor.” I harvested straight so he cut off what he was going to say.

“Can’t you say ‘Hi’ first you bitch?” She exclaimed so I rolled my eyes.

“I have a favor-”

“And I don’t care. Say ‘Hi’ first!” She still forced so I heaved a sigh and clenched my jaw in annoyance. If only I didn’t really need his help.

“Fucking Hi.” I had a hard harvest so he laughed on the other line and seemed even happier.

“Hello! Hahahaha!” My shoulders dropped in annoyance. Did he think I was joking? “So what is it?” He finally asked.

I sighed and handed him a highlighter to play with while talking to him.

“It’s about Luke.”

“Omg! You like him?! But wait, he doesn’t like girls with piercings! I’m sorry-”

“Fuck, cut it. I don’t like him, damn it.” I was irritated so he stopped. “I need his blood.” I admit.

“Oh… that… okay, so why are you calling me? As if I am his veins and I have his blood you motherfucker?”

“Tell him to come here tomorrow.” I said.

“What? Why? I mean, why me? You haven’t asked him?”

“He doesn’t.”

“Oh? And you think he’ll agree when I say you’re sending him?”

I toyed with the highlighter and moved it with my fingers while thinking.

“You wouldn’t tell him. I just need you tell him to come here tomorrow. That’s all.”

“Uh-huh? And if he didn’t oblige?”

I frown, doesn’t she know that Luke likes her? Is she not aware that when she was gone to El Nido, Luke have been waiting for her every day here in the mansion hoping she’d come back? He even followed her there after a week because he couldn’t stand it. Is she that dense or she’s just head over heels for my cousin?

“Trust me, he will.” I said with finality. When she agreed and bid her goodbye, I didn’t answer and just ended the call before I started to read some contexts about laboratory management.

When the evening came, Lea texted me that she already sent Luke the heads up and Luke hasn’t replied yet. I was kind of bothered that maybe he’s busy or whatever but I still hoped that he wouldn’t let Lea down.

True enough, when the next morning came, I went down to eat breakfast wearing my PJ’s but to my surprise, I saw Luke entering the mansion dashing in his black pants and black polo shirt, exposing his well tinted right shoulder and biceps. He still has his aviator on and his car keys hanging on his neat fingers.

Our eyes met along our ways and I stopped to examine his arms, only to gawk in awe because of its tempting appearance. Damn, I can’t wait to extract blood from those protruding veins.

“You’re Sadie.” He said, not a question. I raised a brow in response. “Lea asked me to come over.”

I nodded and looked up to his still gloomy eyes. Damn sad and burdened, I like it.

“Hmm…” I nodded again, “Luke, right? I heard you’re brave.”

His forehead furrowed as if confused by what I said. Yet he did not answer and heavy but sad eyes remained staring at me.

“You should be. ‘Coz you’ll be losing ounces of blood from now on,” I remarked before the sides of my lips automatically rose a beam.