TBBM XXXV. Cute  

"I'll manage on my own, I guess," he flinched in pain. "Hickey doesn't care about me, anyway. She definitely changed since she became cute."

"Huh?"

My classmates started screaming and cheering at the hear of it. The surroundings went very loud but all I could really focus my eyes on was Red. He sure was in allot of pain but he could still sneak a tease or two like that. He winked at me, like some unapologetic devil.

Roma signaled me to join Red.

I shook my head.

She definitely changed since she became cute.

She definitely changed since she became cute.

She definitely changed since she became cute.

She definitely changed since she became cute.

"I'm cute?" it revealed to me how badly I wanted to hear that from him. He always called me nasty names so hearing him finally appreciate me was a welcome relief. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I looked down.

+++

Because of him, I skipped the trip to the Science Garden and Museum altogether. Instead, I found myself in a cab moving the opposite direction with perhaps the world's most brutally-mouthed person, crouching like a baby on my lap.

"Hicks, I feel like I need to take a shit," he spoke under his breath.

"Gross," I was taken aback. "Why would you tell me that?"

"You're even more gross if you don't do that," he took a deep breath, shaking. "Everybody does."

In truth, I knew how he must be feeling. I used to get allot of stomach ache.

"Can you say something funny?" his voice was husky. "Distract me so I'll forget it aches."

"Aren't you really sorry?" I remembered, my mother always wanted me to bring vapor rub. So, I took it out of my bag and started applying a little on his temples. It should warm him up a bit. "About what you did?"

"That feels really good, Hicks," his eyes closed. He looked really drained. "Why do you have that in your bag?"

"Hormones make me feel bloated allot. I'll have days when my tummy would feel really awful---not really allot of pain but just strange. So my mother wanted me to bring this."

"Can you put some in my stomach?" he asked, eyes still closed.

"I'm not your caregiver. Go apply some yourself if you want---"

"You don't want to touch my abs?" he grinned widely, eyes closed. "Such a disappointment."

"Are you really not going to apologise to me, at least?" I navigated back to my topic.

"I won't do it again," he raised his right hand. "I promise."

"That's not even an apology," I sighed.

"I'm sick. Can't you just let it slide? his eyes opened up, looking really serious. "I want you to know that that night wasn't my best... and I wasn't very proud of my behaviour. I forgot that you didn't have a phone. I only realised it when I got home. It was pouring hard. I drove out to look for you but I only found your bag and in it was your notebook with your friends' numbers were listed in it. I know I'm so bad with sentiments; you probably even think I'm heartless, but, I promise you I won't treat you poorly like that again."

All he said was beautiful. I never expected Red would talk to me seriously like that. He grabbed my right hand and put it under his shirt, on his stomach.

"Red---"

"Can we go back to normal now? Do you still hate me?" his voice came out faintly.

"Are you alright?" I reached for his forehead with my other hand.

"Answer me..."

"What?" I pouted.

"Do you still hate me?" his forehead creased in pain every now and then.

"It's not like I can forget that in a blink---"

"If I die now, it'd be nice to be forgiven," he grunted in pain.

"Ssshhh," I shushed him. "Don't talk like that. It's just a stomach ache. You're gonna be fine."

"I like that," he closed his eyes again. "Just care for me like that. Don't ever ignore me again."

"Stop blabbering nonsense. I'll hate you until I want to. Go to sleep now, will you?"

"Don't leave me, like I left you, okay?" he gripped my hand on his stomach even tighter. The droplets of sweat on his face and neck indicated that he must be in allot of pain still. "Don't leave me..."

"I won't leave you," I finally answered. "I promise."

Dub dub. Dub dub.

Dub dub. Dub dub.

I wanted to tell him that I'd already forgiven him. How could somebody in her right frame of mind really hate on somebody in so much pain like that? I wanted to take away his pain. I wanted him to just be the arrogant and disagreeable him that I used to deal with. I wanted to just fight and argue with him rather than see him weakening at every minute.

"I'll be here, Red," I whispered.

+++

He practically passed out for the rest of the trip until we arrived at the Emergency Room of the nearest hospital. My cardigan got soaked in his sweat, his clothes, too. I had the nurses carry him into a stretcher.

One of them was asking me questions.

"What happened to the patient?" the nurse asked me.

"Uhm... he said he was lactose intolerant. He ate something with milk and cheese---"

"Patient's name?"

"Red McIntyre."

"How long was he passed out?"

"About thirty minutes."

"Your name and relationship to the patient?"

"Oh!" I suddenly got nervous. "We're not really related---"

"She's my girlfriend," he blurted, he was smiling like one silly boy.

My eyes rounded.