His Care

She tried very hard to open her eyes. She wanted to look at her cell phone and check who was calling her at the moment.

“Damn!” She cursed. Her head was heavy, as if it was filled up by a sea; waves hitting the side of her head made her feel dizzy. Finally she could open her eyes. She immediately picked up the phone after she found out how important the call was.

“Mornin’! Are you still sleeping? Do you wanna have breakfast with me? I’m really hungry and I can eat a cow now.” The cheerful male voice at the other side made her wide awake.

“Good morning to you too! I thought you don’t eat beef?” She chuckled.

“Oh man. C’mon! Get up and change. I’ll be waiting you in the café where we always have our tea break.” He can never fail making her smile.

After putting down her phone, she laid down in her bed again, trying to recall what happened the night before. People were dancing, screaming, laughing, drinking, singing… Basically they were having fun. She could only remember that she joined a small group who drank and played poker. She did not play. She just watched and drank, like there was no tomorrow.

So she was drunk yesterday night. She shrugged and moved herself to get ready for the breakfast.

He waved to her when she was opening the glass door of the café. She sat right opposite him and ordered a cup of hot cappuccino. It seemed that he had waited quite some time, as he had a half empty cup of hot chocolate in front of him, with some books on the table. His research on linguistic culture of some tribes perhaps, she thought.

“So… How are you?” He started off the conversation, while putting his work away from himself.

“I’m fine, of course. In fact I’m feeling great! Having breakfast with a cute guy with a beautiful view of the busy street right outside the café. I’m satisfied.” She lied. She still felt dizzy.

“Aww… Thanks. How ‘bout yesterday night? Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Sure I did!” She hesitated after she saw him raising one eyebrow. She tried to think of something nice to say, but apparently failed.

“Really? That’s glad to know.” His tone was full with doubt. “Where had you been after counting down?”

Oops! What could she tell? She recalled that she was holding her tears and walking away from the crowd, and then she settled down beside a guy who was playing poker. The guy then poured her a glass of whiskey.

“I went out for a walk. It was too stuffy inside that I needed to breathe some fresh air. I guess Nancy’s house is just too small to fit so many guests. Earlier I thought she was just inviting a few of us for a potluck party.” She shrugged, as if she was telling the truth.

“Well, she’s a party animal, no?” The waiter came with her cappuccino, and then he continued. “Anyways, I saw you joining Nancy’s clubbing friends. Weren’t you? Right after you saw… Well, you-know-who and his new girlfriend.” He smiled, yet she could see that he was not sincere at all.

It seems that he saw everything, huh? She thought. For a split of second, she felt very angry at him being too observant. How could he see her walking away because of that moron?

“HIM? Oh gosh… As if I care? I don’t give a damn shit of how many bitches standing around him just to please him. I’m not one of them! I don’t eat bones!”

“Chill, dear, chill. I’m sorry, maybe I got it wrong.”

“Of course you’re sorry… Well, I just hope you did.”

“Did what?”

“Got it wrong.”

Silence. She looked down at her cappuccino which she had not taken a sip yet. The flower-shaped pattern of the foam was lovely, yet it could not seize her anger and sadness.

“You were very drunk yesterday. I waited until it’s over, then I sent you back home.”

Now she recalled, she was throwing up all over the place before he settled her in her bed. While she was half asleep, she heard some noises of wiping the floor and drying it up. She stared at her coffee, still. She felt guilty now, instead of angry. He is always being good to her, no matter how bad she treats him.

“Very well.” He broke the silence again. “There’s always somebody else who cares and sees what you’re doing.”

She looked up at him, surprised, as if she heard it wrong.

After a long while, she chuckled, tried to shoo the awkwardness away; but when she was trying to say something, he cut in. “There’s somebody who could feel how you feel. So please don’t make this person worried again, alright?”

She gasped. She did not expect anything from him. This is a guy, a good friend, who never walks away when she was not at her best, and also never brings her down like the other friends did. After all, she liked it very much the way it is, now.

The guy who was sitting right in front of her took a deep breathe, and said lightly. “Forget about him. Look at the one in front of you. At least he does not give up after four years of waiting.”