Darylle woke up the next morning to the pain he was feeling on his left foot. He was having cramps, which is common to him since he usually experience it when he's not having enough rest. He checked his phone and saw a text message from Erik
"Good morning!"
"Eat your breakfast."
"Are you still asleep?"
"I'm with my dad managing the family business. Text me if you want anything, okay?"
Darylle tossed his phone beside his pillow and tried to relax his foot, putting a pain relief rub on it.
"I just met him yesterday. Maybe he is playing with me." He said to himself as he massaged his foot.
It's a normal thing for him to talk to himself. Even his aunt admitted doing it herself. "Maybe it runs in the blood." He said as he took a deep breath and relaxed his foot.
Suddenly, his grandmother suddenly entered carrying the uniform he just dried yesterday. "It might rain. And you didn't bother getting it." She scolded.
"Please Lola, I'm having a cramp on my foot." He said as Lola scanned the room. It was less messy as he cleaned up a bit yesterday. "You have to clean up before your uncle from the states arrive." She reminded him as she stormed out of the room.
Darylled tried moving his foot and felt the pain. So he decided to stay in bed all morning watching a movie from YouTube.
It was past twelve noon when his uncle knocked on his room and called him for lunch. He slowly stood up and walked carefully to the dining area.
His Lola, Uncle and cousin were already there. He took a seat beside Lola and started his lunch with a few serving of rice and some left-over vegetable from last night's dinner.
Darylle then felt nervous as his uncle might asked him about last night, when Erik picked him in the house. His Lola still didn't know of it. But luckily they were talking about something else.
Lunch ended soon and Darylle rushed to his room after washing the dishes. He checked his phone and saw three messages from Erik.
"Good Noon."
"Eat your lunch."
"Take a nap."
Darylle smiled as he finally start typing his reply.
"Done. And will take a nap. Gonna be busy later for work. Double shift sucks."
He sent the message and Erik replied after half a minute.
"Take a nap now then. Will call you after an hour so you can prepare for work."
Darylle then sent him a sleeping emoji before he curled into his messy bed and fell fast-asleep.
•••
Darylle woke up at the sound of his phone ringing. He opened his eyes and took his phone. It was Erik. He answered it. "Hello."
"Good morning princess." Erik said on the other line. Darylle sat on his bed as he yawned. "Still sleepy?" He asked, concerned. "Yes. But this will ran off once I've taken a bath." He answered as he stood up and took his towel.
"Okay. I won't bother you anymore. Will not text you anything until the end of the double shift so you won't get distracted. And miss me at the same time." He said through the phone.
"Yeah whatever!" Darylle answered dryly as he heard him laughing on the other end of the line before dropping the call.
•••
It was quite a peaceful double shift for Darylle. Everything went smoothly which he always prayed for every start of his shift. After completing his endoresement, he logged out from his duty and went straight to the nearest fast-food chain, Jollibee.
Darylle queued in line, with his order already on his mind. There were a few people coming in, must be the ones who just done attending mass since it was Sunday. His white uniform stood out among the Sunday's best that most people wore. But not for long as another guy, wearing a nurse uniform, entered the place and queued in the line beside Darylle.
He looked at him and noticed that he was ragidly handsome. Yes his hair was quite messy but still, he looks good in it.
He quickly looked away as the guy noticed him. He turned to him and pretended that he was looking past him.
Darylle ordered his favorite breakfast meal right away as well as peach mango pies for his lola. Once the service crew completed his order, he quickly took his tray and rushed to his favorite spot. In the corner table with cushioned seats.
He reached the table and placed his tray on it, exactly the same time another tray landed on it. Darylled looked at the person who was now attempting to steal his spot. It was the guy in the line beside him.
"I'm here first." They said in unison. "Really, I'm here first." They said at the same time, again.
Darylle didn't move his tray and waited for the guy to give up.
"Fine. It's yours." The guy said, who sounded tired and proceed to look for another table.
"Thanks." He said as he settled into his favorite spot.
But the guy came back after a minute or two. "Can we just share? All tables are taken." He said.
Darylle, who had been to a night duty, couldn't help it but felt pity for him. "Sure. You can seat with me." He said as the guy sat in front of him.
He was stirring his hot choco, pretending to be busy, as he watched him ate his meal heartily. He must be really tired, Darylle thought.
Suddenly, the guy caught his eyes and Darylle quickly took a sip from his hot choco drink. The drink felt hot and so he spat it back to his cup.
He turned to the guy whom he thought was already laughing at him, but instead, just stared at him. "It's hot." Darylle said weakly and smiled. The guy went on with his meal as Darylle started eating his.
He was looking at him and noticed his tired eyes and low shoulder. He knew he was from a toxic shift. "Maybe he was from a toxic shift." He said out loud.
The guy turned to him and asked. "What?" Darylle pretended to smile as he tried to compose himself. "Nothing. I just notice how tired you are." He told him and made a mental note to himself not to say his thoughts out loud.
He didn't expect the guy to answer so he went on with his meal. "Yeah, a patient almost died on my watch." He shared. Hmmm, this guy is not a jerk, Darylle thought.
"Must be hard on your part." He commented.
"You look cheerful but judging by your hair, you came from a night duty as well." The guy said. "A boring one though." He added.
Well, he is a jerk, Darylle thought. "It's a double shift in the pharmacy and it sucks already before you called it boring." He shot back.
"No offense." The guy said almost laughing.
"None taken." Darylle said as he finished the rest of his food and stood up.
He was about to leave as he took his take out beside him and looked at the guy one last time. He took out one peach mango pie and put it in front of him. "Here, have a boring Sunday." He said as he walked out from the fast food chain.