"Darla, for you," Yohan said. He handed a boquet of white roses to her. They are currently in the campus, chilling at the garden.
"Wow, thank you!" Darla's face turned red. "What's this for?"
"I'm officially courting you." He smiled at her. "Will you allow me to prove to you how much I like you?"
She showed a wide smile at him. "Why not? I've known you long enough and we're good friends. Right, Carla?" she called her twin sister's attention, seated beside her on the bench.
"Y-yes. Right," she hesitantly agreed. She felt her heart is being stabbed for several times. She didn't expect it. She thought all this time it was her who's Yohan likes and not Darla. He's closer to her than her twin sister.
"Are you alright, Sis?" Darla asked. She touched Carla's forehead. "Oh my, you're burning hot! Why didn't you tell me you're sick?"
"I'm okay, Sis. I just feel hot recently because of the weather. I am allergic in heat, remember?" She smiled awkwardly.
"You should go to the clinic and rest. Do you want me to take you there?" Yohan asked.
"N-no, I'm fine. I can go there myself. You should stay here and be with Darla." She stood up to avoid more conversation. She could feel her eyes are hot and a burst of tears are about to fall. "I-I'll go ahead." She immediately carried all her books and bag before storming away from them. She walked fast towards the building and proceeded to the powder room.
She made sure no one's inside the cubicles before crying. "Why her? Why not me? We have the same face and body, but why not choose me?" Her heart feels stiff. She couldn't hold back anymore. She cried and cried until her eyes went dry. She turned the faucet on and washed her face. She feels lost and empty. She wants to protest to Yohan and ask why not choose her, but she doesn't want to ruin their friendship, nor hurt her twin sister.
She grabbed all her books and bag, and slowly walked out of the powder room. She was about to go to her next class when she felt dizzy. She feels everything around her is spinning.
"Carla? Hey, what's wrong?" a familiar male voice said. She couldn't recognize the face but she knows who's the guy.
"George," she called his name. She lost her consciousness in his arms.
"Carla!" He quickly carried her to the school clinic. "Doctor, please help her!"
"Put her down to the bed and let me check her." George put her on the bed as the doctor instructed.
"What's her name?" the doctor asked.
"Carla David," George responded. He opened Carla's bag and took her ID. "Here's her school ID."
"Stay away for now." The doctor took the ID, then she closed the curtain.
George was anxious while waiting for the doctor to finish her check up on Carla. It took a few more minutes before the doctor opened the curtain.
"Her body temperature is a little high, and her throat is swollen. You better send her to the hospital for further tests." The doctor wrote a referral and an excuse letter for her. "I'll send this excuse letter to her adviser. Do you have a car or do you need the school service?"
"I can use my car now, thank you, Doctor." He carried Carla from the bed and took her out of the clinic. The doctor followed them still to assist them. Students were looking at them while he was carrying her. They are almost near his car when someone called him.
"George?" Darla asked behind them, carrying a boquet. Yohan's with her. "What happened to Carla?" She looked anxiously at her twin sister who's in George's arms now.
"I'm bringing her to the hospital." He glanced at Yohan and at the boquet Darla's holding. The doctor opened the car door.
"Please be careful," the doctor reminded him.
"Thank you," he said. He walked towards the driver's side to hop in.
"I'm coming with you!" Darla said.
"You better not and stay with your prince. I'll just text you the address and call your parents." He immediately hopped in and shut the door.
The two couldn't do anything but to look at the car away from them.
"I'll call Dad and tell him what happened." She pulled out her phone from her bag and called her father.
♡♡♡
Meanwhile, the doctors are still checking on Carla. George was walking back and forth outside the emergency room. He already informed Darla about the hospital's address. She said their parents are now on their way to the hospital.
"Are you George? Where's my daughter?" Mrs. David asked him. She's still looking young at the age of fifty. She's slim and looks stunning.
"Ma'am, she's still in the emergency room. I'm still waiting for the doctor."
"What happened to her?" Mr. David peaked at the glass window to see his daughter but he failed. The glass is tinted.
"I just saw her outside her classroom, feeling weak, then she fainted. I sent her to the clinic but the school doctor advised me to send her to the hospital," George explained.
"Thank you for taking care of my daughter. She's lucky to have a boyfriend like you," Mrs. David said.
"I'm not her boyfriend, Ma'am. W-we're good friends." He grinned.
"I'm sure you will be her boyfriend one day, and I approved," Mr. David said.
"Thank you, Sir." He suddenly felt sad and lonely. He knows who's inside Carla's heart.
The doctor went out of the emergency room. "Good morning. Who's the patient's family?"
"We're her parents," Mrs. David said. "Is my daughter okay?"
"Yes, but she could be in danger if she wasn't brought to the hospital immediately. She suffered food allergy. Crustacean allergy. She'll stay here for now. We'll transfer her to her room in a while. Excuse me," the doctor excused himself and left them.
"She's allergic to shrimp and crab! Who fed her that?" Mrs. David asked.
"Mom?" Darla rushed to her Mom and greeted them. "What happened to Carla?"
"Crustacean allergy." Mrs. David looked at her suspiciously.
"I-I added crab flakes in my egg soup this morning for Yohan. S-she ate some." Darla's face became pale. "I let her taste it."
"You are so careless, Darla. You don't care about your twin sister! She was almost in danger!" Mrs. David shouted. "You grew with your aunt but it doesn't mean you should not care about your twin!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to harm her. I didn't know her allergy is this serious." Darla's eyes became misty. Yohan hugged her tight.
"You should be careful next time!" Mr. David said. He turned his back to check her daughter. She is now out of the emergency room and being sent to her private room.
George just glanced at the two before walking towards Carla's assigned room.
-----0o0-----
"Are you feeling better?" George asked.
Carla nodded. "Yes. Thank you for your help. You're really a good friend."
"Anything for you, Carla." He touched her hair. "You should take care of yourself."
"I will." She smiled. It went off suddenly when she remembered what happened yesterday.
"Are you still thinking about him?" he asked. Sadness shown in his eyes.
"I didn't know he'll give the flowers to Darla. I thought he was asking my favorite flower for myself." She chuckled. "I was so foolish to even think about it."
"I also thought you're the one he likes, not your twin sister. They only knew each other for a year, right?"
"I thought so, too. We were close for more than five years now." She shook her head. "We have almost the same face and body, I'm just a little shorter than her."
"A little?" George laughed. "You're three inches shorter than her."
"You're so cruel to me." She pouted her lips.
"But seriously, I will choose you over her. You both have different attitudes. Maybe because you grew up separately."
"She stayed with Aunt Luz for twelve years in the US before they moved back to Cebu. She was brought up differently." She sighed. "I don't know but, I am still working on getting closer to her."
"Did she easily accept being adopted by your aunt?" George took a peeling knife and one apple on the side table. He started peeling it while listening to Carla.
"She understands that Aunt Luz back then was so miserable when she lost her daughter, and our small business was in limbo that's why she adopted her. I just don't know if she doesn't have grudges with Mom and Dad." Carla took a slice of apple and ate it.
They heard a knock on the door before it opened. "Hi, Sis," Darla greeted them.
Carla smiled, but for only a few seconds. She saw Yohan behind her twin sister.
"Are you feeling better now?" Darla asked. "I didn't know you also have allergies to crabs. I thought you're just allergic to shrimp and not to other crustaceans. I'm sorry, Sis."
"It's okay," she said. "It wasn't intentional."
"Can you go home anytime soon?" Yohan asked.
"I need to stay here until tomorrow," she replied. "George will send me home."
"I'll take care of her, don't worry," George said in a serious tone.
"I have a good news, Sis," Darla said.
"What is it?" She frowned.
"Yohan and I are now officially together!" she said in excitement.
"That fast?" She can't believe of what her sister said. She felt thousands of needles stung her heart. "He just started courting you yesterday, right?"
"Sis, in the US, if you like someone, you say it immediately. You don't have to wait for a long time to express your feelings." She held Yohan's hand. He smiled at her.
"But..." She glanced at George, he just smiled at her. She showed a fake smile to her sister and Yohan. She needs to be strong and stay calm in front of them. She's sure she will suffer even more everytime she sees them together.
"I want to make it up to you, Sis," Darla said. "So I and Yohan decided to spend time with you! We'll have a vacation once you're out of here!"
"V-vacation? Us?" She stuttered. Can she handle being with them, showing affection towards each other?
"Can I join you, guys?" George asked.
"Of course! The more, the merrier. Right, Babe?" She looked at Yohan. Her eyes are sparkling while staring at his boyfriend's face.
Yohan cleared his throat. "Yes, Babe."
"Great! Let's do it this weekend. How' s that sound?" Darla said, asking for everyone to agree with her suggestion.
"S-sure, but let's ask Mom and Dad first," she said.
"I'll take care of it, don't worry." Darla grinned.
She smiled awkwardly. She needs a lot of strength and courage to be with them and not breakdown in front of them.
"We'll go ahead, Sis. We have a lunch date reserved to catch up. See you at home!" Darla cheek kissed her before leaving.
"Are you sure you want to be with them?" George asked.
"I can try." She bitterly smiled.
She stared at George. He is nice and patient with her. He's been her friend for almost two years. They were classmates and group in one of their thesis. He was so kind and patient as their leader. He helped everyone struggling. Then they became close. He has been her confidante everytime she had problems in any troubles she's in. He even knows her feelings towards Yohan.
"Thank you for everything, George. You are such a good friend to me."
"You can always count on me, Carla." He peeled another apple and sliced it. "You need to eat well and get a good rest."
"I will." She sighed. She's anxious about the vacation but she doesn't want Darla to know her feelings for Yohan. She will keep it hidden until her last breath.