Sparkle slowly opened his eyes and his vision was greeted by a white ceiling. He also noticed the curtain that surrounded him. That and judging by the scent of disinfectant that lingers in the air, he clearly isn't in his room. Then there's a commotion that he hears not far from where his bed is.
"You okay now brother? You still look very pale."
"Oi! Stop bouncing on the bed. How is he supposed to be okay?"
"He is not moving Nathan. Is he dead?"
"He will be if you don't stay still."
Sparkle sat up on bed then pushed the curtain aside to see what the commotion was about. What meets his eyes is the image of Mark Anthony who can't seem to decide whether to sit on the bed or to stand up so he is repeatedly doing both. While Nathan sits near the bed with a knotted forehead seemingly losing patients at Mark Anthony who can't just sit still. On the bed lies Sprite with his two feet somehow elevated from the rest of his body with his arms covering his eyes.
'Is he sick?'
"Brother Sparkle!" Mark Anthony rushed to his side upon seeing him "You're awake!"
Nathan also looks in his direction.
"Is he awake?" Sprite suddenly sat up to see.
Forgetting that he isn't feeling well yet. Sprite immediately feels that everything around him starts spinning again. Making him want to vomit his stomach out. He could only curse under his breath and helplessly went back to lying on the bed.
"Do not force yourself. The doctor said that you should not get up until the medicine works and your nausea is gone." Nathan scolds Sprite.
"Brother, are you feeling okay now? Brother Sprite calls us and says you are dead. What happened? Are you sick?" His attention went back to Mark Anthony." Why are you not telling us? Is it terminal? Are you going to leave us soon?"
'What is this guy yapping about?'
"What?! No! Who told that?" Sparkle can only gaped at Mark Anthony's nonsense. "I'm perfectly healthy And I'm not dying soon." He turned to Nathan. "What happened to brother Sprite?"
"Oh him?" It was Mark Anthony who answered him. "He felt sick after seeing the doctor stab you with a huge yellow pen on your thigh and administered you I.V fluid on you. You should have seen him. He looks like he has drained his blood. He turned so pale and nearly passed out."
The two aren't really exaggerating when they told him once that Sprite does fear needles then.
Just then a nurse came in to check on Sparkle and hand him papers to fill up. It took him a while to answer the form since he still felt a bit tired. After he finished up the forms, the nurse excused himself and walked out of the room. Minutes later, a man wearing a white lab coat enters the room. Which he assumes to be the Doctor.
"Doctor, how's Brother Sparkle, is he in danger?" Nathan asked.
"Your friend is okay now. There is no need to worry. Though I must say, ``If he was brought here a little late it would be an entirely different story." The man who introduced himself as Dr. Estuaria. Give them a reassuring smile.
" Am I sick?" Sparkle couldn't help but ask.
It is the first time he experienced getting sick like that in his entire life. He would be lying if he said he didn't fear for his life. In fact, it scares him so much. He thought he wouldn't make it alive.
"Based on your records and the test that we've done, you are in good shape. You are a healthy young man."
"Then, what happened? Why did he suddenly become sick like that?" The voice came from Sprite who seems to have recovered from nausea. Though he still looks a little pale.
"Your friend had anaphylaxis." the doctor explained. "An acute allergic reaction to something that he may have come into contact with. Mainly inhaled or eaten."
'Eh? Allergy? '
"Doctor, there must be a mistake. I don't have an allergy of any sort."
Sparkle is so surprised to hear the diagnosis since never in his entire life did he have an allergy to anything. Not even once. He grew up eating and trying almost anything and nothing bad happened to him.
"You might be one of those few people who have Onset Allergy. Most people with onset allergy like yours develop an allergic reaction to certain things later in life. Even though you do not have one when you are young, one can still have it when they grow older."
"Can he still recover from it and be back to normal?" Sprite asked.
"If you mean if he can be cured, I'm afraid, no. But he can always treat the symptoms once they appear and prevent or minimize his exposure to allergens or anything that could trigger the attack."
"But how am I supposed to know what will trigger what, when I've never had it before?"
"In that case, it is an onset allergy, you will have to monitor what you came in contact with when the allergy attacks again. Watch out for what you eat, drink, inhale, or touch. It is important that you will take note of them so you know what and how to avoid them." The doctor said, "I will also prescribe you medicine that you should always carry in case the allergy attacks again."
The doctor goes on to write a prescription. He gives him a type of over the counter anti- allergy medicine and also teaches the four of them how and when to use the EpiPen in which he instructed that it should be used only when a severe attack happens and when it does, they should still bring Sparkle to a doctor. Dr. Estuaria also taught them how to spot the symptom of an attack to prevent it from becoming worse. The good doctor said that anti-allergy drugs are helpful enough to treat the symptoms once it is spotted early.
After the thorough check up of Sparkle and Sprite is back on his feet again, they proceed to pay the hospital bill and decide to escort Sparkle back to his dorm. Unlike the three of them, Sparkle lives far from the city. His family decided that he should take a dorm instead of spending hours on the trip of going to school and going home every day. Plus it's a lot cheaper to rent a dorm than spending money on travel expenses. Sparkle's parents also added that living alone helps him to become independent too.
The dorm where I live is nice enough. It has its own small kitchen, a small dining and living room, a single bedroom and comfort room. It's not much but fit enough to a person like him who valued privacy.
"I get the whole diagnosis, treatment, and whatnot. But I'm still wondering what have you done to cause an allergy attack brother Sparkle?" Mark Anthony asked who seemed still a bit confused.
"I do not have an idea. There is nothing much that I did this morning." Try as he might, he really can't remember anything remarkable that would give him a clue about what happened.
"There must be something." Nathan stated. "I know a few good people who have allergies too. Most of them are allergic to common things like metal, to pollens, dust, but most of them often have allergic reactions to food like peanuts and or eating seafoods like crabs, shrimps, sea shells or certain kinds of fish. Maybe for starters you should check on those things to help you find what triggers yours." Nathan suggested, in which they all agree on.
Then they went on discussing the lesson that they have today and decided to work on their hands out and homework that their professor gave them. Sparkle can't help but notice though that Sprite has been silent the whole time. When Nathan and Mark Anthony turn to leave, Sprite doesn't go with them and says that he wants to stay a little longer. He didn't mind though. To be honest, he kind of likes the idea too. Only if not with Sprite's silence does that seem deafening.
"Hey, Earth to Sprite!" Sparkle waves his hand to get Sprite's attention. Which is kind of effective since Sprite seems to snap back to reality.
"Oh.. Yeah. Sorry about that. I just-Uhm... Hey, can I check your Fridge?"
Sparkle looked puzzled but still answered. "Uh.. sure. There is nothing much in there. But if you need anything or find anything you want, just help yourself. I don't mind sharing my things with you."
Sprite then got up from his seat and went to the kitchen probably to find something in the fridge. While Sparkle proceeded to text his Mom and inform him about today's event. He really doesn't want to hide this kind of thing from his family and worry them. Especially when he knew that his friend contacted them beforehand.
While Sprite took a while and came back to him holding nothing. Maybe he didn't find anything useful in his kitchen. He can't blame the guy though, he rarely buys stuff. The only thing anyone can find in his fridge is water, a few eggs and some left over bread. Sprite walks over to his bag and gets something before he turns to Sparkle.
"I'm going to the grocery store. Do you want something?"
"I don't know. Maybe some bottles of iced tea and cup noodles."
Sprite turns to him with a questioning look. "Cup noodles?"
"I feel tired and I do not feel like doing much. I want to rest more."
Suddenly, Sparkle's phone rings. It was his Mom. He excused himself and went to answer the call. Sprite on the other hand didn't say anything more and went out. There is indeed a grocery store a few blocks away from his dorm. Very convenient if it's not him being lazy to go out and shop.
He was still on the phone explaining what the doctor said to his Mom when Sprite arrived. He was holding a huge bag and went straight to his kitchen.
"Are you sure you are okay now, son? Do you want me to go there?" worry is still on Sparkle's Mom's voice regardless of how many times he told her that he is already fine and just needed some rest.
"I'm ok now Mom. No need to worry. The doctor says a good night's rest will be good and I can already come to class tomorrow." He reassured his Mom.
"Hey. Do you mind if I use your kitchen?" It is Sprite who's putting out the stuff that he bought out of the bag.
"Uh, sure. No problem. Need help?"
"Nope. Stay there. I'm fine."
"Who's that?" his Mom who's still on the other side of the line asks.
"Oh. It's the 'friend' that I've mentioned to you before."
"Really?" his mom exclaimed with delight. "Can I talk to him?"
Sparkle looks at Sprite only to receive a glare from the guy.
'Maybe not.'
"He's quite busy Mom. Maybe you can talk to him next time."
"Oh... Okay." There is a hint of disappointment on his mother's voice though, "I'll hang up now then. Bye son. If anything happens, call us immediately, okay?"
"I'll make sure to call you first, Mom. don't worry." His Mom finally hung up after saying goodbye.
When he finishes up the call, Sprite is still roaming around the kitchen chopping something while having a conversation with someone over the phone too. He gets up and tries to get to the kitchen when Sprite straight up stops him from doing so.
"Ok! I'll give him the phone. Just wait for me. I'll go home as soon as I'm done." There is a hint of annoyance in Sprite's voice. Then he walked to him and handed him his phone.
"What?"
"Mom wants to talk to you." Sprite's voice sounds calmer but his Eyebrows are forming a straight line. "When you're done, go and rest in your room. I'll call you once I'm done."
Then Sprite went back to the kitchen. Leaving him his phone to talk to the guy's Mom. The conversation did not last long. Sprite's mom just makes sure that he is fine then eventually hangs up. After that he left Sprites phone on the table and went to his room to rest.
He's actually having an urge to go back to the living room and get Sprite's phone to see what is inside. It's not hard since he noticed that Sprite didn't bother to put any password on his phone. But he made up his mind not to. Sprite trusts him enough and leaves his phone to his care. Inspecting what's inside it is surely crossing the line. He wouldn't want to invade the other person's privacy. He closes his eyes and he slowly drifts off to sleep.
Moments later he was awakened by a knock on his door. When he checked the window he noticed that it was already dark. He got up and went out of the room then he saw Sprite had just finished setting up the table. He looked at the dish with awe.
"You made all this?"
"Don't be overly dramatic. It's just Sinigang and rice. Now, sit."
"Thank you. But you shouldn't have to. I'm fine with just cup noodles."
"You should mind what you eat especially now. Quit complaining and eat. I know your breathing still isn't that well. Having decent food will help. "
He gleefully takes his seat and takes a sip of the broth. And truth to be held, it does give a little bit of relief. Even if he's already fine, there is a lingering feeling of tiredness in him. Especially when he breathes. The warm broth and the extra tanginess flavor of it helps his body to relax. He eats with gusto while Sprite just watches him finish the whole bowl of sinigang and the rice that he serves him. After dinner, Sprite, clear the plate and wash the dishes. Sparkle just watches him with content the whole time.
When the dinner was all done and Sparkle had taken his medicine and appeared to be doing fine, Sprite went up to collect and arrange his things.
"I have to go now." Sprite says while putting on his bag.
"Already?" he still doesn't want him to go.
"It's getting late."
"Can't you stay?"
"What are you 5 years old?" Sprite snort "There is a thing called Mobile phone. You can just beep me when anything comes up."
"Alright. I got it." He can't help but sigh.
Sprite went to the door. "Oh by the way, There's leftover soup in the pot. When you get hungry later, you just have to reheat it." Then he didn't even bother to wait for Spackle to respond and just went ahead and left without turning back.
Despite the fact that Sprite rarely talks to him the whole afternoon, he really can't complain about the fact that he seems to be more attentive to him today than usual. From preparing the meal to washing the dish to reminding him to take the medicine that the doctor prescribed and to making him drink more water. Sprite was almost as strict as his mom when it comes to this matter. Not that he protested though. He likes this side of him very much. Not to mention that he is very impressed by Sprite's cooking skills.
Today he discovered that his beloved is definitely afraid of needles, is a great cook, mindful and lowkey caring.
'I guess this can be called an achievement.'
He is definitely happy. Because regardless of how much Sprite says that he is annoyed with him, but still he stays by his side and not only that. He even cooked him a delicious meal! He can't help but smile.
He remembers again when Sprite reminded him about the leftover soup in the pot and told him to just heat it up when he gets hungry. It fills his heart with joy again.
But then his smile turned into confusion.
'Wait, pot?'
There is no pot in his dorm. The only 'pot' there is is the one that he uses for the rice cooker where he cooks rice and a small frying pan since he doesn't really know how to cook complicated meals aside from scrambled egg and meatloaf.
'The only pot in my dorm is…'
When realization hit him, he hurriedly ran into the kitchen. His face turns pale. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he saw a white porcelain pot on the top of the stove.
What Sprite uses for cooking his Sinigang is no pot.
It is his grandma's old Arinola!
[Author's Note: The huge yellow pen Nathan is pertaining to is EpiPen also known as Epinephrine Auto Injector often used for the treatment of anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction
Arinola- Chamber pot. A.k.a pee pot. It is a pot-like thing sometimes made up of porcelain, plastic or metal. Often used as a personal potty for old people. So that they don't have to take a long walk and disturbed their sleep when they feel like they have to pee in the middle of the night.]