11/23

Hashtag 18

#TooMuchOfEverything

"Too much euphoria is perfect madness and destructive reality is melancholia."

-x-

How can something be defined as too much? When it hurts too much the pain starts to feel numb? When too much happiness hurts like a bitch? A song once said, too much of everything is too much, and maybe it's fucking true because Jhing's dysmenorrhea was killing her the first week of the first month of 2016.

Welcoming the New Year? Too much. . .fucking. . .pain!

"Sakit ng puson ko." She kept on clutching her stomach.

Miko asked,"Mayroon ka?"

"Hindi. Wala. Nagpatuli ako."

"Ay oo!" said Miko that made people near their table looked at them. "Sobrang sakit talaga yan lalo na kapag yung karayom tinusok na sa bala—"

Jhing cut him off. "SHUT UP!"

"Weird, halos 1 week pa lang kayong magkasama sa lunch out," Facio commented. "Hindi ko na malaman kung masaya ba kayong magkasama kayo o masaya kayong malapit na kayong magpatayan."

"Okay, Yayo and Fall need to know this," July whispered, typing something on her phone.

Jhing wanted to stand up, raise her hand, look up and shout, take me Lord! but maybe next time when there's no pain anymore. Fucking cramps and being a woman.

People in the book team were surprised Miko and Jhing were talking to each other; rather, were close. Their closeness may or may not started when Jhing dragged Miko to the doctor for check-up. Nalaman kasi niyang 2 years ago pa ang UTI spiel ni Miko, and the doctor back then wasn't too sure dahil masakit lang ang tiyan nito at nagsuka – like what happened to Miko in the Year End Party.

Kahit hassle magpabalik-balik sa doktor at test at ipaalala kay Miko na uminom ng gamot, at least Jhing didn't felt lonely that Christmas week.

He was her distraction from reality.

"Walang problema kay Crux, siguro dahil sa pagpupuyat at trabaho, na-low blood," the doctor had said. "Vitamins lang ng iron, bawiin ang tulog, magpahinga at huwag pabayaan ang health. Kumain din sa tamang oras para hindi nabibigla ang tiyan mo sa mga kinakain."

Miko even joked and patted his stomach. "Ito talagang tiyan ko kasi Doc, rich kid. Tinatanggap lang 'yung lobster, caviar, mga medium rare steak, ganun."

Both the doctor and Miko laugh but Jhing didn't. Sinermunan pa nga niya after consultation. "Bakit hindi mo inaalagan sarili mo?" Jhing poked Miko's bags under his eyes. "Tsaka anong dala mo d'yan, laptop?"

"Hindi. Desktop na 25.1 inch monitor tapos Asus tat—" Miko laughed at Jhing's sudden change of mood. Biglang naging passive. Afraid of Jhing's poker face, Miko nudged her in the shoulder and said, "Para ikaw na mag-alaga sa akin."

"Kung itulak kaya kita sa riles ng tren." She pushed Miko kaya biglang may bumusinang kotse sa gilid.

Agad tumabi si Miko, saving his own life from Jhing's hand. "Huwag na sa riles. Lakasan mo lang tulak mo, kotse na ikamamatay ko, eh," he said, looking at the cars on the road.

Jhing, even if it was tempting, didn't push Miko on the road. Baka kasi siya pa ang magbayad ng car damages so. . nevermind. After that, Miko kept on bugging Jhing – and she let him.