Quirkyalone

T H R E E

THREE

Mr. Lucas and I are just walking through the hallway silently. It seems like he is really searching for something.

I'm comfortable with him but it just that I could not think of any topic for a conversation knowing that he will not pay attention to me no matter what.

"Hey, your friend was waiting for you." I told him with exhaustion. We're already walking for half an hour...

He suddenly stopped so I also did. "Are your friends also there?"

"Yeah."

His body slowly faced me. "Let's leave them alone then."

"Huh?"

"Gideon!" a bitsy voice made a hoot. Looking ahead, I saw a ten-year old boy on a wheelchair. Oh, that was Samuel! That kid lost his right leg due to a car accident.

But wait, what did he said? Gideon? Was that Mr. Lucas' name?

"Hey Mr. Santa Claus, do you have a gift for us on Christmas again?" Paul asked, the twelve-year-old cardiac patient. I just noticed right now that we already reached the pediatric lobby.

Paul had been diagnosed with a heart disease the day he was born, and until now he was being undergo in surgeries but a months ago the doctor declared that the kid's heart was not responding to any treatment so all they need is a heart donor. And in that case, that wasn't really easy.

Gideon—based on what I heard—smiled at the kid. "But the last Christmas was just four months ago..." then he messed the kid's hair.

"So, are you their Mr. Santa Claus?" I asked, not glancing on him. Instead, I position my right knee on the floor to level my eyes on these lovable kids.

"Yes, Naomi! Gideon is our Santa Claus! He has a gifts for us every Christmas." Samuel answered and leaned his body to me despite sitting on a wheel chair just to kiss my cheeks. I giggled at the kid and pinched his cheeks. This little boy once confessed that he had a crush on me. Hoping he could walk again.

"Hey Samuel! Don't just kiss any girl!" Gideon suddenly shouted. Samuel replied to him, "Naomi is not just any girl, Gideon!"

"Gideon..." I repeated with a teasing voice, and lifted my head to look at him. He did not looked at me, but I know that he felt ashamed.

Finally, I've got to know his six-lettered name.

Gideon. So, he's Gideon Lucas?

"Are you two going out?" Hannah suddenly asked me with a lollipop on her mouth. A five-year-old girl who acts older than most of us. She was admitted last week due to dengue.

"No, we're not." I smiled at her. She frowned then shifted her gaze to Gideon. That name really suits him. Gideon Lucas? It makes sense.

"Don't look at me like that, Hannah." Gideon said. "Naomi already told you, right?"

I couldn't hide my smile. "Did you just called me by my name, Gideon?" I whispered, emphasizing his name.

He looked into my eyes and smiled—smirked. "What do you prefer to be called, Naomi or Damaris?"

My eyes widened up. "H-How did you know about my second name?"

He also fell on his knee, and leaned forward to me. His breathe smells like a mint, but it also smells a kind of cigarette. And he told me boastfully, "I just did."