Odin Cassiopeia Zafeiriou [INTERSEX]

9. Caffeine Cold

Caffeine Cold

Femi Krystal Serrano

Mr. Cuanco and I talked about the upcoming blood letting donation program this Saturday.

Buti nalang naka usap ko na ang College of Medical Studies and Red Cross while on the other hand, student council members are also present to supervise the said event.

Open to everyone ang event and kahit sino pwede mag donate ng dugo as long as na meet nila ang requirements na pwede mag donate ng dugo. Na announced na rin kanina ang event sa Student Council Announcement board ng University at pati na rin sa mga social media pages.

Nakita ko na tumayo si Alex at pumasok sa isang sliding door. I was busy looking at where she was going that I have completely forgotten that Mr. Cuanco was talking to me.

"Ms. Serrano. Are you listening to me?"

"Po? Ah, opo."

He then glanced to where I was looking which made me blush.

"Naku. Pumasok na sa lungga niya ang isa."

"Po?"

"I was talking about Alexandra. That kid was really hard to wake up pag nakakatulog na. There was this one time when Alexandra was also the last one to go home dito sa office kasi siya ang nakaduty and hindi ko namalayan na pumasok na pala siya d'yan sa loob."

Turo niya sa sliding door na pinasukan ni Alex.

"Nakalimutan ko na nandyan pala siya sa loob kaya nailock ko siya dito sa loob ng office. Thank God, Troy and Jeno were always the early bird to come here. They always made sure to check the quarter first thing in the morning pag alam nilang duty ni Alexandra. That didn't happen once, it always happened since the time that Alexandra becomes a regular member of the Campus Press."

Natawa naman kaming dalawa. I kind of figured out that Alex was a heavy sleeper which I personally find it cute. He then asks me to remind him na gigisingin si Alex if ever man umuwi kami which I gladly oblige.

Nag excuse muna si Mr. Cuanco na magtitimpla muna siya ng kape niya sa kusina. He even offered me one but I just politely decline kaya naiwan akong mag-isa sa salas ng office nila.

May napansin akong mini library malapit sa white board. Ramdam ko na medyo matatagalan pa si Mr. Cuanco kaya naisipan ko na libangin muna ang sarili ko dito sa loob ng office.

One book caught my attention.

It was a black book and I can see that it was newly bought by someone kasi may plastic cover pa ang libro at hindi pa nabubuksan.

"Middlesex. That's the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of Jeffrey Eugenides."

Muntik ko na mabitawan ang libro sa sobrang gulat ng may biglang nagsalita.

"You should really minimize your caffeine intake, Ms. Serrano." Mr. Cuanco jokingly said seeing me being so jumpy.

Ngumiti naman ako sakanya or more like ngumiwi. Sir. You even offered me a cup of coffee kanina.

"What's so special about this book sir?"

Mr. Cuanco took a sip of his coffee before he spoke.

"Middlesex is the story of Calliope Helen, born in a mutation of her fifth chromosome which makes her appear at birth to be a girl, although she is, in fact, biologically and hormonally a boy. A charming, untroubled child. Callie is plunged into psychological and emotional chaos at adolescence when she starts sprouting facial hair, speaking in a deep voice, and falling in love with a girl in her Latin class."