Being A Counsellor

the phone rang non stop in the morning. shayna was too tired to even pick it up and quickly left it on message mode.
"hi. this is shayna here. sorry i can't come to the phone now. please leave a message after the tone... *beep*"
"shayna... this is lys here. i was wondering if you are still looking for a job. my manager said there's a vacancy here at Soup Junction and i was wondering it would be cool if we worked together. what do you think? call me back kayz?"

did she hear it right? there is a job offer for her! and to be working with one of her good friends... shayna rubbed her eyes and made sure she wasn't dreaming. finally a job... not that she's very interested in soup dishing but at least she's wokring and her parents would stop nagging about the fact she hasn't got one. she quickly got out of bed and dialled alyssa's number.

"hey lys. i got your message! i can't believe this!"
"yeah. so do you wanna come down for an interview?"
"really? today?"
"yeah. duh. come down around lunchtime? the manager will see you then. bye!"

cool! an interview she was looking forward to. shayna has never been this excited. she had to tell her parents!
"mom! dad!" she screamed, as she opened up her bedroom door.
"my my, what's with the rush hon?" her mother said, as she placed food down on the breakfast table. her dad was reading the newspapers anad relaxing before he goes on his shift.
"i've got an interview! it's not a really grand one but alyssa said there was a vacancy at Soup Junction as a waitress. so she was thinking it would be great if we could work together."
"that sounds good shayna but don't you think you need to find a more permanent job rather than just waitressing?"
"i know but it's better than nothing! i promise i'll look for a permanent job as i work for Soup Junction. besides, at least i'll be earning something..."
"alright. but make sure you keep to your promise," her mother said, passing her a glass of milk.

"so i don't think you'd be coming around the hospital today then?" her father commented.
"well, i'll see how things goes. you need me at the hospital today?"
"well, before this whole waitressing thing came along, i was thinking you could help out as a social worker for the children at the hospital. one of the social workers is coming down today and i thought you would be interested in an interview. but since now you've found something to do, then i shan't spoil your plans..."
shayna's eyes started to glitter! man, she would love to work with children at the hospital. being a social worker sounded so cool. in fact it might even overrule the waitressing, since she can be quite ill-tempered at times and also not to mention quite short fuse. if only she didn't agree to that interview so quickly... now she really wants to become a social worker.
"i see our daughter's having second thoughts..." her mother finally chirped in. shayna gave her a pleading look.
"dad... i want to go for that interview. could you arrange it for me please?"
"but i thought you are going for that waitressing job?"
"i was... but i think it would be better if i did something i enjoyed. i like working with children and i know i would also like it when i know i'm close to my papa and i can see him everyday!"
her parents laughed, seeing her so eager for something.
"oh alright. you just get yourself down to the hospital around early afternoon and i see what i can do."
shayna's eyes gleamed as she jumped her hugged her father.
"thank you papa! I'll see you later!" she quickly ran to her room to change up and get ready. first she had to push off alyssa gently then make her way to the hospital. she wanted to see colby before going for her interview. it would definitely help her get into the flow... she couldn't believe what luck she was in today. her eyes just shone and she started to get vibrant all over again. all this without even thinking of a guy... by the name of Colin Tan.

***

colin woke up from his sleep at the hospital. he didn't even realised he dozed off last night. yeap, the television was still on and he was still in the clothes he wore yesterday. he must have slept through the night because he was too tired. then he remembered about colby and quickly went to check on him. phew. thank goodness he was still sound asleep, holding onto one of his robots in his hands. colin tucked him underneath the blanket in case he got chilly. then went on to wash up.

he looked at himself in the mirror. boy, he needed some rest. his eyes were all swollen and he couldn't even keep himself awake. he quickly changed into some new clothes that his driver sent over last night and walked out to make sure colby was alright. colin loved to watch as colby slept. he looked so serene and still, as though he didn't have a care in the world. maybe life was meant to be like how colby's taking it... simple yet promising. somehow colin wished colby was born healthy, strong and normal... maybe life for him would be much more promising. colby is a bright boy but it's sad to see him losing the chance to shine. colin was thinking through all these when suddenly his phone rang... it was his father.

"hey dad."
"colin. i have taken the day off for you. you can stay at the hospital and take care of colby. peggy will instruct the new secretary, so you need not worry about work for today."
"oh alright. thanks dad."
"you're welcome. after you're done at the hospital, i suggest you head home to rest. i know you've been at the hospital the whole night. you aren't a robot you know."
"yes i will dad. thanks again."
as the call ended, he realised he had a few missed calls. they were all from megan. she must have called when he fell asleep. oh well. he didn't really feel like calling her back. it doesn't seem that important now. all that is important now is that colby was alright. colin walked over to his brother and stroked his forehead. colby was such a cutie... maybe it ran in the family.

"good morning Mr. Tan. been here all night i presume." a familiar voice said. colin turned around and saw Mr. Fong in the ward.
"oh good morning uncle." colin said, allowing Mr. Fong to check up on colby.
"don't worry. colby's doing well... much better than you. you look really tired. i suggest you should head home and rest. i'll be here to take care of colby. if there is anything, i will call you."
"it's alright. colby's more important now..."
"i know you care about your brother. but i'm sure he'd want you to be healthy to be here for him right?"
"alright then. i'll come back later."
"my daughter will be coming back later in the afternoon. maybe you would like to come down with her." colin was a little stunned to hear her name this early in the morning but he liked it.
"oh really? where is she now? maybe she would like a lift here later on..."
"i think she would like that. she's at her friend's workplace... Soup Junction i presume?"
"cool. that's very near my workplace. thanks uncle. i'll see if she wants a lift down later."
"alright. see you later then." Mr. Fong said with a smile on his face.

colin was a little weary about that. did shayna's father just arranged for them to meet? did he devulge information so that colin could just go to Soup Junction and 'so-happen' to meet shayna and give them an opportunity to know each other better? as he walked towards his car, he couldn't help but laugh at the conversation he had with shayna's father. it is weird but he liked it somehow... maybe he was really starting to like her. in a way he knew he shouldn't be.

***

"... so i'm sorry... i can't take this job..." shayna explained to alyssa who was probably quite upset now. shayna knew it was hard to regect something but she had to. she would much prefer to be a social worker than some waitress. "come on lys... don't get upset with me alright?"
alyssa sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "you sure this social work thingy is gonna work?"
"yes, definitely." shayna said as she cupped her hands together and did a little jump on the spot.
"oh well... i guess even god can't stop you now. enjoy yourself alright. it's gonna be tough but don't say i didn't warn you..." alyssa cautioned.
"thank you thank you thank you!" shayna said, hugging her friend tight.

"so, what time's your interview?" alyssa asked, wiping off the counter top of any soup drips.
"well, i have to be at the hospital by early afternoon... but i was thinking of going there earlier to visit a patient."
"wow. you haven't got the job and you're already working on a case?" alaysa commented, obviously amazed.
"well, it's not exactly a case. you see... this patient name's colby. he... is the brother of colin..."
alyssa jumped and turned to look at her friend. "what? you are going to visit colin's brother? how did this happen? i thought you hated his guts!"
shayna did a little shift ot the side, her eyes looked away from her friend. "well... you know, things change. he's really not that bad... kinda nice. but his brother is sick and is one of my father's patients. that's why i'm visiting him..."
alyssa raised her eyebrow. "are you sure shayna? or issit you haven taken a liking to your most hated enemy?"
shayna's eyes opened wide. "of course not! you know how much i don't believe in love anymore. once is enough and i don't need another man in my life to make me happy."
alyssa sighed. "that was such a long time ago shayna. give it up. you know, maybe if you gave men another shot, things would work out much better than the last one."
"i don't know... it's just... hard to forget such an experience. i'm just taking one step at a time. if it comes, it comes..." shayna concluded, in a rather philosopical manner.
"oh well, it's YOUR love life afterall. i can't say anything to change your mind can i? but... maybe someone that is coming through the door now could make all the difference..."

the girls looked up. shayna couldn't believe it. colin was here? how did he know that she was here? this is too 'coincidental' to be true. he was in a nice green shirt and a pair of jeans... he doesn't look like he came from work... more like he just woke up or having his day off. he didn't look too good for a person on a day off cos he had major eyebags and he didn't look like he had much sleep but he had a smile on his face, he looked eager. actually, shayna felt good that he came along. why did she feel that way? she didn't understand it either. a baboon was approaching her and she never intended to flinch him. how odd. something's changing on the inside of her... something that she couldn't explain...

"hey shayna." colin finally said that jolted her out of her thoughts. he turned to alyssa and greeted her with a smile. "oh i forgot to thank you for the coffee yesterday. sorry about my friend, tyler. he's a little straightforward."
"nah it's alright." alyssa said, giving him her award winning smile... colin shied away. shayna felt a tinge in her gut... was that jealousy she just felt?! oh man... this is not good.
"hey shayna. your father told me that you would be here and he said you needed a ride to the hospital... so here i am."
oh! so that's why he came and that's how he knew about her whereabouts! that papa of hers actually 'arranged' for them to meet. she's not gonna be gentle on her gentle giant later... wait till she...
"shayna? you alright? if you are not comfortable riding with me..." colin said, noticing that she kinda stayed silent for a long while.
"oh... it's alright. i'll be with you in a few minutes. i just need to talk to alyssa for a while longer... you mind just waiting up?"
"no problem. i need to rush up to the office to get some work, so i can work at the hospital too. see you in a few," he said, rushing off towards his office.

shayna turned to alyssa and slapped her playfully on the arm.
"stop giving me that smirk of yours. i know what you are thinking."
"my my, even your pops is helping out on this assignment. this guy is going to be hot stuff in the Fong family now..."
"alright. stop teasing me. i barely know the guy. spare me alright!"
"yeah yeah i will... enjoy yourself alright. don't say i didn't warn you... you might be starting to fall in love with colin even before you know it!" she said with a wink.
shayna couldn't believe it. even her friend is ganging up with her father against her on this one. was colin that special? that important that even her father, who was always on her side... until NOW... had to help her arrange a meeting with him? argh. she's not going to change her mind on him this easily. something tells her that colin was more than this... he was hiding something... well, not exactly hiding but she doesn't know him that well yet to offically know that she was in love with him. she had to know him better first... somehow.

"hey, when colin comes back, tell him i'm going to the giftshop opposite. i need to buy some stuff first alright?" shayna said, picking up her bag and waking off.
"alright... have fun!" alyssa joked, giving her a teasing smile. shayna rolled her eyes and walked on...

"hey papa!" shayna said as she jumped onto the back of her old man.
"shayna. stop this... i'm working..." Mr. Fong complained, but smiling. "what's with all these bags of toys and gifts?"
"oh they are for colby. you know he would be bored here at the hospital so i decided to cheer him up.. you know, part of the job requirement as a social worker?"
"oh yes... espeically when his brother is quite adorable..." Mr. Fong joked.
"papa! i haven't scolded you for setting this whole thing up. don't think i don't know you asked colin to meet me at alyssa's and somehow meet me coincidentally and then drive me here... don't think i don't know what you are doing papa... and it's so wrong!" shayna complained, toying with his stress ball on his counter top.
"shayna, you know what i did for you, i meant well. colin is a very charming and nice boy. i know my daughter somehow likes this chap better than most guys out there... am i right?"
"NO... you're so wrong. just don't do this anymore alright? it's quite embarrassing. and i hardly know the guy. i told you last night!"
"alright... i just thought you need a little pushing..."
"no more of that papa. i know how to make my own moves. you'd be surprise..." shayna said, sticking out her tongue at her father.
"alright. if you say so my dear. he's coming now... enjoy yourself alright?" Mr. Fong said with a wink of an eye.

"whatever papa. you know where to find me when the social worker comes around."
"yes i know.. see you later." Mr Fong said with a gleam on his face. he was glad that his daughter was finally normal... to find a suitable guy and somehow develop something... he could just picture him as his son-in-law... this was going to be great.

"shayna jie!" colby's booming voice shouted as soon as he saw shayna's face appear at the door. shayna smiled and hugged him before passing him his gifts!
"hey, where are your manners? haven't you forgotten this brother of yours already?" colin commented.
"sorry kor." colby said but his eyes and mind were more focused on the books that shayna bought for him.
"so how are you feeling now squirt?" colin asked, feeling his forehead with his palm.
"he's doing well.. just that his fever is still running at about 38 degrees and he had signs of asthma just this morning... around 11:30." shayna said, as she looked through colby's medical records that her father wrote.
"you can read that?" colin was amazed.
"yeah of course. it's my dad's handwriting you know... and i've been reading this stuff for years." shayna commented with a smirk on her face.
colin was pretty impressed by this girl... she had her way of charming a man... somehow it's working on colin. maybe she was his magical banana that turned him from a baboon to a prince charming.

they spent the afternoon reading with colby and making sure he ate his lunch. they also started to have robot fights with each other... and made colby laugh.
"this is funny. i've not fought a girl before... not in a robot fight." colin said, still laughing.
"well, you better watch out cos this girl is not very easily won over." shayna said, diving her robot into his.
"shayna jie go!" colby said, bouncing up and down on the bed.
"hey you were suppose to be on my side... i'm your brother!" colin said, scrunching up his face.
"sorry kor. you are good but not as good as shayna jie," colby commented, covering his face with a pillow. shayna's face lit up with an all-knowing smirk.
"alright... time for your nap. we'll play later alright?" colin said, tucking colby into the bed.
"promise? will you be here too shayna jie?"
"i'll try colby. good night."

both colin and shayna watched as colby went to bed. finally they were alone. in a room. just the two of them. colin shot a few glances at shayna. she didn't notice of course. somehow he felt that tingly feeling in him again. what was happening to him? there she was, he could ask her for a phone number... even out on a date... why isn't he doing that?

"well i better go see if the social worker is here," shayna whispered, standing up.
"oh alright. i better start on my work too." colin said, waking up from this chain of thoughts and standing up at the same time too.
"i'll come by to check on colby later. see you around then," she said, her eyes finally locked with his. hey, he had hazel eyes. why didn't she notice that before. oh, right. she didn't have the chance to stand this close to him. what was she doing? this is crazy. look away shayna... look away. why did he have to look so handsome? why did he have to appear in her life?
"i have to go now. bye." she finally had the guts to say it and then walked out of the room, without even turning back. she took in a breather before walking away... from ward 11B.

***

shayna walked down the halls of the hospital... thinking about what just had happened. somehow her heartbeat went faster when she was looking into his eyes. that strong gaze of his dark brown eyes. oh stop it shayna. you're making me sick in the gut. she shook the thought off her mind when she noticed her father coming out of another ward, deep in thought.

"hey papa. is the social worker here yet?" shayna asked.
"hmm... yeah she's around. i told her that you wanted to meet with her but she insisted on going on her rounds first. she'll meet you later alright? don't worry."
"yeah i understand. what are you thinking about?"
"i'm just thinking about what happened to his girl... she hasn't been eating well and she keeps complaining about a stomachache which obviously nothing is wrong with her stomach. the doctor's checked her. it's just quite strange."
"maybe she doesn't like the food..."
"that's what i thought too. the doctor told me to put her on drip but she doesn't like getting injections. oh well... i'll have to find a way to do it."
"don't worry papa. you'd be able to. i know it."
"yeah alright. enough about me. how were things.. you know..." shayna rolled her eyes. she couldn't believe the extent her father was taking this.
"nothing is going on alright papa. stop harping on it. besides, i'm still too young to have a boyfriend."
"24 is a very suitable age you know. not to mention my daughter is beautiful. she should have a boyfriend."
"it's all not about beauty papa. nowadays being capable is what is important. your daughter can't even hold a job... how can she hold onto a relationship?"
"just keep working on it i say."

suddenly, the social worker shayna has been waiting for all day appeared around a corridor. she appears to be walking towards them.
"alright here she comes. let me introduce you to her," Mr. Fong said.
"Miss Soong. This is my daughter Shayna. I have been telling you of her interest in social work. i was wondering if you could help her become someone like you." Mr Fong said, placing his arm across his daughter's shoulders.
"ah yes. Shayna. i've heard a lot about you from the nurses. i finally get to meet you face to face," Miss Soong said with a smile on her face. shayna couldn't help but smile back. maybe this is not that bad afterall.
"the reason why i wanted to go on my rounds first was to get a chance to ask others about you. many of the staff here said good things about you. even some of the patients love you... especially the one at ward 11B. He's always asking about you." shayna tried her best to stop laughing. she could see her father was also trying his best to keep a straight face.
"well, i'm not going to be conventional here. i'm not going to ask you why you want to have this job cos you're just going to give me the model answer. through my interviews with the other people, i know you are going to make a fine social worker."
shayna jumped on the spot. she was so excited...

"well, being a social worker isn't really easy. first you would have to go for courses on social psychology and other specialist courses for social workers like us. then you would be attached to a hospital, like this and you would be taking care of patients needs. it's all going to take awhile but i know you would enjoy yourself throughout this training period. would you still like to take on the job?"
shayna couldn't wait! she agreed right on the spot. Miss Soong looked rather pleased.
"alright. here are some forms and details you might want to know. why not you fill them in and you can start your first class this friday."
"thank you Miss Soong." Mr. Fong said as shayna took the forms from her hands.
"you're welcome. i can see a very dedicated worker in your daughter, Mr. Fong. i have to get going now. see you around Shayna."
Shayna couldn't believe it! she was on her way to a dream job! she hugged her father tight as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

colin fell asleep while doing work again. he lay flat on his chair and was sleeping so soundly. he didn't notice colby suddenly started to figit in his sleep. he was shivering... was he cold? was he having one of his fits again? his heartbeat started racing and perspiration rolled down his face. shayna walked into the ward, hoping to see colin and tell him the good news. but when she opened the door, she saw colby going into a fit. she dropped her files and quickly rushed to press the emergency button at his bedside.

"colin! colin help me here!" shayna shouted. colin awoke from his sleep and realised colby was having a fit again. he rushed up and held him down.
"colby! colby listen to me. can you hear me? relax, please relax!" colin said frantically, trying his best to hold him down. Mr. Fong rushed into the ward and quickly prepared a jab for colby.
"shayna, colin try to calm him down. i'll be ready with an injection soon." Mr. Fong said. the two continued to talk to colby and make him relax. however, he got worse and started to grind his teeth. colin tried to insert a piece of cloth so he wouldn't spoil his teeth but accidentaly, colby bit colin's hand.
"oh my goodness. colin! hang on!" shayna said as she tried to take his hand off colby's grip.
"don't! he'll grind his own teeth. i'll be fine." colin said, in the midst of his pain.
"dad! hurry with the injection! colby's biting colin's hand!" shayna pleaded. finally Mr. Fong injected the mixture into colby and colby started to relax his grip on colin. shayna quickly pulled colin's hand out. colin couldn't even feel his hand. it went numb after all that pain. it was bleeding quite badly. colby's teeth marks could be seen.

"shayna. i need you to bring colin to my table and do first aid on him. i have to stay here till the doctor comes." Mr. Fong said. shayna agreed and took colin out to have his hand fixed.
as shayna bandaged up his hand, he felt her warm touch. it did feel good. maybe he should hurt his hand more often to feel her smooth hand across his.
"that was a very nice thing you did back there for colby. silly and stupid but nice." shayna commented, looking at his hand.
"well, i'm quite used to see him throwing fits. this is not the first time he bit me. maybe that's why we're that close... blood brothers. literally."
"to think you can still joke when your hand is in this state." shayna laughed.
"oh well. i'm the baboon from the zoo right? i should be a joker."
"stop making me feel bad about calling you that. hey, i'm sorry for being so bitter yesterday."
"are you always this hostile to every man you see?"
"i don't know. alyssa thinks i have a lot of angst to express against men. you think so?"
"i rather not comment."
"what? you're obviously on her side!" shayna said, smacking his hand. "i'm sorry... i'm sorry!" she said.
"ouch! see! you confirmed it by hitting me! that hurts alright!" both of them started laughing.