His Broken Gem

HBG 4

Stella's POV

"Boyfriend?" Angelo asked confusedly while looking at us.

I was about to push him pero mas lalong humigpit ang yakap nito sa akin. What the hell is this man saying? I tried to look up but his grip on me tighten as he pulls me closer into his chest.

Hello! I'm suffocated here! I wanted to tell him but I just can't. The truth is I like being in this man's embrace, even though it's far from a comforting embrace.

"Yes, may problema ba?" kalmadong saad niya. He was talking as if he was spitting a fact, he doesn't even shiver or having a cold sweats from lying. He's completely calm and composed as if sanay na sanay na siya sa pagsisinungaling.

Narinig ko ang pagtawa ni Angelo. I can't see his reaction since my back was facing him. I am completely jailed by this man hugging me.

"Okay, Mr. Boyfriend, can you do me a favor?" Hindi sumagot ang lalaking nakayakap sa akin ngayon kaya nagpatuloy si Angelo sa pagsasalita. Why am I even addressing him in his first name? We are not that close to be on a first name basis.

"Bring her home, and reveal your relationship to her mom. Para walang masasayang na panahon dito." I can't see his face pero alam kong dismayado siya. Of course, if I were him ganiyan din magiging reaction ko. It feels like I'm just wasting my time on a nonsense date. Natauhan ako dahil do'n, I immediately push the man away from me.

I look at him and surprise to see who is he. He's none other than the Sebastian Cortejo that I just met earlier. What is he doing here in this hour?

"What are you doing in here—" I stop myself and bring fingers up to stop him from answering. "Nevermind, don't bother answering. I'm not interested," saad ko bago naglakad paalis sa kaniya. I took my phone again as I tried to call mom but she's not answering!

I sigh as I type a number on my phone and put it on my ear. It took her 5 rings to answer the call.

"Jusko naman Stella, anong oras na wala pa akong maayos na tulog tapos—" Megan ranted but I didn't give her time to finish her rants.

"Fetch me," I said.

"Ha? Ano'ng fetch me? On call ako 36 hours, naidlip lang ako nang kaunti," wika niya sa kabilang linya. I can even hear her yawning in the other line, means she's saying the truth. I'm still walking away from him, I can hear someone calling my name but I didn't bother to face him. Can he just stop?

"Please," I begged her. Binilisan ko pa ang paglalakad ko nang maramdaman kong papalapit na ang humahabol sa akin. I'm starting to get paranoid, I'm not sure if it still Sebastian or some stranger. What if it's a stranger? What am I going to do?

"Why? What happened? Nevermind. I'm on my way, hayaan mo lang nakabukas ang call," nag-aalalang wika nito. I heard some rustling noise from the background.

Just like what she said, I didn't end the call.

"Teka lang." I felt someone grab my arm and makes me face him. It 's him. Weird? I didn't freak out. I come to my senses and push his hands away.

"What do you want?" mataray na tanong ko.

"I..."

I was just glaring at him, impatiently waiting for him to finnish what he is going to say. I raised my brow when he sigh and lowered his head.

"Nevermind," he said. I rolled my eyes heavenward and glance at my phone. Ang tagal niya naman. I can't take a cab pa naman. I'm uncomfortable around strangers.

"Siya ba 'yong tinatakasan mo?" the person beside me asked. I briefly glance at him before looking at my wristwatch.

Bakit hindi pa siya umaalis? Can't he tell that I don't want a company? Kaya nga lumayo ako kasi gusto kong mapag-isa.

"None of your business," tipid na tugon ko. Bakit ba ang tagal ni Mikaela?

He scoffed. "After saving your ass, 'yan ang igaganti mo sa akin? Salamat ah," sarkastikong saad niya. I look at him blankly just to roll my eyes at him.

"And who asked you to save me? No one, so stop acting like you're a superhero or what," inis na saad ko sa kaniya. 'Di ko na siya pinansin pagkatapos no'n. I don't have the strength to argue with anyone right now, I just wanted to go home. Sakto namang natanaw ko ang kotse ni Mika na papalapit sa amin.

"What took you so long?" reklamo ko sa kaniya. Hindi pa siya nakababa ng kotse no'n kaya padabog niya itong binuksan.

"Sorry ah! 'Di naman kasi ako tulad ng iba diyan na kahit anong oras puwedeng pumasok at umalis, may supervisor po ako if hindi kayo aware, Ma'am," sarkastikong wika niya bago lumabas at padabog na isinara ang pinto. She stop when she saw someone beside me.

"Mr. Ali?" gulat na wika niya.

"Doc Sy," bati nito pabalik kay Mika.

"Ano ka ba, Mika na lang," humagikhik na wika ni Mika. I rolled my eyes at her silly actions. Nagawa pang magpapansin, and what's with the nickname? Ali? He doesn't even look like Aladin. Don't get me wrong, I just happened to watch every Disney movies when I was a child.

"Prince Ali was my favorite prince, even though he's really not a prince to begin with," a small voice behind the back of head said. No doubt I am thinking Disney right now, It was Elly that was talking.

"Can we go now?" I asked impatiently. Napatingin naman sa akin ang dalawa dahil do'n. I notice the look Mika gave to Sebastian as if she's saying sorry on my behalf.

"Heto na, heto na!" wika ni Mika. "Ang mga bata talaga ngayon, napaka-demanding!" she whined but she immediately stop when her phone rang as she was about to enter the car. Itinaas niya ang kamay niya at ipinakita ang palad niya sa akin, stopping me.

"Hello?" bati niya sa kausap. Napansin namin ang pag-iiba ng expression niya. "Okay, I'm on my way."

Humarap siya sa akin bago humarap sa katabi ko.

"It's Shy," she said. His expression also changes, nervousness and anxiousness is visible in their face. What's happening?

"Let's go, sabay na tayong pumunta ng hospital," aya ni Mika. Agad naman silang pumasok sa kotse, I was standing there confuse on what the hell is happening.

"Stella, let's go! It's an emergency," Mika rushed me. I instantly go inside the backseat forgetting na rito pala siya pumasok.

"Wow, nice! Ginawa niyo akong driver," parinig niya bago pinaandar ang sasakyan. I glance at my side and saw him sitting there. He was just anxiously glancing at the window, his phone rang and he answered it immediately.

"Hello?... Oo, pabalik na ako," saad niya. I look away at tumingin na lang sa labas. After a few minutes ay agad kaming nakarating sa hospital. They immediately go out and run inside the hospital.

By their actions, I can already tell that something bad happened?

I'm just following them until we reach the elevator for doctors. I let them press the button. When we finally reach the floor, they immediately run into the room.

I waited outside the room, I feel nauseous inside a hospital room. After a while ay lumabas na sila ng kwarto pushing the bed of the patient, it was a kid.

I slowly starting to understand what's happening. Sinugod nila ito sa Operating room. Nakasunod lang din ako sa kanila hanggang sa ipinasok na nila ito sa OR kasama ng ibang nurse and doctors. Sebastian was left outside the room with me. Tahimik lang kaming naghihintay sa bench sa labas ng OR.

Wait? What am I doing here? Hindi naman ako related sa kanila.

Tumayo ako at lumayo ng konti. I dialed my mom's number. I really hope she will answer it this time, I really want to go home right now. Gladly, hindi naman ako naghintay nang matagal dahil sumagot din naman ito agad.

"Stella, dear, ano bang nangyari? Angelo called me and telling me to cancel the—" Hindi ko na siya pinatapos. I guess I have this habit of cutting people out when they are talking. Even my psychiatrist said that I don't have the ability to listen to others if it's not my concern.

"I'm at the hospital, can—" I didn't finish my sentence dahil sangkaterbang tanong na agad ang sumalubong sa akin. Well, I guess I inherited it from someone.

"Hospital!? Why? Are you okay, Honey? What happened? Are you hurt? How are you? I'm on my way, okay. Hang on there please..." she exclaimed. I sigh at hinintay na matapos siya, nang medyo natahimik na ito ay ro'n na ako nagsalita.

"Are you finished? Can I talk now without being interrupted?" I said. She didn't respond right away but she agreed afterward kaya nagpatuloy na ako.

"I am fine, I just want you to fetch me," I calmly said while playing with my purse.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she worriedly asked.

"Yeah," I answered. Napalingon naman ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mika. I immediately ended the call at pinakinggan sila.

"Her platelets is very low, at nasalinan na namin siya ng dugo. As of now, she's stable," malumanay na saad nito. Sebastian sigh in relief. I can't help but losten to what they are talking about.

"But let me be frank, Shy is.. she's really weak. Without the transplant, he might not able to make it the next day," malungkot na saad ni Mika. Wala akong narinig na sagot mula kay Sebastian. He was just standing right there, staring at the wall. Bumalik na rin sa loob si Mika as she look at him in pity. He looks lost and defeated.

I was spacing out when I heard a child voice. It's Elly.

"He looks sad, Stella," she said.

"I know," sagot ko as I look away from him. He looks devastated right now.

"You should help him. Kuya Jasper said na we should make the sad people happy, right?"

Napaisip naman ako dahil do'n. Should I? I bit my lower lip as I was considering on lending him a hand. Napa-igtad ako nang biglang may nagsalita sa likod ko.

"Payag na 'ko."

I turn around and saw him. I was staring at him, confused. What is he talking about? Payag saan?

"I will be your boyfriend," wika niya. "You're pretend boyfriend."

I was staring at him for too long. Nang matauhan ako ay napakurap ako at tumikhim. I almost forgot about it. Should I consider it? I can lend him a help without any exchange. I'm not that cold-hearted like everyone said, I guess there is no wrong in showing him mercy. We're stranger and people would not believe him even if he will spread that I help him I just don't want anyone to see me showing mercy to anyone because I know that they will take advantage of it and abuse my kindness.

"Then, are you willing to marry Angelo?" I heard someone said.

I almost jumped in surprised. Damn, Megan.

"Take advantage of the situation, he looks really...desperate."

I can even hear her laughing. Is she really making fun of this man in front of me?

"Oh come on, Stella."

I warn her in my mind and stop her.

"What? Are you really going to help this stranger without getting any credits in exchange? My god, I didn't furnished you to be this soft-hearted, Stella."

"It's still open right?" Natauhan ulit ako nang bigla itong nagsalita. I cleared my throat and my thoughts at the same time. Desperation is visible in his eyes, just like the day on the interview.

"I just want to remind you that there's no way out in this contract, until I said so," panimula ko. He sigh before nodding his head.

"Then we can discuss this tomorrow, I didn't bring the contract with me." I said. I gave him my business card and set a place for us to meet.

I guess this is the starting line of my plan.

"Can...I set a condition?" he suggested. I look at him briefly.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Pag-iisipan ko pa," wika nito. I nodded my head and took the phone as it rings.

"Well discuss about the conditions tomorrow, I need to go." Agad akong naglakad patungong elevator and answered my phone. It was the driver. Nagtungo ako sa labas ng hospital as he was waiting for me outside. I texted Mika to inform her that I'm heading home already.

Tomorrow will be a tiring day. But I am given a chance to live a be prepared for everything.