Protecting the President's Daughter

Chapter 3: Constrained

"I have to meet with my friend," she informed her guards. They were encircling her as she struts along the marble hallways of the Palace. Nakakairita dahil parang mga aso ang mga guwardiya pero dahil sila ang naging daan para makuha niya ang matagal niya nang pangarap, hinahayaan niya na lang. "You guys can just stay in the car. It's just in a cafe."

"We can't do that, Ma'am," sumingit ang isang singkit na lalaki. Tinanggal na nila ang shades nila nang makalabas sa opisina ng Daddy at sandaling naglaway si Bella pero nakabawi rin naman agad. Talk about poise.

"We're ordered to not be farther than 20 meters." Malalim ang boses ngunit hindi ganoon ka-strikto pakinggan. Medyo kamukha niya ang sumundo sa kaniyang lalaki kanina.

Her brows rose. "20 meters? Ano ako, bata? I can handle myself."

"Ma'am, with all due respect," he said. "But we're just under an order and all we want is to secure your safety. A sniper will not hesitate to shoot you and we'd like to be near you and spot him before he pulls the trigger. Please understand."

Napalingon siya sa nagsasalita at pinukulan ng masamang tingin, ngunit hindi na sumagot pa. Kung sino pa ang may poging boses iyon pa ang nakakasaksak sa talim ang mga salita.

Dumiretso sila sa kaniyang nakaparadang kotse at nangunot ang kaniyang mata nang maunahan siya sa driver seat—ng kaniyang sariling sasakyan. Mapapamura ka nalang talaga. Kinagat niya ang dila niya at padabog na naglakad paikot sa passengers seat. Inunahan siya ni pandesal man. If the Bella from earlier this morning and the Bella from now was the same, she'd be squealing in delight but it was the opposite. Bagsak ang mukha niya at naglalangitngit sa gigil ang kilay.

Ang lakas nga naman talaga ng loob. Pero fine, at least may driver siya.

The others followed behind, making it seem like a convoy. Nakakainis. As much as she wants the spotlight, she still doesn't want unnecessary attention. Her new bodyguards were too much of a bother compared to her last squad.

When they arrived at the cafe, nagulat ang kikitain niya dahil sa laki ng eksenang hinakot niya nang makapasok. Paano ba naman kasi, inunahan na nga siyang pumasok dahil iinspeksiyunin pa raw nila ang loob at labas, pinalibutan pa nila ang buong cafe—loob at labas rin. Imagine the headache it gave her. She's used to the security since it's strict around her during her whole life but these guys are just on a completely different level. Sobrang extra nila, napapairap na lang siya.

One of her guards stood next to her and in front of Aia, her manager-s***h-friend who's only chuckling to herself with the unnecessary scene they're creating.

"I am so sorry for this, Aia," pabuntonghininga niyang bungad. "They're so fussy! Nakakainis. I've only been made aware of this this morning and I've hated it since then."

"Don't worry about it, Bella," nakangiting aniya. Kumpara sa tatlong bruhildang tiniis niyang pakisamahan noon, mas totoo at mabait si Aia. Bella would prefer hanging out with her if only Aia wasn't always overseas managing other models. "I guess I always didn't think much of my friend being the President's only daughter. But, you never brought this many guards. Did something happen?"

Bella giggled at the sight of her friend's worried expression. Nanggigigil niyang kinurot sa pisngi ang kaibigan. "No, silly, my old bodyguard just retired and I think Daddy's being a bit paranoid."

Hindi siya isa't kalahating tanga para hindi pansinin ang malaking pagbabago ng mga guwardiya niya. Dati'y puro long-range guards ang mayroon siya at kahit noong election ng Daddy niya, kakaunti pa rin ang guards niya. Laging si Manong Edward lang ang malapitang nakasunod sa kaniya. Kaya bakit ngayon biglang apat, at dumoble pa ang mga nasa malayo? She's not naive to not notice something's up. But she's yet to get at least a hint.

Ang pangunahing topic nila ay ang mga shoot na tatanggapin ni Bella. Hindi siya sigurado kung alin-aling magazines at brands ang maganda para sa kaniyang career kaya humingi siya ng tulong kay Aia. Nabudburan pa nga siya ng pag-asang baka makalakad din siya sa isang fashion show kung makukumbinsi niya ang ama. Mayroon na siyang ilang offer kaya't hindi imposible.

Time flew by when Bella and Aia chatted. Ni hindi nila napansin ang oras at napansin lamang ito nang dumilim na sa labas. Patawa-tawang kumaway paalis si Bella ngunit agaran iyong nawala nang makapasok siya sa sasakyan.

"Don't start the car yet." Padabog niyang ibinaba ang bag at nameywang habang pinupukulan ng masamang tingin ang dalawang guwardiya sa harapan. She assumed earlier that the man on the passenger's seat was the squad leader and the one on the driver's seat was the second-in-command when she saw them leading on barking out orders. Pati ang dalawang nasa likuran niya ay hindi nakatakas sa sama ng kaniyang tingin dahil bumaling siya sa rearview mirror.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Bella?" maingat na tanong ng nasa manibela.

"I didn't like what you guys did back there. I was embarrassed!" Singhal niya. "That was unnecessary and so paranoid of you guys. I wasn't even given the privacy to have a conversation with my friend. My friend!"

Nanatiling tahimik ang SUV. Nangunot lamang ang noo niya nang utusan ng lider nila na magmaneho na. The nerve!

"H-Hey! I was still saying something!"

"Where are we off to next, Miss?" He asked instead. Natahimik siya sa tigas ng boses nito at lalim, pero nakahuma rin siya nang kagatin ang sariling labi. Get a hold of your confidence, Bella! You need it most right now!

"To the twin towers sa BGC—but I was saying that we have to set some boundaries! What's your name, anyway? Wala akong kilalang kahit isa sa inyo." Napairap siya. Grabe, kahit anong galit niya hindi niya talaga kayang maging impolite sa taong hindi niya kilala. Nakakaasar.

"Ako po si Wyatt, Miss Bella," pakilala ng nagmamaneho. May nakasilip na maliit na ngiti sa kaniyang mukha at mukhang natutuwa dahil tinanong niya ang pangalan nila. Whatever.

"Siya po si Gavin, Captain namin." Sunod niyang pinakilala ang masungit niyang katabi. "Tapos si Rios po 'yung nasa likod na lalaki." Isa pang mukhang masungit, pero tinanguan siya sa rearview nang magtagpo ang mata nila. "At si Diane." Lahat yata sila mukhang masungit. Nakade-quatro pa ang nag-iisang babae sa likod at umiwas ng tingin nang magtama naman sila ng tingin.

"As I was saying, Gavin, Wyatt, Rios, and Diane..." Binalingan niya sila ng tingin isa't isa. This time, in a calmer tone. "I wasn't comfortable with the level of security that you guys displayed earlier—"

"It was part of the protocol, Miss Bella," putol ni Rios. "We apologize if it made you uneasy but it's all for your own protection."

She scoffed. "I don't need that strict of security. Did my past guards ever brief you? I go to so many public places and you can't possibly do all that everywhere I go. I feel constrained already, sa cafe pa lang. What more if I attended wild parties? Nakakasuffocate, sa totoo lang."

"We can't do anything about that, Miss Bella. If we loosen up, the enemies might take advantage—" Naputol si Rios nang taasan siya ng boses ni Bella.

"Enemies?! Before my enemies get to choke me, you guys will get to do it first! Nasasakal ako sa inyo at iyon pa lang mas delikado na sa bwisit na mga kalaban na 'yan! I'm a free spirit and you're just tying me down!"

There was a moment of silence before Diane replied and glared at her from the rearview mirror.

"Things will change from now on, Miss Bella," mabigat ang pagbitaw niya sa bawat salita, kasing bigat ng tingin niya sa kaniya. "I advise you adjust to it and remind yourself it's for your own betterment. You can't tell us to stop doing our job because it's limiting you. It's not only you that's finding this a hard time. If we were given a choice, we wouldn't want to have been your guards. Sa totoo lang."

Napaawang ang labi niya. Nangapa siya bigla sa isasagot.

"How dare you—" Nangangati ang dila niya ngunit hindi niya mabitawan ang mga murang nakaamba dahil alam niyang may punto ang babae. They're either soldiers or police. Malamang ay nautusan lang sila ng commander nila. Naiimbyerna siya dahil tinamaan siya ng sinabi ni Diane. She's frustrated that it rendered her speechless. Bandang huli, pabuntonghininga na lang siyang sumagot, "J-Just...give me my personal space. I'm not used to people, especially strangers, invading my personal bubble and not giving me room for myself. Set a boundary, please."

"We can make adjustments, Miss." It was Gavin's only response.

At BGC, naunang pumasok sa apartment ang guards na hindi na siya nagulat, pero nagulat siya nang lumabas rin sila at hinayaan siyang pumasok mag-isa.

"Why did you guys go out?" She asked no one in particular. Nakakunot ang noo niya at tinitigan silang apat na malinis na nakalinya sa labas.

"Pwede na po kayong pumasok, Miss Bella," nakangiting ani Wyatt. "Hihintayin na lang po namin kayo dito sa labas."

"What?"

Nanatili sila sa labas habang iniikot siya ng real estate agent sa loob ng condo. Hindi siya makapagfocus sa apartment dahil laging bumabalik ang isip niya sa mga guwardiya niyang naghihintay sa labas. Nakinig nga sila sa kaniya! She couldn't help but let a small smile tease her face.

"Ma'am Bella? Do you like the apartment?"

Napapikit-pikit siya at ibinalik ang tingin sa agent na kanina pa pala pinupukaw ang atensiyon niya. Inikot niya ang tingin sa paligid at napansing nakabalik na sila sa pinagsimulan nila. Natapos na pala ang tour. "Uh, I'll take it."

While Bella re-visited a few more places inside she hoped to fix before moving in, hindi na napigilan ng apat sa labas na magbatuhan ng salita.

"That was unnecessarily rude of you earlier, Diane," ani Rios. Nakatitig lamang siya sa pader sa harapan habang kinakausap ang katabi.

Nagkibit balikat si Diane. "Someone had to tell her, and we all know I'm the only one out of the fours of us that can match her sass."

"Still, you went too far as to mimicking her. If I include this in our report to the commander, baka mapalitan ka agad." Seryoso pa rin ang mukha ni Rios at walang bahid ng pagbibiro ang tono. Tahimik na nakikinig sina Wyatt at Gavin sa tabi nila.

"I know you won't." Diane scoffed. "But if you would, I would gladly leave. I didn't want to guard a spoiled, annoying, brat like her anyway. And I know I'm not the only one that would leave without a second thought. 'Di ba, Captain?" She gave Captain Gavin a side-eye.

Even though she received no reply, Diane knew it within herself that the Captain was also just forced into this. Lahat naman sila. Walang may gusto sa anak ng Presidente. Wala, ni isa.