CHAPTER TWO: HANDSOME SAVIOUR
1166 Words
Her eyes flutter open, through the artificial respiration she received from her rescuer.
He helps her sit upright and wraps a towel around her trembling shoulders.
Luana clutches her arms, still struggling to see clearly, still trying to make out the face of the man who saved her.
“Hey, let me take you to the infirmary,” he offers calmly.
“No… I’m fine,” she murmurs.
“Why?”
“Mr. Roberto,” comes the firm voice of their approaching school principal. “What a mess! Luana again? What are you still doing in school at this time? Are you not aware that this place is highly prohibited to students?” he asks, visibly fuming.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she apologizes weakly.
“Why….” the principal’s hoarse voice starts again, but he’s quickly cut off by Mr. Roberto.
“Is this the right way to speak to a student who almost drowned?”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Roberto,” the principal stammers. “It’s just that some students won’t stop breaking rules…”
“Here, cover yourself up, sir,” said his Mr Roberto's PA, rushing forward with a folded white towel.
“You know, some students just won’t stop causing trouble for themselves and the school in general. This girl here has always been a pain in the bone. She misses lectures, bullies others, and worst of all, she doesn’t catch up in class. I’ve gotten so many reports about her, Mr. Roberto. Who knows what she came here to do this time?”
Listening to everything the principal said about her, with Mr. Roberto’s sharp eyes still fixed on her, Luana clings to the towel and trembles in fear. She knows everyone has always misunderstood her. They always get the wrong impression. Everyone despises her, judges her without a second thought, maybe because of all the false stories her family cooked up.
“Mr. Roberto, please, this way. Permit me to……”
Roberto cuts him off by raising one hand in the air. He crouches before Luana, inspecting her closely as if checking for injuries. He slowly brings his hand toward her, but Luana flinches, thinking he’s going to hit her. She shuts her eyes tight, bracing for the blow.
But instead… she feels a gentle pat on her head.
“Be a good girl,” Roberto’s voice says softly, almost like a whisper against her ears.
She’s stunned, so shocked that her eyes can’t leave his face.
In her eyes, he turns into an angel. He stands tall, six feet of raw masculinity, bronzed skin, dark hair, hazel eyes, and a commanding presence that radiates dominance. His features are almost unreal, like he was sculpted with intention.
That was the first time someone ever spoke to her kindly… without blaming her. Even though the principal slandered her in front of him, he still showed her nothing but gentleness. His kind reaction melted her guarded heart.
“Luka, take her to the infirmary.”
“Yes, sir,” Luka, his PA responds, hurrying forward to carry Luana out of the premises. When did Mr. Roberto start caring about others like this? Luka wonders quietly to himself.
“Mr. Roberto, about the donation… please, here is the proposal…”
“Is this how you treat students here?” Roberto cuts in, clearly trying to hide his fury.
“Oh no, Mr. Roberto, we treat our students like our biological children! They’re our top priority, hahaha,” the principal says with an awkward laugh.
“Then what about her? The girl right now?”
“Don’t worry about her. She’s always like that.”
Unable to hold it in anymore, Roberto explodes. “Shut up! To hell with your proposal. Your incompetence stinks, old man. I guess this isn’t the place for me.”
“Mr. Roberto, please I’m sorry. Whatever the problem is, I beg you… don’t let it affect your support for the school. Remember your mom’s wish when she was alive was to……”
“Listen, man. You’re going to get fired if you try to lecture me.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Roberto. Forgive me.”
“Donations… that’s what you want, right?”
“Yes, Mr. Roberto. That’s what the school needs.”
Roberto grabs the proposal file from him. But instead of reading it, he shreds the principal’s hope by flinging the documents into the pool.
“Oh no! Mr. Roberto, please! At least take a glance at the first page!” the principal cries out, diving into the water to save the papers.
“You can come back for that when you’re competent enough,” Roberto snaps and begins walking away, followed closely by his PA, who had just returned from the infirmary.
“Mr. Roberto? Mr. Roberto!” the principal calls after him.
“Employ a twenty-four-hour special security in that environ,” Roberto instructs his PA once they get to the car.
“Okay, sir. But… Mr. Roberto, why did you dive into the water to save an unknown girl? I’m sure you don’t even like pools. This is the first time I’ve seen you care for someone like that.”
Roberto says nothing. He lights up a cigarette and takes a slow puff.
He remembers the name he saw on her school ID pinned to her shirt. “L U A N A.”
He spells it out slowly, like it’s a spell.
“Drive.”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
---
Luana walks down the street toward her house, shoulders slumped after spending hours at the school infirmary.
Her mind races with thoughts, the number of times she’s been bullied, the lies told about her, the countless times she’s been locked up and denied food at home.
Then flashes of the incident from a few hours ago hit her again, her handsome savior. A young billionaire, known all across New York City. A man admired by many… yet feared by many.
She smiles dryly, painfully, knowing even the richest man in the city probably thinks she’s a bad girl too.
But she observes something different when she gets home.
The black Rolls-Royce convoy parked in the compound makes the whole place sparkle. She notices several hefty men in black uniforms stationed at different corners. Probably securities.
At first, fear grips her. What if her family has cooked up another plan to hurt her again?
But mustering courage has become a daily routine, so she walks in.
“Hey Luana, come forward and greet my uncle!” Cecilia calls out proudly the moment Luana steps into the sitting room. Though she's shock Luana is still alive.
She stops and looks toward them. “His back looks familiar”… she thinks to herself. Cecilia’s uncle is sitting with his back turned toward the entrance.
As she’s still trying to remember where she’s seen him before… the guy turns, slowly, and gracefully until their eyes meet.
Her mouth yanks open in shock.
- Writer
