CHAPTER 36
1639 Words
Chapter 36
I could barely look him in the eye. I was the reason he was in that hospital bed because of what I did earlier. I felt even more ashamed when he looked in my direction.
He wasn't angry, but the feeling that I was the reason he was there, I really didn't know whether to approach him or not.
He had an allergy, why didn't he tell me? Why did he force himself to eat the beans in the halo-halo?
So, does that mean that back when we were still studying, whenever I gave him beans, he was already allergic? He said he had been allergic to those kinds of food since he was a child. So, is that why, when I used to give him beans when we bought halo-halo and he ate them, he would rush away from our table?
It's because he was already allergic. Why didn't he say anything? It's a mystery for me.
"Are you okay?" I snapped back to reality because of his question.
His girlfriend had already left because she had somewhere to go, so I was now at the Cebu hospital to watch over him, even though I was obligated to do so because I was the reason he was like this.
"Uhmm… what… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry sir. I'm the reason why you're in the hospital. I'm sorry." I said to him.
He pulled me closer to him. "It's okay. It's done and over with, so let's not dwell on it." He said, and because of what he said, I couldn't help but hit him, and my hand landed on his hard stomach.
"Ouch! Why?" He pretended to be hurt, rubbing his stomach.
"Why didn't you tell me you were allergic to beans? You should have… you should have told me because I wouldn't have forced you to eat it, sir!" I said angrily to this man who couldn't seem to stop smiling widely as he stared at me. I almost reminded him of what I did when we were still studying, how I always gave him the beans in the halo-halo because I really thought he ate them. It turns out he was struggling to breathe during that time, and I didn't even know.
"Why would I tell you? You know, this is the first time in my life that I've seen a woman scold me, get upset, and suddenly become nice when I do what she wants."
"What? Hey! I'm not forcing you, and if I had known, I wouldn't have given it to you. For what? You might think I want to kill you? But I don't know, I… I…" I said angrily as I hit him on the shoulder, chest, and wherever my hand reached on his body. I almost didn't recognize myself right now, why I was crying in front of him. Not because I felt sorry for him, but the thought that I was the reason he died was making me feel guilty.
I'm not a murderer, I'll just get revenge, but I won't kill.
"Shhh… hush… sweety… why are you crying hmmm?"
"You made me cry," I said while wiping my tears, and he did the same.
"I didn't make you cry. Are you worried about me, that's why you're crying?" He asked in a gentle voice. He was already sitting on the bed, and I was standing between his legs. He was trapping me while he continued to wipe my tears, which were suddenly competing to come out of my eyes.
"No!"
"No. Why are you crying then?"
"Because I'm the reason why you're in this hospital bed."
"So, it means you're worried about me."
"No!" He suddenly laughed at my answer.
"Alright! You're not worried about me. I understand. Thank you for worrying about me, Miss Corpez."
"You should have told me you were allergic… wait… I'm not worried about you, are you deaf!?" I said, hitting him on the shoulder again, and he just laughed. So, I grabbed his hair and this man just wouldn't stop laughing, so he got a few more hits with my hand.
I wasn't worried, I was just scared, what if I was the one who got imprisoned if it was proven that I gave him the beans that caused his allergy? It's a good thing someone noticed him in the bathroom, struggling to breathe because if not, and he wasn't treated, I would be at the police station right now.
What would I tell my children? That I killed a man, and to make matters worse, their father? What if the authorities found out about our past and they would further push the case that I intentionally gave him food that was bad for his body to get revenge on him for hurting me before? Would anyone believe me that it wasn't intentional? Gosh, I don't want to be a murderer. I definitely don't want to be imprisoned.
"Are you alright?" Ryker asked me. We were in the cab, heading back to the condo unit. He said he was feeling better, so we could leave the hospital because, for one, he didn't like these kinds of places.
He also had a prescription that was just in my bag.
I turned to him and nodded, "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry again, Mr. Sullivaño."
He grinned, "Sorry? How many times have you apologized to me? This is your tenth sorry, I'm going to kiss you – oops!" He blocked me with his arm because I tried to hit him again.
"That's why I'm apologizing –" My eyes widened as he suddenly kissed me on the lips. He immediately lifted his face to look at me.
"One more sorry, I will kiss you again and again, Ms Corpez." I immediately averted my gaze and didn't look at him anymore. I avoided to talk because I was afraid he would do it. s**t! He has a girlfriend, and then…
"You! You kissed me? You have a girlfriend, you bastard!" The cab driver was surprised when I suddenly shouted at Ryker.
"Girlfriend! I don't have…" He shrugged.
"Hey! You denied your girlfriend. You're so shameless." I said to him, fuming.
We immediately got out of the cab when we arrived at the condo. "Girlfriend? Who?" Well, he's intense too, this monkey suddenly got amnesia.
As soon as we entered the unit, we walked towards the lobby to get into the elevator to go up to our unit, and I wasn't done with what I wanted to say to him. "Who else, it's Shanna Cole! You haven't changed, have you? You're still a playboy until now?"
"Shanna Cole?" He asked and took his phone out of his pocket while smiling.
I looked at the number to see what floor we were on while carrying my bag. "Yes. Oh, poor Shanna, you denied her. Don't you know that you two are a perfect match? I think she's nice too. She's well-off and most importantly, talented. An architect, painter, model, what more could you ask for! She has it all."
He became quiet because he probably realized that I was right.
So, I immediately turned to him as we were getting out of the lift. "Here," I was surprised when he handed me his phone.
"What?"
"Hey dear!?" I was still confused about who was on the other line.
"It's me, Shanna Cole."
"Oh hello po, Miss Cole." I peeked at Ryker, who was smiling widely. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the door of his unit.
"I heard what you just said, wait, is this on loudspeaker?"
"No, Miss."
"Good, actually, he's not my boyfriend, this bad boy you see now? That face, no way. I don't like him, never." She said, laughing. I don't know why she was telling me this.
"Ahh, okay Miss Cole."
"Why do you like him?" I gasped at her question.
"What? N-no.. no ma'am!" I said, shaking my head.
"Well, he said he doesn't have a girlfriend, but when he's drunk, he says he does, but she's in his dreams, oh, he's crazy," she said, laughing again.
I smiled even though I couldn't see her.
"Okay Miss Cole."
"Hey hey hey, that's enough ladies, or else, you might say things you shouldn't." I pouted, and Ryker immediately took his phone back.
Here I am again, feeling guilty about what I'm saying about him. So, I looked down. I was angry at what he did to me before, but now that I found out he's allergic to beans, and I'm still accusing him. I don't know if I should be happy with what I'm doing.
"Goodnight! Miss Cole." I could barely breathe when he suddenly came close to me to whisper. His perfume was already in my nose, so I gasped. We were just inches away from touching.
I lifted my head and smiled. "G-Goodnight, sir. Uhmm… Sorry for what I did earlier ." I said while trying not to inhale his perfume.
"Goodnight!" He said and kissed me on the lips again. It was just a quick peck, but suddenly all the electricity from my toes to the top of my head shot up. This is what I wanted to avoid because I knew it would get me into trouble. "One more sorry, more kisses. Ms. Corpez." He smiled at me while placing his fingers on my chin while we stared at each other. I almost got dizzy from the heat of his body. This is what I wanted to avoid because I knew it would get me into trouble. "I can feel it. The first time you laid your eyes on me. I couldn't sleep at night thinking about you, Ms. Corpez. I guess… I guess… I know you for the longest time."
- Writer
