Mending Her Broken Heart

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Run

"I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I got too carried away even though I'm not sure if your intentions are really pure."

I smiled even though Penelope is just talking to me through a phone call.

"I'm really sorry. I just realized it now. I think I told you too much. Oh, God. I'm too desperate for Clara to heal." A shaky laugh came after what she said. She kept on apologizing for what happened earlier in her boss's restaurant. Saying that she got too carried away and she acted really unusual.

"Penelope, I already said that it's fine. You don't need to say sorry again and again because you don't have anything to be sorry for." I chuckled, " It's really fine. Everything's fine for me. I will continue what I started. And of course, my intentions are always pure. You can count on me, Penelope. I won't hurt nor play Clara. That's a terrible crime for any man to commit."

I'm standing near the wall-like glass of my suite and peacefully watching the outside from up here. I'm thinking about what Clara told me earlier, but then Penelope called and she immediately rained me sorrys without any valid reason at all.

"Oh God,"

I blinked, "Penelope? What is it?" The surface of my forehead was ruined as I think of any possible reason why she'd say a phrase with God in it. Plus, her voice sounded terrified and a little surprised. "My bestfriend is so lucky. Are you for real, Mr. Dael?" Instead of taking it seriously, I just shrugged my shoulders and grinned. I know that she can't see me but I'm acting like she's in front of me. What can I do? This is how I react everytime I'm talking to someone. I smile and sometimes do some facial expressions even though I'm only talking to someone through a phone call. Specially if I'm talking to someone I'm interested about so much.

Clara. Hmm, I wonder how it would be like talking to her through a phone call.

Whews. Am I really going to think about her all day?

Please give yourself a break, Schyler.

"Please, be careful with my bestfriend. Don't rush what is meant to be taken slow. Take it slow, but not too slow. Balance it, Schyler. Take the 'slowly but surely' way. It's better that way."

The smile that was gone earlier came back. Everytime I sense that she cares for Clara so much, I keep on smiling like there's no tomorrow. I want to have a friend like her. I mean, I have Harvey. But that guy will surely choose seeing me hurt rather than showing how much he cares for me. He cares, but he barely shows it. And that's a mediocre behavior. Makes me want to hate him everyday but I know I can't.

That bastard.

"Geez! She's coming! I'm sorry, Mr. Dael. I guess, this is the end of our conversation. She can't know that I replied to your dms last night. She wil—"

"Penelope! Why didn't you listen to me? I told you not to send him anything last night, didn't I?!"

My eyes widened. Is that Clara?

"I didn't sent him any—"

"Liar! You can't lie to me like that, Penelope. It doesn't work for me anymore."

Penelope didn't even had the chance to end the call that we were currently having. If my guess is right, she's probably hiding her phone near her because I can hear them clearly.

Clara's voice was angry. She sounds like she's fuming mad and madness has taken control of her whole being. She's obviously mad at Penelope who maybe had done something Clara told her not to do. Penelope probably disobeyed Clara. That's how I understand it.

"I hate you, Penelope! I'm sure he wouldn't stop bothering me even if I'll forbid him to come near me. He already annoyed me because of those dating rumors. And now, I would know that you had a chat with him at the VIP floor?! What the frigging hell?!"

Wait, I think... is she talking about,

"I told you not to send Schyler Dael anything after receiving his dms. And you said you won't. But what the hell did you do?! Did you sell me out?"

I gulped when Clara's voice is still in rage and has no plans of calming down. She's like a very unexpected storm that came out of nowhere. And she's the kind of storm that would bring massive damage to every single person she hits.

She's mad because Penelope replied and invited me to have a chat with her. Clearly, she doesn't want me around. And she also doesn't want her friend giving me anything that could make me think that she's liking every bit of this... ahm, whatever kind of situation we're in right now.

"You know that I don't want to entertain any man. Why did you even bother to be a bridge between us? Are you even thinking, Penelope?"

"But Schyler is—"

"—A flirtatious type of a man that would eventually leave me after having the thrill that he's needing from me right now."

I frowned because of what I heard.

A flirtatious type of a man? Me? Flirtatious?

I scoffed.

You don't know what you're talking about, Ms. Imorgen. Be careful with your words. You don't want to trigger this monster within me. I don't play games. But if you want to play one, then, let me play with you.

And oh, I don't want any thrill. I'm not needing any kind of thrill from her. What I need is her. Not a f*****g short termed happiness.

"Stop, Clara. Just stop."

Penelope sounded like she had enough of everything. She even sighed heavily and it's loud enough for me to hear from the other line.

"Don't compare Mr. Schyler Dael to any man in this world."

"Come on, Pene—"

"Shut up, Clara!"

Penelope shouted at Clara and it almost made me drop my phone with my eyes widened. The hell?

"I'm so sick of watching you cry. I'm so sick of seeing you breakdown because of that guy who discarded you."

Penelope's voice was calm. It also sounded like a mother trying to help her daughter about avoiding the same mistake she does again and again.

"I care for you, Clara. I love you! It kills me seeing you suffering because of that asshole who's probably with a wanton woman right now."

Clara was silent. She was silent after the very moment Penelope shouted at her. And I can understand her very well. She didn't expect for her friend to be like that. She's probably thinking of telling Penelope to just leave her alone. But on the other side, she understands her bestfriend. Penelope just wants her to be finally over it. She just wants her to heal. She knows that healing from something that gave you a very deep cut is hard and near to being impossible. But here she is, trying to help her like it's the easiest thing to do. That's because she loves Clara. And that's one of the purest forms of love.

Clara is a one lucky gal.

She got Penelope.

She even got me.

Wait, what?

"You can't blame me, Clara. I can be sorry. But you can't blame me. I can't help it. I—"

Before Penelope could even finish what she's saying, I ended the call and went to the kitchen.

I shouldn't be listening. Clara will probably kill me if she'll know that behind the conversation that they're having, there's a 'flirtatious' guy listening to them. I'm 100% sure that she'll kick my balls if I'll continue eavesdropping.

So it's better to just stop listening and make myself a cup of coffee instead.

After making myself a cup of coffee, I went to the living and turned the TV on. I sat on the sofa with the remote on my hand. My coffee is above the center table that's near from where I'm sitting. With the remote, I changed the channel as I thought of watching news. I took my mug with coffee in it as I simply took a sip again and again.

"The love birds were spotted together near the fountain in front of the Bellagio Hotel & Casino. Their outfits were a little bit matchy-matchy as they talked for a short time. People near them said that Clara Lucille Imorgen was mad towards its rumored lover and it seems like she doesn't want Mr. Schyler Dael in a black leather jacket near her."

I almost cussed when I heard what the news reporter said. My lips even got a first-degree burn because I was in the middle of sipping my coffee.

What is this now?

"There's probably something wrong between them for now because the famous chef was seen immediately walking away from the business icon with heavy feet."

Shit. Clara is going to be mad at me again. And this time, I'm sure she's going to do everything to end those dating rumors.

Why is this news reporter talking about me and Clara anyway?

What the f**k came into their minds?

Goddamn it! This will be the death of me.

No, wrong. Clara will be the death of me.

I immediately turned off the TV using the remote. After finishing my coffee, I decided to go to my room to change my clothes. This is the second time that my chosen outfit is matching with Clara's. My black leather jacket matched with her black wrap romper. I didn't even noticed it! And I wasn't even planning to match my outfit with hers.

Damn. Why do I feel like she'll accuse of matching my outfit with hers?

Keep it up, Schyler. Keep it up.

I took off my black leather jacket and changed my white tshirt with a grey sweater. I paired it with a dark blue ripped jeans and I also changed my Nike's. I look at my reflection at the mirror. And I realized that I look like a f*****g teenage boy.

Whatever. As long as it doesn't match with Clara's outfit, then, it's fine.

I found myself leaving my suite with my phone and key card on my hand. I can't calm and I can't seem to behave. I put on my specs and went out from the elevator when it reached the ground floor. I don't know where I'm going but I let my feet lead the way and take me wherever it f*****g wants to go. For short, I trusted my feet with my whole being.

I was walking and walking until I realized where my feet brought me.

The fountain.

My lips parted. I need to go somewhere else. I'm afraid that Clara might be here. She might scold me at the wrong place. I don't want her to be mad and annoyed because of me.

I was about to walk away from the fountain when I spotted the apple of my eyes.

I bit my lower lip. s**t.

I immediately examined her outfit and saw that she's wearing an oversized button shirt and a straight leg pants. She looks like a fierce woman because her outfit is designed like the tiger's skin.

But instead of golden brown and black, her matching oversized button shirt and straight leg pants is painted with black and... grey? What the actual f—

"I didn't know that you can predict what an unpredictable lady will wear."

I gulped.

Am I going to die now?

Is she going to kick my balls?

"I changed my clothes because my romper matched your leather jacket. And now, your gray sweater is matching my gray-ish tiger designed outfit." She shook her head with a disappointed smile on her lips. "Wow, Mr. Dael. Wow." My mouth opened but no words came out. I want to talk, I want to tell her that it's a mistake but I can't seem to say anything. I'm stuck in this phase again. In this phase where I'm too star strucked by her and it made me a statue with no plans of moving at all.

"Run."

My eyes widen a bit, "P-Pardon?"

"I said," She glared at me. "Run."

"Cla—"

"Arrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh!!!"

I don't know why, but my feet immediately did everything just to run away from her when shouted with so much frustration. I ran and Clara chased me all over the place. All my life, I never experienced being chased by a woman this intense. I can feel her anger towards me and I can sense that her blood boils whenever she sees me. I guess the dating rumors really hit her radar that hard.

Damn it.

"Keep on running, Schyler! I'm going to kill you if I'll catch you!"

She's damn mad and I don't know what I'm going to do. I kept on running and running and it amazes me how fast she can run with those heels.

"What the f**k is wrong with me, Clara?! I didn't do anything wrong!"

My heart started beating fast. I can feel my body heating up and a little bit more, I know that I'm going to sweat because of running this fast away from her.

"Stop pretending! You ruined my vacation! Damn you, Schyler Dael!!!"

We've been running for 2 minutes now and sometimes we would bump to some people who are enjoying Vegas. But we didn't care and continued running like I'm a criminal and I stole her bag.

We're just running around the fountain. We're running around its circular shape as we took everyone's attention.

"You're not my lover! You—"

"You don't have to tell me! I'm not your lover and I don't have plans to be your lover!"

The unpredictable lady slowed down and I immediately slowed down too when I noticed that she stopped running. She was panting. Catching her breath and sweating.

"You..." I'm a bit near her so I can hear her. But I also kept my distance because she might start running again. I'm also panting and catching my breath.

I didn't expect this one.

She's indeed unpredictable.

Fuck it, Schyler. You need water and air.

Both of my hands are on my knees as I stare at her being in a state similar to me. Both of her hands are on her knees too. We're both catching our breath and badly sweating. She's looking at me like it's all my fault and I'm the one to blame.

"You can make me run, Clara." I breathed in and out. "But you can't make me let you go. You said you're unpredictable but I already predicted some of the things related to you without even trying. I'm going to stay, Clara. I already stepped into your life and I don't have any plans of stepping back."

I grinned, "You chased me. And I will do the same thing but not literally. Run, blondie. I'm coming for you."