Ruining Mr. Clarke

Kabanata 5

“Mag-iingat ka, Andrea!" paalala ni Chase sa kaniya matapos niya itong ihatid.

Ngumiti lamang siya at tumango bago pumasok sa kaniyang sasakyan. Doon niya naramdaman ang katahimikan sa loob.

After their coffee session earlier, they went to the spa to relax. While doing so, Rachel told them the whole story of why her love life turned upside down. Pero tingnan mo nga naman, lahat ay naayos. A shred of evidence that love conquers all despite the uncertainties if they'd sail or not.

She admires their strong bond and at some point, Andrea kinda envied her for having the happy ending she always dreamt of.

Sana all.

Hindi naman siya nagmamadali. Sa katunayan ay gusto niya muna lumago ang kaniyang career bago ang lahat. Pero hindi niya maiwasan isipin kung ano ang pakiramdam ng may lalaki na nagmamahal sa kaniya ng buo.

She was the one who always loves hard. Kaya sa huli, siya ang palaging nawawalan. At sawa na siya roon. She wanted someone who will love her dearly, a man who's man enough to carry their relationship until the end. A man who will give her time and effort, and will assure her without asking.

Gusto niya 'yon.

Pero may mga oras din na masaya siya mag-isa. Iniisip niya na hindi naman niya kailangan ng lalaki para ngumiti.

She's content being single, those times when she craves attention, maybe that was just her moment of weakness.

Napaingos siya at sinimulan ng magmaneho. It's already ten in the evening. Sabay na rin silang kumain ng dinner sa labas bago umuwi. Hinatid lang niya talaga si Chase dahil wala itong dala na sasakyan, samantalang sinundo naman si Rachel ng kaniyang fiance.

Kaya ngayon, kailangan na niyang umuwi para maasikaso na si Julian Clarke Veneracion.

Hindi na dapat pinapatagal ang trabaho. Ngunit mahirap makalapit sa lalaki at doon siya naiinis.

"F uck!" usal niya at sunod-sunod na bumusina.

Nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata nang bigla na lang may humarang na sasakyan. Malakas niyang inapakan ang preno at sinuri ang kaniyang sarili.

Wala naman nangyari. Pero labis ang kaniyang kaba! Sa inis, mabilis siyang lumabas at naggagalaiti na nilapitan ang driber ng itim na sasakyan na biglang humarang sa kaniyang dinadaanan! It's a two lane way!

Hindi niya mapakalma ang sarili at kinatok nang malakas ang bintana sa driver seat.

"Hey, get out!" Sumenyas pa siya roon.

Malalim siyang bumuntong hininga, pilit pinapakalma ang nagwawala niyang puso sa takot at kaba na nararamdaman. Naisip niyang lasing ang nagmamaneho, o kaya hindi talaga marunong pero kahit anuman ang rason na sasabihin nito sa kaniya ay hindi niya tatanggapin.

Paano na lang kung hindi siya nakapag-preno?!

Who knows what happened? She was occupied but her mind was still focused on driving in fear of meeting an accident.

But looking in any way, the driver of the black car was still at fault! Nasa maling lane ito!

Kinatok niya muli ang bintana nang hindi pa ito lumalabas. Nang bumukas ito, tila yata naudlot ang inis na naramdaman niya nang makita ang sitwasyon sa loob.

Napamura siya. "Oh s hit... Mr. Clarke!"

Nakita niya itong ngumisi. Ngunit halata ang paghihina nito.

"Help..." he whispered before his eyes closed. But before he lost his consciousness, he spoke again. "No hospital, please..."

Andrea nodded, still in panic.

She ran back to her car to fetch her phone before calling Chase. Muli siyang lumapit sa binata at binuksan ang pinto sa tabi nito habang hinihintay na may sumagot sa tawag.

After four rings, finally. She answered.

"Hey, Chase..." Nanginig ang kaniyang boses. "Your cousin... He needs help. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari. He doesn't want me to bring him to the hospital so please, send help. Nasa bungad pa ako ng subdivision niyo."

"What?! Andrea!" she heard Chase shouted in fear.

"Send help, Chase..." she said wearily.

Pinatay na niya ang tawag at sinuri ang lalaki. Her insides were in turmoil but she needs to calm down.

She carefully laid his back on the chair and that was when she saw his white sleeves filled with blood. Gusto niyang himatayin sa nakita. Pati siya ay nanghina pero nilabanan niya ang takot sa dugo. She reached for the coat resting on the passenger side and covered the wound on his side, below the abdomen, adding pressure to save his blood.

She can't even stare at his bloody clothes. Mas lalong lumakas ang t***k ng kaniyang puso sa labis na takot.

Hindi niya maintindihan. Paano humantong sa ganitong sitwasyon ang kalalagyan ng lalaki?

She wasn't sure what caused him to bleed. Ang nais niya lang ay maging maayos ito dahil kailangan niya pa ang lalaki para sa kaniyang trabaho!

"God, what have I done to encounter such a situation?" she uttered under her breath.

Gusto niyang umiyak. Sa lahat ng panahon na makikita niya ang binata, bakit sa ganitong kalagayan pa?

Tumingin siya sa mukha nito. His eyes were closed but the middle of his brows was knotted as if he was in pain. Naririnig niya ang mahihinang paghilik nito dahilan para mapanatag ang kaniyang kalooban.

He was alive. Of course, he has to!

Hindi nagtagal ay may dumating na rin na tulong. Mabuti at wala na masyadong sasakyan na dumadaan kaya walang bumusisi sa nangyayari.

"What happened, Andrea?" tanong ng kaibigan matapos makuha ang pinsan nito.

Julian Clarke Veneracion was taken by medical team. She didn't call for the ambulance but Chase did. No hospital but he would probably wake up inside the four white walls.

"I don't know," sagot niya rito. "Ask him once he wakes up, Chase. And please update me..."

"I will..." Chase looked at her with relief. "Thank you for calling."

"It's nothing. That's what people in my shoe will do. And I don't hate your cousin that much to let him bleed to death," aniya at binuksan ang pinto ng kaniyang sasakyan.

"Ipapahatid na lang kita. It's late and you looked worn out. Hindi safe magmaneho," Chase offered.

Umiling siya. Pinakiramdaman ang sarili.

She was still shaking. Andrea felt like she would pass out soon remembering what just happened. Never in her dreams, she thought she would encounter such a situation.

Lumagpas ang tingin niya sa papalayong ambulansiya. The lights were on and was dancing in the dim surroundings. Kahit alam niyang magiging maayos naman ang lahat, natatakot pa rin siya.

Perhaps the downside of being rich was his life will always be put at risk. Lalo na at mula sila sa pamilya na nasa larangan ng politika. She watched the news about the family or an individual being killed because of politics.

After all, it's all about winning. An official will haul a lot of enemies and at some point, those who ordered to kill was an enemy of their family.

Ngumiti siya at tumango na lang. "That would be great."

"Ipapahatid ko na rin ang sasakyan mo. Don't worry about anything."

"Thank you..."

She can't promise to go home safely in her state right now. Nanginginig pa rin siya sa takot.

Nang makauwi, agad siyang pumailalim sa shower para mahimasmasan. Tulala lamang siya at hindi mawari ang nasa isip.

It wasn't the first time that Julian Clarke Veneracion was wounded... But it was the first time that she saw him closely bleeding to death.

After a moment of silence in the tub, letting the cold water sipped through her body, she cried, terrified.

The news spread like a wildfire on national television about the accident last night. Mula sa sasakyan, pinapanood lang ni Andrea ang hindi mapakaling mga reporter sa labas ng hospital kung nasaan nanatili ang lalaki para magpagaling.

Chase appeared earlier in the news saying he was fine. She also received a text message from her that he woke up and was annoyed waking up in hospital.

Kaya naman nang matanggap niya 'yon, dali-dali siyang pumunta sa hospital para sana gamitin ang pagkakataon ngunit bumungad sa kaniya ang mga ligalig na reporters.

Umangat ang gilid ng labi niya. "Ah, bakit nga ba inisip kong makakalusot ako?"

She was about to leave when she noticed something in the side mirror. Naningkit ang mga mata niya habang pinagmamasdan ang pamilyar na katawan na palihim kung maglakad suot ang itim na hoodie. He was wearing a cap, even a mask, and she couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

It was obvious that it was him.

She fixed her curtain bangs in the rear mirror, thinking of going out. Kailangan niyang makalapit dito. She doesn't want to waste time chasing Mr. Clarke to interview him. Naisip niya na ayaw niya rin magkaroon ng koneksiyon dito kaya hangga't maaga pa, kailangan na niyang tapusin ang hindi pa nasisimulang trabaho niya.

It has been two days since she accepted the task. Hindi pa nagpaparamdam ang kaniyang Editor-in-Chief at alam niya, anumang oras ay makakatanggap siya rito ng mensahe tungkol sa pinapagawa.

Napatalon siya sa gulat nang bigla na lang bumagsak ang pinto sa backseat. When her eyes met the kins of the man whom she has been looking for, her heart panic. Pero bago pa man siya makapagyahag ng reaksiyon, agad niyang napansin ang ibang reporters na palapit sa kaniyang sasakyan.

"Drive, Ms..." she heard her, even had the guts to leaned back and closed his eyes.

"What the f uck..." she whispered with a hint of annoyance.

Bago pa man siya tuluyan dumigin, agad na siyang umalis palayo sa lugar. Doon lang binuksan ng lalaki ang kaniyang mga mata.

"I'm sorry for invading your space without consent," he spoke. "You can just drop me somewhere."

Sumulyap siya rito mula sa salamin. "You're still wounded. You should have stayed in the hospital instead of breaking into someone’s car.”

“That was why I’m sorry...”

Andrea was a little bit amazed at how soft-spoken he was. He sounded sincere, and he could even tell that he was still not okay by his weak voice. Hindi na rin niya naisip na bigla na lang ito iwan.

“My service isn’t really free, mister...” simula niya. “I had nightmares because of you. Hindi ako makatulog kagabi dahil sa lahat ng sasakyan na haharangin mo, sa ‘kin mo pa pinili manghingi ng tulong.”

She barely had a sleep last night. Sa tuwing pipikit siya, ang duguan niyang sitwasyon ang nakikita niya.

Nabuhay yata ang diwa ng lalaki sa narinig.

“You were the woman last night?” he was baffled.

He remembered her for her kindness. But he didn’t recall her pouring a hot coffee in his expensive suit.

Hindi niya alam kung matutuwa siya o ano. But she was thankful he did. Sa gayon ay magagamit niya ito.

Sa naisip, biglang humina ang takbo ng sasakyan. She felt like her heart was stabbed because of it. Hindi naman niya naisip manggamit ng tao para sa ikabubuti niya.

She was raised by her grandmother. And she always tells her to be good. Mas magandang makita ang pinaghirapan mo na gawa sa mabuting kamay.

But then, she can’t think of any ways to sail in her field of work.

Ruining Mr. Clarke's reputation... Is it worth it for her promotion? Is it worth the nightmare and guilt she would experience every night after getting what she wanted?

Sighing, she stopped on the sidewalk.

“Yes,” sagot niya at lumingon dito. “And it wasn’t free.”

Julian stared at her with the knotted forehead. Sinusuri siya ng mapagmasid nitong mga mata na tila ba’y pati kaluluwa niya ay nababasa nito.

She wanted to appreciate his beauty but instead, she looked away for she was burning under his stares.

“You look familiar...”

Napapikit siya dahil doon. He probably remembers the woman who accidentally ruined his suit.

“Right... You were the woman in the coffee shop, am I right?” She could sense the smile in his voice.

Hindi siya sumagot. Tila nais na lang ni Andrea na humiwalay ang kaluluwa niya sa sariling katawan.