Counting on you
1721 Words
"She said she will be back," Glenda added. She then went closer to Mark.
"Call her and tell her to come here," she whispered. Mark nodded his head and went out, but he realized that he hadn't her number on his phone.
"How? How can I call her?" Mark immediately thought of going to the bar where Celine works, but when he got there the bar was closed. He sighed in disbelief while scratching his head. He didn't know what he was going to do, Lucas has been looking for Celine since he woke up.
"Where could she be?" he asked while looking around.
On the other hand, Celine got home with Aron. She went straight to her room, but before she went in, Aron called her.
"Yes, what is it?" he wanted to tell her about the owner of the bar, but he's hesitating to tell her.
"No, never mind," Celine nodded her head and went inside.
She was inside her room as she thinks of Aron. He had done everything for her, and she couldn't be thankful enough to him. Aron had been there for her whenever she needed help from someone. It had been not easy for Celine, but Aron made things easy as he was always there for her.
Celine tossed herself on the bed and looked at the ceiling. She sighed, "How can a person like him cares and protect me every time? He's always there for me when I needed someone. He's like a guardian angel,"
At the moment Aron went inside his room, he smiled broadly and looked at his Ex's photo. "I missed you," he still can't move on especially now that she has the same face inside his house. It seemed like a reincarnation of his ex-girlfriend. Everything Celine has done, her voice, her action, and the way she acts, it looked like a duplicate of his ex.
"How can I move on to this? How?" he asked while looking at the sky. Aron had been avoiding to like and feel something romantic towards Celine. He's stopping himself to have feelings for her, but how can he? All of Celine's actions were the same as his past girlfriend.
Lucas was still waiting for Celine to come. He keeps looking at the door, "Where is she?" he asked Christian.
"Maybe she'll be here soon,"
The door suddenly opened and Mark went in, he looked at him, but he wasn't with Celine. "Where is she?"
"She got home. The bar was closed," Lucas then took his phone and dialed her number.
Celine was still in bed when she received a call from Lucas. She reached out for her phone and answer the call. "Hello? What is it?"
"Where are you?" her eyes opened immediately as she heard his voice. She got up from her bed.
"Lucas? Are you awake? Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. But, why aren't you here?" he asked.
"Is your grandma there?" Celine asked.
"No, she's not here," Celine sighed in relief.
"Alright. I'll be right there. In a minute," she uttered and ended the call. Celine get dressed and hurriedly went to where Lucas was. She was smiling when she get inside the hospital. Celine opened the door and saw Lucas's condition. His arms got burnt, she stopped walking, and the smile she was wearing fades away. She looked at him with pity.
"You said you were fine?" she asked as she walked closer to him. Mark and Christian let out a deep breath while looking at them. They thought it was all their fault as they didn't save him first.
"We're sorry, Lucas. We didn't-"
"Bro, it's okay. I'm fine and alive," he joked, but Celine's eyes started to water.
"How can you still manage to joke around, Lucas. You put your life in danger. How can you joke around?" she asked him tearfully. Lucas looked at her seriously, "Hey, I was kidding,"
"Don't joke around like that, Lucas. A lot of people wanted to live, but how can you-" she stopped what she was about to say when she saw him look down. He lowered his shoulders/.
"I know. I'm sorry," Celine went closer to him and looked at all of his injuries.
"I'm sorry. This is my fault,"
"No. It's not,"
"If you weren't got shoot, you're not supposed to be here. I am,"
"I'm really sorry, Lucas. You suffered a lot because of a mere woman like me," Celine uttered while bowing her head in front of him.
"It's okay. I said it's fine,"
Celine remembered how her relatives used to blame her for how her parents died. She looked at Lucas as she remembered how hard she did to move on from that tragedy.
"I won't forgive myself if something happens to you, Lucas. So, please recover fast as soon as possible,"
"Yes, I will,"
Meanwhile, Glenda was still investigating Celine's identity, but she couldn't find anything about her. She clenched her fists as she wanted to figure out if Celine was lying to her.
"Find something about her," Glenda uttered to the man in front of her. The man nodded his head and started to walk away from her. Glenda wanted to ensure that before she die, Lucas had a good and honest partner. She isn't that strict, Glenda wanted to ensure that before she leave Lucas, he will be happy with the woman he's with.
Her eyes started to teared up. Glenda went to her doctor to get her check-up.
"How's my condition, doc?" she asked. The doctor sighed and looked at her. "I had to be honest with you, Ma'am Glenda. Your condition is getting worst. There's no cure for this illness," he uttered, but Glenda still managed to smile in front of the doctor.
"I know, I'm ready if something might happen to me, please look after my grandson," the doctor nodded her head.
"I will,"
Glenda went out of the hospital with a gloomy and long face. She doesn't want to leave Lucas alone, but she can't do anything to live longer. Her days are counting, and she couldn't stop it. Glenda went inside the car and started to sob. She sniffles softly as tears started to flow into her eyes, down to her cheeks.
Her driver, and also her secretary looked at her with pity. She might be strict with other people, but the truth is, she's kind and caring. Glenda wanted them to learn from their mistakes that's why she act cruel and strict in front of them. She had a weak side too, but she's not showy enough to show it to her grandson.
"I found something about her, Madam," Glenda wiped her tears away and looked at her. "What is it?"
"Here," her secretary handed the tablet to her, and Glenda saw the information containing Celine's information. All about her, the truth about her identity.
"Why? Why did she have to lie?" she asked in disbelief.
On the other hand, Celine and Lucas were talking about their plan. "So, are we going to do this?" she asked him.
"Yes, we have to," Celine was about to talk when the door opened, and Glenda went inside.
Celine immediately bowed her head when she saw her. "Grandma," Lucas greeted her with a smile. Glenda smiled at him as she walked closer to him. Celine move aside as she was too scared towards her.
"I'll get going now," she uttered and was about to walk when Glenda talk.
"Where are you going?" she asked her. Celine gulped when she looked at her. "I'll get going now, Ma'am,"
"Stay," Celine's eyes widened while staring at her.
"What?"
"I want you to stay. Let's talk in private, Celine," Celine was nervous as she looked at Lucas' grandmother. She looked at Lucas, but he just smiled and nodded at her.
"Okay," Celine replied, and they immediately left. She was following Glenda where she was going. Until they got to her car, she frowned while looking at her. "Where are we going?" Celine asked in her mind.
They were already inside the car, Celine's chest throbbing rapidly as she sat down. Her hands were sweating because she was so nervous about what they were going to talk about.
"Let's go," Glenda said to her driver and immediately started the car which made Celine even more nervous.
"So, Celine Madrigal,"
"Yes?"
"A bar owner?" Celine's mouth trembled as she doesn't want to lie again. She let out a deep breath.
"Yes,"
"Liar!" Glenda raged at her, which caused her eyes to widen.
"What?"
"You're an orphan! I know you are! You're living with your aunty, right? You didn't even finish college," she scoffed, and Celine trembles even more. She couldn't move and speak as she faced Glenda.
"I'm sorry, Madam. I never-"
"Enough! I already know you're lying when I meet you for the first time," Glenda said.
"I'm sorry," that was Celine's only response to her. Glenda sighed while looking at her.
"That brat!" she cursed as she was referring to Lucas. Celine looked at her with a frown.
"I'm sorry, Celine,"
"For what?"
"About that slap. I'm sorry," Celine's lips parted in surprise.
"Lucas wants to play a game, isn't he?" Glenda asked Celine.
"I guess so,"
"Why did you agree with him?" Celine looked down.
"For money. I needed money to finish my studies, I'm sorry,"
"It's okay. Continued to pretend. We will the wedding," Celine's eyes widened while looking at her.
"What? The wedding?"
"Yes, build him as a better person. Make him realize to value family and love, Lucas had been alone for a long time, and I can't blame him if everything he does, is easy for him because he always uses money,"
"So, you want me to change him?"
"Yes, if that's okay with you. Can I even pay for your tuition fee. Just please do me this favor," Celine's eyes blink twice while staring at her.
"You see, Celine. My days are running. I'm running out of time. Lucas needs someone that will stay with him forever. He'll be alone again after I left,"
"What? Left? Are you going abroad, Madam?"
"Yes, it might take too long. So, please take care of him, okay?"
"Ma'am,"
"Celine, I'm counting on you,"
To be continued...
- Writer
