Falling for Her Shadows

CHAPTER 21

THE NIGHT AIR was cool when Nylah stepped out of the convenience store, a small brown paper bag in her hand. The faint sound of fluorescent light buzzed above her as she walked down the quiet street. She had tied her hair into a messy ponytail, her casual outfit blending her in perfectly with the late-night crowd.

Inside the bag was a can of pasta sauce, a pack of instant noodles, and a small chocolate bar. Gusto ni Evron na kumain ng pasta kaya lang wala siyang nabili noong nakaraang pumunta sila ng suspermarket kaya naman lumabas siya upang bilhin ang kailangan niya sa pagluluto.

But as she turned into the dimly lit side street toward her apartment, three men stepped out from behind a parked vehicle.

Bahagyang napangiwi si Nylah nang maamoy niya ang amoy ng alak na sumisingaw sa mga ito.

“Miss, gabi na. Saan ka pupunta?” one of them sneered, the glint in his eyes anything but ‘friendly.’

Tumigil si Nylah ng ilang metro ang layo sa mga ito. Kalmado lamang siya. Hindi siya nagsalita at tinignan lamang ang mga ito isa-isa.

Another man chuckled, taking a slow step forward. “Mag-isa ka lang ba? Gusto mo samahan ka namin.”

Nylah exhaled quietly, annoyance flashing in her eyes. “Lumayo kayo sa akin kung ayaw niyong namilipit sa sakit.” Babala niya.

But seeing that she was a woman and, in their eyes, she was weak, they didn’t listen.

Ngumisi ang isa sa mga ito at binalak hawakan si Nylah.

But before he could even touch her, Nylah sidestepped and drove her elbow into his ribs. The second tried to grab her arm, but she twisted free and kicked his leg out from under him. For someone watching, that move was elegant. The third man charged with a curse, only to be met by a sharp jab to the throat that left him gasping.

Sa loob lamang ng ilang segundo, nakahandusay sa sahig ang tatlong lalaki at namimilipit sa sakit.

“Be thankful that I don’t kill ordinary people,” Nylah said in a cold voice.

Inayos ni Nylah ang suot na jacket saka pinulot ang nahulog na bag. Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad na para bang walang nangyari. Her breathing didn’t even quicken.

From across the street — hidden near a row of parked cars — Ashriel watched.

Hindi niya sinasadyang sundan si Nylah. He had just been on his way back from a meeting nearby when he caught sight of a familiar figure outside the convenience store. Curiosity — or maybe something else — made him stop.

Pero hindi siya makapagsalita sa kaniyang nakita.

Nylah moved like a trained operative. Her move was precise, calm, and utterly in control. No hesitation and no wasted motion.

Napahigpit ang hawak ni Ashriel sa susi ng sasakyan. “Who are you really, Nylah?” he muttered, unable to look away even as she disappeared into the night.

Nylah had disappeared from his sight, but the quiet power in the way she carried herself lingered in his mind long after she was gone.

And for the first time, he realized that there was something about her he couldn’t quite name — something dangerous.

Bumalik si Ashriel sa sasakyan. Imbes na umuwi, nanatili siya doon habang malalim ang kaniyang iniisip.

He replayed what he had just seen — every movement, every strike. The way she’d dropped those men like it was nothing. There was no hesitation, no pack… just skill. It was a lethal precision.

“That wasn’t self-defense,” Ashriel muttered.

That was training.

Naihilamos ni Ashriel ang kamay sa mukha at nabuga na lamang siya ng hangin. “What the hell are you hiding, Nylah?” he muttered under his breath.

Naalala niya ang gabing kumain sila sa labas. The way Nylah politely, how her eyes softened whenever she mentioned Evron, how she always carried herself like someone who had built walls too high for anyone to climb.

Now it all made sense.

That calm, that quiet restraint… it wasn’t shyness. It was control.

Napahigpit ang hawak ni Ashriel sa steering wheel.

Ipinikit niya ang kaniyang mata at napasandal sa headrest. Nylah’s image refused to leave him — the calm steadiness in her eyes after the fight and the way she walked off without a trace of fear.

One thing that Ashriel knew at the moment is that Nylah Laurent is not an ordinary woman… she was beyond ordinary.

ABALA SI NYLAH sa counter sa paggawa ng kape, katulong niya si Rita habang si Dex naman ay abala sa pages-serve ng mga customer nila. Si Evron ay tahimik na nagbabasa sa maliit nitong mesa sa gilid.

And when the clock struck at five, the door of the coffee shop chimed — a familiar figure entered.

Nylah automatically smiled seeing Ashriel. Pero nagtaka siya nang makita ang hitsura nito. “You okay, Mr. Rios?” she asked.

Umiling si Ashriel. “No.”

“Why? Kulang ka sa tulog kagabi?”

Ashriel looked at Nylah. He sighed. “Kulang nga ako sa tulog.”

Nylah smiled teasingly. “Baka naman kasi iniisip mo ako.”

Napaubo si Ashriel saka nag-iwas ng tingin.

Nylah chuckled. “Looks like I was right,” she said. “Igagawan kita ng kape.”

Tumango si Ashriel. Kapagkuwan pinagmasdan niya ang dalaga. Parang hindi ito ang nakita niya kagabi. Nylah looks like an ordinary woman, but what he saw last night made him doubt it. He believed that something was beyond what the eyes could see.

Pero hindi na tinanong ni Ashriel si Nylah. He didn’t confront her for the reason that he didn’t want Nylah to build her walls against him. Ayaw niyang sirain ang nasimulan niya rito.

Nang makapagtimpla ng kape si Nylah para kay Ashriel, inilapag niya ito sa harapan ng lalaki.

Agad namang humigop ng kape si Ashriel. Sandali niyang sinulyapan si Evron bago niyang ibinalik ang tingin kay Nylah. “How was it? Nakapili ka na ba ng school para kay Evron?” he asked.

Tumango si Nylah habang tinatapos niya ang huling order ng kape. She glanced at Ashriel. “Can you accompany me tomorrow?”

Walang pag-aalinlangan na pumayag si Ashriel. “Sige. Wala naman akong gagawin bukas sa opisina.” Aniya saka inilabas ang cellphone.

‘Sam, cancel all my appointments tomorrow. And as for those on-going projects, attend on my behalf.’

Then he put his phone back in his coat pocket.

“Thanks.”

Ngumiti si Ashriel. “Don’t thank me. I want to do this.”

Nylah gave the tray to Dex. “Send it to table ten.”

“Yes, Boss.” Dex took the tray and left.

Humarap si Nylah kay Ashriel. “Was it because you’re pursuing me?” she asked. “Mr. Rios, it was your choice to pursue me—”

“It’s my choice.” Putol ni Ashriel sa iba pang sasabihin ni Nylah. “As I told you before, papayag ka man o hindi, liligawan kita.” Aniya saka ngumiti. He took his coffee and went to Evron.

Sinundan naman ni Nylah ng tingin si Ashriel. Ashriel was teaching Evron how to read the words the kid didn’t understand, and then later, they were already laughing.

Inilabas naman ni Nylah ang cellphone at kinunan ng larawan ang dalawa.

A small smile appeared on her lips.

Maybe letting Ashriel into her life was a good decision she made.