Playhouse

Chapter 3

“I told you, I'm a friend of the owner of this building.” Amber keep on insisting to the receptionist that won’t let her in. Do I need to tell them that I have past with their boss for them to let me in?

They probably won’t believe me either.

Who is she compared to the great Sergio Sy?

The receptionist brows twitch in irritation. “Ma'am it’s in our protocol that if a person don't have an appointment, we can’t let you go inside.”

It’s not like she’s being unreasonable, but this girl has been pestering her all day that she wants to talk to the boss. And not just her boss, her boss's, boss's boss's. She's not the secretary but she knows how busy the man is, if a significant person suddenly claimed that she’s a friend of the boss, wouldn’t it be more believable if she calls the boss to let her in than pester an innocent employees?

So the receptionist, firmly rejected the person’s request.

“If he got to know that you don't let me in, and if you got fired the next day, it’s not my fault.” She tried to threaten the receptionist but to Amber's surprise, she only got frown upon before the security team drives her outside and never letting her in again.

“What are you doing!? Don’t touch me!” she shouted making the people inside look at her in contempt. They’ve seen people like this, making a scene just to make trouble.

The security ignore her shouting and proceed to take her out of the building. They are very professional in handling her, they didn’t hurt her but their holds are firm, making it hard for Amber to make a scene.

She wants attention so that, the man upstairs knew that she’s inside and making trouble for him. Unexpected no one seems to care.

In fit of anger, she throws towards the guard and stomped her feet, pointing at them. “Be sure to remember my face!” she shouted at the retreating guards “You will regret it later that you don’t letting me in!”

People ignore her as if this is everyday happening. Another crazy person causing a scene again.

Seeing that she was being ignore, she started to walk away, grumbling to herself. How impudent! That guy should just disappear! He already have his own company, why does he needs the other one!? If it’s not for greed what else is there?

Concern? Amber laugh at the word. She knows Gio, caring is not on his vocabulary. He didn’t even asks why she wanted to broke up with him that day! He just left her as if it doesn’t matter! Did he even love her before?

And why is she clinging on the idea of them in the past? Didn’t she, herself the one who initiate the break up?

She keep complaining and didn’t noticed that she took the wrong turn. She got lost.

Amber look around her. She could see spacious playground that full of greenery and flowers. Across it was a well-known kindergarten for rich people. Look at that gate, so luxurious, it’s bright and shiny! Its empty and no children playing because it’s getting dark, its 4:30 in the afternoon and the class ended at 3 o'clock.

So that’s why she can smell money…

She look around, thinking that some kid might need her help, and coincidentally met the rich parents and might be drizzled by their wealth. Thinking about money she forget about what happened to her when she was thrown out.

She saw a kid on the swing, playing on his own. She silently crept towards the boy “Hi, are you alone?”

When the boy heard a hoarse voice behind him, he step away from the swing and run towards his bag. He took out pepper spray ready to launch an attack as soon as the person came near him.

“…” Amber is speechless after seeing those series of defensive action. She forgot that she shouted before to top of her lungs making her voice rough and hoarse!

“I'm not a bad person!” she explained with broken voice making it more worse. “No no no! I'm Ninang Amber! My name is Amber, don't you remember me?” she patted herself inside, for achieving such feat in finding the little treasure.

[Ninang (Ni-nang) means Godmother, same reason as other Asian countries, Philippines also have versions in naming]

Luckily, it was the son of her good friend Rosalie and Nathan. She still don’t know the child’s name because Rose and Nate kept it secret for safety and various reasons, so the internet is no help for her.

When the boy heard her say those words, he relaxed a little. A little is generous word, because the boy run away as he remember her. He was running fast as if he was being chased by a murderer.

“Wait, don’t run!” she chased after him in her high heels. She was worried that he might accidentally tripped over, the ground might be grass but inside those greenery has hidden sharp objects that was lost among the dirt. And also, she can’t let the money bag dirtied.

If someone could see, they look like they just playing, it just that the adult is staggering on her feet because the heels she wore.

“Why are you running away!?” she shouted as her last breath, she stops running to catch her breath. She can’t keep up with the boy. He's full of vitality while she is drown in stress and knife under her feet.

Ah, the money bag is running away. It’s so hard to be an adult! But at least now, she knows where to stalk the boy. Luckily she wore pants, she can just sit and lay down on the grass.

She closes her eyes, to feel the breeze and the fresh smell of flowers. She was thinking of what she will cook later at dinner, is there some vegetable left at home? Should I buy some meat? Nah, I can’t afford it. There’s also the tuition fee of her sister, fortunately she got a job now, although it was in a small company, it was a decent job.

She sighed, greedily breathe the free oxygen, when she heard a step near her.

It was the little money bag, he came back to check on her. He thought that the strange person collapsed and unconscious, so he got back to see.

Still closed eyes, Amber waited for the boy come near her and jump scared the little money bag. But when the boy is 10 feet away from her, he suddenly walk away. He didn’t even rethink on leaving her alone!

When Amber heard the running footstep getting far, she opened her eyes to see that the boy starts to run away from her again! She chased after him. When the boy saw her  running he run in panic, and didn’t noticed the object on the ground making him full blown tripped over. His face first.

You could see the impact of it, because the boy bounces and flipped over.

Seeing that the boy tripped, she hurriedly runs to him and check him if he’s okay.

“Are you okay?” she looks at his body to see if there’s injury luckily there’s none, except the dirt all over the boy's aesthetic uniform.

“Does it hurt anywhere else? Your head? I see you hurt your head. Do you remember your name? How old are you? Do you know your parents? Why's your uncle is still not here? Can you walk?” she rattles on in concern. “Can you speak? Wait, can you hear me!?” she panics, she watches this tv show about doctors, one of the main cast was badly hurt and can’t hear anything making all the doctors around her thought she’s paralyzed. But luckily one of the doctors noticed it. There’s a bone obstructing her from hearing anything.

So they needed to break her jaw out of the alignment for her to hear. Watching it, Amber feels the pain from the doctor.

“I'm okay…” crisp voice said.

“Thank god, you’re okay!” she impulsively hugged him, making the boy feel uncomfortable. He twist his body to get out of the woman's arms. Amber let go of the boy, she pat his shoulder in assurance when she noticed thick and dark color peeking under the boy’s nose. “Your nose is bleeding!!”

She immediately put tissue over his nose, trying to stop the bleeding. “Sit up straight, make sure you don’t tilt your head.”

Not a minute later, Amber took off her heels and put it in the boy’s bag, taking it as she stand up and scoop the boy in the bench into her arms. She holds him near her chest resting the boy’s chin on her shoulder.

“We’re going to the hospital, hold on tight.”