The World Where She Fits

TWWSF 3: Dilemma

Chase POV

Today was a torture and tomorrow will be like hell. Since I've realized that I love her, I've been yearning to always be by her side. To hold her hands, to see her smile, to hug her tightly and securely, to be close to her and to love her. Seeing her but not able to do any of that is like a punishment. Punishment that I don't think I deserve.

What did I do to be like this? All I did is love her with all my heart. Help my friends in any way I can and defend the students to those who tried to harm our school. Then, why?

I sat down in the corner of my condo's terrace. Nakatingin sa kawalan sa madilim na gabi. Tanging mga ilaw na lang ng mga naglalaking gusali ang umaagaw sa kadiliman at katahimikan ng gabi. The silent night made me reminisce how I end up in this situation. How did I am bind to her, the girl who is now my fiancée.

(A/N: from here will be a flashback until, I'm not sure where. One thing is for sure, I won't label it as flashback. You will have to understand the content.)

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon saka huminga ng malalim. Napahawak ako sa ulo at inalala ang huling pangyayari na natatandaan ko.

Kinalaban ko ang mga kalaban na pipigil sa pagtakas namin kay Courtney. I was able to beat some of them but then, their leader came. He fired his gun and the bullet hit my chest making me fall to the sea.

Napahawak ako sa dibdib kung saan ako tinamaan. Nakapa ko ang bandage sa ilalim ng suot kong damit. I slightly raised my shirt to see. There is a red mark on the white bandage that slowly spread. Marahil ay sa biglaan kung paggalaw kaya dumugo ang sugat. Unti-unti na rin akong nakakaramdam ng kirot at sakit lalo na kapag igalaw ko ang aking katawan.

I sigh and look around the unfamiliar room that I was in. Careful not to move my body forcefully, otherwise I will be wincing in pain. I am in a big room painted with plain white. The furniture is in black while the curtain is white. I even have a glimpse of the sea from the floor to ceiling glass window not so far.

"Where am I?" I muttered confused.

I turn my head to door when I heard it click. A maid came in with a tray and behind her, a beautiful girl smiling at me. I can't help but stare at her.

"I'm glad you're awake." She said.

"Who are you?" I ask with a frown.

"My name is Hillary Breena Lee, you can call me Breena or simply Bree, I don't mind. I am the one who found you in the shore unconscious and weakly fighting for your dear life." She sat in the chair near my bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy and all but I think I'm fine. Thank you for saving me." I said.

"It's nothing, Mr.?"

"Chase, Rayon Chase Scamper." I offered my hand for a shake. She accepted it with her smooth hands.

"I'm glad to be of help, Chase. But you must know that helping not always come as free. I will be asking something in return someday." She jokingly said. Her eyes dancing in joy.

I was taken aback with her words but smirk in the end. "Then, I will be glad to return the favor someday. You will have my word."

"I will remember that." She answered with a sudden change of emotion looking at me in the eye. She became so serious all of a sudden and a flicker of sadness, fear and hope mix in her eyes for a second before she looks away.

"I never back down my word." I said assuring her that she can count me on whatever help she needed. For I am sure that there's something wrong. That her attempt of joking about asking something in return is actually a message of asking help.

She smiles. "I'm just joking, you know. But maybe, someday, when our paths cross again." Kinuha niya ang tray na inilapag ng maid sa bedside table pagkatapos ilagay ng maid ang maliit na mesa sa aking harapan. "You should eat to gain some strength," she continued. "You've been unconscious for almost three days."

"Three days you said?" She nodded. "Damn!" Ano na kaya ang nangyari sa mission? Nag-aalala ako sa maaaring nangyari sa kanila. I just hope that Ace and the others succeeded in rescuing Courtney. "Where am I by the way? Are we still in Japan?" I asked as I started eating. Nakaramdam ako ng gutom ng malanghap ko ang mabango at masarap na amoy ng pagkain.

"Yeah, we're still in Japan. But I'm not from here. This is just our vacation house and I am on vacation. I live in China."

Napatango lang ako sa sinabi niya at nakahinga ng maluwag na malamang nasa Japan pa rin kami. Akmang susubuan niya ako kaya inabot ko ang kutsara mula sa kanya subalit matinding kirot ang aking naramdaman. Naibagsak ko ang aking kamay sa gilid habang iniinda ang sakit. Damn! Hindi ako makakilos ng maayos dahil sa sugat sa aking dibdib. I hate it! Feeling like I need to depend to someone else, even in a simple thing like feeding myself.

"Don't force yourself too much. Let me help you." She offered. Wala akong nagawa kundi tanggapin ang pagmamagandang-loob niya.

***

It's been two days since I woke up. I been staying here for five days already. My wound is healing fast because of Breena's help. I contacted the The Mansion yesterday, informing them that I'm okay and will be back once I can manage.

I'm just sad to know that the rescue mission wasn't successful. Screw Courtney's father! Nag-aalala tuloy ako sa maaaring nararamdaman ni Ace. Alam ko na mahihirapan siyang tanggapin ang bagay na ito.

"What are you thinking?"

Napabaling ako sa nagsalita, tumabi si Breena sa pagkakaupo ko sa buhangin. "Nothing," shrugging my shoulder, "Until when you will be staying here?" I asked instead.

"Until my father allowed me to go back home?" She said a bit sad.

"It's means you're not really her for a vacation, am I right?" I stated, not in a way that looks like I'm prying. I'm just curious of what she been through right now.

"Sort of. There's a misunderstanding among the partners of my father, you know, business. He doesn't want me to involved, as I already am." She trailed off.

Napatingin ako sa kanya, but she's looking somewhere. Sinundan ko ang tingin niya at nakita ko ang isang yate na papadaong sa maliit na pantalan.

"s**t!" mahinang mura niya, hinawakan niya ang kamay ko marahas na hinila patayo, "we have to get out of here." Terror is seen in her face.

"What's the matter?" I ask with a frown.

"The person that I hate the most found me. We need to get out of here before he can catch us or worst thing will happen. Besides, you have nothing to do with this and I don't want you to get involve."

Paliwanag niya habang hinihila ako pabalik sa loob ng bahay. Naintindihan ko ang kanyang sinabi kaya ako mismo ang nagpatiuna. Subalit pagbukas pa lang ng pinto ay sinalubong na kami ng isang lalaking kinaladkad ang isang katulong.

"There you are, my dear Hillary!" Nakangising wika ng lalaki sa dalagang napahigpit ang kapit sa akin. Matalim ang tingin na sumulyap sa akin ang lalaki ng itago ko sa aking likuran si Breena.

"Who is he?" I whispered to Breena.

"Timmy Chen," She murmured, I guess, the guy's name. "He's the person that I hate the most and his father is my father's rival."

"Who's this guy, baby?" The guy, Timmy, asked Breena suspiciously.

"Don't call me baby, you jerk!" Breena snapped at him.

"Is it the guy who's going to protect you from me?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "Do you really think you can get away from me? Wherever you hide I will always find you and I will beat the ass of any guy who will try to protect you. Including that guy in front of you."

He only snaps his finger and we are surrounded in an instant by men looking like goons. I think ten men surrounding us and there are some on standby. In my situation right now, I don't think I will be able to beat them. I am not yet healed. Even an escape is inevitable. But I won't let them get us without a fight.

By stance that Breena is making behind me I can say that she knows how to fight. Maybe we can make a chance to escape from them. "Where is the escape route?" I silently ask.

"At the back," she said, enough for me to hear, eyeing our enemies, "there's a chopper hidden behind the tall trees. Do you know how to fly the thing?"

"Just a little. I think I can manage."

"Good because I don't have an idea how to fly a chopper. Looking with our situation, I can guess that they already take care of my bodyguards. It looks like we are the only ones left."

"I think so too." I glance and nod at her, "ready?"

"Ready!"

That's the cue. Sabay kaming sumugod sa kalaban. I was able to beat down two of them but unfortunately one of them hit my wounds. Ininda ko ang sakit at pagdurugo ng aking sugat. Subalit hindi ko na magawang makalaban ng maayos. In the end, they were able to pinned us down. The tied both of our hands and feet. Timmy's men carried us into their yatch.

Pinaghiwalay kaming dalawa ni Breena. I heard Timmy instructed his men to put Breena in his cabin while they tied me up in a chair in the deck. I can feel the sea breeze touching my skin. They didn't even bother to check my wounds. They just let me bleed. Ang puting T-shirt ko ay unti-unti ng naging pula.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na kaming naglalayag. Nakatulugan ko na lang ang pagdurugo ng aking sugat. Ng magising ako ay papalubog na ang araw. At ang dugo sa aking damit ay natuyo na. Tumigil na din ang pagdugo ng sugat sa aking dibdib subalit ramdam ko pa rin ang kirot. Ramdam ko din ang p*******t ng aking buong katawan sanhi ng pagkabugbog.

Ni sa hinagap ay hindi ko inakalang masangkot sa ganito. I think there's something deep behind all this. Timmy is not a simple son of Breena's father rival. The way Breena act, I know there's more. Walang siyang nabanggit kung magkalaban ba sila sa negosyo or what. At kung pagbabasehan ko ang kilos at galaw ni Timmy pati na ang kanyang mga tauhan masasabi ko na hindi lang siya basta bodyguard.

I have a very bad feeling about this

Natigilan ako ng marinig ko ang pagsigaw ni Breena mula sa cabin ni Timmy. Nagpumiglas ako at sinubukang makawala. May binitiwan aking salita. I promise her that she can count on me when she needs help. And the way she screams, I can exactly tell that she's in danger. Ano kaya ang binabalak gawin sa kanya ni Timmy?

Pumalit ang katahimikan ng matigil sa pagsigaw si Breena. Hindi ko alam kung ano na ang nangyayari. Nag-aalala ako subalit wala akong magawa. Masyadong maghigpit ang pagkakatali ng aking mga kamay at paa sa upuan.

Sa pagtatangka kung makawala ay nakapa ko ang mobile phone sa aking bulsa sa likod. Saka ko lang naalala na nailagay ko pala ito kanina ng umupo ako sa buhanginan. Sinubukan kung inalabas ang mobile phone sa aking bulsa. When I am able hold my phone, though I can't see it, I scanned the phone to my speed dials. Pressing the number 1, I know I will be able to call Vash.

I press the right-side screen to turn on the loudspeaker. I can now hear the other line ringing. But before Vash can answered my call, someone grab my phone away from my hands.

"s**t!" Napabiling ang mukha ko sa lakas ng suntok na tumama dito. Nasundan pa ito hanggang sa pakiramdam ko ay namaga na ang buo kung mukha. I can even feel slowly losing consciousness after receiving a direct hit in my chest.

"Trying to call for help?" Nang-uuyam na wika ng tauhan ni Timmy na nakahuli sa akin na may tinatawagan. Patuloy din siya sa pagsuntok sa akin hanggang sa tuluyan aking mawalan ng malay.

Nagising uli ako sa hindi pamilyar na lugar. Wala na ako sa deck ng yate at hindi ko na rin ramdam ang hanging dagat. Hindi ko na rin naririnig ang mahinang paghampas ng alon sa yate. Inilibot ko ang aking paningin. Malawak at maluwag ang silid na aking kinaroroonan. Nakatali pa rin ako sa isang upuan nasa gitna ng silid na hindi ko alam kung saan. Sa dulo ng silid ay may naka-display na iba't ibang uri ng sandata. Ang mga palamuti sa pader ay tulad sa mga palamuti noong unang panahon sa China.

Am I in China? I can help but ask myself. I can't hear any noise from the outside. Where the hell I am? Where is Breena? I hope she's fine.

Pinag-aralan ko ang paligid. Looking a possible escape route but before that, I need to free myself first. I relax myself and reach the end of the knot. I try hard and slowly loosen the knot. A smile came to my lips when my effort was rewarded. Unti-unti ng kumakalas ang tali sa aking kamay sa likuran.

Kasabay ng pagkatanggal ng pagkakatali ng aking kamay ay ang pagpasok ng mga lalaking dumating sa vacation house. They are looking at me with a wide grin on their faces. I know they are up to no good.