Steal My Heart (Published)

Chapter 4

So guys, this is the new story that I'm working to finish. Little by little, let's get to know our lead characters.

So enjoy reading and please don't forget to VOTE and share your COMMENTS.

xoxo,
Sharon Rose

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Everyone was really on facebook nowadays.

Maru shook her head as she looked at Benjamin's facebook profile. There were a bunch of fb users who go by the name of Bejamin Lam, but she could easily pinpoint him from the rest. His profile picture caught her attention as she scanned the list that popped up after typing his name in the search tab.

He looked eye popping in his selfie profile pic. He was smiling in the camera and looking so boyishly handsome as he flashed an expensive brand of coffee in his hand - the famous Coffee Best.

The company didn't need to hire models to advertise the product. The heir himself could nail the job. Benjamin was already thirty-two yet he looked as if he was only in his twenties, but the bulge in his biceps and the ripped body that was evident in his black, body-flashing tee indeed belonged to a full grown man.

She stopped staring at his picture. She could look at him all day without getting gagged up. Buti na lamang at puwede siyang mag-stalk sa fb ng lalaki nang hindi nito nalalaman. Kaya ipinagpasalamat niya ang anonymous browsing na feature na iyon ng facebook.

Pribado ang profile ni Benjamin. She could only see his profile pic. Ang nag-iisang cover photo nito ay picture ng logo ng Coffee Best.

She had to add him to see more. Pero hindi niya ito pupuwedeng i-add. Pagkatapos nang naging engkuwentro nila noong isang araw, hindi siya dapat gumawa nang paraan na makakapagpabago sa impresyon nito sa kanya, that she wasn't the easy type.

She knew that women were just an easy prey to him. And she believed that women should maintain respect among themselves by not acting like easy to get sluts to men, that men should earn women, and women should not just fall freely at men's feet. Men loved a hard chase, so they say, and that was what she was banking at. Kaya naman cool lang siya nang magkrus ang mga landas nila ng lalaki.

Kung iba sigurong babae ang nasa kalagayan niya, siguro ay sinunggaban na ang pagkakataong makapagpa-cute rito. Well, not her. Anyways, she wasn't in a hurry anyway. She could take all the time in the world as she gets to know Bejamin. But she could start infiltrating his fb now by adding his contacts so she clicked on his friends.

Marami itong friends sa fb. Lampas apat na libo. Karamihan sa mga iyon ay magaganda at seksing babae. Kung hindi bikini selfie ang profile pic, nakabalandra naman ang cleavage.

Napailing na lamang siya. Alam niyang isa iyong palatandaan ng pagiging chickboy nito. She was sure as hell that he didn't intimately knew all of his freaking four thousand fb friends, that almost three-fourths of those were strangers. And she could just guess the percentage of women whom he maybe dated or hookep up with.

May naramdaman siyang kung anong kurot sa kanyang dibdib pero binalewala niya iyon. Ipinagpatuloy niya ang pag-browse sa profile ng lalaki.

She looked for his closest friends and family members and added them. Kapag in-add siya ng mga iyon, lalabas sa friend's suggestions nito ang kanyang fb profile. Maybe that way, he would find her. And who knows what would happen next.

She couldn't help but smile. Pagkatapos nang naging engkuwetro nila ni Benjamin noong isang araw, hindi pa rin ito mawala sa kanyang isipan magpahanggang ngayon. She could still picture out his boyish smile - how his eyes would slant in cuteness, and how his reddish lips would curve in a refreshing smirk.

She sighed. Mabigat ang kanyang dibdib nang i-close niya ang kanyang facebook browser. Pagkatapos ay inabot ang kanyang mini journal. She flipped the pages and stared at her to do list. She crossed out what was written in number 1.

Muli niyang hinarap ang kanyang laptop. She opened her skype so she could call Liana. Mangungumusta lang siya ng sitwasyon nito. Kung aligaga ito sa trabaho ay tutulungan niya.

Tumayo si Maru mula sa pagkakaupo sa kama at lumapit sa bintana. Nakikita niya ang mga nag-iinumang tambay sa gilid ng daan. Marami ring mga batang naglalaro sa kalsada. Maingay at magulo ang paligid.

Kahapon lang siya lumipat sa lugar na ito. Alam niyang hindi safe sa lugar na iyon dahil sa mga tambay sa paligid pero kinakailangan niyang lumipat ng apartment. She needed a simple and cheap place, not that she couldn't afford. Kinakailangan lang kasi niyang gawin.

Magdadalawang linggo pa lamang nang ipinasya niyang umuwi ng Pilipinas. Halos ay sampung taon na rin nang lumuwas ang kanyang buong pamilya sa Amerika upang makipagsapalaran doon.

Pero hindi sila sinuwerte. Dalawang taon pa lamang sila roon nang magkaroon ng malawakang forest fire sa California kung saan sila nakatira at nasunog maging ang bahay nila. They became homeless and temporarily lived in their van - siya, ang kanyang ama, ina at kapatid na lalaki.

But another tragedy struck in her family. Habang natutulog sila sa loob ng kanilang van isang gabi ay may isang malaking truck na humaharurot na bumangga sa kanila. Lasing ang driver niyon at wala sa sarili habang nagmamaneho.

Her parents and brother died on the tragic accident. She on the other hand, survived.

She was still sixteen then and an orphan. Habang nagpapagaling sa ospital ay hindi niya alam kung ano na ang mangyayari sa kanya. Her family members died and she was left alone, with nowhere to run to. They didn't have relatives in the US. Saan at kanino siya hihingi ng tulong?

The hospital where she was confined, knowing her situation, tried to look for a family who could give her a foster home. Malapit na siyang gumaling nang tuluyan nang may bumisita sa kanyang isang mag-anak - an American doctor with a Filipina wife and a daughter who was two years older than her.

They welcomed her in their home.  Hindi lamang bahay ang ibinigay ng mga ito sa kanya kundi pagmamahal na rin. She found a new set of parents and their daughter became her bestfriend.

Kaya isang napakalaking utang na loob ang tinatanaw niya sa pamilyang nag-aruga sa kanya. Kung wala ang mga ito, siguro ay napariwara na siya.

Malalim ang iniisip niya nang marinig na may tumatawag sa kanya sa skype. Muli siyang lumapit sa kanyang kama at tsinek ang kanyang laptop. She accepted the call. It was her assistant Liana. Hindi kasi ito sumasagot kanina nang tawagan niya.

"Liana, hi!" bati niya rito. "How are things going on in the studio?"

"Everything's fine, Maru. We're approaching winter so clients are minimal. I can manage."

"Good!" she was relieved. Nakikita niya sa cam ni Liana na gumagalaw ito sa loob ng kanyang studio. Liana was a full bloodied Filipina who were born and raised in the US. Ang pagiging Filipina ang pinakapangunahing dahilan kung bakit ito ang pinili niyang maging assistant sa kanyang interior design studio sa New York. Magaling ito, maaasahan at competitive.

"If you need help, just let me know, okay?" wika niya maya-maya. "I could still work here for the designs and other related things, you know."

"Okay, I will, Maru. Will surely let you know."

"Great! Will check on you again next time. Have to go now, Liana. Take good care there!"

Iyon lang at tinapos na niya ang tawag.

Bukas ay aalis siya at may aasikasuhin. Nabisita na niya ang abandonado nilang bahay sa Quezon City noong isang linggo. Nag-hire na siya ng tao upang ipalinis iyon. Pinaplano niya kasing ibenta na ang bahay.

More or less, she would stay in the Philippines for three to four months. Siguro naman ay may mahahanap na siyang buyer sa loob ng panahong iyon. She already sought help from a broker which she hoped would make the sale faster.

Napahugot siya nang malalim na buntong-hininga. Sana naman ay matapos na niyang gawin ang mga pinaplano niya sa loob ng nakatakdang panahon nang pananatili niya sa Pilipinas.