Steal My Heart (Published)

Chapter 9 continuation

Kanina pa hindi mapalagay sa loob ng kanyang apartment si Maru. Magmula nang maka-receive siya ng text message galing kay Benjamin, telling her to prepare as they would go out for a dinner date, naligalig na ang kanyang buong maghapon.

Panay ang tingin niya sa kanyang digital clock. Alas-sais y medya nang gabi. She knew that any moment from now, Benjamin would just pop in her apartment's door.

Napapitlag siya habang nakaupo sa kama nang makarinig ng kalabog sa katabing unit. She could hear voices fighting in controlled manner. Maya-maya ay natahimik ang paligid.

Her heartbeat dribbled in frenzy when she heard knocks at her door. It was Benjamin, she was sure of that even if she hadn't opened the door yet. She could already smell his scent, hear his breathing.

Nag-aalangang binuksan niya ang pintuan. And there, with all his glory, stood the man who made her stupefied.

"Hi, Maru!" His chinky eyes crinkled as he greeted her, flashing his even set of white teeth. Pero napalis ang ngiti sa mga labi nito nang makitang hindi siya nakaayos. "You're not yet ready? We're dining out..."

Napakurap na lamang siya nang humagod ang mga mata nito sa kabuoan niya. Nakasuot pa rin siya ng maong na shorts at itim na t-shirt though she made sure that she did put on her bra. Wala kasi siyang balak na umalis.

She was about to tell him that she wouldn't be coming with him when they heard something splashed on the floor. Mukhang may nabasag na bagay na gawa sa kristal. Nagmula iyon sa katabing unit.

"What's that?" si Benjamin na kaagad na sinaklit siya sa braso at itinulak papasok sa kanyang unit. He shut the door behind him.

May narinig na naman silang tila nabasag na bagay, kasunod niyon ang impit na daing at hagulhol ng isang babae.

"Sh*t!" napamura si Benjamin sa narinig.

"May nag-aaway yata sa kabila..." nag-aalalang wika niya. The sound that they heard was disturbing.

Isang malakas na tili ang kumawala sa kanyang lalamunan nang bigla na lamang ay may pumutok na baril. She suddenly cowered like a scared kitty.

"Damn!" he cursed colorfully as he reached for her, snatching her fragile body in his arms as he pulled her in one corner.

Sumiksik sila sa tabi ng kama. Mahigpit siyang yakap ni Benjamin na tila pinoprotektahan siya nito. Sa takot ay mas lalo pa niyang isiniksik ang katawan dito. His body was hard and warm and it was comforting. She felt safe in his arms.

The noises in the other apartment became louder. Alam niyang nabulabog na ang buong building dahil sa nangyayari. And she could feel the tension and the terror behind the wall that separates her unit from where the violence was coming from.

Muling umalingawngaw ang putok ng baril. "Benjamin!" she cried as she squeezed her body against him even more, oblivious of the fact that she was literally grinding her softness against him.

God, she was scared as a kitty! What the hell was happening? She wasn't used to this kind of violence. The last time that she was exposed to life's ugly atrocities was when their van was hit by a truck, killing her parents and brother and left her in a coma for weeks.

The memory of her family's tragic death brought back an unpleasant thought that made her shiver in fear.

"Sh*t, Maru, dapa!" impit na utos nito sa bruskong boses.

She didn't know what to do anymore. Nanginginig na siya sa takot. Paano kung lumusot ang bala sa unit niya at tamaan sila ni Benjamin? Oh, God!

She felt his arms pulled her as he ducked on the floor. She didn't want to be far away from him. His body seemed like a shield that she could seek for protection.