Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 15: True Loves Kiss

Napahinto ako nang may mapansin.

What the heck, I was drawing James! It was a sketch of the guy upstairs, his bare back hunched while glancing backward, and his hands were in his pocket. 

Putangina bakit ko ginuguhit ang lalakeng 'yun.

"Hey Hope?" Hope? Lito akong lumingon sa likod because no one ever calls me by my second name at nakita siyang nakatayo sa pinakataas ng hagdanan. 

Why is he here? Umalis na nga ako para hindi ako ma-distract sa kanya bago andito siya uli.

I gulped nervously when he walked down and sat by my side, 'di ko tuloy alam kung saan tititig with the way he stares. It's like he's examining my whole existence with one look. 

I avoided his gaze and stared at the ocean, sparkling with the way the sun reflected on its waters, "I'm sorry you lost your job."

I was shocked he even brought up this matter, pero nagtaka ako nang tumahimik siya kaya lumingon ako at nakita siyang nakatitig sa papel na hawak ko. I froze and feel my cheeks burn from embarrassment when he sees my sketch of him. 

Mabilis kong yinukot ang papel para 'di niya na makita at tinago ko agad sa bulsa ng aking shorts. 'Di na ako makatingin sa kanya putaaa.

"You like me." It wasn't a question. Isang punyetang statement 'yon.

I rolled my eyes at his smug face. He concluded that from a simple drawing? "I don't."

"Of course you don't." He chuckled. His tone was mocking me, "Action speaks louder than words, babe."

He glanced at my pocket at mabilis akong tumayo para makalayo sa kanya. Why do I feel like he's going to steal the drawing from me? 

"Gago hindi nga. Now get that smirk off of your face, hindi naman ikaw 'to." I glared at him, my gaze following as he made his way to stand up.

He's walking toward me, and I refuse to bow down with submission towards him, so I don't avoid eye contact, "Now, I'm curious."

When he got closer, my neck craned because he was freaking tall. I couldn't fight the chill I felt with the way he stood, smirking so cruelly. A couple of silences later, he removed the mischievous expression on his face, and I wanted to run away from him.

"I know you were there, Scarlet. I know you heard us talk." My breathing hitched from his words. Even with little details, alam ko na agad kung ano ang tinutukoy niya, "You know I'm involved with criminals but still... you can't get me off that pretty brain of yours?"

I frowned. Nabaliw na nga ata ako eh. I completely know that he could push and drown me in the water for knowing their secret, but here I am, my heart racing, struck by the gorgeousness of this man.

"Why are you acting like you don't know anything? You're not scared of me?" 

Am I not? 

I should be. 

When he could easily ruin my life with his power because he both has the money and the strength... but, every time I remember those scars etched on his back, the way he treats his siblings, the way he teases me, the way he pouts if I don't give him coffee in the morning. I couldn't.

"Do I have a reason to be?" I stared at him, my chin lifting from defying my fear.

He hunched his body, depicting the sketch I made, as his eyes wandered all over my face. He was standing so close that I could feel him breathing and that our lips would touch if I stood on my tippy toes. 

"No." 

Hindi ko alam na pinipigilan ko palang huminga at napahinga nalang ng malalim habang nakatitig parin sa mga mata niya.

"Don't look so serious." I couldn't stop him from holding my chin as he once again, smirked mischievously. "You look the prettiest when you're acting like an idiot."

Napakunot ang noo ko.

"Gago." Tinulak ko siya palabas ng deck.

Natawa ako sa paraan ng paglaki ng kanyang mga mata sa gulat habang nahuhulog siya sa tubig.

Tumawa ako ng makitang nalamon na siya ng tubig and he kept resurfacing the water but the waves were strong. Umaarte pa siyang nalulunod, tingin niya ba magpapaloko ako at tatalon para lang mabasa?

"Why are you just standing there? He's drowning!" Nagulat ako nang biglang dumating at tumalon si Mark, and I stood there shell shocked as he dived under the ocean.

Totoo ba ang mga nangyayaring 'to? He's really drowning? "Wha—"

I hear the commotion at narinig ang takbuhan ng mga kasamahan namin pababa rito. Together with my heart dropping as Mark resurfaced the water seconds after, with an unconscious James by his side.

Lumangoy siya pabalik rito habang inaangat ang ulo ni James at tinalon ni Chance ang mga hagdan pababa para tulungan ang kaibigan niya. 

Waking up from reality, I immediately dropped on my knees to help him pull James above the deck from Mark, who was still on the ocean, while Lorraine gasped and grabbed the railings to balance herself from the wobbling yacht, "He's unconscious!"

We placed him on the floor, and I kept tapping his face to wake him up. Putangina James, please don't die. "Do chest compressions!"

I stared with my eyes bulging at Mark, who was instructing me, "I don't know how!"

"Call Rose, call Rose! She's the nurse!" Ellena, who was left at the top deck, ran inside the cabins as Lorraine shouted.

"Wala nang oras, do it now!" Mark screamed while he was still in the water, and I whipped my head back at him, my eyes bulging right out of their sockets.

Bigla akong napatayo at lumayo, bakit ako?! "Hindi ko nga alam kung pano!"

"Just put your hands together and pump his chest!" Nakisigaw din si Lorraine at sumasakit na ang ulo ko sa sigawan nilang lahat. 

I know it's my fault he drowned, but I don't want to make things worse by applying the wrong method!

I stared at James. His hair was sticking on his face, and the water was dripping from his body. He... he admitted he did some illegal stuff. Wouldn't it be right if we left him to die?

But I don't want him to die.

"Putangina!" I groaned and dropped to my knees as I recalled all those medical K-drama scenes I watched while placing my shaking hands on the top of his chest, and praying to all those saints in heaven I wouldn't kill him more. 

I did chest compressions but I'm not even sure kung tama 'tong ginagawa ko. Nararamdaman ko lang lahat ng tingin nila habang umusog pa ako para maabot ang ulo niya. 

Putanginang gago ka James 'wag kang mamatay, "I'm sorry. Please, magising ka."

Don't die. Don't die. Don't die.

I pinched his nose and held his mouth to blow air into it by pressing my lips against his, hanggang sa nararamdaman ko ang pandidilim ng paningin ko dahil nawawalan din ako ng oxygen. 

I stared at him after but he wasn't bulging. "James!" 

Suddenly I remembered all the memories I had with him and his voice echoed in my mind. 

I deeply inhaled to stop my tears from falling and pulled myself to do it again. I don't know a thing about CPR, gagi kasi bakit hindi ko 'to pinagaralan? What if he died because I was doing it wrong?

The third time I was about to go down, I was a centimeter above his lips when he opened his golden brown eyes and winked.

( ˘ ³˘)