Time and Again

[6] A Damsel in Distress

He knocked the two men down. I didn’t expect him to defeat two burly men because of his petite figure. Amazing. He had a special knack of a prizefighter. 

“That was impressive.”

“You’re welcome.”

He walked away from me and went up to the tree house.

“Wait.”

I followed him. He climbed so fast. I climbed as fast as I could to catch up with him. Before I was able to say another word to him, he banged the door on my face. That was rude but I couldn’t blame him.

“Look. I’m sorry if I was rude to you this morning and for trespassing in your house. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. There’s just so many things that is going on in my mind right now. I almost forgot how to be polite. Thank you for your help. By the way, my name is Isabel.” 

I almost jumped from my stance when he suddenly opened the door shirtless.

“You left this book yesterday.”

He handed me the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ book. I was so occupied I almost forgot about my book.

“Thank you.”

“You may go now.”

He banged the door on my face again. 

“Wait. Please don’t slam the door on my face. I wanted to get inside.”

I knocked on his door. I didn't stop knocking until he opened the door back.

“What else do you want from me?”

“I need a place to hide. There are men who’s chasing after me. I’m not sure how many.” 

He pulled me inside his house. He opened the window and pulled me to peer outside.

“Are they the ones chasing after you?”

I saw the bodyguards of my father below. It was obvious that they were searching for me.

“Yes, they are my father’s bodyguards.”

“Why don’t you show up yourself to them to stop the chase?”

“Are you crazy? I’ve already gone this far. I will never give up. Nothing’s going to stop me now.”

“I am afraid that you will only have two choices. It’s either you’re going to get out from my house now and surrender yourself to those men who’s looking for you or you’re going to stay with me here and give up your virginity to me. You choose between the two options that you think is the lesser evil.”

I wanted to jump out the window. This poor guy really had a nerve to ravish a rich girl like me. I had no choice but to swallow my pride and beg for mercy. I knelt down in front of him and put my hands together as if I’m praying to a pagan god.

“Please don’t rape me. I’m begging you. I can’t show myself to those men because they will hand me back to my father. I wanted to run away because my father was forcing me to marry someone I don’t love.”

Oh my God! That was the only thing I could tell him. I was ashamed to admit that my father was marrying me off to a man older than him.

“So the rumor is true.”

Oh my God! What rumor was he referring to? I was afraid that they already knew the horrid details of my engagement. I froze in place waiting for him to tell me what he already knew.

“They said that you were just engaged last night to this handsome Spanish mestizo. You were the talk of the town last night even until now. Almost all the girls in our town envy you. You almost have everything. Why do you have to make your life difficult by defying your father? Any girl will do anything to switch places with you.”

I was relieved that they didn’t know my engagement to an old man yet. It was very flattering to know that every girl in our town envied me. But they didn’t have any idea about the emptiness I felt inside. They were not aware of the pain that is gnawing me slowly. I was glad to know that a lot of girls wanted to trade places with me. If only I could switch my life with someone else, I wouldn’t hesitate to give up my prosperous life just to get away from marrying a dirty old man. 

“You don’t have any idea what’s really going on with my life.”

That’s the least I could say. I was not yet ready to share a bad piece of my life to him.

“Can I stay here until their search operation is over?”

He didn’t respond.

“Please?”

“You can stay here but you must pay me tonight.”

“I don’t have money right now.”

“Then use your body.”

“You’re kidding, right.”

“No, I’m not. I’ll be back later to collect your due. I need to go now. I have to plough some fields so that I have something to eat.”