The Rival's Agenda

032

Though my asthma has never been a major problem for me, it's still an annoying thing to have, especially when I was a kid. 

My eyes roamed the buildings and sidewalks to find Apple. Whenever I'd drive by here on my way home, I would always see her outside the building waiting for her teammates.

Now, that spot was empty.

I sighed and decided to head back to the meeting. Maybe she had an emergency to deal with, or maybe she went home.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it's valid enough to skip the meeting. Maybe I'll just take notes for her during the meeting later. 

As I rushed back to the meeting, doubling my steps in the process, not minding that I was already huffing, a car passed by the sidewalk. And Apple was inside it, with an unfamiliar guy on the driver's seat. 

When she saw me, her face morphed into surprise and panic. She rapped the glass window on her side, but as I cannot hear her, I relied purely on my gut feeling that she was in danger.

I immediately jumped off the sidewalk and towards the road to grab the handle of the car. It wasn't speeding so I had the opportunity to hold on to it, but I was still dragged by it before it abruptly stopped.

"What the fuck?" The driver barked the moment he got out of the car.

He was wearing an all-white ensemble and a badge that had the logo of the uni so it was safe to say that he was Apple's boyfriend who's studying nursing.

I ignored him and grasped the handle on the passenger's door, forcing it to open.

"Hoy, sino ka?" I heard him say.

I teared off my gaze from Apple who was still inside the car and looked at him. "Open the door."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Hindi kita kilala so why would I open it? My girlfriend's inside."

Apple managed to unlock the door and I pulled it open so harshly that it almost hit the pavement.

"Tanginang gago, saan mo ko dadalhin?" Apple yelled as soon as she was out of the vehicle.

I made an attempt to pull her behind me, but I forgot about her temper and the need to be confrontational, so I let her stand on her own, but kept a short distance in case of violence.

I mean, I'm not much of anything to be good in a fight, but I can take him down if I have to. Probably.

"I told you, mag-usap tayo. Hindi mo nga ako binigyan ng chance makausap ka nang maayos. Honestly, Apple, what do you want from me?"

Apple's shoulders shook with anger. "Sagutin mo lang 'yong tanong ko! Mahirap ba? I want your honesty."

Her boyfriend scoffed and placed a hand on his hip and approached us. "And I told you, pag-usapan natin bago ka makipaghiwalay. You ambushed me with your questions, for God's sake."

"And kaya mong sagutin 'yon lahat kung hindi ka nagsisinungaling. Hindi ako pinanganak kahapon," she said with a harsh breath. "I know what you've been doing, and I don't want to be your toy anymore."

Apple pushed her way past me and headed towards the building where the meeting was being held, leaving her boyfriend behind.

I jogged after her after a few seconds of making sure that he won't follow us into the building or I'll really call the security on him.

Going again with my gut, I followed her until she went inside the woman's comfort room.

"Apple?" I asked.

"Saglit lang."

I leaned on the wall outside and waited for her to come out whenever she was ready to face me. I can only imagine that she feels embarrassed that I was the one to see her in that state.