The Promise

Escaping Him

"Thanks for this info, Gabe. I knew I could count on you. Ahm, who are this people protecting him?"

"No info was found by my whisperers. But they are 100% he is protected by this people who gains big bucks with the high powered guns and explosives,"

"Contacts?"

"Separate paper inside the envelope,"

"Great. Of course this has to be confidential. I mean our transaction,"

"You don't have to tell me about that. This never happens,"

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(skipping the following day after Paul and Arhianna's shopping)

Arhianna woke up the following day feeling light. David was out of sight when she opened her eyes. For the first time since she got back home, David has been the first and last person she sees everyday and it irritated her but she cannot complain. Her parents doesn't know anything that is happening between her and David, and she don't want them get involved.

Her parents were no where in sight, even Paul.

"Yaya Luisa, asan po sina Papa at Mama?" she asked the old lady arranging flowers.

"Tinawagan sila ng Tita Amanada at Tito Al mo. Inimbitahan sila na maglunch,"

"How about Paul?"

"Di siya umuwi kagabi. Gusto mo na bang kumain?"

Arhianna was alone in their house that she has to take advantage of it.

"Hindi na yaya. There's somewhere I need to be at,"

"Saan?"

"Kina Wila,"

Wila was hers and David's closest friend in college, and Arhianna doesn't have any clue that there was something going on between the two.

Yesterday, Arhianna made a call to the  number posted in the web invitation for Jaime Licauco's seminar. She purchased a seat for the seminar  but she will go early to meet with the author firt. She has no intention of staying for the seminar that will start at 3pm today. She checked her wrist watch and its already 12:30pm. She has to rush.

She has no time to take lunch so she scooted to her room and prepare. It only took her an hour. She ran to her waiting car and bolted. Good thing the venue for the seminar was only 30mins away from her house.

  The 5th flr of the building 6750 Ayala Avenue was not yet crowded. She checked in her name from the woman at the front table.

"Arhianna Howell," she told the woman wearing a cat's eye glasses and pink glossy long sleeves polo. Her hair in a tight bun. She looks more of an Math or Chemistry teacher than an ashier.

The lady looked through her list of guests in her laptop. When she found the name, she highlighted it, then took a rectangular white clean sticker and wrote her name.

"Please have this name tag stick on your left chest," she instructed.

"Had Mr. Licauco arrived?"

"Yes. He's in the other room preparing his modules," the woman didn't look at Arhianna, continuing to cut the big white sticker paper into small rectangular pieces.

"Can I talk to him? There is something I need to ask him about,"

"I'm sorry but guests can ask questions after the seminar. Its still early. You can go somewhere else if you want, or stay inside. Drinks are offered for free," still she didn't look at the inquiring woamn standing infront of her.