Muse & Escort

If you walk out on me, I'm walking after you

She just stared at him in amazement as he took her injured leg, rolled up her capris, and placed it on his lap.

"Is this what you call fine?" he said.

"Well, buhay pa ko so I guess it is fine."

"It's not." He opened the pack of wet tissue and gently dabbed at the cut. Then opened the bottle of antiseptic, and dropped some on a cotton ball. "Stay put."

She did. But she couldn't help wincing when she felt the sudden sting of the medication. She put a hand to her mouth. She wanted to punch him and was already clenching her fist when she felt the sudden warmth of his breath as he gently blew on the cut. That did wonders not just to her freaking wound but to her racing heart as well.

He looked up. "If you're hurting, you must say it." He continued on inspecting her cut. "There's always someone, somehow who would do something for you to ease your pain."

"You make it sound like such a big deal."

He simply smiled, before he gently patted her leg, unrolled her pants, gathered the first aid stuff and stood up. "Kaya mo na?" he held out a hand to her.

She just nodded and allowed herself to be taken outside

"When it hurts again, just tell me."

She chuckled. "It's just a minor cut, Rafa. It's not like you just took out a bullet or something."

He squeezed her hand. "OA na ba?"

"Medyo..."

He just laughed. "Let's go?" he turned to their right.

"Where? Uuwi na ako."

"Hindi ka ba nagugutom? Let's go eat something first. I have an extra shirt. Magpalit ka din muna ng damit at pinawisan ka din kanina."

Goodness. How can she ever get away from this man? "Okay." She said and freed her hand from his grasp. She started walking ahead of him.

"Do you really have to keep running away from me, Marla?"

"You were looking this way..." she pointed to the direction she was heading to. "So I assumed you parked somewhere here."

"You know what I am talking about."

"No you don't."

"This is not the proper time to talk about whatever it is you want to talk to me about, Rafa."

"Kelan pa? Iniiwasan mo naman ako."

She stopped, and faced him. "Ano ba kasing kaso mo?"

He stepped close. "Why do you think people run away from their feelings, Marla?"

She glared at him. "Malay ko."

"Seriously, Don't you think that's a sign of cowardice?"

"I seriously agree with you."

"Are you a coward, marla?"

"Yes."

He winced, unconsciously scratching his head. "Hindi ka man lang magde-deny?"

She shruged. "Hindi na. Totoo naman iyon eh."

He looked at her intently, as he walked closer. "so you're just going to let go of the man you love?"

She raised a brow at him, but didn't say anything. But her heart, if only it could burst out of her chest and say something, will surely scream in protest. No way!

She sighed. "What if I'm afraid to love someone because I'm afraid to get hurt?"

He smiled again, and she thought her raging heart just melted right there. "Didn't you ever get hurt when you're not loving someone?"

She just rolled her eyes. "Can you hear yourself, Rafa?"

"Is loving me not enough for you to take the risk?"

Pesteng lalaki 'to! She turned around and started walking again. How can he put her on the spot like that? Can he not understand?

But before she could completely get away, she felt his hand on her arm. She wanted to wring his neck. Ang kulit!

"Then I guess I'll just have to take that risk for both of us." He said after awhile, as they walked towards the parking area.

She felt her head grew as big as the globe in MOA. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I have enough stock of courage in my body. Siguro okay na iyon para sa ating dalawa."

She stopped, and stared at him in disbelief. So he's saying that he would be the one to make all the moves so they'd have a love story, so to speak? "Sira ka ba? You can/t do that!"

"i can." He smiled. And winked.

She shook her head, then freed herself from him again, and started stomping away. The nerve!

She doesn't like what he is doing and yet, it's making her giddy. All the attention, the things he's been saying. The way he's been running after her, even if she has told him point blank that she has no plans of ever pursuing her feelings.

Loving him is just one risk she couldn't risk she couldn't imagine herself getting into.

And yet.... Right now, is it time to stay put, hold on to him and face the danger of getting hurt?

She stopped, and looked at the man walking towards her. The same man who stole her ehart without her even knowing it. She felt cornered as she remembered that time he said that one cannot always get several chances to do something. And it is up to the person if they will grab the opportunity or just let it go.

This could be her chance. Now or never. Take it or leave it.

"Marla, hindi kita kikidnapin or anything." He kidded. "We're just going to eat something. But first, we'll get the shirt from the car so you can change. Okay naman yung CR sa Figaro, di ba?"

She just nodded slowly. "Halata bang masyado sa fez ko ang iniisip ko ngayon?"

He laughed and then gently pinched her cheek. "Cute."

"Weh?"

He simply kept smiling. Then reached for her hand. "Tara an nga at nagugutom na din uli ako."

She tried prying her hand away from him. "Ang gaspang ng kamay ko. You won't like the feel of it...parang liha."

"Funny." He just held on tighter. "I like what I'm feeling right now.

Okay....putek... she didn't complain anymore nor said anything as they walked hand in hand towards the parking area. She knows she will just run out of reasons, and excuses. She has to admit she's still afraid, and she couldn't simply jump in and take the risk... but as long as he is holding her like that, she could try, right?

She could try taking that risk of losing her heart. For once, she wanted to try to give it all and let go of all that she held on to for that one chance of loving without fear of getting hurt. She is sure now, even if she actually get crushed in the end, she would never regret anything.