"Excuse me?"
Tumingin siya sa akin at kumunot ang kanyang noo. "You should get inside. Its more safer for your well being."
"So I should get inside and leave a bleeding man outside my terrace?" He contemplated my question and was unsure and slowly nodded.
"That's exactly what I want you to do."
"Well, that's not what I want." I approach him and position my arms to help him get up. However, he scooted away like I had a contaminated disease. I gazed at him, questioningly.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
What am I doing?
"Helping you," I said sarcastically. Seriously? Is he dumb? "Come on."I put his hands on my shoulder and help him stand up and lead him to my room. I'm even surprised that he didn't stop me. His weight is the problem. "D*mn! You're heavy," I said and he glared at me.
"Don't curse," he warned and I dismissed it. And here I thought he was angry because I told him that he was heavy. He's angry because I cursed.
"How many pounds are you?"I asked and laid him on my bed.
"That's none of your business." he coldly said. Yeah, well. That's true.
"Just lay there, I'll grab some towels and some shirts."I immediately head down and grab some basin and towel. I put the basin in the sink and filled it with water. I also hold some water to drink. I went upstairs and opened the door and gave him some water.
"Here. Drink some water."
"Thank you," he said and drank the water. I sat on the bed and opened his leather jacket. He took off his shirt and there was something black that covered his other arm, however, my attention moved towards his big wound. My breath hitched.
"This is big," I said while surveying the wound. I grabbed the cloth and was about to clean it when he stopped me.
"I'll do it."
I shook my head.
"I-I can handle it." He let go of my hand. I then start cleaning his wound. "I might stained your bed," he said while looking around my bed. There were red stains around, but I didn't mind it. I can still clean it in the morning so my friends would not suspect it.
"It's no problem," I said and smiled at him. I started cleaning his wound and he winced when the cloth came in contact with his skin.
"How did you get in this state?"I asked worriedly.
"Just a fight." he didn't elaborate. He does not have to. It's none of my business how he got this wound. But I'm d*mn curious.
"Are you in a gang?"
"You're scared of me." It wasn't a question. It was more of a statement.
"No, I'm not."I said in a serious tone."Why would I be scared of someone who saved me?"
"But what if I kill you?" he asked and I laughed.
"You saved me and now you're planning to kill me? Very ingenious." I joked and I could see that he was smiling. Although, I can't see his smile, but I see his eyes wrinkled.
Then, suddenly his breathing was uneven, like he was having a hard time breathing. I was about to take off his mask but realized that maybe he didn't want me to know his identity.
"C-can you just take off your mask? You look like you can't breathe." I kindly asked and he shook his head.
"I can't." My brows furrowed, because of what he said. "I can't let you know who I am," he says in a serious tone. I scoffed thinking that he would rather die than reveal his identity.
"Do I know you?"
"I won't answer." he said and looked away."Th-thank you." he said."I better get going," he said and suddenly stood up.
"What?" My brows furrowed as he approached the terrace. Oh my gosh! He's gonna jump! "You're not fully healed!"I tried to reason with him.
"I'll be fine."He reassured me, but I wasn't convinced.
"Okay, just tell me that your wound suddenly opened when you jumped," I said and crossed my arms. He looked down and looked at me and looked down again, before sighing. I smiled when he let go of the railings and got back inside my room. I gestured to my bed and he nodded, before lying down.
"Just sleep, I'll watch over you," I said and put on the blanket.
"I'm supposed to be the one doing that." he chuckled and I was startled. Does that mean-
"What do you mean?"I asked, cautiously."A-are you, my other bodyguard?"
"Yes," he answered and I was shocked. It is hard to process that the person in front of me is the guy I have been looking for.
"So...you know Jace Montezalde?"
Out of all the questions. I just had to ask if he knows Jace. A question that can be answered easily. F*cking stupid.
His brows furrowed but he still answered. He's thinking why he's protecting such a d*mb b*tch.
"Yes."
After he answered, there was an awkward silence between us. "Do..you want to know about him?" he asked and I immediately shook my head.
"No, no. I just want to ask."I said in an awkward tone and started rubbing my arm, avoiding his gaze. I sighed before looking at him again and he was still staring at me.
I immediately avoided my gaze and looked at the sofa, before approaching it. I took a pillow and blanket and laid down. His brows furrowed and he immediately stood up. I was shocked at what he was doing."Woah. What are you doing?"
"I should be the one laying there, not you," he said and I disagreed.
"You're wounded and I don't care about laying here on the sofa-"
"I care," he said and I looked at him, dumbfounded.
What did he say?
"Excuse me?"
"What I mean is I'm your bodyguard and I should be the one protecting you."
"Relax. No one's gonna attack me by just sleeping on the sofa."
"Yeah, your brothers." he scoffed and I lightly chuckled.
"Yeah, you got a point, but they're in the U.S."
"Jewel?"Natigilan kaming dalawa nang marinig namin ang boses ni Amber sa labas ng kwarto ko."May kausap ka ba diyan?"tanong niya. Sh*t!
"What are you saying, Amber? I-I was just reading a-a book and it was very kilig I mean kinilig ako! M-maybe, you heard my squeals."I explained and this guy in front of me gave this look that I had just conjured the dumbest excuse in the century and I was looking at him, telling him to shut up!
"A-are you sure? I'm going in," she said and I panicked. I looked at him and he was also panicking I was looking around where to hide this a**hole and an idea immediately popped into my mind.
"W-wait!"
I looked at my closet and looked back at him and I immediately shoved him into the closet. He groaned and I suddenly muttered an apology and closed the closet door.
The door opened and I saw Amber looking at me, eyebrows raised.
"Jewel?" she asked and I fakely smiled.
"Yeah?"
"Okay ka lang? I heard a...groan?" she said, unsurely and I immediately thought of an excuse.
"I-I hit my hip on the table. Ouch!"I said and held my hip, pretending to twinge in pain.
"Let me see," she said and approached me, but I immediately shook my head.
"No, I'm good. You should probably go back to sleep. It's already 12."I said, gazing at the clock, and she also gazed at the clock, too.
"Yeah, I should and you should too," she said and I smiled.
"Hmm, yeah. I have finished reading already."I said and grabbed the book I was reading earlier and put it back on the shelf.
"Okay. Good night, Jewel," she said and approached the door, and I followed her.
"Night," I said and locked the door. I immediately approached my closet and opened it.
"A-are you okay?"I asked, looking at the state he was in. He was sweating and I could see that he was holding his wound, which was not yet cured.
He groaned and I grimaced. I helped him up guided him to the bed and laid him there.
"Sh*t!I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shove you in my closet! I-I panicked, okay?!"I said and I was shocked when he chuckled. Is he now insane? "Why are you laughing? Did you hit your head?Sh*t You're now insane. What am I gonna do now?!"
"You're crazy." he chuckled while staring at me. His eyes glinted in the darkness, and I was mesmerized by how pretty those brown eyes were. I mentally slapped myself so I could go back to where we were.
"You're the one crazy here, a-hole!"I whisper-yelled if there was such a thing. Before Amber could hear and immediately opened the door, gazing at me practically yelling at this a**hole and her seeing this unknown wounded man in my bed! I don't want her to think such a thing!
"Seriously, woman? You shove me at your closet," he said and I could feel my cheeks turning red trying to contain my curiosity and embarrassment.
"I-I panicked, okay?!"I reasoned out.
"I look like your boyfriend, who has a secret relationship with you because we were forbidden to love," he said and I could feel him smirking under that mask. It makes me think what does he look like without it? Would he be handsome? No, personality is more pleasing.
"Geez then wrote it in a book. Maybe people like you will be interested."I said and crossed my arms. He looked at me eyebrows raised and slightly amused and a bit offended.
"What do you mean 'people like me'?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, I don't know. Stupid, crazy, and an a**hole."I said and he chuckled, once more."Why are you laughing?"
"I just noticed your quick emotion."
"What do you mean quick emotion?"I frowned.
"Well, at first when you saw me you were concerned and terrified then after you shoved me in the closet you were worried and now you're angry or cold," he said and I licked my lips, because of his observation.
"Nice observation," I answered a bit amused.
"It's one of my charms, m'lady," he said and my brows furrowed by the pet name.
"M'lady?"
"Yeah, I like calling you that."
"Why? You just met me and we won't probably be seeing each other again after this."kibit-balikat kong sabi.
"Something tells me that we will be seeing each other very soon," he said and I could feel him smirking again.
"Sino nagsabi na magkita tayo ulit?"I asked, curiously wondering where this flirtatious ego would go.
"Si tadhana."
"Ha! Hate to break it to you, but I don't like you and I'm not interested in entering a relationship," I smirked.
"You never know." he said and looked around, before dropping his gaze at me."Maybe I can change that," he said and winked at me. What an ego!
"You should shrink that big head of yours," I said and flicked his forehead and he looked at me angrily, before holding his forehead.
"You should sleep," I said and approached the couch.
"Yeah, I'll take the c-"I mentally rolled my eyes, because of going back to the argument. I immediately cut him off.
"Well, the couch's mine. Go to my bed, if you don't want me to deepen that wound."I said and glared at him. I lay on the couch and covered myself with the blanket.
"You're scary sometimes," he said and I could hear him chuckle lightly.
"Don't think that I still did not forget about the kiss."I suddenly said and I could hear some rustling and he was facing me now. We were staring at each other. I can feel that he's enjoying this.
But you kiss him back, says my inner voice. I felt my cheeks burn when I recalled what happened that night. He kissed me. I kissed him back. My hands around his hair. Our heavy breathing. Feeling hot. His hand pins my hands to the wall. He covered my eyes. I felt it all bubble inside me and I suddenly felt warm.
"Why? You want another one?"I rolled my eyes at him and covered myself with my comforter, having a battle of not relieving that memory.
"No thanks."I hear him chuckle. "You never told me your name."
"I told you-"
"Just a name. First name. How would I figure out who you are in just a first name?" I asked him. He was silent for a minute before he answered.
"Black. Call me Black." I had to stare at him and try to read him if he was really serious. But he is. He was staring at me, too, and there was no hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Are you serious right now?"I asked him. A smile forming my lips. I even wanted to laugh.
"Why?" he asked, quite innocently.
Cute.
"What's your team then? Red, gray, and white?"I joked and he chuckled.
"Unfortunately, I'm all alone in this wretched life," he said and we were silent for a bit, but I just couldn't get over with the name. I snickered. He gazed at me, wondering why I was laughing, but also a bit amused by my display of emotion.
"I'm sorry."I snickered. I tried to breathe and stop myself from laughing, but I just couldn't. "It's so funny. Are you serious that your name is black?" He rolled his eyes.
"It's not a name," he said. "It's a code name for me so that no one would recognize me. My enemies call me Black."
"And you think of me as your enemy?"
"Unfortunately, I'm at your side." His eyes can be seen because of the moonlight and it was beautiful. Russet brown eyes. It was guarded, but he's also showing a crack of who he is. It was protective, but also caring. He's even amused. All by just looking at his two brown eyes.
I started to feel drowsy while staring at his eyes. Then, I yawned. Nagkatinginan parin kami. I used my arms as my pillow as I stared at him, and then my eyes started to close. His eyes wrinkled, indicating that he was smiling at me.
When I woke up, I felt relaxed and the couch was a bit soft and comfortable. I quickly looked around and realized I was now lying on my bed. Was it all a dream? I scanned for small blots of blood, but there wasn't. My brows furrowed because I remembered the covers of my bed were purple and blue pastels mixed, but this one was yellow.
I immediately stood up and looked at the balcony the door was closed, but it was not locked. My eyes widen. So does that mean that what happened last night was all real? However, it's no use to dwell on that, 0.1% chance that guy would go back here. After all, he's not interested in making me know his identity and he certainly..accidentally came here, because he was injured.
I went to the bathroom and started bathing. It was Sunday today and I think I will be heading out since I also don't have work today.
When I finished bathing, I changed clothes. I wore a pink top partnered with black pants. I also wore black shoes and I accessorized myself with pearl earrings and a J necklace on my neck.
My brows furrowed when I saw a piece of paper lying there at the table. I grabbed it and my eyes widened when I read the text.
Thank you for taking care of me, m'lady. Highly appreciate what you did.
-black
I snickered. Black.
His handwriting is so neat. I'm even wondering if it's written by that man.
P. S. You snore.
My eyes widen. I DO NOT! H*CK I DO NOT SNORE!
Nice way for him to ruin my mood.
I got down and I realized everyone was now at the table. They were all eating breakfast. They looked at me and greeted me 'morning' and I greeted back.
"Aalis ka?"Natasha asked.
"I want to walk around. Shop a little maybe."I sat on my chair and grabbed my food.
"Oh, okay. We'll just be here."Natasha said and continued eating.
"I'm tired though. I just wanna sleep the whole day."Sapphire leaned on her chair.
"Is your waist still hurting?"Amber asked.
"Huh?-ahh oh a bit."F*ck. I almost forgot that I lied to her last night. I was almost caught!
"Hmm, that's good."
"Why is her waist hurting?"Sapphire asked.
"She hit the table last night," Amber answered for me.
After eating my breakfast, I grab my bag and head out. I walked around the place until I spotted a place. It was a ballet studio. Girls were doing their routine and I saw some parents watching their kids, proudly.
I smiled when I remembered that I used to be those girls, who were obsessed with ballet. My father would be looking at me from afar gazing at me with a proud smile and I would recall those moments when I was a daddy's girl.
"I miss you, papa."I smiled sadly when I realized that I quit ballet because he left.
"Oops, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"I asked when I suddenly bumped into a girl who was wearing a pink tutu.
"Kuya said, don't talk to strangers, Jessie," she said in a voice tone.
"Hey, what's wrong?"I asked, gently and she shook her head. I guide her to a nearby bench and quickly rummage through my bag to find some chocolates. When I got one, I gave it to the girl.
"Here, eat this chocolate. It will all be better."I said, gently shoe hesitated at first, but she then took it and started eating. I was startled when she started crying.
"H-hey," I said slowly, not knowing what to do.
"N-nothing will be okay. I suck at ballet, I'm not even that good!" she said while tears streaming from her eyes.
"That's not true. You are good, just like those girls."I said and smiled sweetly at her, before looking at those girls and looking back to her.
"Those girls bullied me," she said in a cold tone and I felt like I was dumped with a cold bucket of water.
"O-oh."I was feeling ashamed. Silence delved inside us like there was a thick ice at the center of us that made us go silent. I breathe and start a conversation. I don't know if this will make her feel better, but I also felt what she's feeling right now way back then. I was bullied by some girls, who thought they were good enough."You know, I was just like you when I was young."I started and it immediately grabbed her attention. She looked at me with those big doe eyes, interested.
"You were a ballet dancer, too?" she asked and I smiled.
"Yes."I answered."I love to dance, I was in love with the idea of doing ballet, while all the crowd was looking at me. But I wasn't good at ballet, like how I wanted to be. I was bad at it, bad at ballet. I always trip and stumble and fall. Many girls would laugh at me. My mentors even shouted at me, telling me that I would never be good at ballet and that I should quit." she was shocked at how horrible my experience was.
"Th-that's horrible! How could they?"
"Yeah, after that I went home, crying. Not letting anyone enter my room, even my mom and brothers. But my dad persisted, he entered my room and approached me. He asked what happened and I told him everything about how the girls laughed at me and my mentor shouted at me. He was angry, of course. I mean, I was his princess. Who would want a father to see their princess hurt?"I sweetly smiled and tapped her nose and she giggled.
"He told me that first tries will not always go what we want them to be, and that failures will approach you, no matter how you avoid them. But after more practice and improvements, it will get better. After all, failure is one step to success. Don't mind those who laugh at you, my jewel. After all, you're dancing for yourself not for them, so do your best not for them but for yourself. Dance in your rhythm, my princess."I said recalling that sweet moment that is now bitter in my memories because he left. I sighed and put those feelings aside. I was supposed to make this girl happy not make me unhappy.
"So, I want you to not mind them and be yourself, dear," I said and she sighed.
"But I still think I'm bad at dancing," she said feeling defeated.
"Then don't stop. Practice. Practice and improve and I promise you there will be good results."I said and she smiled at me like there was a burning passion that was now awoken.
"You're right, ate. I should do this for myself and not for them. I'll practice, practice until I get better." she said strongly and stood up. I looked at her proudly thinking that I had this girl inspired.
"Don't pressure yourself, okay?"I said and she suddenly hugged me. I felt ecstatic by her embrace.
"I won't, ate," she said and she let go of the hug and smiled sweetly at me. I felt ecstatic once more that she called me 'ate'. "By the way, I didn't get your name po."
"Jewel," I said my name.
"Ate jewel." she practiced calling my name from her mouth. "You should watch me dance," she suggested and I happily agreed.
"Yeah, I would love to."I agreed and she held my hand and we approached the entrance of the ballet studio. One woman blocked the entrance and she looked at me with her brows furrowed, like she was judging me but I just smiled at her.
"Kapatid ka ba niya?"she asked.
"Ahh, hindi."sagot ko.
"Ka-ano mo siya?"she asked getting suspicious. Sasagot na sana ako nang biglang sumagot si Jessie.
"She's my friend, miss," she said and the woman was startled.
"Oh." she said not knowing what to say."I'm sorry about that. I saw the two of you talk outside, I-I thought you were gonna kidnap her offense."
"No, it's normal to think that way."I sweetly smiled at her and she sighed in relief.
"Mapapatay ako ng kuya niya kapag nangyari iyan."kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. May kuya si Jessie?Saan?
"Saan ang kuya niya?"tanong ko.
"Ahh nasa labas bumili ng pagkain para kay Jessie."
"Oh."
"She seems happy," she said while gazing at Jessie doing the routine.
"Hindi ba siya ganyan dati?"I curiously asked and she sadly shook her head.
"N-no, she smiles but not that smile that reaches her eyes. She only fakes it, because she's scared that her kuya find out."
"What do you mean?"I asked.
"Naisipan namin sabihin sa kuya niya about Jessie getting bullied, but ayaw ni Jessie sabihin namin sa kuya niya."she said and I was startled. Why?
"Why not?"
"She's scared that he'll get angry."
"To her?"I asked and she laughed.
"No, not to her, silly. To those girls," she said and pointed to those girls who were whispering and giggling while looking at Jessie doing the routine. "Narinig namin na ruthless ang kuya niya pag galit. He's even cold, paano nalang kaya paggalit?"Yeah, reminds me of someone again!
"Ate Jewel."Jessie said when she was done doing her routine and hugged me."Did I do great?" she asked cutely and I chuckled. I picked her up and she giggled.
"Yes, you were awesome, out there."I smiled.
"R-really? You're just saying that to make me feel better," she said and I shook my head.
"No, I'm not. You were happy and you enjoyed it. You were being yourself and that's what's awesome about it."I said and tapped her nose and she giggled again. I'm addicted to her smiles and giggles.
"Where's Jessie?"I was startled when I heard a voice that I recognized.
"Ahh nandon po, Sir. May kausap po siya."sabi nang kausap ko kanina sa lalaki sa likod ko. I was frozen in place I cannot move. Jessie looked at my back and she gasped and she smiled brightly.
"Who?"
"Kaibigan niya po, Mr. Montezalde."sabi ng babae. Even if I wasn't facing me, I know he's confused right now.
"Friend?" he asked and I slowly turned to him and we gazed at each other. Eyes widen.