Arhianna was still slumped on the floor by the door. She heard murmurs from outside. David was talking to someone but his voice was unintelligible. She stood up and walked towards the closed window. She needs to escape and talk to Glaizel. She misses her. She needs her. She's worried about her. She flipped the latch that locks the window and slide it open. To her disappointment, the window was blocked by a fine chicken wire. Felt defeated, she dropped her body on the bed, covering whole body with the sheet and unconsciously slept.
----------
Glaizel opened her eyes wider, trying to figure out where she is. It was pitch black from where she is. She stretched her arms, seeking for something to hold, something that can guide her. She was feeling on her feet every step she makes. She made her strides longer but it was like a never ending walk. She had lost count on how many steps she already made.
The air she was breathing began to chill. She was starting to gasp for air as if she was being choked.
"Arhi...anna..." she uttered, clutching on her neck. She can feel her throat burning. She tried to swallow to quench the fire, but she can't. There was something that blocks her throat.
"Althea!!!" Don't leave me please... Breathe for me, I beg of you.... Althea!!! Altheaaaaa!!!!" the voice fades.
Glaizel turned around, finding the source of the voice but there was nothing to see. She kept on walking until she felt something in her hands. Warm like a skin. Beating like an alive heart. She never knew she was holding something in her hand. Something in her hand emits light. She raised her hand to the level of her eyes.
"Althea... Althea...." she heard a soft whisper coming from what was hiding inside her closed hand.
The object become hot in her hand that she dropped it. The sound of the thing echoed that it hurt her ears. She dropped to her knees near to where the object landed.
"Hear me please... I beg you," the voice continued.
Glaizel looked at the object again and saw the familiar item. It was the necklace and the locket was glowing. She picked up the necklace.
"Mahal na mahal kita, Althea... Hintayin mo ako... Magkakasama tayong muli," again she heard.
She open the locket, but to her surprise, blood flowed out of the locket. Splashing all over her chest. The blood was hot, burning through her skin.
Glaizel, gasping, woke up. She felt dizzy and her vision was blurred. She tried to sit up but her head was aching and heavy. She thought of Arhianna again. What could have happened to her, she thought. He don't know David but he is a man, and capable of physically hurt Arhianna. Her Arhianna.
"God please, have mercy on us. I know that it is not in your teachings about same sex relationship, but.... " she paused. her chest is getting narrow, tears stream down her face. "...but You wouldn't let us meet without a reason. You both put us in each other's lives without a cause. I beseech you, oh Lord, please hear my plea. You wouldn't let me feel this, this love I have for her if this isn't right. I love her with all of me that You created. Don't let her get hurt. Give us strength. Guide us back together," she prayed.
----------
David knocked on the bedroom door thrice but there was no answer. He took a plastic card and insert it on the door's slit, wriggling the card until he heard a click that it got unlocked. He turn the knob, finding Arhianna asleep under the covers of the bed. He walked towards the bed and sat, moving the sheet to uncover the face of his sleeping princess. David's heart pounded fast, felt fallen inlove all over again seeing the face of the girl he wanted to take all for himself.
"You are mine and will always be mine, Arhianna. I will let no one take you away fro me. even if I have to eliminate anyone that threatens to take you from me. I guarantee you that," he softly said as he brush the woman's face.
The stroke of his hand awoke Arhianna that she suddenly sat up, pulling the blanket up to her chest and moved away.
"Don't come near me. Don't you ever touch me!" she said.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Arhianna. Atleast not yet. So better do what I said. Pack you things. We will be leaving in a couple of hours.,"
"Leaving? No! I don't want to go anywhere with you!"
"You have no choice. I'm in-charge of this trip. I am in-charge of you,"
"Don't decide for your self, David,"
"And who is in-charge of you? That despicable woman? Don't try me Arhianna. Don't pull my trigger because I will not have second thoughts of pointing a gun on her,"
"Don't you dare!"
"I dare! So if you want her to see another day, do as I say. We are leaving!" David glimpsed at her hand. "Where is the ring?"
"I threw it away. I don't want it!"
David's temper boiled that his hand swiftly swung, hitting Arhianna on her cheeks. Blood smeared on the corner of her lips.
"Arhianna!" David moved closer to her, placing her hand on her reddened cheeks to rub off the blood.
Arhianna pushed his hand away.
"Look what you did. You pushed my buttons. Now, where is the ring?" Arhianna looked at the direction of the bathroom David stood up and walked towards it. "Fix your things," he said before going in, leaving the door open to find the ring.
Arhianna thought of dashing out of the cottage but when she stood up, David was already out of the bathroom, in his fist was the tossed ring.
"Put this back on your fingers," the woman shook her head. "Put it back or else I will. I assure you, if I wear this back to you, you won't be able to peel it out. You will have to cut your fingers off,"
Arhianna felt fear on his threat that she reached for the band and wore it on her finger. David went first to the closet and took his luggage. Arhianna followed.
After a few, Arhianna was dressed, her clothesbag in her hand, she walked out of the bedrooom. David was siting comfortably on the sofa talking on his phone.
"We will go to the lobby to check out," he stood, taking Arhianna's bag and pulled her hand, exiting the cottage.
The resort was still dark. It was late midnight and the wind chilled her, having no trace of summer. The sky was moon less, as if it got scared of David too that it hid behind the sky. Even the stars shining behind the shadows of the night that she cannot see it. The sea was placid, almost not moving.
"Glaizel..." her heart calling the woman she wants to be with. Her face in her mind as if it was really infront of her. She want to touch her face again. Fill the warmth of her embrace that separates her from all the grotesque reality of David's real personality.
They have reached the lobby. It was where the hotel is. She wants to run but she doesn't know where Glaizel's room was.
David was at the counter, settling any unpaid balances, while Arhianna sat by the waiting lounge, still worriedly thinking of Glaizel. She wants to regret everything. Of coming here. Of meeting her. Of knowing her. Of loving her. If only she didn't come here alone. She was blaming herself of hurting Glaizel.
On the table, she found a rim of the hotel's signed paper and a pen. She quickly took it and wrote a note addressed to Glaizel.
After she wrote a brief note, she didn't wait for David to call her. She approached the counter and wait for a right timing to slip the note to the woman and give a fleeting moment of instructions.
As soon as David answered his phone, Arhianna pulled the woman near her.
"Miss, please pakibigay ito kay Glaizel Galura. She's one of the guest here. They will check out later this morning. Please hand it to her personally. Its very very important. Make sure siya ang tatanggap nito," she whispered. The woman nodded, looking at her.
"What is it babe?" David asked.
"N...nothing. I just asked something," she lied, but her eyes was still on the woman.
"Come on. The copter's at the beach," David picked up their bags, taking her hand and went out.
David's helicopter was outside waiting for them. He assisted Arhianna getting in then he followed. Arhianna was silent. not wanting to let go any word to David. After everything was settled, the chopper took of, lifting them back to Manila.
"Once we're back, I don;t want you mentioning what happened to anyone, specially to our family. Ask your dad about the deal, I don't care. But if you want us to have harmonious life, keep your affair to your self. Do you understand me, Arhianna?" the woman was still silent, facing the window.
"I'll take that as a yes. If you look for her, you will see hell," he threatened.
Arhianna quietly cried. She wanted to jump right off the chopper traveling in the air and end her life. She wanted to end her life if she cannot be with Glaizel, than to live a life with the monster beside her.
Her hand into a fist on her lap when David reached for it and held it. She never opened her hand to accept him. He is a stranger to her now. She felt bruised due to the words and his threats that seems to be no escape but to give in, but no. She will not give in. Not now that she knows his other side. Frightening but she has to face it and do something about it. But she thought of her family. She didn't know that dilemma her father undergone. If only she knew, she would have done something. Things had gone into a roller coaster ride. She wants to explode. Her head throbbing. Her heart aching. She kept her hands closed. David only made a grin of confidence.
----------
8:00am, Luna barged in to Glaizel's room. She found Glaizel sitting on her bed, her back on the head board, looking out the window.
"How are you feeling?" Luna asked, placing her self comfortably beside her friend.
"Weak. Defeated. Wrecked. Incompetent," she vapidly answered.
"Let it go, dude. There's nothing you can do about it,"
"How can you say that? Can you let go of Abi if someone walks by and took her from you?"
"If thats what she wants,"
"Thats it? After all the years you've spent together? You'll just let her go?"
"There it is. that's the keyword there. Years. Has it been years you're together with Arhianna that you can't let her go? What chances you've got with her against the years they have together with that man?" Luna's words blows her hard on the face.
Glaizel fell silent to the harsh words Luna poured at her. True that she had met Arhianna 3 days ago, but in her heart she had felt more than those days.
"I'll fix your things. Prepare your self. We will check out by eleven," Luna commanded her.
"Batchi, can we check on her, please? Before we leave? Please Batchi," Glaizel changed her position from sitting to kneeling on the bed facing Luna.
"I don't think thats a good idea. Glai, her boyfriend is there. We can just knock to their door and say we're just checking,"
"Just a peek. I'm sure by now Arhianna is outside their cottage. Please Batchi," her eyes forming the water works.
Luna sighed. She pitied her friend but she don't want her to put her hopes up in having a chance with Arhianna. But Glaizel is deeply inlove with her. She slightly nodded and saw Glaizel lit up.
Glaizel stood, balancing herself. She still feel a little dizzy from waking up suddenly from her nightmare. That horror she had. That woman kept on mentioning the name Althea.
"That name is very familiar. To whom dd I heard it before?" she thought as she soaked her body in the water-filled tub. And the necklace. Why did she dreamed about it? With all that blood. the heat and the beating of the locket was so real, like the beating of her heart.
"Glai, I have packed your things, except for some clothes you might want to wear. I'll go check on Abi. Make sure you're done when we get back, okay," she heard Luna calling her outside the bathroom.
"Yeah,"
Glaizel finished her bath. There's no time for flashbacks. She needs to check on Arhianna. She have this fear thumping in her very core that something bad happened to her love. She planned to snatch Arhianna away from David. She is sure that Arhianna will go with her. She will take care of her. Take her away from the devil that hinders them to be together.
She finished bathing and dressing herself. She will not wait for Luna and Abi to go to her room. She will go directly to them so they will go straight checking out and get Arhianna.
Exactly when she get out of her room, Luna and Abi were at the hallway, walking towards her.
"All set?" Luna asked.
"Yeah. We will drop by her cottage, like you promised,"
Abi and Luna looked at each other. Luna just sighed and slowly responded.
They went to the lobby, Luna tend to all that needs to arrange on their checking out.
2 women were at the lobby counter. One was digging through the log book and the other was sound asleep. Her face buried on her folded arms on the counter.
"Hi, we're checking out," Luna got the attention of the woman with the log book, handing the card key over.
"Good morning mam. Names please," the woman asked.
"Abigail Ortaleza, Luna Ortaleza and Glaizel Galura,"
"Thank you. Please wait by the lounge,"
The trio do as the woman had instructed. After a couple of minutes they were called again. The woman at the counter calling their names twice that made the other sleeping woman woke up, rubbing the sleep off her eyes.
"Luna Ortaleza, Abi Ortaleza and Glaizel Galura, please,"
"Hey Mars, anong name yung tinawag mo?" the just awoke woman called.
"Luna?"
"No, yung last one,"
"Glaizel Galura?"
"Yun! Where are they?"
"Ayun oh. Papalapit na. Bakit?"
"There's this guest na nagpapaabot ng message sa kanya kaninang madaling araw. importante daw. Kaya nga di ako makauwi eh,"
Luna and the others came, Glaizel walking behind them.
"Mam, kayo po ba si Ms. Galura?"
"Bakit?"
"Pero kayo po ba si Miss Glaizel Galura?"
"Bakit nga?" Luna felt irritated. Glaizel went forward.
"What's happening here?" she asked.
"Ito kasi eh," pointing at the woman she was talking to.
"What is it miss?" Glaizel faced the woman.
"Mam, I'm just looking for Ms. Glaizel Galura," the woman cowered before Glaizel, lowering her head.
"Ako si Glaizel. Is there any problem?"
The woman's face lit up. Felt relieved that the one she's waiting for had come and she can finally go home.
"Mam, Miss Arhianna Howell asked me na iabot ito s inyo personally. Nag check out na po kasi sila ng kasama niya kaninang madaling araw. Pauwi na po sana ako pero hinantay ko lang po kayo kasi sabi po niya this is highly important na matanggap ninyo personally," she handed the folded piece of paper.
Glaizel took the paper and walked away from the counter. Luna tapped Abi to finish their transaction and followed Glaizel.
***Glai, I'm sorry for what happened. I'm as clueless as you are. I love you Glai and I don't care that we just met because I felt I have known you all my life. David has threatened me and I cannot allow myself to put you in danger, but believe me, I will find you, I promise. Wait for me. I love you.... Arhianna***
Glaizel's hand tremble as she read the note on the paper over and over again.
***David has threatened me***
***I cannot allow myself to put you in danger***
Luna pulled the note from her hand and read it.
"He threatened her," Glaizel said, her eyes looking afar. Her slowly filling up with worry... and of anger. Her hand into a fist. Thinking.
"Glaizel, I know what are you feeling right now. And probably thinking of doing something about it,"
"I had to. I told you last night that David might be hurting her and I was right. You should have let me go,"
"And what? Let you do something irrational? He threatened her, that means he is capable of doing something he won't regret,"
"But Arhianna,"
"Arhianna can handle him. She said so in her note. For now, lets go back to Manila. Give it time to think it over carefully,"
Glaizel walked back to the counter and spoke with the woman who handed her the note.
"Miss, what time sila nag-check out?"
The woman looked at the computer to check the list of the guest who checked out.
"3:45 po ng madaling araw, mam,"
"Any other messages ba na sinabi aside sa note?"
"Wala na po. Ibigay ko lang po yan sa inyo personally,"
"May sugat ba siya? Or bruises?"
The woman's mouth agape to Glaizel's question, felt a bit nervous.
"Glai, stop that," Luna pulled her away.
"I have to know. David might have raised his hands on her,"
"I don't think so. He loves Arhianna. He wouldn't hurt her,"
"How sure you are that he wouldn't?"
"How sure you are he would?"
"Very sure,"
"Why?"
"Because I saw it in his eyes when he looked at me and he threatened her,"
"Alright, alright. I guess I can't talk sensible with you. Let's go home first and then will think of something. I'll help you,"
"You will?" Glaizel's eyes shone with hope.
"Of course. As crazy as you are, you are still my friend and I just can't let you do things alone. Come on. Car's waiting to send us to the airport,"
----------
Arhianna and David had arrived back in their condo hours ago. She stayed in their room and David told her not to lock their room. She's been laying down, still crying. David was out in the terrace of their bedroom talking on his phone.
"Your parents are coming. They knew the proposal. Someone has uploaded a video in social media and they are excited about it," David said when he entered. Arhianna tried to ignore. "I'm warning to Arhi. Don't tell them about your crazy escapade. I guess you have the idea of what I can do,"
"I'm not afraid of you," she answered. Her back on him.
"You should. I still have spaces in my closet for new skeletons," he grinned and walked towards the door of their bedroom. "Fix yourself. Look presentable. I don't want your parents think I'm hurting you,"
Arhianna scowled at him but he just laughed his way out of their room. When David shut the door, she stood up and immediately locked the door. She doesn't care if David break down the door into tiny flakes of wood.
"You cannot keep yourself locked in that room Arhi. So be a good girl and just do as I say," he shouted.
A couple of hours, Arhianna heard voices. Her parents had arrived. She ran to the bathroom and washed and fix her face, making sure to atleast lessen the swelling of her eyes. Eversince they left the resort, she had not stopped crying. She checked herself on their life-sized mirror. Her eyes were red, dark circles on her swollen eyes. She can't hide it. She straightened the crease of her shirt and went out of the room.
"Ihja, congratulations! We're so happy for you," her mother ran to embrace her. "So, when is the wedding?"
"There will be no wedding,"she blandly answered.
"What she means Tita Cristy is that there's no date yet," David quickly explained.
"Well, there's no rush," Garreth barged in, walking behind his wife, caressing Arhianna's arm.
Arhianna looked at her father with sad eyes. "Where's Kuya Paul?"
"He's somewhere flirting, I guess. You know your brother. Gaying around,"
"Paul is gay?" David was surprised to hear about Paul.
"Embarrassing to admit, but yes. We just knew it recently. He just came home one day and told us he's gay," Garreth answered.
"And you're okay with it?"
"Honestly, no we are not. But it doesn't change the fact that he is still our son. Our flesh and bones. I just told him to atleast be discreet about it," Cristy continued, leading Arhianna to the sofa, followed by Garreth who sat at the single sofa.
"So it runs in the family," Arhianna murmured to herself.
"You're saying something, dear?"
"Ahm, tita would you like to have something to eat? Let's buy something from the nearby resto and have them have a father-daughter bond," David blurted.
"I like that. We'll leave you two for awhile," Cristy stood and kissed her husband.
David walked closer to Arhianna and kissed her on the cheeks.
"Make out the best of your time asking your father, but heed my words. Do not tell him about your filth. Do not make me angry. You wouldn't like it," he whispered in her ear.
"We'll be back in a few," Cristy bid.
"Sweetheart..." Garreth called.
"No fried food for you Garreth. Doctor's orders," Cristys aid before going out. David shut the door.
"Haaaay... Your mom starves me," Garreth laughed as he moved beside Arhianna.
"Dad...." Arhianna called. She looked straight to her father and arreth saw tears falling down her cheeks.
"Baby, what's wrong?" he placed his arm around Arhianna's shoulders.
Arhianna broke down. Burying her face on her palms and sobbed. Garreth got worried and hugged his daughter like shielding her from the unknown pain he felt his daughter was undergoing. She cried like a kid whose candy was taken away from her by force. She felt so small in his dad's embrace.
"Arhianna, tell me what's wrong?"
Arhianna gathered up her will to speak. "Is it true dad? The deal between you and Uncle Oscar?"
Garreth didn't expect to hear the deal he made with David's real father. It was the mistake he hoped not to surface.
"Baby, I... I don't know how to tell you this,"
"So its true then?"
"Yes," Garreth admitted with no resolve. He think its time for Arhianna to know since she will marry David.
"Why dad? Is that the reason why I was brought up this in world? As a payment for your debt?"
"Yoyon," the endearment her father called her. "I am sorry. But even if there's no debt, our families has been friends even before me and your mom got married,"
"Even so dad. Why did you do this to me? Have you had any thoughts that maybe in some time I might fall for someone else and get married not to Davide?"
"Why? Is there someone else?"
The question had maneuvered the conversation. David had warned her not to spill what had happened in the resort. Knowing now what he can do will might endanger anyone involves in her life. Her family and specially Glaizel.
----------
Anyone wants to point a gun at David? be my guest, but don't pull the trigger yet.
How can Arhianna protect all that she loves from the hell raiser?
What can Glaizel do to save Arhianna?
Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? but please be gentle...
thanks