"Looks like it." said Matteo.
She has a big pair of round eyes, all wide and lovely in her pale, fresh-face, designed by nature to provoke protectiveness in a man. A nose, two eyes and a mouth could be arranged in such a way to transform a face from the ordinary into the beautiful.
Sarah was born to be a superstar.
"Listen," he said, "I thought I've see a house a little way back. It makes far more sense to head for that. I'll go and investigate."
The thought of being left here all alone made her feel even worse.
What if he disappeared into the stormy night and never came back again?
What if someone came along?
It wasn't much of a competition, but on balance she'd probably be much safer with him than staying here without him. He might be a little lacking in the respect department, but at least he seemed to know what he was doing.
"No, ayokong maiwan dito," she said. "Sasama ako sa'yo."
His eyes flickered over her branded shoes. They were good, strappy shoes and looked sexy with heels that weren't made for walking. Neither, by the look of it, was she.
Matteo raised his eyebrows. "Not exactly dressed for it, are you?"
"Hindi ko naman inasahan na maglakad ng malayo!"
His eyes narrowed. "Ever hike?"
Sarah laughed. "Sa trabaho ko? Nagbibiro ka, kilala ako sa buong Pilipinas kaya hindi pwede sa akin ang maglakad ng malayo."
Pretty restrictive job, he thought. "Sigurado ka ba talagang kaya mong maglakad?"
"Kaya ko," she said stubbornly.
He supposed that there was no choice but to let her try. "You'll have to, because there's no way I'm carrying you."
His eyes tease her again as he saw her lips part, and he realized that he was lying.
Of course he would carry her, just the way he had been trained to do. Men would walk miles across any terrain for a woman who looked like that.
Sarah opened her mouth to ask him to please stop addressing her as he would an idiot. But something about the set of his mouth told her that the dynamics had subtly changed.
He was no longer just the driver.
It was indescribable but obvious from his body language that suddenly he was in charge.
She wasn't used to that either.
"Jacket?" he asked.
She shook her head and he removed his own coat and handed it to her.
"Put this on." Matteo instructed. "And button up your coat."
"Hindi mo ba ito kailangan?" said Sarah.
"Mas kailangan mo 'yan," he stated. "Babae ka."
She thought about making some clever remark about equality, but something cool and merciless in his eyes told her not to bother.
As if he didn't really care what she thought. It was certainly a change.
Matteo got out with a big umbrella and a flashlight, came round and opened the door for her.
"Be careful," he warned. "It's dark and the ground is deep in mud. Just follow me, okay? Close as you can and quickly as you can. And do exactly as I tell you."
It was most definitely an order.
He seemed to know exactly where he was going, even though Sarah could barely make out what was in front of her.
She panted slightly as she stumbled into the blinding darkness.
It was an effort to keep up with him and he kept having to stop, turning to look at her, the slanting eyes narrowing.
"Okay ka lang?"
She nodded. "Mabagal ako, hindi ba?"
You're a woman, and you aren't trained up for this kind of stuff. "Huwag kang mag-alala. Kumusta mga paa mo?"
"Okay pa." She said shivering.
He laughed then, an unexpected and oddly musical sound. "Malapit na tayo," he promised softly.
As she shivered behind him, she wondered how he could be so sure.
Torrential rain falling fast in large amounts. The mud was sticky, wet, dirty and slippery. Her shoes sinking into the ground as they walked through the mud.
The designer shoes she had thought comfortable were only so in the context of a short stroll down to a mall. Her feet felt heavy and her toes were beginning to ache and to burn.
Even with an umbrella they were still getting wet.
Sarah had never been so aware of her body in such an aching and uncomfortable way, and with the unfamiliar feelings of physical discomfort came as an equally unfamiliar fear.
What if they couldn't find the place he had claimed he had seen?
Hadn't she listen to news and reports of people missing, or getting lost in conditions like this?
Why had't they just waited in the car and sat it out until morning?
At least they would have been easily found there.
She bit her lip hard, but barely felt it, then he stopped suddenly.
"Here!" Matteo said, and a note of happiness in his voice. "I know it!"
Sarah looked ahead, breathless.
"Ano 'yan?" She questioned weakly.
"Bahay!"
As she came alongside it, it become visible before her. It didn't look either warm or welcoming.
It was an old house and the path leading up to it was pooled high with water. There was no light whatsoever, and the windows were uncurtained, but at least it was shelter.
Sarah did what any woman would do under the circumstances.
She burst into tears.
**********************************************************************
Thank you for giving this story a shot.
POPSTERS POWERVOTE!
Vote Sarah Geronimo in the following categories:
---CELEBRITY OF THE YEAR
https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/celebrity-awards/celebrity-of-the-year/
---FEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/celebrity-awards/female-performer/
---FAN CLUB OF THE YEAR - Popsters
https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/celebrity-awards/fan-club/