Imperious Series 3: As Always

Chapter 5

The tires screeched so loud as he pressed on the break but he was too late. Too late for the figure in front of him disappeared from his sight. The heavy down pour didn't help too but he cared less and went out of the car to check whoever it was. Soaked wet. The air on his lungs was suddenly snapped out. He stood still looking at the woman, soaked from the heavy down pour, and was lying on the street. Her eyes were closed and her breathing stopped. Or he thought so, because the woman in front of him suddenly ran towards him after a short while and slapped his face so damn hard it numbed.

"Hindi ka ba tumitingin? Muntik na’kong mamatay ng dahil sa’yo!? Muntik na! Muntik na talaga!" malakas na sigaw nito sa kanya yet he has no words to say. Speechless. Shocked. Surprise. Not because of what had happened but of who the woman was.

He looked at her face. Rain water was streaming down on her beautiful face. Pakurap-kurap ito dahil sa ulan. He saw her lips opened and closed yet he couldn't fully understand what she was saying for his mind went blank. Totally blank. Awed. It was her!

Isang malakas na hampas sa dibdib niya ang pumukaw sa kanya. Nagpabalik sa kanya sa tamang huwistiyon. Then he saw the woman ran away from him. He cursed at himself as he saw her running away from him. What an idiot!

"Miss, wait!?" malakas na tawag niya rito ngunit patuloy lang itong tumatakbo palayo sa kanya.

He hurriedly rode his car, not minding it would be wet, then started the engine, drove it to where he thought she will go. At tama nga ang sapantaha niya dahil nakita niya itong nakasilong sa isang waiting shed at nag-iisa lamang ito. He stopped the car infront of her and went out, ran beside her.

"Miss, are you okay?" nag-aalalang tanong niya rito. Bigla naman kasi itong tumakbo ng hindi man lang niya natatanong ang kalagayan nito. But based on how fast she ran, malamang ay okay lang ito but he needed to be sure.

The lady glared at him as she recognized him. "Are you crazy? Nagtatanong ka kung okay lang ako, eh muntik mo na akong masagasaan?" nanggagalaiti nitong sikmat sa kanya. "Nakakaloko ka ah!"

He looked at her unbelievably. And she was definitely not okay dahil kahit umuulan at basa ito ay bahagyang namumula ang mga pisngi nito dahil sa galit. Obvious nga naman dahil muntik na nga niya itong mabundol at basang-basa ito ng ulan. Pero hindi naman niya ito sinasadya, she appeared from nowhere and it was raining so damn hard.

"You appeared from nowhere," depensa niya sa sarili na mas lalong ikinapula ng maganda nitong mukha.

"So kasalanan ko pa pala? Eh kung tumitingin ka sana sa dinaraanan mo, maybe you will notice me dahil ang lapad naman ng kalsada. I didn't come out from nowhere. You're just a reckless driver," hinihingal na wika nito sa kanya.

He was stunned was again seeing her red face and her delictable body with creamy white skin soaked with rainwater. Bakat na bakat ang magandang hubog ng katawan nito dahil sa basang damit nito. He can't help but admire the beauty infront of him. Mukhang napansin nito ang mga titig niya at sinugod siya nito ng mag-asawang sampal.

"Tarantado ka na, bastos ka pa," sigaw nito sa kanya habang panay ang dapo ng mga palad nito sa kanyang katawan.

"Hey, hey, hey!" awat niya rito at hinawakan ang mga kamay nito upang hindi na ito makapanakit. "I'm sorry about it. Hindi talaga kita napansin dahil sa lakas ng ulan--"

"Then you should be more careful," putol nito sa sasabihin niya.

"Yeah, I know that now. So I am so sorry. And I am not a pervert." He scanned her before he continued. "I am just admiring what's in front of me." Nagpumiglas na naman ito at nagbabalak na sampalin siya. "Hey! Sorry, sorry." Binitiwan niya ang mga kamay nito. "Wait here." Then he ran towards his car.

Nang bumalik ito ay may bitbit na itong coat at ipinatong sa mga balikat nito. Hindi naman ito tumanggi sa kanya marahil ay dahil sa nilalamig na ito. Her lips were now trembling so with her hands.

"Ang mabuti pa sumabay ka na sa akin. Saan ka ba?" tanong niya rito ngunit hindi ito umiimik and was just staring at the heavy rains.

"Don't mind me. I don't know you. Baka kung ano pang gawin mo sa’kin. Just leave. Ibigay mo na lang sa akin itong coat mo dahil nilalamig talaga ako. Bayad sa muntik-muntikan mo nang pagbangga sa akin," sagot nito sa kanya ngunit nakatingin sa kawalan.

"And I just can't leave you here, alone and like that." Turo nito sa kanya pero parang wala itong narinig. So he decided to stay and accompany her habang malakas pa ang ulan. Ihahatid na lamang niya ito sa sakayan kung ayaw nitong magpahatid sa kanya.

Bryan can't help but to stare at her while she was sitting away from him. Nakaupo ito sa dulong bahagi ng shed at tahimik lang na pinagmamasdan ang malakas na buhos ng ulan. His lips twisted with a smile for seeing her again. He couldn't believe he saw her again. Kaninang nakita niya itong nakapikit, he knew immediately it was her kung kaya't nablanko bigla ang utak niya. He didn't expect to see her in that way.

Naputol ang pag-iisip niya nang tumunog ang cellphone nitong nasa loob ng bag. May pagmamadali ang kilos nito habang hinahalungkat ang sariling bag. Wala siyang imik habang pinagmamasdan ito habang nakikipag-usap sa cellphone.

"Hindi pa, anlakas ng ulan." Paused. "Wala nga eh. Tapos na raw iyong hiring nila. Sayang nga eh. Bukas ulit bago ang pasok ko sakaling may mahanap ako. Okay sige ingat ka rin."

Malungkot nitong ibinalik ang nito ang cellphone sa bag pagkatapos ay malalim na huminga na parang mapakalaki ng problema sa buhay. Base sa narinig niya malamang ay naghahanap ito ng trabaho at walang nahanap. A great opportunity!, he thought.

"Are you looking for a job? I can give you one," malakas na wika niya rito na ikinalingon nito. Biglang gumanda ang aura nito pagkunwa'y sumimangot na parang nagbibiro siya rito. "I can really give you a job at the hotel." He assured but she just stared at him.

"Totoo? Hindi ka nagbibiro?" paniniguro nito sa kanya. Hope was written on her face.

He nodded and told her where to find one. Then he convinced her to come with him at the hotel for her to believe him. She was convinced or was making sure he was telling the truth, so he brought her to the hotel. Because of the heavy rain people gathered infront for shelther reason why eyes were on them particularly at the lady he was with, who was soaked wet covered with his coat. He didn't mind it and ushered her to his office. He immediately asked for decent clothes for her and for himself as he ordered the manager to see him and asked for food to eat.

When the food and the manager arrived, he talked about the vacancy, but he was told that there was none. But perks of being the son of the owner, he did make one and the manager agreed with the condition that the job would be the lowest position on the list of vacancies which was a maintenance crew. When she came out, he informed her of the vacancy. Her eyes glowed with happiness but soon faded away.

"Don't you like it?" Ttanong niya rito. Ayaw ba nito ng posisyong iyon? He can make one for her. Nakita rin niya ang pag-angat ng isang kilay ng manager.

"Hindi po, Sir. Gustong-gusto ko po kahit anong trabaho. Ipinagpapasalamat ko po iyon pero---"

"Then what's wrong?" putol niya sa sasabihin nito.

"Nag-aaral ho kasi ako---"

"What's your schedule? We can arrange it. Right, Miss Cariaso?" tanong nito sa manager.

"Sure, we can. I can arrange it," sagot nito ngunit halatadong hindi pabor dito.

"Okay lang ho ba talaga? Kahit ibawas na po sa isusweldo ko. Ayos lang ho," nahihiyang wika nito sa kanya.

The manager interviewed her and he just listened to them. He found out that she was studying medicine but an irregular student. He was impressed on her credentials. With the course she's taking who wouldn't. Namangha rin ang manager sa mga naririnig nitong sagot nito and was impressed samantalang nakasimangot ito kanina. The manager also asked if she wanted to volunteer as nursing aid and she agreed. After that, he offered her food which she refused. Ayon dito, sapat na raw ang trabahong naibigay sa kanya. He offered her a ride home but she refused too. Ang hirap nitong paamuhin. Instead, she asked if she could start tomorrow and he agreed so with the manager.

When the rain stopped, she dismissed herself lalo't gabi na. He insisted on taking her home but she was also persistent of refusing him. When she left his office, he asked someone to watch her and keep her safe on her way home.

Lyka Isabelle Gusmani. He will remember her name heartfully. That night, he couldn't sleep thinking of her and he was excited of seeing her again. She was on his mind until dawn came when he found his luck to fall asleep. Yet, he woke up early, excited to go to work and to see her.

Upon arriving at the hotel where he works as the general manager, he roamed around, an excuse so he can see her. Hindi naman siya nabigo dahil nakita niya agad itong kasama ng empleyadong nakatoka sa pag-a-asist sa mga newly hired na empleyado.

"Good morning, Sir Bryan!" wika ng mga ito sa kanya ikinatango niya. He wanted to smile at them particularly to her but he was known to be strict and serious when it comes to work.

"How's work?" he inquired and gave her a smile.

"Mabuti naman po, Sir. Salamat ho ulit," masayang sagot nito sa kanya.

"Come to my office after your shift," he demanded then left them to continue his supervision on the hotel.He has something she own. Matagal na niyang itinago iyon kaya panahon na para ibalik niya ito sa tunay na nagmamay-ari nito.