Kinalaunan ay pinatawag kami ng event host sa gitna ng platform ni Dale. Dad was within our place pero ang katabi nito ay ang magulang ni Dale.
I suddenly felt the same feeling before. I knew something is up.
Nang iabot ng host ang mikropono sa tatay ko ay humigpit ang hawak ko sa kamay ni Dale. I'm feeling out of breathe.
"Dear friends, i have gathered you all here tonight for a special news-" her dad started
"Dale" she called her boyfriend's attention in hopes of getting information.
Ngunit nginitian lamang siya nito.
"-that my Daughter, Avery and the only son of Crisostomo's are engaged"
Anunsyo ng kanyang ama sa lahat ng guest. The crowd began clapping their hands, but she stayed still and looked disappointed.
She turned her head on her side kung nasaan ang gilid ng platform, Dale was on her left, there she saw a familiar built. Nakatayo lamang ito at nakakatitig sa kanya, blangkong ekspresyon at malalim ang tingin.
He was lean and his shoulders are very broad. Hindi niya iyon napansin kanina dahil madilim ang veranda, sunod na umangat ang tingin niya sa mukha nito. And she was shocked to see how attractive the guy is. Nawala tuloy ang disappointment niya ng sandaling iyon, lalo pa at napansin yata ng lalaki ang reaksyon niya. Agad niyang iniiwas ang tingin dito.
Dale started to step back away from her to get what her father is giving. A grat velvet box, alright she knew what will happen next.
Bago pa siya mawalan ng postura ay humakbang na siya patalikod, with her secobd step ay naalarma na si Dale, kumunot ang noo nito at umiling sa kanya. She was on her thirs step when Dale tried to reach her kaya mabilis siyang lumakad paalis dito.
She doesnt know where to go, naglalakad lang siya just to get out of that place hanggang sa makarating siya sa garden. Nilingon niya ang verandang pinanggalingan niya kanina, Dale spotted her from there.
She was so disappointed, mahal niya si Dale and she knew she will be the happiest girl kapag ito ang napangasawa niya ngunit nagulat siya dahil ang inaasam niyang proposal ay nanggaling sa pinakamalamig na tinig ng kanyang ama.
It was all for business and politics, she was so upset that Dale agreed to it. She was expecting Dale to kneel and sincerely ask her to marry her pero hindi niya masikmura na ikakasal lang sila dahil sa kagustuhan ito ng mga magulang nila at para sa pera. She knew Dale loves her too, apparently, they were childhood sweethearts until her Dad threw her away in California when she was just 10. But that didnt stop them, Dale often visits her and take family vacations there with her. Walang palya. She was just too disappointed that Dale has no plan of giving her intimate proposal, masakit na sumangayon lamang ito sa utos ng kanilang pamilya since he's also willing to marry her.
She ran so fast hanggang sa unti unting humihina ang tugtugan galibg sa party. She stopped running nang napagtanto na niyang malayo na siya, she turned to her back to see if Dale followed her pero nang humarap siya ay ang matipunong dibdib ng lalaki kanina bumungad sa kanya.
Her instinct told her something bad is going to happen and that the guy is not to be trusted.
''AVERY!!!'' Narinig niyang sigaw ni Dale
She saw Dale came out of the wide glass door at naglilibot ng tingin she was about to inform Dale with her presence pero agad na natakpan ng lalaki ang bibig niya at ikinulong siya sa mga bisig nito bago pilit na dinala palayo kay Dale.
She tried to fight but he was well built and stronger, kaya ng bitawan siya nito para ipasok sa trunk ng kotse ay agad niyang binigyan ito ng hampas sa tagiliran na nakapagpaatras dito ng kaunti palikod. He was shocked with her attack. She was about to run back to the venue ngunit nahila ng lalaki ang braso niya pabalik, nakahanda ang braso nito para ibangga sa dibdib niya at dahil sa lakas ng paghila nito ay nasaktan siya ng tumama siya sa nakahandang braso nito. Napaubo siya at muntik nang mapasalampak sa sahig mabuti na lamang at naisalo niya ang sarili sa paghakbang ng kanan niyang paa para umalalay.
Binigyan niya ito ng sipa ngunit nasangga nito iyon kaya naman agad siyang bumawi at sinubukan itong suntukin gamit ang kaliwa at kanan niyang kamo pero parang wala lang uto sa kanya dahil naiiwasan pa din nito ang bawat atake niya.
Agad siyang yumuko para iwasan ang sagot na atake ng lalaki pero di niya inasahan na sisikuhin nito ang kanyang likod dahilan para bumagsak siya at di makakilos. Sinamantala nito ang bawat galaw niya.
Ngangayon lang niya napagtanto na ang inakala niyang natutunan sa pakikipaglaban ay sapat na. All the awards she won all the medals she received began to be just a piece of wood and gold, she was the weakest in this battle. When she was exiled, she was almost kidnapped on her first day there. Masyadong maraming kaaway ang ama niya and her family is too powerful kaya may mga threaths ang buhay nila. She knew no one could save her fast kahit pa sandamakmak ang guards sa paligid so she enrolled in a taekwondo and jujitsu school. She learned both simultaneously. No one could protect her but herself.
Sinubukan niyang tumayo pero binuhat siya ng lalaki para iharap sa kanya. Nasa pagitan siya ng nakaluhod na hita nito. She felt herself shivered nang ipalibot nito ang dalawang kamay sa leeg niya.
''Haa!!!'' Paghabol niya ng hinga
Unti unting hinigpitan ng lalaki abg pagsakal sa kanya, pinaghahampas niya ito gamit ang kamay pero nakakaiwas ito. She tried to remove his hand...she fought until she saw nothing but jet black.
