The Heart Can See (Completed)

Day 11 - It Had To Be You

She intrigues him. She infuriates him. And now she's the cause of his fitful sleep last night. He so badly wants to wring her neck to put some sense of fear into her.

Even now, the image of Maine with a gun pointed to her head keeps popping in his mind when he closes his eyes. That he had to take a glass of red wine to relax the night before is a clear indication that he's affected.

Maine is starting to get under his skin.

Kuya Pekto glanced at him from the driver seat, noting his silence. "Boss, hulaan ko. Is there a letter M? a letter A? a letter.."

"Kuya Pekto, magdrive ka na lang."

"Pasensiya ka na talaga boss, namukhaan ako na driver/assistant mo eh. Ayun bokya tayo. Hindi pumayag magpahatid. Sasakay na sana yung ate, napigilan pa. At nalimutan ko, may message pala siya."

He lips twitched at the mention of a message. "Ano daw?"

"Kung stranger daw yung amo, stranger din yun driver. Alam mo na daw yon."

And you don't accept rides from strangers.

"May message ka rin boss? Puwede ko ring i-deliver."

RJ run his fingers through his hair in frustration. You're making this difficult Maine.

"Kaya kong magdeliver ng sarili kong message."

"E di ikaw na boss!"

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"Bessy, yung totoo! At sa National TV mo pa piniling himatayin? Ano sasabihin nila? Field reporter ka pa naman, ang hina ng loob mo?"

"Ano ba bes! Sinadya ko nga yon! O diba natapos agad?"

"Alam ba ng lahat yon, e ang linaw ng nakita nila sa TV? At sino naman kasi nagsabing magpakabayani ka? Paano kung nauna yung pagpull ng trigger? Eh di papunta na ko diyan para makipaglamay? Alam mo ba kung magkano ang plane fare pag within 24hrs mo binili? Ang mahal bessy, ang mahal!"

"Yon talaga ang naisip mo? Lamay? Salamat ha!"

"Kasi naman bessy! O sige magsabit ka na lang ng placard sa dibdib mo na nakalagay, 'Sadya po yun himatey, Nagpapakabayani lang po."

"Bes, alam mong hindi ako himatayin. Nerves of steel nga diba?"

"O eh di mag-nerves of steel ka ngayon! Buti na lang pampatanggal ng stress at kaba na si Crush mo ang news anchor. Pero tingin ko pati siya kinabahan e. Alam mo yun, kita yung relief niya nung huling breaking news na natapos na."

"Hindi na nga Crush diba? Wala nang natira kahit isang pirasong letra. Kaya nag-anchor yon, dahil napag-utusan lang, okay? Hinihintay niya lang na magkamali ako. Kaya please, change topic, bes."

"Bakit ka napipikon? Hate mo na ngayon? Sure ka na ba diyan?"

"O sige, dito na ko sa studio, babay na! Wala na kong load!"

"Naka-unli call ka kaya! O siya babay! Balitaan mo ko pag nagkita ulit yung sabi mong cute na police inspector saka si Ate Ann ha?"

Maine proceeded to the entrance of the studio for pedestrians. Only a few are around the lobby at this ungodly hour of 5:30am. She was asked to report to the newsroom for debriefing.

Truth be told, what happened yesterday is just sinking in.

Images. Snapshots. The gunshot wound of the guard that she cleaned, the waiting game while the negotiation is going on, the fear that the hostage taker might shoot one of the hostages, the angry hostage taker as she was being pulled to be the human shield, the gun pointing to her head....