In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 25

He looked around at the familiar surroundings, happy to be finally back. He is again filled with that nagging feeling inside that something significant happened recently in this place that has something to do with him that he can't fully recall.

He has been having weird dreams lately about this place but he can't really remember the details once he wakes up in the morning. It made him so curious that he literally forced his friends to allow hin to join them on this trip.

He is on his way to his favorite spot now. He can't wait to spend some quiet time there just like he used to. Despite the sad memories the place invoked, he still considers this spot his sancruary.

He was about to sweep aside the branches that hid his special place from the main mountain trail when he heard an anguished female voice shouting:

"...Hindi man tayo nagkasama ng matagal pero sapat na para sa akin ang maikling panahong iyon para matutunan kitang mahalin. Naririnig mo ba ako? Ang sabi ko MAHAL KITA!..."

"Wow, ang lalim ng hugot ni ate! Ano 'to Mt.Pulag? Pati ba naman dito may ganito na rin? Tsssk!" He thought, smirking. He decided to just leave and let the stranger have her moment when her next words made him turn abruptly back around.

"...Pero nakakapagod nang umiyak...nakakapagod nang malungkot...nakakapagod nang umasa sa wala...kaya kailangang tapusin ko na ang kabaliwang ito ngayon!!!"

He quickly swept aside the branches that kept him hidden. He saw her sobbing uncontrollably then suddenly bent forward as if preparing to jump.

His natural instinct to save lives took over so without thinking he shouted:

"Miss! Wag kang tatalon!!!"

He ran towards her and in just a few hurried steps he was behind her. He lunged towards her with his arms outstretched then he encircled them on her slim waist and forcefully pulled her away from the edge of the cliff.

He heard the woman's surprised squeal when she tripped on her own feet as she tried to twist her body towards him but he did not let go of his hold. So they lost balance and fell together on the hard ground.

RJ first felt a sharp pain as his back hit the hard ground then winded as the woman's full weight fell full impact on top of him knocking the wind out of his lungs. He was not able to move for a few seconds while trying to catch his breath.

A few moments later, he felt the woman squirming on top of him to try to get away again from his grip so he let go of her waist and just let his arms fall limply on his sides. The adrenaline rush that coursed through his body a while ago has now started to dissipate leaving him feeling faint.

He can feel the woman's warm, ragged breath on his neck though which sent a trail of goosebumps to spread from that point to other parts of his body. He mentally willed his body to relax.

The woman then lifted her head to look at his face and he was completely  mesmerized upon seeing a pair of soulful light brown eyes framed by long, sexy lashes stare back at him in surprise.

"I-ikaw..."

He frowned slightly when he heard her say that but it turned into a full blown scowl with his next thought:

"Teka! Magkakilala ba kami? Di ko maalala..." He felt confused. So he asked her:

"I'm sorry miss pero magkakilala ba tayo? Hindi ko kasi..." He stopped short when he saw the play of conflicting emotions on her face as she continued to regard his face wordlessly.

Disbelief. Confusion. Wonder. Joy. Sadness. Then anger.

Her face is so expressive that he can almost read everything that's been going on in her head at the moment.

"Ganun ba ako kabilis kalimutan? Naging tagabantay ka lang di mo na ako kilala?" She whispered indignantly at him which made him more confused.

"Teka! Sandali lang...sino ka ba talaga, miss? At ano yung tagabantay?" He is completely bewildered now with the flow of their conversation.

His train of thought was interrupted though when he again felt his body react to the woman's close proximity since their bodies are touching almost from head to toe. And to his outmost dismay she seemed completely oblivious to his predicament as she remained spawled on top of him just staring indignantly at his face so he tried to joke about it to prevent bigger trouble.

"Miss, nakikita kong medyo komportable ka sa pwesto mo ngayon, and well okay lang naman din naman sa akin itong pwesto ko kaya lang di pa naman tayo close para dito so baka naman...." He saw how her eyes grew round as saucers in realization before she readily pushed herself away from his chest so she can remove herself from on top of him.

"Bastos! Akala ko pa naman gentleman ang mga tagabantay!" She indignantly exclaimed as she knelt beside him trying to straighten her clothes and hair.

"Wow! Excuse me lang miss, ah. Let me just remind you na ikaw ang nakadagan sa akin at ikaw din ang hindi agad umalis sa pagkadagan sa akin so..." He intentionally did not finish his statement all the while smirking at her. Her cheeks turned red as tomatoes and she turned away from him.

"She looked really cute when she blush like that." He mused but he immediately mentally shook himself upon realizing where his thoughts are going.

He slowly sat up while doing a mental inventory of his body to check if he again broke anything with their fall but everything seemed okay and fully functional.

When he turned his attention back to the woman kneeling beside him he was surprised to see that she is crying again while looking at him.

"Oy, miss. Di kita pinapaiyak, ha!" He said defensively.

But he got the surprise of his life when she suddenly launched herself at him and wound her arms around his shoulders, embracing him.

" Ang tagal kitang hinintay...kailangan pa ba talagang akyatin ko uli ang bundok na ito para lang magpakita ka muli sa akin? Nang-aano ka naman, eh!"

He felt a mix of conflicting emotions as the beautiful stranger continued to cling to him tightly.

"Bakit parang pamilyar sya sa akin? Sino ba sya talaga?"  He asked himself as he knelt there like a statue while the lady clung to him desperately.

But no answers came to him.