In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 31

"Val, kailangan na talaga nating umalis! Coming here is really such a bad idea. Uwi na tayo please bago ako tuluyang malusaw sa hiya, bes. Sige na, please!" Dei practically begged her friend as she shook her arm in earnest. She caught up with Valerie near the buffet table when she returned to the ballroom.

She took her time outside to calm her nerves after that disastrous encounter with Richard at the lobby earlier but no amount of breathing exercise was able to calm her knowing that he is nearby. She needs to leave before she embarrass herself again in front of him.

"Bakit bes?! Anong nangyari? Akala ko ba gusto mo makita si Richard? Narinig ko kaninang sinabi ni Doc Kris na papunta na sya. Di ba natin sya hihintayin? Sayang naman punta natin kung di kayo magkikita tonight!" Val said while sampling the canapés from the buffet.

"Yun na nga, bes! Nagkita na kami. Or more like naipahiya ko na ang sarili ko sa kanya kanina at feeling ko nahalata nya agad na iniistalk ko sya kaya ako nandito!" She narrated agitatedly.

"OMG! Talaga bah?! Ano bang ginawa mo, bes? Asan na sya ngayon?" Valerie started straining her neck to look around the venue.

"Nasa may stage kasama sina Doc Kris at Joyce. No! Wag ka tumingin, masyado kang obvious! Tama na yung kahihiyan na inabot ko kanina ayoko na ng part two! Napilitan akong tarayan sya kanina kasi nagpanic ako sa tanong nya. Masyado bang halata na sya talaga sadya ko dito? Naku, Val! Nakakahiya talaga!" She whispered frantically at Valerie who at the moment was secretly eyeing the object of her silent breakdown.

"Bes, kalma lang. mukha namang di ganun ang iniisip nya. In fact, pasulyap sulyap sya dito sa direksyon natin kanina pa." Val giddily reported.

"Val, please don't pull my hopes up. Aasa talaga ako kasi funny ako pagdating sa kanya...Baka naman gutom lang sya. Haler! nasa tabi tayo ng buffet table, o!" She can't keep still.

"Oo bes mukha ngang gutom...hungry for you!!!" Valerie laughed out loud at her own joke.

"Val, wag ka nga! Umalis na kasi tayo please! Baka lalo lang sya maturn off sa akin pag nagkaencounter pa kami ulit tonight." She is obviously stressed out about the situation that Val finally took pity on her.

"Okay, girl. Kalma. Ubusin ko lang itong food ko then ako na bahalang magpaalam for us kina Joyce. Hintayin mo na lang ako sa may entrance ng parking area. Ako na uli magdadrive. You're not fit to drive sa lagay na yan." Val instructed to which she just nodded. She's too distraught to compose any words. She then turned around and walked directly to the exit.

Dei walked purposefully towards the lobby, fully determined to make a hasty exit. But before she was able to reach the main door of the events place, the same GQ model-like guy from a while ago blocked her way. She gasped in surprise.

"Hi again, lady in red...why are you in such a hurry to get out? Going someplace else? I thought you are waiting for your...boyfriend?" The guy asked her with a malicious smirk while looking at her from head to toe again. She shuddered inside at the way he was regarding her now.

"Ahm, excuse me. Please let me pass..." She quietly asked but the guy just sidestepped to block her way yet again as she try to get pass him from the other side.

"Hey! Are you just using the boyfriend excuse to get rid of me? That is not a very nice thing to do, don't you think? Where is your so called boyfriend now...lady in red?" The man is literally leering at her.

Dei felt panic rising from within her again as she continue to warily regard the man before her. Her anxiety intensified as well for as she looked around them she realized that the other people milling the venue are completely oblivious to her predicament at the moment unless she starts making a scene to attract attention. And that she do not want to do. She's had enough embarrassment than she can handle in one night. She needs to think fast so she can get away from the obviously drunk man.

"Ahh, well as a matter of fact my boyfriend is already here and I was just about to check if he is outside...s-so please let me pass." She is trying real hard to stay collected and composed outside but deep inside she is slowly being consumed by fear that she can't breathe properly anymore. 

"Are you sure? I can be a better company for you, you know... I can bring you somewhere else to have our own private party..." The guy persisted.

Dei looked around her to look for Valerie in the crowd but she can't seemed to focus anymore on locating her friend because of anxiety. She immediately turned back to the drunk man when he dared try to touch her arm.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She hissed.

She stepped back bracing herself to run away from the man if he comes near her again when a strong arm snaked around her waist from behind her and a big hand rested securely on her bare midriff as a deceptively calm voice asked her:

"Hey, babe...Is there a problem here?"