In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 39

"I'm really sorry, Dei. I know I promised to spend time with you this weekend...its such bad timing that dad needed me to go with him for an emergency meeting with a client in Singapore tomorrow. I'm really sorry. Babawi ako.." Uno spoke to her softly when she accompanied him to his car that night.

"Uno, you don't need to explain. You don't have any obligation to me. I have work here too so di rin kita masasamahan if you stay. Bumiyahe ka na at gagabihin ka lalo sa daan. Mag-ingat ka." She answered sincerely. But honestly, she was somehow relieved that Uno is not staying. She is agitated enough that she is staying here at Richard's resort by some cruel twist of fate.

"I'm really not comfortable leaving you here sa resort ng Mr. Faulkerson na yun but I have no choice! Mag-ingat ka sa kanya, Dei. I'll see you when I get back from this trip." Uno said as he touched her arm and gave her a peck on the cheek before he entered his car and drove off. Dei sighed.

She went back inside the resort but instead of going back to the villa that she shares with Valerie her feet brought her to the poolside. It was so quiet there. The whole team had decided to retire early to their villas for the night for they had to make an early start the next day for the shoot that is going to last up to late in the evening so they need a good rest tonight. But she is too bothered to sleep yet. She needed to calm down a bit.

She sat quietly at one of the comfortable loungers near the pool and stared blankly at the water.

"You don't strike me as the brooding type..."

Dei was startled by the firm but soft voice that suddenly broke the silence. When she turned around, she found him leaning against the wall by the pathway that leads to the southern side of the property. He had both hands inside the side pockets of his jeans while quietly regarding her. She looked at him in confusion.

"Excuse me?" She asked him tentatively, her heartbeat accelerating at the sight of him. He walked slowly towards her. She caught her breath.

"You looked like someone who is usually the life of a party...mali ba ako?" He asked in that soft voice of his again that again made her heart skip a beat. He is still walking towards her and he only stopped when he was only a few meters away from where she was seated.

"Di ka rin naman judger noh?! You don't know me well enough to say that." She answered in a soft but firm voice as she move on the lounger so that she is facing him which made him step back in surprise. She gave him a smirk.

"W-well true... but the red provocative dress, you socializing with drunk men, a hearty almost asthmatic laughter like you don't have a care in the world... they seemed to tell me that you are not the quiet type of girl either..." He shrugged as he said these in reference to how they met at the party but his last comment made her wonder.

"Wow, judger ka nga! But wait! When did you hear me laugh? I don't remember..." She asked suspiciously.

"Sorry,my mind to mouth filter doesn't seem to work properly lately. As for the laugh, narinig kita kanina nung kausap mo yung mga models sa briefing and while you were chatting with your boyfriend..." He answered quietly and she noticed that he seemed to avoid her eyes when he said it.

"Boyfriend?!...ohh you mean Uno? He is not my boyfriend. He is just a close friend from way back college days and..." She suddenly realize that she is blabbering so she bit her lip to stop the flow of words. She has the tendency to do that when she is nervous. She saw his raised eyebrow.

"Really? You two look like a couple. Anyway, that's none of my business. Sorry again. Mind if I sit here with you?" He asked indicating the lounger beside the one she is sitting on.

"Nope, I don't mind. This is your resort anyway. You don't have to ask me." She answered nonchalantly but still feeling anxious inside. He sat down and rested both his elbows on his lap and stared at the water as well. Dei decided to lie down on the lounger and looked up at the night sky.

"The first time I met you in the mountain, you mistook me for someone..." He tentatively stated. She felt the tug again on her heart with his words.

"Wala talaga syang naaalala..." She sadly thought. But she gave him a small smile as she weave an alternate story for him.

"Ah, yun ba? Sorry ha. May sapi lang ako nung time na yun. Call it temporary insanity. Bilog kasi yata ang buwan nung araw na yun..." She tried to joke about it but when she looked down at him he was staring at her face intently.

"No, I don't think so. You sounded and looked really devastated that time. Akala ko nga talagang suicidal ka." He chuckled softly at that. She grimaced.

"Grabe, nakakahiya talaga na nakita mo pa yun!" She felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. He laughed again.

"Pero ang tanong, okay ka na ba ngayon? You also looked agitated nung party even before the episode with the drunk guest." He asked her with concern in his eyes.

"Teka! Ang alam ko ako yung pinagbintangan mong stalker dun sa party pero bakit parang mas bagay yata syo yung title ngayon? Were you checking me out then?! Aminin!" She teased him. Despite the dim lights in the poolside, she still saw the tips of his ears redden. She gave out a hearty laugh.

"Huy! Masyado kang masaya at my expense, ha. I just got curious especially after I saw you sa lobby. I didn't know you are friends with Joyce and Doc Kris." He answered with an awkward smile as he regard her.

"I'm not actually. It was my friend Val who was invited to that party. I was just the plus one." She explained and she noticed an abrupt change in his mood again.

"Oh, okay. Well I guess I'll leave you here na. Baka nakakaistorbo na ko sa alone time mo..." He suddenly stood up and turned to walk towards the pathway again. She also abruptly sat up from the lounger.

"Wait! I just want to clarify something...although parang medyo assumer ako sa sasabihin ko...but i just want to clarify na...urghhhh...nakakahiya..." She stammered. He just raised his eyebrows at her again. He crossed his arms on his chest and waited impatiently for what she had to say.

"W-well, Val is my best friend. SHE is also my business partner and the tisay consultant that you met earlier during the meeting. I don't have a b-boyfriend and I've never had one before...so there." She explained in one breath.

He just stared at her wordlessly.