MTBMW: Wealth, Pride and Love

MTBMW 15: Her Safe Haven

A woman ran out of an ice cream shop, crying. Pumara ito ng taxi at iniwan ang lalakeng nakatulala sa loob. Hebe was fast to leave and Seth was left hanging, barely standing up to follow her.

"What the fuck?" Seth mumbled habang dinadampot ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan. The deserts weren't even halfway eaten. Nasayang lang pero umalis din naman si Seth.

On his way, he was stuck on traffic hanggang sa di na niya mahagilap ang taxi na sinasakyan ni Hebe. She was on her war back to the quarters. Inside that cab was a crying woman, nobody knew why.

"Ma'am okay lang po ba kayo?" The driver became worried, sino bang hindi magtatanong kung ang nakasakay sayo'y humahagulgol. She tried her best to give him a nod and a reassuring smile.

"Manong pakibaba nalang po ako sa gilid" She said between her sobs. If ibababa siya rito ay aabutin pa siya ng limang minutong paglalakad upang makaabot sa headquarters. As she repeated, the driver complied. Binigay niya ang card niya at doon kinuha ni manong ang kanyang bayad.

Right after thanking him, she got out the cab. She wiped her cheeks with her hanky and sniffed to stop herself from crying more. Nagpatuloy siyang maglakad. Ngunit, hindi siya patungo sa palasyo. Instead of going straight there, her feet were directed to the woods.

"Shit!" Seth furiously banged his hands onto the steering wheel that his vehicle horned. The traffic light was red, signalling stop kaya mas lalo siyang nainis. There was no way of still finding where Hebe's cab is, or saan ito patungo. He brushed his hair and took a deep breath. On his touch-screen stereo, he tried dialling Hebe's number but to his dismay walang sumagot. It's either her phone was on airplane mode or turned off.

Hebe thrown herself into the grasslands. Sinandal niya ang likod niya sa isang malaking puno. Her tears started flowing down her cheeks again, umiiyak na naman. A minute or two later, she brought her knees close to her chest at niyakap ito sabay sa pagbaon ng mukha niya sa kanyang mga hita.

"Stupid" She kept on whispering curse words while choking back her tears.

"Nakita niyo ba si Hebe?" tanong ni Seth kanila Apollo na kakapasok lang sa headquarters. Seth was already in his casual clothes, a black shirt and black jogger pants. His hair was wet na para bang kakaligo niya lang. His back was leaning on the wall parallel to his room's door.

"Diba magkasama kayo kanina?" Apollo replied. As his older brother looked at him, he just gave him a confused look and headed to his room.

"May nangyari ba kay Ms. Belle?" and then the curious and caring Sol was there. "Wala.. wala naman" ani Seth na ayaw ng idawit si Sol rito. He knows he like Hebe more than everyone among them, or siguro siya ang pinakahalata. Kung malalaman nito ang nangyari earlier that day, for sure, Sol would be running around by now.. looking for Hebe or di kaya ay nasuntok na niya si Seth.

"May itatanong lang sana ako sa kanya"

Sol just nodded his head and headed to his room. Malaking pasasalamat ni Seth at hindi na ito nagtanong.

Seth walked out their headquarters with only his phone in his hands. Pilit hinahanap si Hebe kahit gabi na.

She was still in the woods. Her phone's battery went dead a few minutes ago and it was already dark. Naglalakad na siya patungo sa labasan ngunit nahihirapan siyang hanapin ang daang tinahak niya kani-kanina lang.

She kept walking, and walking until a bright light flashed against her eyes. She placed her hand a few inches parallel to her face to block the light. She blinked twice, thrice, until she finally got rid of the flash of colors brought by the shock.

"Ah.. sorry, sorry" The man holding the light said. Nakatakip parin sa mukha niya ang kanyang mga kamay kaya hindi niya mahagilap ng maayos ang mukha ng lalake. Hindi ito nagsalita. She started feeling uneasy. She tried to distance herself by moving one foot back, and then the other but the man suddenly placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's me.. Silvan" accompanied with a chuckle.