Dare Me To Love You (ITL Series #1) |COMPLETE

Dare 27

CHAPTER 27

GABRIEL

IT TOOK ALMOST an hour for the polices to arrive. My arms went sore for extending it too much, also because of the panic I felt inside. I was so afraid for Monica. Hindi siya sanay sa mga ganitong kaganapan, hindi dapat siya nandito, hindi dapat niya nakikita 'to.

Seeing her tremble already scares the sh*t out of me, but when I saw her pass out, f*ck it. F*ck. I didn't know what to do, my soul left my body for a second. Until now that I'm rushing her to the hospital. I almost hit a truck.

It was not that hard to find a doctor to guide me, the moment I entered the ER, a nurse came running towards me. When they got Monica, with shaking hands, I reached for my pocket and called her parents. It was hard even to catch my own breath and the nurse even forced me to sit down.

I thought, when you care about someone, it feels fulfilling and wholesome, it's all clear skies and smiles. But here I am, terrified and nervous. It wasn't all clear skies and sh*t. Sure, I've prayed before, but not this sincere.

Ilang minuto akong nakayuko roon. Praying for someone else life, for her life. It was hard for me to plead, for I grew up believing that maturity is by growing my ego. This wasn't my Mom's boy who taught him many things, I grew up as an arrogant, self-entitled man. Never imagined this would happen.

"What the fuck happened?!" galit na tanong ng Daddy niya. "T-tito..." mula sa pagkakayuko ay napaangat ako ng tingin. Sumalubong sa akin si Tito na madilim ang mukha at agad akong kinwelyuhan.

Nakailang tikhim pa ang doktor bago niya nakuha ang atensyon ni Tito. "Kumusta na ang anak ko, Doc?" tanong ni Tita na nanginginig ang mga kamay at pinipigilan ang luha na nagbabadyang tumulo. I focused my gazes to what the doctor would say. The fear, the feeling of agitation, and guilt never left me.

"No severe injuries, ayos naman ang lahat. Nothing to worry about." Sabi ni Tita. "Are you sure, Doc? She fainted..." tanong ko.

Tumango siya at inilagay ang dalawang kamay sa lab coat. "Kulang lang siya sa tulog. And probably because of extreme anxiousness, and fatigue that is why she fainted. Let her rest, and when she wakes, she can go home." The doctor faintly smiled at me and looked at everyone.

"Thank you, Doc." I said. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa sinabi ng babaeng doktor. Umalis na siya roon at umupo na lang ako sa waiting area. Kumuha naman ang parents niya ng private room. And despite Monica's Dad getting steamed up at me, her Mom treated me the opposite. She patted my shoulders and smiled before going inside Monica's room.

It was not that loud in the waiting area, just a few patients, nurses, and doctors chatting. It should be enough for me to calm down, but made it all worse. By how the bullets blew the whole restaurant and the quiet crowd, the noises inside the hospital was reminding me of that scenario.

As what short stories from our literature class describe love, it was iridescent, it smells like flowers from my mother's garden. But this love was white, and anxious. It smelled like medicine and dangerous.

I ENTERED MONICA'S room and I saw her still lying there. Her face was pale and fragile. I slowly closed the door, and quietly sat on the chair, as if she would wake up by the sound of my steps.

Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya at bahagya itong hinalikan. "I'm sorry, I didn't protect you enough from those bad guys. I'll do better next time, babe. This won't ever happen again." I whispered and placed tiny kisses on her forehead.

Lumapit ako sa tenga niya at bumulong, "Mahal kita." like it was the last words she'll hear from me. How I wish she heard it.

JUST LIKE the first time I've been here, they bowed their heads again; giving honor to the boss, my father. Unlike the first time, the seats were all full but this time there's that one empty seat near the other end.

Nang maupo kaming lahat ay may nakita pa akong iba na palihim na humihikab at nag-uunat.

I looked at my wrist watch, it's 12:00 AM. "Thank you for coming. Sorry for the sudden meeting... anyways, I'm here to formally introduce the possible leader. You've met him, my son--Gabriel." Sabay akbay niya sa akin.

Nag-palakpakan silang lahat and our gazes went to the open door. May pumasok na isang babaeng naka- black suit at naka-shades. She actually looks familiar--

"Sorry, boss. Na-traffic lang..." Nang makita niya ang cookie sa harapan niya ay agad niya itong isinubo. Kumunot ang nuo ko, what the fuck?

Tumayo si Daddy at itinuro ang babaeng kakadating lang. Bakit siya pa?! Urgh! Fuck!

"Everyone, this is Natalia Monet, she's from a French group. Gab, she'll be your mentor and partner." My jaw dropped.

Napatingin ako kay Dad, why she? F*ck! Suminghap ako at naiinis na tumingin kay Natalia. I rolled my eyes at her when she smiled at me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck shit!

Malulutong na mura ang bulong ko sa aking isipan. Pwede namang kahit sino na lang. Why does it have to be one of my exes? Godd*amn it!

"Oh God..." paos kong sabi at minasahe ang aking nuo. "Do you have a problem with that, Gab?" agad na tanong ni Daddy.

"Pwede bang iba na lang, Dad? Pwede namang siya na lang!" turo ko sa lalaking dalawang upuan ang layo sa amin. "At gaya nga ng sabi mo, Dad. She's a first timer! What if she f*cks up?!"

"Oh no, Hector is our tracker, hindi siya pwedeng maging partner mo. Natalia is from a powerful mafia, a friend of ours. Kaya alam niya ang gagawin niya." Dad said bluntly. I looked at Natalia. Her thin lips curved in a joking smile. It was insulting.

"Arghh!" naiinis kong sigaw at lumabas ng board room. Lumabas ako ng Royalé at nagpahangin sa labas. Natalia was my ex, I shouldn't be minding her. But, Natalia was different. She's persistent and she'll do anything to get what she wants. If we're together, baka wala kaming matapos.

And she's bossy! Tuwing ayaw kong sundin ang mga sinasabi niya ay isasampal niya sa aking mas matanda siya sa akin at dapat ko siyang sundin. I was 17 that time and she was 23, I guess? She's a cougar!

Yet she was no different with my other exes. She also begged for me to come back when I broke up with her, and because I was an arrogant jerk, I left her crying at a parking lot. I just realized how bad I was before.

And now that she shows up again, it just reminded me how atrocious I am. Now it pains me reminiscing the girls I hurt before. What if one of them was Monica? I suddenly felt guilty. I closed my eyes and sighed.

Pagmulat ko, may nakatapat ng isang stick ng sigarilyo. Nakita ko si Natalia na nakahawak nito. Napa-buntong hininga akong kinuha ang isang stick, inabutan naman niya ako ng lighter.

"May problema ka ba sa akin?" tanong niya sabay buga ng usok. "Oo, ayaw ka ng mga mata ko..." matigas kong sabi at bumuga din ng usok.

"Pero paano naman ang puso mo?" natatawa niyang sabi.

"Pwede ba, Natalia, may nililigawan ako. Hindi na kita gusto." Matigas kong sabi at nilaro ang sigarilyo sa gitna ng aking hintuturo at hinlalato.

"Kung sino mang babae o lalaki iyan, kawawa naman siya." Humigop siya sa sigarilyo niya saka ibinuga iyon sa hangin.

"I'm straight, Natalia." Sabi ko naman.

"Huwag kang mag-alala, Gab. Hindi na kita gusto, saka may anak na ako." bahagya niyang sabi. Nagulat naman ako at the same time kinakabahan.

What if--

"Huwag kang mag-alala. Hindi sa'yo. Ayaw ko sa genes niyo, ayoko sa playboy. Isa pa, kasal na ako, kaya pwede ka pa ring kumantot ng kahit na sino." Itinapon niya ang sigarilyo niya at inapakan iyon.

"Wala akong sinasabi." Kunwareng walang pake kong sabi. Pero sa mga oras na ito ay wala na akong maramdamang kahit na ano.

Maybe because someone owns this heart already, someone who's asleep right now. Someone who doesn't know how much I like her. Someone whose name was Monica.

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