The Runaway

Chapter 5

"Thank you, Ma'am. Good night and enjoy your stay." greeted the receptionist as she gave me the key to my room.

I hailed a taxi and went to a hotel to spend the night after I ran away home. As I went inside, I dropped my things on the floor and threw myself on the bed without even thinking changing.

"I never thought running away could be so tiring. I'll think about this tomorrow." I hugged a pillow and slowly closed my eyes as I drifted off to sleep.

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At the Castaneda mansion.

"Yaya, gising na ba si Kathreene?" Katrina asked one of the maids and sat on her chair. Louie is in his position, with a cup of coffee and a newspaper always at hand.

"Hindi pa po bumaba si Miss Kath." sagot ng katulong. Louie put down the newspaper.

"Do you think she's still mad at me?" he asked his wife.

"I talked to her last night, well, by the door because she locked it. I think she's calmed down now."

"I didn't mean to hurt her. I lost control and it's too late to stop myself. I'm really sorry, honey." Katrina placed her hand on his.

"I know, honey. I'll bring her breakfast upstairs and try to talk to her again." she said assuringly.

"Thank you."

- -

"Sweetheart?" she knocked on the door. There was no response.

"Yaya, pakigamitan ng susi. Naka-lock kasi ang pinto nya kagabi." kinuha ng kasama nyang katulong ang susi sa kwarto ni Kathreene at ipinasok sa doorknob.

"Ma'am, hindi naman po naka-lock." sabi ng katulong.

"Ganun ba? Sige, ako nang bahala dito." umalis ang katulong at pumasok sya sa loob.

"Sweetheart?" no answer. The room is so quiet. She looked on her bed and to her shock, she let go of the tray.

"What happened?" asked Louie, as he dashed himself inside.

"Louie. Kathreene is not here. Her bed is empty."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I searched her room but I couldn't find her."

"Maybe she's outside."

"No. The maids told me they haven't seen her come down. Her bag and some clothes were missing. Louie, our daughter has left!" she hysterically called the maids.

"Call the police! Tell them to find my daughter! She must have not gone that far."

"Stop!" the maids were about to leave when Louie stopped them. "Don't call the police. Don't find her."

"What?! Why? Our daughter has ran away and we will not find her?"

"That's what she wants, right? Let her go."

"But, Louie. She's not used outside. What if something happens to her? I can't bring myself to let her be on her own. We must bring her back."

"She will be back and she'll do it herself."

"I don't understand."

"Trust me. I'll bring her back.

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I slowly opened my eyes to a different environment. I was confused at first then, I remembered. I ran away last night and checked in to this room. I got out of bed and opened the window. It's already 10am in the morning and the light of the sun flooded the room. It's been 10 hours since I left home. I'm pretty sure they already know I'm gone. I shrugged.

"I guess I'll go buy some stuff for now." I got my bag and my keys then went out of the room. I went to a nearby mall and went straight to the supermarket to find some toiletries since I left mine at home. I also got some other stuff that I will need. I took the basket to the cashier for her to scan my purchase.

"P3,088.75 po lahat, Ma'am." said the cashier. I got my wallet out of the bag and gave her my credit card which she took and swiped it in the swiper.

"Excuse me po, Ma'am pero wala pong laman ang credit card nyo." I looked at her, confused.

"What? Impossible. Maybe your machine is not working. Try it again." she did it again.

"Wala po talaga, Ma'am."

"How did that happen?"

"Pwede naman pong cash na lang ang gamitin nyo para wala pong problema. Marami pa po kasing nakapila." I looked at the long line in my back and sighed. I took peso bills out of my wallet and gave it to the cashier. I went out of the store and looked for an ATM machine.

"That's quite embarassing. How can this happen to me? I never ran out of money."

When I spotted a machine, I took out my ATM card and inserted it in the slot. I pushed the withdraw button and waited it to be processed. Suddenly, a message appeared in the screen and I read it.

Sorry. Your transaction cannot be processed.

"That's funny." I tried it again but the same happens. I irritatedly pulled my ATM card.

"Stupid. That's why I hate machines." I grabbed my things and walked out the building. I went to the bank and looked for Mr. Andres, the bank manager.

"Miss Castaneda, what brought you here?" he asked as I sat on the chair inside the office.

"Yes. I'm here to complain."

"Ano yun, Miss Kath?"

"Both my credit and ATM cards are invalid. Why is that?"

"That, Miss Kath, is because your account has been frozen."

"Frozen? How the hell did that happen?"

"We received a call from your father this morning and he ordered us to freeze your account. We will not let you use it unless he says so."

"Dad froze my account? Why would he do that?"

"Hindi ko po alam. Kausapin nyo na lang po sya."

I sighed.

"If I could."

I went back to the hotel after walking out the office. I sat on my bed and looked at the ceiling then sighed.

"I really am in big trouble."