Chapter 4 - Savior

KHIANA's POV

I AM ALIVE. That was the first thing I thought when I opened my eyes. Akala ko kasi talaga ay katapusan ko na. Nang magising ako ay nagising ako sa isang room. The room is cozy and with few furniture and a painting of a boat sailing while there's big waves and storms. The room was dark and the only light source was the reddish light coming from the lampshade.

Nang tumingin ako sa bintana ay nakita ko na madilim na. Bahagya akong bumangon at bigla namang kumirot ang ulo ko! 'Damn, what a headache!' I looked at what I was wearing. I am wearing a long and big white shirt with a teddy bear print in the middle. Nang tignan ko ang underwear ko, 'yong blue bikini na suot ko pa rin kanina.

Napalingon ako nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan. Namilog ang mga mata ko nang makita ang pamilyar na mukha. He's smiling at me while holding a bed tray with food on top of it. After putting down the bed tray sa side table ay sumadal siya sa isang sulok ng

"Oh, you're awake now. How's your feeling?" he asked me.

It was Ryker, the guy I kissed.

"What am I doing here?" I asked calmly.

He smiled cheekily. "You really forget things easily, huh?"

I stopped for a moment to think. Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi ko nang bigla kong maalala. Someone saved me. Someone put me away from the brink of death. Then, I realized...

It was him.

It was Ryker who saved me.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"One of my cabins here. I brought you here after I gave you CPR, but then you passed out again. I urgently called a doctor and he said you're fine, he explained to me. I heard him sighed heavily. "You scared me..."

I looked away trying to avoid the embarrassment that I felt. "T-Thank you..."

"Hmm? I guess you're welcome."

Nilingon ko siya at binigyan ng masamang tingin. Hindi pa ba sapat ang pagbigay ko ng 'Thank you' sa kanya? When I look at him, he's just smiling and looking at me. He seemed like he didn't mind at all, he seemed cool with the things going on. I guess he's a laid-back type of person.

"You must be hungry. Why don't you eat?" sabi niya sa akin.

When I looked at the bed tray that he brought, I saw the bowl of chicken soup with a bowl of rice and sliced meat on top. Then, there's some fruit and a glass of cold water. "Did you cook it for me?" I asked.

He smiled. "Yep."

So, he knows how to cook.

"T-Thanks..."

Kumunot ang noo niya at bigla siyang nagtanong. "Why are you like that? You're saying thank you na parang hirap na hirap kang banggitin—"

I cut him off. "It's not like that. I am just embarrassed."

"Embarrassed of what?"

"Of what happened! Of everything that happened!" Hindi ko na-notice na bigla na lang tumaas ang tono.

He smirked. "You're embarrassed that you lied to me?"

"What?" I blurted out. It was just one word, but heck... it sounds so defensive. "N-No... What are you saying?"

Narinig ko ang yabag niya papunta sa akin. Pagkatapos ay umupo siya sa dulo ng kama. Tinukod niya ang kanang kamay niya sa kama para bahagyang maglapit kami. He's leaning towards me. "You remember it, don't you?" he asked with a sign of teasing in his voice.

I looked away. "N-No..."

I am not going to admit it!

He's leaning closer and closer to me while wearing a smirk on his lips. I tried so hard to not look at his eyes. Hindi ko alam pero para bang nanghihina ako. May kung anong kakaiba sa paraan ng pagtitig niya sa akin.

I tried to ask him a different question to shift the topic.

"K-Kaninong damit 'tong pinasuot mo sa akin?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Mine."

Kumunot ang noo ko nang ma-realize na siya ang nagsuot sa akin ng damit. "D-Did you touch me?"

He gave me a devilish grin. "Why? Do you want me to touch you?"

"Stop teasing me!" I yelled at him. Mabilis ko na kinuha ang unan at binato iyon sa kanya. Instead of being mad, tinawanan niya lang ako. "Pervert! Pervert!"

Tumayo ako sa kama pero dahil sa wala akong kain at pagod pa ang katawan ko, I almost fell off the ground. Pero nandyan si Ryker para saluhin ako.

"Hey!" angal ko.

"What?"

Pinanlikahan ko siya ng mata. "Stop touching me!"

At ang loko, binitawan nga ako. Ayon ay napaupo ako sa sahig.

"Bakit mo ako binitawan?"

Tumawa siya at tinaasan ako ng isang kilay. "Akala ko ba ay huwag kitang hawakan?"

Nainis pa ako lalo sa kanya nang marinig ang halakhak niya. Bakit gano'n? Pati boses niya ay masarap pakinggan, medyo naiirita nga lang ako sa kanya. Argh! Ano ba itong nasa isip ko!

Pinilit ko na lang tumayo kahit nanghihina ang tuhod ko. But all of a sudden, I felt his arm wrapped around me and then he carried me back to the bed. Hindi na ako umangal pa. I just let him do his thing.

"Hey, Khiana..." he called my name.

"What?"

"You know... hindi libre ang pagligtas ko sa 'yo," he said in his calm voice.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "What? Wala akong pera na maibabayad sa 'yo. Sorry ka na lang!" sabi ko at humalakhak. May kaunti pang pang-aasar ang tono ko.

"Ha! Anong tingin mo sa akin? Walang pera? I am not asking for money," sabi niya.

"E 'di ano pala ha?"

"Have dinner with me."

Bahagya akong natigilan sa sinabi niya. Ako at siya magdi-dinner? Bakit ba siya aya nang aya? Hindi niya ba kayang mag isa?

"It's on me," he added.

Weird. Ako iyong may utang na loob sa kanya pero siya ang manlilibre. But on second thought, he has a point. I really kind of owe him. And maybe this dinner will be a great way to show gratitude to him. Wala naman sigurong masamang mangyayari kung papayag ako.

I sighed before saying, "Okay, sige. I don't think it's a bad idea."

He flashed a smile. "Thanks! I'll make sure you'll like it."

"Saan at kailan?"

Nakita ko siyang parang nag iisip ng kanyang isasagot. "Sa French Restaurant nearby the Vista Verde hotel. The restaurant's name was La Vie and they have some popular chefs. Siguro sa Friday na lang para naman makapagpahinga ka muna," he said using his calm and low voice. "The doctor said that you need to rest your body."

'I haven't tried to go to a French restaurant before.'

"Okay..."

After that, he just stayed for a minute to assist me while I was eating. Sa totoo lang, pakiramdam ko ay ang bigat ng katawan ko. Ramdam ko iyong sakit ng mga muscles ko. Kaya grateful ako na kahit papaano ay nand'yan si Ryker to assist me.

He's not as bad as I think he is...

I hope so.

Hinatid ako ni Ryker sa Vista Verde hotel kung saan ako pansamantalang nananatili para makapagpahinga na ako. Hindi ako nakapag-thank you sa kaniya because someone called him. Before he left he just told me to be safe and be healthy.

"See you on friday, Khiana."

That was the last thing he told me before we went our separate ways.

***

RHYKER's POV

"SORRY I HAVE TO PICK UP THIS CALL."

I looked at Khiana as she looked at me innocently. Her mouth was twitching as if she wanted to say something to me. But then, she didn't say a word. She turned her gaze away as I helped her remove her seat belt.

"I-It's fine..." she said.

My phone was still ringing. I took the call and squeeze my phone between my shoulders and right ear. I was waiting for the caller to say something.

"Are you sure that you'll be fine here?" I asked Khiana.

Lumabas na siya sa sasakyan ko. We were in the same hotel but I still needed to pick up the call and put my car in the parking lot. Kaya no choice ako kung hindi ang iwan siya in entrance ng hotel.

"I'll be fine..."

I nodded my head and smiled. "See you on friday, Khiana."

When Khiana left, a familiar voice from the calling line welcomed me with few words. Few words that irritate me.

"Hey, Ryker! What the heck are you up to this time?" he said to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Ganyan ka ba mag-welcome ng kaibigan, huh?"

"Mag-usap nga tayo ng matino. Why did you do that? You know that you should not esca—"

I cut him off. "It's none of your business, River."

"Ryker—"

"I am not a kid. It's not you or my family who will dictate what I should do or not," I said, emphasizing each word to him.

"We're just worried. We wanted the best for you."

"Whatever! Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself! Bye!"

"Ryker—"

Wala akong oras para makipag usap sa kanya o makinig sa mga sermon na sasabihin niya. I'm tired of hearing the same thing from him and my family. When I say that I am fine, I am fine. Bakit ba hindi nila makuha 'yon? Mahirap ba intindihin ang mga salitang 'yon? Hindi ba pwedeng hayaan na lang nila ako?

"I am fine..." I said as if I am convincing myself.

Whatever they said to me... it doesn't matter anymore. I am not going to let anyone control me, and dictate what I should do.

I am free.

And I am not going to let anyone take away this freedom from me.