Chapter 1

As I look into my father's coffin, tears poured down from my eyes. My heart is bleeding but nothing can stop the pain I'm feeling. Losing a loved one in death can be devastating, especially when you have lost a parent.

"Condolences, hija." I looked up with tears in my eyes. It was Tito Ric, one of papa's friends at the law firm he worked for.

I was speechless and had no intention of speaking. I'm emotionally tired and I don't have enough strength to talk. I tightened my grip on papa's picture frame even more as he continued to cry. It's just, I can't stop my tears from falling.

I was 12 years old when my father died because of a car accident. Mama was forced to work for the two of us. She strived hard to provide my needs. As I worked hard to study as dad wanted. He wants the best for me that's why I strived to be the best in my field.

"With highest honor from the grade nine level, Amara Francesca Acosta!"

I heard the loud applause from the crowd as I went up to the stage with my mother. Mama looked at me with a smile of success as if to say that she was very proud of me. And that was already enough for me to feel happiness in my heart.

"This Amara is really smart!" commented Aling Flora, a neighbor of ours who shared a small banquet at our house.

"Oh, he inherited that from his father!" mama while putting food on my plate. I just smiled sparingly and didn't even join their conversation. I'm thinking about papa again. I wish he's here to congratulate me. That would make me happier, though I'm contented of what I have now.

"Smart and a nice kid! Oh, it sure has a lot of lovers!" happy words of Aunt Rina, mama's younger sister.

I smiled sparingly. "I have no plans to entertain male aunts yet. I don't have such things in mind yet." Well, he's right that I already have lovers but I immediately bastardized it. I don't want anything that can distract my studies because it's my top priority.

"It's good then. Hey, you're really young. Your mother's luck is with you."

When I entered I had no other plan but to focus on being a good student. I am in my fourth year here at the only university in our province, the Alfresco de Unibersidad. I was a consistent honor student in my previous years that's why I belong to the pilot section when I reached my tenth grade.

"Yey! We're classmates again sissy!" Lalaine, my best friend. It looks like a lot of fun because we're going to be in class again. After all, he almost didn't pass Mathematics last year.

"Is that how you really want to be with me?" we sat in the front because that's what I wanted. I don't want to be in the back because I can't focus.

"Of course noh! Sissy is like us!"

I smiled. She's really one of those few people who can make me smile.

My first day went smoothly. Nothing special happened. Right after dismissal, I packed my things and went out from the university. Lalaine and I went in different directions, so I walked down the road alone. In fact, I can ride a tricycle but I prefer to walk because I am more comfortable there. Also, our house is not that far from here. Based on my estimation, I think I just need to walk for two kilometers.

While walking quietly I spotted a pregnant woman slowly walking in front of me with a boy who I think was five years old. The boy's gaze was fixed on his mother as if worried. The woman looked around as if looking for a ride but unfortunately no tricycle was passing by.

I guess, she's in pain. She has a big belly which gave me the idea that she may be menstruating now. I couldn't help but sigh with worry.

My eyes were still locked at them when the pregnant woman suddenly collapsed. I stopped walking and my eyes widened in shock.

The child was obviously surprised as well. He looked around as if looking for someone to turn to. His eyes stopped on me, and when I saw his pleading eyes, I didn't hesitate to run towards them.

"Oh God ..." I exclaimed and immediately attended to them. I looked at the woman and saw that she was very pale. Damn. What will I do?

I turned to the child who was now crying. "M-Rent a tricycle. Your mom needs to be taken to the hospital."

I looked around, the few people passing by seemed indifferent. My hands get cold with every passing second that I don’t see a tricycle. I don't know these people and I don't have anything to do with them but my conscience can't leave them like that.

that situation.

I was almost trembling in nervousness when an unfamiliar black car stopped in front of us. Its door opened and a familiar man came out from inside. His dark eyes looked directly at me that made me gulped. He's tall and has tanned skin. There is nothing in his appearance that shows tenderness. His eyes and everything in his physical appearance shows no mercy at all.

He's no other than the famous Raxon Diego Bermudez.

He turned his gaze to the unconscious woman. He stepped closer and immediately attended to the pregnant woman and examined her with his gaze. Maybe he knows a lot about it. Based on what I've heard, he's a third year medical student and their family owns chains of hospitals all over the country.

"What happened?" he fired a question to me. I seem to be confused for reasons I can't determine.

"B-He just n-fainted."

He touched the woman's wrist. I heard her faint murmur as if something was wrong with what was happening.

"What is your connection to them?" I asked when he suddenly lifted the woman into the car.

"I don't know them." he replied coldly. "She needs to be taken to the hospital as soon as possible because her pulse rate is very low and she is gradually having difficulty breathing. Get in the backseat, we need to hurry or else she'll die."

At what he said I took the child's hand and without hesitation got into the car. After all, I can't leave the child alone. He's crying and looks so worried. I know he needs someone to comfort him right now.

"Stop crying baby boy. Your mom will be fine too." I assured him.

When we arrived at San Alfresco Public Hospital the medical staffs immediately approached us when they saw Raxon. I took a deep breath as I hugged the boy. Damn. I was really nervous about what happened.

I bent down to level the child's vision. "Where's your dad?"

He shook his head. "W-I don't have a dad." I felt his pain as he hardly say those words.

"Are you somewhat connected to them?" I looked up at the man who spoke. His cold eyes focused his attention on me. That made my heart pound faster.

"No." my casual answer. "I was going home with us when I saw them. I saw what happened so I tried to help."

He nodded. I stand up and saw his eyes traveled down to my uniform. "You're a junior high in Alfresco de Unibersidad?"

"Y-Yes."

"Nikolai!" we both turned to the woman who suddenly appeared. I think, she's in her late 20's. He immediately approached the boy and hugged him.

"Where's your mom? What happened? I heard what happened so I immediately rushed here. I'm sorry Niko if Tita got caught."

"Are you related to the patient?" Raxon asked the woman. The woman's mouth dropped open the moment she looked at it.

"Y-Yeah." I could feel the nervousness in her voice. I looked at Raxon. He didn't even show any emotion. He remained cold and serious as hell.

"Okay, then. We brought him here. And since you're already here, we need to go now."

"Thank you so much! Thank you so much indeed!" the sincerity in her voice is evident. I just smiled politely.

"Let's go." Raxon turned to me before starting to walk. I said goodbye to them for a while and then followed Rax.

I sighed. I thought this day is just a normal day for me but I guess, I was wrong. I helped someone. Call me weird or something, but what happened is somewhat memorable for me.

When we got out of the hospital I spoke. "Ah okay, I'll go first. Thank you--"

"Where are you from?" he cut me off. I swallowed as I looked up at his face. Not to mention, he's really tall and muscular. I think, he's height is between 6'2 and 6'3.

"Just in front of Hacienda Hermosa ..." I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag. "Maybe I'll just ride a tricycle."

"I'll deliver you." he said with finality in his voice. For a moment my mouth fell open. Is he serious?

"A-Ah, don't. I'll just ride the tricycle. I don't want to be bothered."

"I can just pass your place. So why not ride with me?"

I sighed and finally agreed. It's embarrassing to refuse, especially since the person is just being nice.

"Your name?" he asked in the middle of the trip. I looked at him for a moment before answering.

"A-Amara." I feel so uneasy. Maybe because I was too intimidated by the presence of the male companion.

"I'm Raxon."

"I know." this time he looked at me with a smirk on his face. "You know me?"

"Everyone at university knows you, just incase you don't know."

When I entered our karenderia, my mother immediately greeted me with a question. He saw me get out of an expensive car. So what I did is, I told her the whole story. She managed tosmile even though she looks so tired.

"You did a good job, son. Oh hey, go inside the house and get dressed. Eat well and then do your homework."

"I don't have any homeworks right now. I'll just help you here at the karenderia. You look tired."

She gave me a genuine smile. "Thank you, son."

The next day I went to class early. I'm just interested in the first subject because I think our teacher is good at teaching. Her way of discussing the lesson is really effective. The second class was Social Science, and honestly, the boring of the teacher’s discussion.

"Oh, Jed lets you." Lalaine once reached for a box of chocolates while we were here inside the canteen. I winced. I don't like sweets, especially chocolotes.

"Who's Jed?" I asked frowning. Well, his name is quiet unfamiliar.

"A grade eleven cutie who crushed you. She passed me because she said she was shy." he grinned as if madly thrilled. I was just shaken.

"You eat that. You know I don't like too much sweets."

He went home. "Eh don't! You're really crazy Amara! Don't you really have any plans to enjoy your teenage life? You're just too focused on your studies!"

I was shaken. I know what he's up to. "I'm enjoying my life right now Laine."

"Don't you really have any plans to try a relationship? You know, even if it's just a game. I think, that's what you're missing."

"I don't need boys. And one more thing, I'm just sixteen years old. I'm too young to get into things like that."

He was hysterically slapped on his forehead. "My goodness. You're already sixteen Amara! Even the thirteen -year -old has a boyfriend now! Stop being so conservative!"

"Don't pressure me. When I say I don't want to, I really don't want to." my final promise then no one said stand up.

"Oh, where are you going?" he asked in astonishment. "Just buy fries. It's gone."

"Bring me some juice too." he promised and presented me with the money. I quickly get it and walk towards the counter. When the saleslady asked what was mine, I immediately spoke up. And just after a minute, she handed me my order.

I turned around but my exact turn was when I bumped into a woman. Her eyes widened upon seeing her messed uniform. Juice spilled on her dress and the accusation was obvious in her eyes as she looked at me. But even though she's looking at me like that, I still managed to maintain my composure.

"What the heck did you do ?!" his voice echoed. People are looking in our direction.

"It's not my fault, but still I will say sorry. Sorry miss." I said with a calm tone.

"You bitch! It's your fault!" I raised an eyebrow at what he said. I looked at her uniform and concluded that she's also a junior high like me.

"My name is Amara, not bitch. Just incase you don't know." he's just going to hit it all of a sudden and then he's still angry?

"Wow! You're overreacting ah!" she was about to slap me with her right hand when a cold baritone voice interrupted the commotion between us.

"Enough."

I moved my head and looked at the man standing two meters away from us. His dark and serious eyes stared at me with pure coldness.

It's him again. Raxon Bermudez.