Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Flashback...

She sighed.

What time was it already? She was going to be late for school. Why did her Daddy have to leave so early? Now there was no one to take her to school. A jeep was approaching, so Naomi immediately flagged it down, but to her great disappointment, it was already full and just passed her by.

She stomped her foot in frustration and almost scratched her head. She looked around. She was standing across the public market of Talisay. The tricycle line there, which was usually slow-moving, was now empty because it was rush hour and vehicles were running out. There was a transport strike today, so passengers and drivers alike were in a hurry, since by eight o’clock operations would stop. Why was it that their school was the only one that didn’t declare a suspension of classes? And why did her Daddy have to leave her on a day like this?

Her gaze shifted to a fruit stand. She saw a man there, wearing a black shirt and faded jeans. He had rubber shoes on and was wearing a hat. He was holding a cigarette and casually lighting it. Even the fruit vendor was gone because of the widespread strike—something that irritated her even more.

The last time she experienced something like this, the private tricycle she was riding—Mang Kanor’s—had been pelted with stones. And Mang Kanor was now dead. There was no longer anyone to take her to and from school whenever her Daddy was away.

She blinked while staring at the man when she noticed that he was staring back at her. And with her 20/20 vision, she could tell that he was handsome. He was fair-skinned and tall, with a well-built body that looked like it belonged to someone who went to the gym every day.

After a while, he moved from where he was standing and got into a white tricycle. That was the moment Naomi took her eyes off him. She thought he was leaving, but suddenly he appeared behind her. She only glanced at him, but he stopped.

“Hop in,” he said with a smile as he peeked through the small window of the tricycle.

She shook her head.

“You won’t be able to find a ride here anymore. I’ll take you all the way to Daet. Your school is Abaño, right?”

Naomi felt fear. Even if the driver was handsome, he was still a stranger. She was about to refuse again when she saw groups of women hurrying toward her. They looked like they were going to ride this man’s tricycle. Panicking, she quickly climbed in.

“Please hurry, sir. I don’t want to have anyone with me. I’ll just pay extra—just let me be your only passenger,” she said in a rush.

“Yes, my dear princess,” he replied with a smile, and the young girl found herself staring at his beautiful teeth.

A dental clinic would be ashamed in comparison to how even and white the man’s teeth were.

He started moving the tricycle, snapping her back to reality. The women almost ran after them just to get a ride. She didn’t understand why she didn’t want those women to ride with them. She didn’t want the driver to notice the pretty woman in that group. In her mind, she wanted to be the only one he paid attention to. She was jealous of the attention they could get from this guy.

She was crazy.

“Looks like your Daddy the cop didn’t take you to school,” he said, clearly talking to her. “There’s a strike today—he made things hard for his princess.”

What does this man know? She didn’t answer. Naomi kept her eyes focused outside the tricycle. She saw a group of men flagging down motorists. She immediately scooted to the left, remembering the time they had been stoned because people thought the tricycle was operating during a strike.

“Oh my God! They might throw stones at us!” she exclaimed, and even though she didn’t know this ridiculously handsome man, she instinctively grabbed his arm.

“Relax. Want me to kick all of them?” he asked with a grin, looking at her through the side mirror.

“Are you crazy?” she snapped.

“Crazy for you,” he replied with a mischievous smile, leaving her speechless.

He had the most wicked smile ever. He was incredibly handsome. Even Colgate would be ashamed of how white his teeth were.

Suddenly, he slowed down and pulled the vehicle to the side. “It’s better if you ride behind me. I’ll handle those aggressive strike guards if anything happens.”

“I don’t backride.”

“Fine. Suit yourself—get stoned there,” he said, about to move the tricycle again, but she quickly grabbed his sleeve.

“I’ll move,” she said, forced to get down and climb onto the back of the tricycle.

He was smiling in the side mirror. He glanced at her as she stepped onto the footrest of the motorcycle. He even held the hem of her long skirt.

“Your skirt is really long,” he said. “Good thing you’re pretty—otherwise you’d look like an old maid.”

She wanted to feel offended by the way he touched her uniform, but that wasn’t what she felt. Instead, she felt a flutter at his compliment. Besides, no one really cared about her except her Daddy. The boys her age weren’t like this. Teenagers weren’t gentlemen. This one wasn’t a teenager. He was a man.

“Hold on, my dear princess,” he said before starting the tricycle again. “I’m Marco, by the way. I’ll pick you up later, okay? You might not find a ride. Your school should be blown up for not thinking about the students’ welfare. Want me to throw a grenade at it?”

She held back a smile. This man was insane.

“I just don’t want to be absent.”

“You’re still speaking English even during a strike. You’re really hardworking. Even if you had to walk, you’d still go to school. I didn’t make a mistake—you really are my ideal girl. I’ll face Sir’s armalite bullets for you,” he said.

She didn’t know if he was joking or not, but she had a feeling he had known her for a long time.

That afternoon, Naomi stopped at the school gate, surprised to see Marco already there waiting. He was standing by the tricycle, smiling at her. He nodded and walked toward her.

“Let me carry your bag, future Mrs. Ledesma,” he said with a grin.

He kept his word and came back for her that afternoon. Good thing Aliyah wasn’t there—if her best friend had come to school, she would surely have been teased nonstop.

“I’m not riding with you,” she said sharply, chin raised.

Even though he was handsome, she felt afraid. He sounded like a stalker. He knew her. He knew her parents. Even if they often bought from the fruit stand, he wouldn’t just recognize them unless he had asked around.

“I don’t know you. You might take me somewhere else,” she said again, but he just chuckled softly.

He walked toward the guard standing at the gate.

“Sir guard, I’ll leave my tricycle’s plate number here. I’m the one taking Inspector Benavista’s daughter home. If she doesn’t get home safely, just look for me. Here’s my driver’s license. I’ll leave my number.”

He glanced back at her and smiled, then winked. All she could do was pout.