His Girl Friday

Chapter 28: Unti-unti

CHAPTER 28

"Ang tanong na walang sagot luha ang nadudulot sa ating mga mata."

- Unti-unti by UDD

Paghinto ng kotse ko sa loob ng parking area ng mga Hidalgo ay agad kaming nagsibabaan nina Apollo at Everly. Agad din kaming sinalubong ni Ysmael at kita sa kanyang mukha ang halu-halong emosyon.

"Ysmael!" sigaw ni Everly bago yumakap sa kanya. "What happened to her? Tell us everything!"

Humiwalay siya sa pagkakayakap nito. Huminga muna ito nang malalim bago nagpaliwanag. "I was supposed to go to Reed's house earlier. But when I passed Casa Arcangel's arch, I saw a woman crawling near the waiting shed."

"Jesus Christ," I heard Apollo whispered in disbelief.

Ysmael continued. "I jumped out of my car immediately and went to her. I was about to offer help but then I recognized her." His voice was a little shaky and he has this far-away look, like he was truly haunted by what he saw.

Who wouldn't? Leila is a precious girl. Everyone knew her at the university as one of the Arcangel's scholars and she's really frigging nice. She did not deserve what happened to her tonight. Nobody deserved to be beaten like that and left for dead at a waiting shed of all places!

Well, except that douchebag Miguel.

Pero bakit nakita ni Ysmael si Leila na gumagapang sa labas ng Casa Arcangel! Sino ang nag-iwan sa kanya doon? Okay na ba siya? Nasaan siya ngayon? Saan siya iniwan ni Ysmael? May kasama ba siya?

"Do you know the extent of her injuries? Do you know if she was ra–"

He shook his head. "No. I don't think she's hurt like that." He took a fortifying breath before squaring his shoulders. "But whoever did this to her needs to be put in jail."

Thank God she wasn't sexually assaulted!

I sighed in relief, and my tears started to roll down on my face. "Have you called the police?" I asked as I wipe my tears.

His face immediately hardened in frustration. "That's the thing... She doesn't want me to."

Why? I understand she's scared pero dapat managot 'yung gumawa sa kanya nito. Tsaka baka maulit pa ito sa kanya o sa ibang tao kung hindi ipapakulong 'yung taong nanakit sa kanya. Hindi namin siya hahayaang harapin 'yun nang mag-isa. Hindi siya pababayaan ni Tito Eric. I'm sure of that. Wala siyang dapat ikatakot.

"Where is she?" Everly asked.

"She's at the guest house. My sister is with her."

Great. At least someone's with her right now. I bet she's really scared for her life. Terrified, even. Naiisip ko lang na nakita siya ni Ysmael na gumagapang...  God, I can't take it.

I really want to see her right now. "Can we see her?"

"This way," Ysmael said as he motioned for us to follow him.

The walk to their guest house felt like the longest walk that I ever had to make. And when we reached their guest house, parang tumigil ang oras nang makita namin ang kaibigan namin sa isa sa mga guest rooms nila Ysmael.

I couldn't help but gasp seeing the extent of her injuries. "Oh, my God. Who did this to her?" I asked with a quivering voice. 

Her lower lip was busted and bruised and both of her eyes were blackened and swollen. Her right arm was wrapped with make-shift sling made up of yellow cloth.