13 Chapter 13: Turbulence

Belle and Di met at a bar. Belle had been really tired the past weeks. Di's emotional heartache had sucked so much of her energy. It's been a month since Dave and Di's break up but Belle just can't say no whenever Di calls.

"He's acting really weird." said Di. "By any chance, do you think Dave likes her?"

That's a really tricky question. Belle felt like she's on thin ice.

"Um well, Dave is going through a lot. Of course he'll act strangely." answered Belle.

"I feel there's something wrong with Dave…And I can't help thinking that girl has something to do with it." said Di.

Belle couldn't believe what a woman's instinct can do. Although she thinks Rica definitely had an effect on Dave, Belle was sure Dave's love for Di had not been changed yet by just a cute girl and a short period of time. But it seems Di is really sharp on catching these things though, anything that had to do with Dave. Although the safest thing to do is make Di believe that Rica completely does not have an effect on Dave, hiding reality from Di will only cause more harm than good.

"I think that Rica is a charming girl. And Dave had been…a bit weird since she worked for him before." said Belle.

"You're saying he might fall for her?" asked Di

"I'm saying I won't be surprised if he does." said Belle

Di drank up all the wine in her glass.

"I can't let this go on. If they continue this charade… I can't let Dave be around her. That girl, does she like Dave?" asked Di

"Umm…" Belle tried to avoid looking at Di's eyes. What is the best way to handle this situation?

Di drank another glass of wine.

"So she does. In that case, there is still a way." said Di. "If Dave can't let go of SkyRock, I need to make that girl let him go."

"Be careful whatever you're planning, Di. Any wrong move and SkyRock is going to fall. Dave will never forgive you if it ends up that way." said Belle.

"SkyRock is not going to fall, if that girl is in love with Dave." said Di. "She's going to save SkyRock even if she gets hurt. And I will make sure that's exactly what will happen."

Belle was paying for the bill when Di went out the bar. When Belle tried to look for Di, she saw Di walking on the road where cars were running. Belle immediately went to get Di to pull her to the sidewalk, but Belle was too late…

A car hit Di.

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When Dave reached home, he still felt dazed by what just happened between him and Rica. He couldn't imagine how he got home when his mind was filled with images of Rica's face while crying, her face when he got really close, her warmth when their lips touched. Her scent…

"That woman is driving me crazy!" said Dave and quickly took a cold bottled water from his fridge. He had to think about what is happening to him. Why did he kiss Rica? Why wasn't he able to stop himself?

Did he suddenly see her as a woman when all along he just saw her as a girl? Well of course she's now a woman… he had known it for a while now…

"This engagement is ought to make me a mad man." thought Dave.

Dave's phone rang. What can Belle need at this hour?

"Hey Belle, It's almost morning, why the late call?" asked Dave

"Dave. It's Di…She got hit by a car!" said Belle, her voice shaking.

"What?"

"Please come." said Belle.

"Where are you?"

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Dave's heart was pumping. He got to the hospital as fast as he could.

"Where's Di? What happened?" asked Dave. He saw Belle and Carl outside a room.

"She was brought in. She needs a few stitches on her forehead. But nothing was wrong other than that." said Carl.

Dave noticed Belle who looked shocked and was just silent on the other side of the bench.

"She saw it when the car hit Di." explained Carl. "Good thing the car already saw Di and was able to slow down. But his breaks did not work immediately so Di still got hit. The impact was not that hard though. The reason why she needed a few stitches was because Di got off balanced as she fell to the ground." said Carl.

Dave's heart started to beat normally again.

"Good. But she still needs to have her head scanned, right?" asked Dave

"Yes, all the tests that's needed will be done soon." said Carl.

Dave sat beside Belle and put his hand on Belle's shoulder

"You OK?" asked Dave

"You're here." said Belle.

Belle hugged Dave.

"I didn't know what to do…You know I'm not good at situations like that." said Belle.

"I know. But you were able to get Di here, you did great, Belle." said Dave while trying to comfort Belle.

Belle pulled away from Dave.

"And you? How do you feel?" asked Belle

"I am really worried. When you called, I needed to be here as fast as I can." said Dave. "Good thing she is out of harm's way."

Belle shook her head. Di was not out of harm's way. If Di continues to be out of control like this, she'll end up in danger again.

"Dave, when Di wakes up, can you…can you promise to stay beside her?" asked Belle "This past month, she's been doing a lot of things that I can't control anymore. You have no idea… I tried not to tell you about everything she did because I wanted you to focus on SkyRock. But as much as I want to stay by Di's side, I'm not the one she needs."

"She also did this when they were in New York. She almost got hit by a car but Belle was able to pull her to the sidewalk before any car hit Di. It was a day after you broke up with Di. She wasn't even drunk then." said Carl.

"You know how she is when she is emotionally unstable. She does things that harms herself." said Belle. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

Dave knows Di was fragile emotionally when it comes to him. Every time she gets worried or they fight, something will happen to her that will cause her to get hospitalized or hurt. How can he leave Di alone when she's starting to hurt herself again.

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Di woke up in a strange place.

Oh right. A hospital. By now she's already used to waking up in a hospital room. She saw Dave entering her room.

"Dave" called Di.

"You're awake. That's good." said Dave. "The doctors ran some tests on you earlier and they did not find anything else wrong. It's good that you'll be fine."

"You suddenly became concerned?" asked Di.

Dave took a deep breath.

"I was always concerned. And I still am."

"Good. I wanted to hear that but you kept pushing me away." said Di. "Did I really have to be here just for you to let me know what you feel?"

"You have to take care of yourself more, Di. You are making a lot of people worried. Belle was really shocked. She will need some PTSD treatment. I don't know if she'll be able to visit you here. " said Dave

"I have to thank Belle for always staying by my side. But now that you're here, she should have nothing to worry about, right?" said Di "You will be beside me from now on, right?"

"Will you promise to get better if I stayed?" asked Dave.

"Yes of course. I will do anything to keep you by my side"

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Rica didn't have any sleep. Every time she closes her eyes, she would remember the kiss that happened between her and Dave. That afternoon, Rica decided to meet with Amy and Victoria. When she went out of her house, she saw Dave waiting for her by the door. Rica's heart started to race.

"Dave. Why didn't you call me so I'll know you're here?" said Rica.

"I just passed by. I didn't think you'll be home." said Dave.

Rica felt something was wrong with Dave. Why would he come to her house even if she might not be home?

"You look tired. Is there something wrong?" asked Rica

"Huh?" Dave took a deep breath. Rica was a very sensitive woman. She can easily feel Dave's burdened heart.

"Do you want to grab some coffee?" asked Dave

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Rica still feels something was wrong with Dave even if he tried to hide it.

"Have you ever thought of living apart from your Uncle? People normally want independence and leave their family homes at some point, right?" asked Dave

"I can't leave Uncle alone." said Rica. "He's not as healthy as he used to be. Besides, we're the only family left."

Dave noticed the crease between Rica's brows. He knows she's not convinced that nothing was wrong.

"Dave, if you're not going to tell me what is bothering you, I will leave." said Rica "I can't stand not knowing what's wrong with you when I know something is wrong."

Dave chuckled. This was Rica's cute side that she can't help but show.

"Is it about Di?" asked Rica

Dave sipped his coffee.

"Di and I…we decided to get back together again." said Dave. "We decided that there's no more point in pretending we do not love each other anymore when we still do."

Rica almost crushed the cup of cold coffee she was holding. Her heart feels being sliced open. She should have expected this. She should have. They still clearly have feelings for each other… and yet that kiss last night ignited her hope… Rica's tears were welling up in her eyes. But instead of letting them fall, she smiled, a cold smile.

"What about SkyRock?" asked Rica.

"If I can ask a month to convince your Uncle, can you give me a month before dissolving the engagement?" asked Dave.

"You broke our deal." said Rica. "You said you will treat me like a Fiancée. But instead, you got back together with your ex-girlfriend." said Rica still smiling at Dave.

Rica stood up.

"A month then."

Rica turned to leave but stopped.

"And congratulations for being together again. I guess you shouldn't have broken up in the first place. I need to get going. Amy and Victoria are waiting for me. See you around."

Rica walked towards the door.

Dave's heart was racing like crazy. It's squeezing painfully and there's something that makes his chest ache with Rica's cold smile. Dave stood up and reached Rica. He grabbed her arm, he saw her eyes where tears were already pooled up. Rica took her arm away and ran out.

Those eyes were the same as when she was in the elevator five years ago, when she was trying to hold back her tears.

Dave ran outside the café, but he couldn't find Rica. He ran around the streets and still could not find her. His heart was racing, his mind was blank about anything else except finding Rica. He's sure she's out there somewhere…crying.

Dave saw a park nearby and went there to look for Rica. He looked around but was almost out of breath when he saw someone standing behind a tree. He tried to see who the person was and saw Rica.

Rica was crying her heart out. And Dave could not bear the pain in his chest. But he could not go near Rica. The pain he saw in Rica's face, the way her shoulder shook of emotion, the way she's leaning on the tree shows him all the pain Rica refused to show him earlier. Dave's chest was going to blow. And his eyes were getting hot from controlling his own tears.

Dave took his phone out.

"Carl…Can you go to the park please. I need your help with someone." said Dave