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"I thought you won't leave me here" Charles took a sip of his black coffee, standing in front of Rose who's busy packing her stuff in the luggage "What a promise keeper"
Rose laughed slightly as she looked at Charles who's busy throwing a tantrum "No need to be sarcastic" she closed her luggage and eyed the man who's looking gloomy "You know you can go with me" she offers
Charles placed his cup on the table and sit over the bed as he sighed "You know I can't leave"
Rose smiled and pat his head "Yes, I know that's why I invited you. I know you won't accept my invitation and I don't need to waste money"
Charles sent Rose a characteristic look. Direct, uncompromising blue eyes bored into the golden-brown of the milky white petite woman's. One of her weaknesses is that she would laugh when she felt uncomfortable in the situation, "Crap that out of it, Charles" she said and lift her luggage.
Charles know this kind of unique coping mechanism of Rose for he knows her for four years since her parents send Rose in New York from the Philippines, "Don't tell me" Charles eyed Rose in shocked "You fell for me?" he gasps
"Once again, crap that out of it, Charles" Rose sighed and dragged her luggage out of the room "Go on and start the car" she muttered as she gazed around her living room.
It was indeed a small apartment, but it was full of memories of how she fixes herself once again, once she lost herself because of a dumb decision five years ago. This apartment was the witness on how time makes her heart numb with all the pain she experienced years ago; time does not heal wounds it just makes you immune to the pain.
A honk of a car makes Rose snapped on her trails of memories, "Coming" she happily shouted as she closed the door of her apartment.
"Argania, Aliya Rose" the clerk in the airport stated as she checked the passport in her hands
Binaba ni Aliyah ang sombrero nya ng maigi para itago ang kanyang mukha sa mga tao "Yes it's me" she mumbled as she still tries to hide her face
"Alright you are cleared" the clerk handed her passport and smiled at her
Aliyah just gets back her passport and rushes out of the airport, sinuot nya ang hoodie at ang kanyang face mask, she knew that her parents' people will be picking her up but going with those people is not in her plan. Her petite body dragged the luggage in her hands as she eyed the people of her parents, she knows that they would be wearing full black as her parents would surely appoint the best bodyguard in their bodyguards as their precious only daughter would be back in the country.
Dali-dali ni Aliyah ipinasok ang kanyang mga dalang luggage sa trunk ng taxi as she swiftly gets in the car making sure that no one could notice that she was Aliyah Rose Argania, the famous daughter of the both successful business-entertainment stars.
"Saan po kayo ma'am?" the driver asked as he eyed her in the rear-view mirror
Aliyah rummages in her wallet and gets the brown paper that has torn edges, "In this address please" she handed the paper
The driver looks at the handwritten address and reluctantly looks at the golden-browned eyed girl "Miss are you sure? Wala na pong nakatira dito sa area na ito, matagal na po"
Aliyah smiled at the driver and just nod at him "Yes I'm sure po. It was our house, kakabalik ko lang po after 5 years"
The driver sighed and nod as he starts the car.
Aliyah's phone kept ringing, tumatawag ang magulang nya nang malaman ng mga ito na tinakbuhan ni Aliyah ang kanyang mga bodyguards.
Aliyah sighed, "Hello, my dearest mommy Argania calm down, I'll go into our house in a few days. Let me breathe first huh?" she hanged up not giving her parents time to scold her
"Ma'am Aliyah?" the driver asked
"Tangina" she mumbled as she realized that she just revealed her identity, unfortunately.
"Ma'am ihahatid ko na po kayo sa inyo, alam niyo po ba ang laki po ng tulong ng mga magulang nyo sa aming pamilya" the driver looked at her adoringly "Ihahatid ko po kayo ng ligtas" he stated with a determination.
And there, Aliyah knew that the driver would take her to her home, her parents' home "No need na po pala kuya, I just remembered something na I need to do. Ibaba nyo na lang po ako sa susunod na kanto"
"Pero ma'am" sagot ng driver
"Please po kuya" Aliyah pleaded; she was desperate enough to plead the person which she seldom do. She does not want to go to her parents' house she wants to go to their house it was the first thing she promised once she got back in the country.
The driver sighed at itinigil nito ang kotse sa kanto "Ingat po kayo ma'am" sabi nito habang tinulungan si Aliyah sa pagbaba ng luggage nya.
Aliyah smiled at him "Thank you po kuya and hope that you won't mention this to my parents and here is my payment. Keep the change po I am running out of time po kasi" and gave him two thousand as a payment
The driver nod at her "Okay po ma'am"
Aliyah opened her phone, ignoring the messages and missed calls she got from her parents she opened her GPS and input the address of their home. Taking a walk in her baggy clothes while dragging her luggage in the rocky walk side, following her GPS she found herself in front of the pedestrian lane, now she needs to cross the road para marating ang destination nya.
Looking at the road Aliyah starts to sweat badly, with her blurry vision she gripped the handle of her luggage really hard and inhaled deeply "Aliyah you could do this" but at the time she set out her foot on the pedestrian lane she pulled it back once again. Looking at the time she only has 30 seconds left, looking around if there is someone who will be crossing the same road as her, kailangan nya lang ng kasabay pagtawid. 20 seconds left she have decided to wait for another round, hanggang may kasabay na sya pagtawid she closed her eyes tightly and exhaled deeply when someone suddenly pulled her wrist and dragged her across the street.
Aliyah recognized this scent, same scent 5 years ago, it was Adam Vincent Diaz, the older brother of her best friend. Her golden-brown eyes met his deep-set black eyes, he took off his watch and took Aliyah's hand and placed it between her palm "Give it to me after six months" After that, Adam immediately crossed the street not waiting for Aliyah's reply.
