Chapter 11

At the other side not far from them, Jessica was having a fit over her own muddy dress.

''oh God! I cannot stand you country folks,'' she jabbed ''you seem to think that everything is worth five pesos. Do you know how much this dress costs; way more than your salary and even way more than your life!''

''Jessica…'' Indira called.

The guilty woman stood rooted to the ground unable to mutter even an apology.

''I'll talk to my father and have you fired''

''what is going on here! What is the commotion all about?'' leandro demanded. All the workers gathered around.

''dad she ruined my dress, you should fire her!''

''that's enough Jessica.'' To the woman he said. ''what happened Patricia?''

The woman looked from Jessica to him. ''I'm so sorry sir, it was an accident.''

He didn't say anything because he wasn't going to.

He scanned the crowd and his gaze settled on Indira and her own muddy clothes and a ripped sleeve.

''what happened to you?''

She opened her mouth to reply but her eyes settled on the guy who'd tried to hurt her moments ago. He couldn't even look her in the eye and she made a good guess that he didn't know she was the boss' daughter and she could tell that he was sorry for what he did.

His face was covered with bruises and his lips were bleeding—Antonio had taught him enough she decided.

''i-I fell'' she lied.

Her father's gaze darted back to the workers

''anyone who touches my daughters will have to face me.'' He said. ''today's mistakes are forgiven; it won't be tomorrow or the day after. Do you understand?''

''sì patrón.''

''Indira, Jessica back to the house.'' And they did. ''everyone, get back to work.'' And they all scrambled.

Indira closed her eyes for a while and when she opened them again, she got her pencil and began making a new sketch for her couture collection.

It's been a long while since she'd done that not after her sketches were tagged as immature by an Italian designer on a visit to his mom in LasVegas.

She's plain but sophisticated, stubborn but not a rebel, Antonio observed from where he was inside the paddock just across the he pond from which Indira sat one leg crossed over the other.

The straw hat she had on prevented him from seeing those plain chocolate brown eyes, those lips she never painted were wide and thin.

There wasn't much to her figure either; no delicate curves to admire, the part that was supposed to be the cleavage was unremarkably almost flat—yep, definitely a boy, a boy on his way to becoming a man; Jeremy must've been crazy enough to suggest that he could relate to this girl—for one, she wasn't girlie enough for him.

Jessica might be a lot better.

''you're definitely falling.'' Came Jeremy's familiar sing song voice. Antonio scoffed.

''what are you talking about?''

''you think she's cute don't you?''

''yeah, he's a cute young lad.''

''well there you go…''

''but I'm definitely not gay to go after him.''

''him?'' Jeremy wondered but before he could drop another shell, Antonio was already leaving.

Indira stopped to look down at her form-fitting off-the-shoulder neck fish tail train sketch, smiling at the concept; she resolved to think of a color later.

She snapped shot her sketch pad and walked back to the house.

Dinner was silent but it wasn't particularly tension free with Indira sitting across from Antonio and with Jessica beside him who was obviously flirting with him under their parents' noses. Indira managed to swallow two spoon full of her meal each time avoiding his gaze.

He shaved, she noticed and his long hair was suspended behind his head with a rubber band—now, he looked manly.

Even though she liked him, Indira isn't one to go running after a guy; the guy should be the one courting her and not the other way round. But she was grateful that he was at the right place at the right time.

Tonight, his expression was serious , somehow sad she noticed; but then it occurred to her that she'd never seen him smile before; snap out of it already, you've met him only three times today and you're worrying that he doesn't smile? She was blushing she knew it but thank goodness everyone was pretty occupied with their meal.

When dinner was over, he muttered a thanks to Gracielaand made for the door.

While Jessica was fast asleep, Indira sat on the casement window seat hugging a throw pillow to herself and looking up at the night sky. The stars seemed to be shining brightly tonight and so does her heart.

It was a feeling unknown to her, a feeling she never thought she was capable of having; she couldn't forget the sound of his voice when he'd asked if she was okay; is it bad to feel this way about Antonio to the point of tingling all over?

She sighed.

She was helpless.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't see the woman on the ground below gazing up at her. The woman's face was hidden by the dark of the night, and she had a stole wrapped around her head and her upper body.

For almost an hour, she did just that; standing there and looking up at Indira. Indira held up her wish-bone pendant; the one she always carried around her neck between her fingers. She kissed it then shut her eyes to make a wish.

Aunt Eva had given it to her saying she could wish for anything she wanted and it'll be hers even if it takes a while before it happens.

Antonio saw the woman on his way from the stables and she seemed like a stranger for he's never seen her around here before or maybe she's a relative of one of the farm workers.

He studied her for a while puzzled at what she was doing just standing there; at last he walked up to her at last. ''ma'am..?'' she jerked around startled, her lips shaking.

''why are you out here, are you waiting for someone?'' she glanced up at him shaking her head.

''sorry.'' She spelled out. ''I didn't mean to disturb you… I was just leaving.''

And with that, she walked past him and disappeared into the night.

He glanced up toward the house where the woman had been looking and there was Indira.

The light from the room illuminated her face making it glow like an oil on canvas painting; and she seemed to be concentrating deeply on whatever it was she was doing.

He began to walk away from the house and when her eyes slowly flew open, the first thing she caught sight of was his figure before he disappeared into the night.