BE MY OWN HERO

"Ana? You took a bath again?" Rita asked looking over Rexana dried her hair. The scent of the shampoo exploded the entire hut that they live in.

Rexana was at first speechless and was smiling coyly looking back at her mom before she answered.

"I'm going to sell the remaining pearls that I have near the resort."

"And hoping to see Daerin again?"

"Uhm, uhm… No, I'm not going inside the resort, just nearby where there were more people on the bayside." She was too shy to tell her mom the truth, she knew they had already detected that she got a crush on Daerin, and as much as she didn't want to show it, the way her parent talked about their differences, she began to worry that they might stop her.

However, she didn't even know how to stop herself. She was confused about why she wanted to see him every time and she felt so happy every time that happened.

Without Rexana knowing, her mother could read her action.

***

Rexana wasn't expecting her pearls to be sold out that easily. She wasn't happy about that, because that could only mean that she have to go back home sooner than she expected and the worst thing was, she hadn't seen Daerin the whole time she was there selling. Daerin never went out of the resort nor walk over the bay side.

She didn't feel like going home yet, even though most of the people on the bayside were starting to leave. There were lesser and lesser people as the sun starting hide behind the mountain.

However, Rexana still hadn't lost hope to see Daerin again for the second time that day. She wanted to flex on him with her shampooed hair and neater look. Since, she also remembered it was that same time that Daerin came out to rescue her from Bruno, sunset time because she anticipated that Daerin loves sunset.

Rexana simply took her time walking around the edge of the water from one end to another, when she noticed a flowering plant with blooming beautiful flowers on it. It was kind of hidden around the big rocks. However, that wouldn't stop Rexana from admiring it and taking some.

She couldn't help but smell its aroma and indulge herself in it, and while she did, memories of Daerin saying that she was beautiful came to her mind. With her daydreaming, she lost her awareness of her surroundings.

The sky was starting to change its colour to orange and suddenly there was no single soul anymore around her, it was just her and the impending darkness... And wary and silent footsteps that were coming towards her.

The problem was it wasn't from someone that she wanted to see. In fact from someone that she must avoid.

A voice of a man ruined her serene daydreaming mood into some horrific feelings

"Glad to see you here again, pearl diver. You look a bit different today and smell different too." It didn't take long for Bruno to come closer to her and smell her hair.

Rexana abruptly pulled herself away from him and act her best to be as strong and as angry as she could get. But it was her scary instinct that was pushing her to do that.

"What are you doing here? And.. and … make sure you keep your distance away from me or else I would tell Daerin!" A treat that she might think could scare Bruno a bit since she remembered how he ran away the last time by simply knowing Daerin's last name. At the same time, Rexana made sure to say it as loud as she could and hoping that someone might hear her and come to her rescue just in case Bruno would do something undesirable again.

"You know what? That's what I want from you. You're a fighter, you fight, and too bad you still have to use someone else's name to go against me. Who is that Daerin anyway? Your boyfriend? I doubt that no one will want you to be a girlfriend, even if I don't. I just want your…" Bruno paused his words as he licked his lips while maliciously looking at her. "And you look tastier today, than before. Did you take a bath? You smell good, are you getting ready to see me Rexana? I'll promise to give you an experience, you will never forget your entire life."

Bruno was moving slowly towards him as he spoke and Rexana might have already known what was in his mind. He had done it before, he might do it again. She abruptly looked around her for something that she could use to fight him and gladly find a stone in her reach. Not wasting another time, she picked it up and hold it firmly getting ready for Bruno's next step.

"Try to get closer Bruno or this stone will fly hard to your head." Rexana's voice wasn't that loud anymore while saying it with gritted teeth. She knew Daerin wouldn't always be there to save her and in some instances called her to save herself.

Rexana may be scared to hurt anyone but, no she wouldn't hesitate to hurt Bruno if it would only mean her, to save herself.

The closer Bruno got the firmer Rexana held his stone and it was apparent from Bruno's view. He could even see Rexana's nerves growing clearer, just simply showing that she was putting her strength on that arm. He knew so well that she wasn't hesitating and was getting ready to fight for herself.

Bruno didn't have a choice but to halt on his steps and pulled back. A little rub on his goatee to show Rexana that he wasn't really afraid of her, even though could have been. He have to show her that he was still in control and just wasn't in the mood to pursue his plan at that moment.

However, the look he left her was still threatening her and seemed to be saying 'watch out for the next time.

"Fine, you feel lucky today, don't you? But, I'll make sure to do it, you won't be as lucky as this anymore next time you won't be this strong-headed anymore. If you felt strong just because you became friends with the young de la Croix. That friend of yours won't always be there anyway. You are the only one she could enjoy on his vacation." Bruno started to turn his back and about to walk away, it could have had given Rexana some relief, if he didn't only turn back again to say something.

"You know what? One piece of advice if you chose a man, you rather choose someone like me, not someone who's only around for a moment, for vacation. He will leave you when it's time for him to go back to where his real life is."