6 - Seeing You in Different Light

"Eliseo, I didn't teach you to be rude towards a lady!" Mrs. Manaloto reprimanded before diverting her attention to Care, still frozen, "Come in, milady! How thoughtful of you to bring lovely flowers!"

The bouquet of baby's breaths seemed strangled by the way her fingers tightened around the poor flowers. She was even more flustered realizing she appears to be the boy doing courtship. 

How shameful! 

Her father was to blame. The patriarch insisted on offering a little something because that appeals best to the Manaloto family. According to him, lavish gifts would discomfort them. Although she hated to admit, his point was valid. 

"I... I apologize for my unmindful words earlier. Ma'am, Sir, I'm truly ashamed! If you happen to be displeased, I could leav---" 

She stopped mid-sentence as Mr. Manaloto let out a merry laughter along with the low chuckles of his other children. He just clammed up when his wife elbowed him. 

"Sorry, sorry! It's just that we don't mind, hija. You don't have to feel indebted at all. It was our boy's responsibility to help a person in need at the expense of his life, especially a lady. Neglecting that principle is equivalent to shaming the chivalry of our kin." He explained in a now serious baritone. 

Mrs. Manaloto nudged Care to draw near her son’s bed. Her heart somersaulted as the moment she glanced up, she discovered Eli’s already staring at her like a hawk. Everyone faded into oblivion, the only people left were them. At least, that was how they felt for a second. 

"How did he become heavenly to look at with that tousled hair!? I must be nuts!" she inwardly protested. 

"We’ll be leaving, Eliseo. Take good care of your visitor. I'll be right back later in the evening." Mrs. Manaloto announced which returned their awareness to the rest of their grinning audience.

Taking that as a cue, his siblings stormed out of the door along with Mr. Manaloto. The bodyguards also signaled Care they would wait outside. Before she could glare to hint them to stay put, they were already long gone. 

"Mama! Toto and the others can hang around here with me!" Eli yelled, referring to his younger brothers and sisters. 

"Hush! I reckon you are perfectly capable of handling yourself, young man. Or can’t you?" Mrs. Manaloto replied, at the doorway. 

Care stayed quiet, observing the ongoing unserious argument between the mother and son. Envy crawled straight to her heart. 

"Why can't Momma and I be like them?" she painfully thought. 

"Of course, I can but ---" 

"Then, don't be such a baby!" 

Care stifled her giggles learning for the first time that Eli cannot combat her mother's wit. He merely sighed then waved his hand goodbye. The moment the door closed; they were finally alone in the room. Deafening silence roamed over while they looked everywhere except to each other. 

The young lady fidgeted her fingers grasping for words to say. As common courtesy, she should initiate the conversation but she found it difficult. Genuine words don't come easy for people who are used to pretensions. 

Eli, on the other hand, was quiet. He waited to test if the self entitled queen would actually humble herself. Caress Aragon gets everything she asks for so he knew for a fact that she never felt indebted to anyone insignificant. Then, he realized the lady just experienced something horrible. Putting pressure on her for his own satisfaction is outright cruel. 

"It's okay. Like what Papa said, you don’t owe me anything. And if it consoles your conscience, I’m still here alive and kicking so you can lea---" 

"No!" she cuts him off, her hands fisting her hospital gown. 

She raised her head high to meet his gaze. Eli's eyes dilated in surprise because she was beet red. This is the second time she showed that expression in a long time! 

"No?" he asked, unsure of what was coming. 

"I said NO! Do not tolerate me! I will only be saying this once. This shall be the first and last so listen carefully, pauper! I heard Daddy made a fuss about transferring you from a VVIP room. Your parents were surely pressured into agreeing. I'm so sure you were displeased. Sorry!" She stressed at the end of her sentence, remorseful. 

His mouth fell open. He was taken aback, yet again, to hear her voice laced with sincerity, fragility and humility at once. 

"I dragged you to danger then passed out without being certain you were alright. Honestly, I was only thinking about myself..." her voice cracked. 

She reached for his hand then held it tight. Hers was ice-cold while his was warm. The callousness of his skin with all its rough lines against her velvety, soft hand signifies their difference in social standing very much. One worked to the bone to help his family while the other never once laid a finger to do a chore. 

"Forgive me! You got hurt for taking a stab that was mine to take! I didn't even feel guilty accepting what you did. I was terrified! Ramses... estranged yet still dearest friend of mine acted like a whole different person... ruthless and sadist! I almost died if not for you! That's why I am so sorry because although you got hurt, I was happy you came to my rescue!" She bawled at last. 

She covered her face as she cried her guts out. He could not bear witnessing her bare from defenses and helplessly delicate in front of him. Thus, he stood up despite his stab wound beginning to hurt like his flesh was being torn apart again. He endured the pain then pulled her to him using his free hand. She hugged him back coming too strong, he winced from the worsened pain of her careless movement. Even so, he patted her back repeatedly.

Soon, her shaking body relaxed as well as her breathing became steady. His musky scent engulfing her was an added factor.

"Drop the apologies. That doesn't sound like you, Aragon. Listen, the stab wound will eventually heal but a life lost is forever lost. Besides, I was happy to help, not obligated at the slightest. Caress, all I want to hear from you is thank you. Can you do it?"

The tenderness in his hoarse voice enticed her to look up. When she did, she suddenly felt small against the six feet tall man. Her height is on the same level of his shoulders. 

"Your kindness stings, Manaloto...Thank you, really!" 

He was a surge of hurling winds that only passed by and yet she was swept away, unable to find her way back. After coming back to her room, she laid in bed for the rest of the day. The unforgiving rainy weather with thunders and lightning striking every now and then reflected her mood: gloomy and inconsolable. She pretended to sleep though her senses were very much alive the entire time. 

Arnaldo went back to the room moments later, finding Care on bed with her back facing him. He worried upon noticing her face tomato red and responses too brief. Hence, instead of discharging her from the hospital, he decided to let them stay for the night. He and Ena slept in the adjoined room, a part of the VVIP room features. It was actually more like a hotel suite than a hospital room because it has its own living area, spacious bathroom with built-in bathtub and resting room for the patient's guardians. 

For the nth time, she faced the other side of bed but finally had enough! She rose unexpectedly, enlivened by a rush of energy seeping to her veins. 

"He was such a bastard with his usual mocking remarks in the past so why didn't he stay in character all the way?" she grumbled before walking towards the bathroom. 

A pang of fear enveloped her being before she turned on the lights and saw her reflection on the mirror. It was exactly the same as when she woke up. Her face was flawless without a little scratch so she wonders why a memory of her bloody face butchered across is haunting her mind. She speculated it might probably be a result from the traumatic experience, however her heart remembered her feelings of dread as if it really did occur. 

"We'll meet when it's time for me to recollect what you owed." These words rang to her ears once more.

The unexplainable mysteries on repeat in her head suffocated her with greater force each second. 

After what recently happened, she knows well it was unwise to leave her safe zone without somebody accompanying her to wherever else she wants to wander. Nevertheless, she left the room like a thief escaping stealthily while the bodyguards on watch had their heads ducked, possibly because they dozed off to sleep. 

Vera's CareMed is the most prominent hospital in the entire metropolis where Care's medical needs have been attended ever since she was little. In fact, she was born here like every socialite in the upper crust. Thus, she memorized her way around the building. She reached the top floor in no time where a botanical garden resides purposely made to bring solace to patients and their families. 

The still on-going gentle downpour disrupted the solemnity of the surrounding but it was music to her ears and consolation to her troubled heart. And far better compared to the weather's violent fall minutes ago, she thought. 

She hid behind a lamppost shedding light enough to see things: the rustling of descending waters on the fountain at the midst and the green potted plants placed everywhere. After being certain that the area was hers alone, she came out of view headed to the railings where she could admire the alive, flickering streets of downtown streets. 

"You were truly a sweetheart like other girls said. You were gentle when you held me and talked to me. Then, why were you always rude and cold before? What changed now, Eli? Was it just pity that compelled you to be soft?" she ranted out loud, letting the wind carry her sentiment. 

"If it was a pity, does it make a difference to what you felt at that time? What do you really want to assert, his feelings or yours?" a male voice grunted. 

Feeling frustrated, she pulled her hair again and again till she felt idiot for acting that way so she stopped eventually. She leaned her head on the railings, exhausted from tormenting herself with the million possibilities. 

"I'm... I don't know! Thinking he truly cares about me, as in me, it brings me joy. But, what if it's merely compassion for another person regardless of whoever he or she is? If that's the case, I feel dejected... restless even!" 

"Why dwell too hard on it, anyway? You girls think too much."

"Because boys' actions are vague! There are layers of motives in your gestures that it is hard to... WAIT! Shi, who are you?" she exclaimed. 

Care automatically turned to the person she was conversing with absentmindedly. She paled, finding him at the exact spot she stood earlier, in the dark. His presence sent her body extreme chills. As much as she wanted to regret her decision of sneaking out late at night, it would be futile because there was no chance of escaping him.