eight

Kao

"It's just a sprain. Nothing much to worry about. Cold compress for the next three days every morning with the anti inflammatory tablet and the painkiller only if the discomfort is no longer bearable. No sudden, insignificant and strenuous movements and you'll be fine in no time. Alright?"

I smiled curtly as I nodded at the good doctor before he bid me goodbye.

"Thank you for coming on such a short notice, doctor."

I saw Pete extended his hand for a handshake with the middle aged doctor who attended to me and my sprained ankle.

"You're welcome, Mr. Gregorio, anytime."

He nodded before he looked at me with a warning before he went back and regarded the doctor again.

"Thanks again. Let me escort you out."

I heard him said as I had my head bowed.

I didn't know why I felt embarrassed with myself just then.

"How are you feeling?"

Kaleb asked as he sat across me from my bed.

"Like my foot was ran over by a bulldozer."

I heard him snickered before he shook his head.

"You'll live. Don't worry."

I snickered in return only to stop when I felt my sprained right ankle stung.

"You shouldn't have done that. You made us all worried. Pete specially. He had to cancel a very important business meeting in the city when he heard what happened."

Kaleb said after a while and I was speechless.

For a quick while that is.

"I didn't ask him that."

I said under my breath as I looked around but Kaleb.

"You didn't have to. That's how much he cares for you."

I heaved a sighed and turned towards him.

"Kaleb-."

He nodded and raised his hands at me.

"Look, Kao, I know how you feel."

He looked at me in the eyes when I was about to protest.

"Okay, maybe I don't. But here's the thing, Pete really cares for you. And he just wants to help. And we both know you needed it. Don't get me wrong. I'm very much willing to help you. The thing is, I know that Pete can do it better. Way better than I can."

I looked at Kaleb and his genuine concern towards me.

How did we end up in my room again with him chiding me and my right ankle stinging suffering from a sprain?

Well, that's thanks to my spring escapade earlier.

"I hope you don't mind using the hi-lux. Kaleb used the van while young master has the Volvo."

I nodded awkwardly at manang Sel who was walking with me towards the waiting car.

I had been commuting all these past years and she asked me if I mind having a personal ride!?!

Some real turn of events really!

But that was not why I was smiling from ear to ear as I opens the door to the car.

The fact that I was on my way to the spring outside the gates with Pete away to the city just made me want to thank the universe for aligning making my plan of running away as smooth as possible.

"Thanks, manang Sel!"

The nice lady smiled at me before she closed the door and waved me goodbye.

I inconspicuously ran a hand over my pocket with my worn out phone and ATM inside.

The only things I could be able to secure without raising suspicion as I left my clothes.

I can just buy cheap clothes with the very little money I have in my card and just go from there.

The important thing is for me to finally be free.

The car moved smoothly down the hill away from the house and out the gate.

Unlike last time, I consciously took note of the way.

We're going all the way down from the house in the hill so that could only mean one thing, the main road is down there.

So later on, when I ran away, the only direction I should take is down side.

The area were all trees and grasses from the gate down which I thought to be helpful for me to hide myself as I made my run.

I just really have to be quick.

"Is this the only way to and from the house?"

I asked the driver, Gup, who I thought didn't really like me, casually.

"Yes."

But at least he answered.

"Is the spring far?"

I asked again as he made a left turn and he stayed quite.

"We're here."

He said after a while.

I could hear the waters but I was not seeing anything except trees.

"It's down the steps ahead."

He nodded up front.

"You do know how to swim right?"

I nodded at him.

"I'll just stay here in the car. I presume you didn't want anyone watching you bathe?"

I nodded again.

I could kiss Gup for his decision.

Now, I wouldn't worry about him so much.

"Alright. Just tell for anything."

I smiled at him.

"Thanks."

I opened the door and got off the car.

I looked around.

I was not so sure but I think, the turn we took was about three to five minutes off the main road.

If I ran now, it would only take a snap before Gup catches up and run me over.

No good.

I looked to the plot of trees in front of me.

If I go straight and not make any turn, with the fact that there was only the main road to and from the house, then I would definitely end up the main high way.

Based from how quite the surrounding was, I pressured that there was only Pete's property in the area.

There would be no neighbors I could ask help from so I needed to fend for myself.

I looked back at the car.

It was heavily tinted so I didn't know what Gup was doing inside until he rolled the window to my side.

"It's down there, after that makeshift cliff."

He nodded towards the same direction he did earlier.

I smiled and nodded at him.

"Yeah, I remembered. But I think I needed to pee first."

I was not sure but I thought I saw him rolled his eyes.

"There's a comfort room down there."

Of course it has.

Manang Sel mentioned how Pete had it developed.

"I can't bear it any longer, I just have to-."

I trailed off and looked around and made a run towards the trees I planed on running off to beforehand.

"-let me just do my business by the bushes there for a while."

I shouted at Gup and made a ran for it.

He shouted back but I no longer paid any attention as I ran and ran through the trees and the thick bushes with the sole aim to finally get to freedom.

About half an hour of running and panting after with no sign of the main road and with me being thirsty as hell because damn it how I forgot to bring me some water, I decided to rest by the shade of a huge tree.

I should have asked Gup how many kilometers down the main road.

Not that I would know how far a kilometer is because I know I couldn't, but at least I could somehow estimate.

Now, I'm all tired and thirsty and sweaty and still on the run.

I was about to sit down on a rock when I had to sat up quickly as I heard the sound of a car and honking.

That could only mean one thing, I was close to the road.

That's a god sign.

I just need to be more discreet and careful because there's a huge possibility that it was Gup running after me after he realized that it took me almost an hour to pee.

I decided to start running again.

This time, I followed the sound of the car and the honking until it finally faded and I found myself out from the shrubs and into a deserted road.

It didn't look like the main road tho.

I tutted and looked around.

What to do now!?!

I haven't had answered my own question when I heard the sound of a car approaching that I had the right mind to hide myself in the bushes and peeked to see if it was Gup.

The car passed by me and I realized it wasn't.

And so, I slowly stepped out from my hiding spot and backed to the road again the same time I saw the car reversed towards me.

I didn't have enough time to think when the same car stopped in front of me.

The window to the driver seat rolled down and there I saw a very unamused looking Pete.

How did he end up there!?!

My eyes widened as I pivoted back to where I came form only to step my right foot halfway through a branch lying on the ground that I ended up falling and hurting my right foot.

"Fvck!"

I heard Pete shouted the same time I let out a painful scream and the next thing I knew, he was carrying me back to his car without a protest from me because I was busy crying for my foot.

My escape failed.

Big time!

"Just give him a chance, Kao, please?"

Kaleb's voice brought me back to the present.

"Chance. What for?"

I blinked at Keng.

"To explain himself."

I scoffed.

"He had five years to do that Kaleb. He didn't. Why now!?!"

Kaleb sighed before he answered.

"That's one of the things you should be asking him. Not me."

I groaned inwardly.

I hated how this thing with Pete explaining and stuff seemed to have just go in circles with him wanting to do so and me shutting him out.

And yet, Kaleb, is here asking me the same.

"Can you please ask him to let me be, instead? Please?"

Kaleb looked at me with a curt smile.

"You have to talk to him yourself, about that."

I was about to retort when the door to my room opened and there was a grim faced Pete standing by.

"Kaleb, can you please talk to Mr. Kobayashi in my stead? Tell him I'm busy."

I saw Kaleb nodded before he sat up and regarded me.

"Talk to you later. Get well soon."

Kaleb said before he and Pete looked at each other and walked out the room.

Pete closed the door after muttering a thanks.

I bit on my lower lip as the door closed and an awkward silence loomed over.

"Don't you really have any regard to yourself that much, huh, Kao!?!"

Pete asked coldly as he stood by the door with his arms across his chest.

"You rather break your neck and bash your head than stay here comfortably!?!"

I swallowed dryly.

I hated how no words seemed to come out of my mouth as of the moment.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to run about the woods like that!?! Huh!?!"

I heard him took a deep breath before he continued.

"I've been trying to be really nice to you this whole time but you seemed to never not care about it at all. Guess I need to use a different tactic as it is."

I heard him said and that's when I looked up to him.

"Just what do you mean by that!?!"

I snapped at him.

"Why would I tell you? You never ever cared about what I had to say any way."

I regarded Pete.

"That's because nothing you ever say or do make sense. All of this does not make sense! Why are you even doing this!?!"

I didn't see why he suddenly wanted to have anything to do with me after all these years.

"I'm doing this for you."

I scoffed when I heard what he had to say.

This is just way too much for charity.

"Why!?! We're not even anything-!"

"-you're my boyfriend!"

I raised a hand at Pete.

"Ex. Ex boyfriend."

I corrected him and felt a sudden surge of emotion I didn't know was even present in me.

What the hell is he talking about!?!

"Actually, I don't even know if we were anything back then really. I mean, you just don't abandon your boyfriend like that. In the midst of a very trying time."

I sniffed and bit on my lower lip harder as I felt myself about to break down.

"I have my reasons."

Pete said quietly.

"I don't care."

I said almost as quietly.

I didn't want to hear about.

No more.

"Kao, we've been running round in circles with this whole thing. Why won't you just listen to me for once!?!"

I put a hand on my face and rubbed on my eyes.

This is not the time for water works.

I heaved a sigh before I regarded him.

"Because I don't want to and you can't make me! And if you don't like that, then you can very well kick me out."

Considering the state of my ankle at the moment, I'm not sure if I could make an escape in the near future but that didn't mean I would peacefully agree to stay here.

"Now, leave me alone. I want to rest."

I said as I dragged my sprained leg and positioned myself lying on the bed.

I covered myself with the blanket and after I heard a deep sigh before the door shut, I closed my eyes and I didn't know why but I cried.