NOTHING WITHOUT YOU |R-18|

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

"MR. BAUER FOLLOW HER."

Napalingon si Mr. Bauer sa binata, hindi niya akalain na sa dami ng sinabi niyang mahahalagang bagay ay ni hindi man lang nito iyon pinagtuunan ng pansin.

"Jeru, narinig mo ba yung sinabi ko? They are waiting for you in the mansion, and we need to go now. You know your grandma—”

"Follow her, and I will call my grandma." Putol ni Jeru sa sinasabi nito. Magsasalita pa sana si Mr. Bauer pero pinigilan niya na ito at may kinausap sa telepono. "Mrs. Ong, gather all your staff and officials. I will be there in thirty minutes. Bye."

‘What will I do now?’ Napapakamot sa ulong tanong ni George sa sarili. Kilala niya ang alaga niya kapag sinabi nito ay kailangan niyang sundin iyon at walang makakapigil dito kahit na ang kanyang Lola.

"We have thirty minutes to follow her, so instead of wasting your time talking. Go and drive, when I lose sight of that woman, I will not give you any day-offs anymore," seryosong saad ni Jeru na nasa labas ng bintana ang paningin.

Napanganga si Mr. George at agad sumakay ng sasakyan. Hindi siya makapaniwala na pagsasabihan siya nang ganoon ni Jeru, bihira na nga lang siya kung makapag-day-off kukunin pa ng binata. Pagkaupo niya sa driver's seat ay pasimpleng sinulyapan niya sa rear view ang kanyang alaga.

He's really unpredictable. He never thought that Jeru would be interested in helping some people. Especially a girl, even worse, he was following it. Now that this situation happened, he knows him, and he does not care about those around him. The only thing he knows to do is take care of their business, inside and outside the country.

Whatever it is, he knows that Jeru has a reason why he wants to follow the girl. He saw the girl take a taxi, so he did not take his eyes off the vehicle.

*****

Jeru was silently looked outside of the car, trying to calm his heart that started beating fast. He couldn't understand why, but he felt something was weird the moment he laid his eyes on that girl.

Nang makita niya itong tumatakbo kanina at nakabadha sa mukha ang sobrang takot ay wala siyang ibang gustong gawin kundi ang iligtas ito sa kapahamakan. Maging siya ay nagulat nang bigla niyang buksan ng mabilis ang pinto nang sasakyan at iharang ang sariling katawan para dito. That's new and he wants to know how the heck he cares for that girl. Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nagkaroon siya ng pakialam sa ibang tao.

Para namang nanadya ang kanyang utak nang bigla na lang sumagi sa isip niya ang nakangiti nitong mukha. Ipinikit niya pang lalo ang mga mata at wari'y kinakabisa ang buong anggulo ng mukha nito. ‘She's gorgeous. She have a pair of brown eyes that shines whenever she smile. Her lips are pinkish and it fits for her.’

Tunog ng kanyang cellphone ang pumukaw sa pag-iisip niya. Pumikit siya ng mariin sabay hingang-malalim bago sinagot ang tawag mula sa kanyang Lola Saviena.

"Yes, Lola," panimula niya. Nahuli niya ang pagsulyap sa kanya ng kanyang driver. " Yes, I told her, I'll be there in thirty minutes. We're stuck in the traffic right now, so instead of going straight to the mansion, I'll go straight to Mrs. Ong to talk about the new project she recommends."

"Business first before anything else, nakalimutan mo na ba na gaoon ang itinuro mo sa akin?" Lumarawan sa mukha niya ang pait at galit na ikinukubli niya sa mga ito. "If you don't have anything to say, I need to go. Bye."

"Jeru…"

"Where is she?" pormal niyang tanong dito.

"Pumasok siya sa loob ng subdivision na iyan. We can't go inside. There are security guards and cameras, and you don't want to—”

Hindi niya pinatapos magsalita si Mr. George, agad siyang bumaba at lumapit sa dalawang security guard. Napanganga ang matandang lalaki sa ikinilos ni Jeru, parang gusto niyang mag sign of the cross at magdasal dahil baka nasapian ng ibang espirito ang binata.

Is this a miracle?!

Bababa na rin sana siya ng biglang tumunog ang telepono niya. Napalunok siya nang makitang tumatawag ang ama ni Jeru.

"Hello Sir," sabi niya na tinanaw na lang ang papalayong binata.

[Where are you? ]

"Papunta kami sa Rojan Marketing para sa meeting ni Young Master Jeru kay Mrs. Ong. Medyo naipit lang kami sa traffic pero malapit na kami," pagsisinungaling nito.

Hindi puwedeng malaman ng mga magulang ni Jeru ang nangyayari ngayon lalo pa at ipinagpalit ng binata ang lunch appointment niya sa kanyang pamilya dahil lamang sa personal na kapritso nito.

["Mr. Bauer, where are you, exactly? We will send someone to get Jeru and bring him to the company. He can't be late because, at three in the afternoon, he needs to go to Tokyo and he needs to be there to represent the Levesque Empire. After that, he has a dinner meeting with the Prime Minister of China, do you get it?"]

Lihim na napabuntong-hininga si Mr. George, naaawa siya para kay Jeru. He still young and at his age dapat ine-enjoy nito ang pagkabata. At the age of 7, his Father and Grandmother force him to study everything in their business. Ang tanging childhood experience lang nito ay ang mag-aral at sumali sa basketball team sa school.

Ever since he serves the Levesque family, Jeru's life has become miserable. Even if he says he gets everything that he wants, that's not a reason for saying that he is happy and contented with the life he has. He knows that deep down in Jeru's heart, and he wants to be freed from everything. He wanted to be like those other teenagers who can enjoy and have some fun like they don't fear that they will not disappoint their parents.

"Yes Sir, he's listening too," sagot niya na sinulyapan ang papabalik ng si Jeru.

Muntik niya nang mabitiwan ang hawak na cellphone nang makita ang magandang ngiti sa labi ni Jeru. Gusto niyang maging emosyonal sa nakita. Ni minsan ay hindi niya nakita ang ganyang klaseng ngiti mula sa binata.

[Mr. Bauer, what in the world is happening to you! I told you I want to speak to him!] Singhal ng ama ni Jeru.

"Ha? Ah, hello Sir?... Sir? Hindi kita marinig, may problema yata telepono ko. Sir— toot—papatawagin ko—toot—tooot—” Tinakpan ni Mr. George ang bibig niya at nagkunwaring napuputol ang sinasabi sa kausap.

[ Mr. George what-- ]

Hindi na naituloy nito ang sasabihin dahil ibinaba niya na ang telepono at pinagbuksan ng pinto si Jeru.

"Her name is Madeline Mijares. What a lovely name." Nakangiting bulong ni Jeru sa sarili.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit pero nang malaman niya ang pangalan ng dalaga ay biglang gumaan ang pakiramdam niya. Para bang nagbago ang tingin niya sa paligid, he know it's weird but who cares?

"Mr. Bauer, let's go to the meeting ASAP," Nakangiting wika niya sa personal driver/butler niya.

Nakangiti namang tumango ang matanda, sa nakitang saya sa mukha ni Jeru napagdesisyunan niyang kaya niyang isugal ang kanyang trabaho makita lang ang ganitong kaaliwalas na mukha ng binata.

Madeline Mijarez. I will remember your name.