Chapter 1
"I'm not looking for a boyfriend," I said, scratching my arm.
"Yeah, right. You're just saying that, but I know you want to experience having a boyfriend, so let's go. I got you, girl."
I had no choice but to let Irish lead the way. I knew she had wanted me to dress up and take care of myself for a long time, so she was even more excited than I was at that moment.
"It's so loud here, Irish," I complained, holding Irish's hand.
"Of course. It'd be weird if a bar was quiet," she replied sarcastically.
I didn't say anything and just pursed my lips. I'm not comfortable here. I was sure I'd be wanting to go home in just a little while.
"Look, girl, some guys are looking at you," Irish whispered to me.
I didn't know how to feel... I felt like they were looking at Irish, not me... Why would they look at me?
I tried to have fun like Irish told me, but I really wasn't comfortable. I sighed and looked at Irish, who was drinking and scanning the crowd. She was probably looking for a new boyfriend since she and her ex had broken up.
"Irish... I'm going home, okay? I want to get some rest. I'll just get the stuff we bought from you tomorrow." I had left my purchases in her car.
"Okay, if that's what you want. You really don't seem comfortable. Just text me when you get home."
I just nodded and smiled. "Okay, bye!"
I didn't waste time. I immediately went out of that noisy bar. That bar actually looked a little decent, a little different from the typical bars that come to my mind.
I walked out of the bar and immediately waited for a ride. It looked difficult to get a ride there, so I walked further until I found a jeepney or tricycle I could take. I was having a bit of a hard time in my heels.
I stopped when I noticed two men coming toward me... they seemed suspicious. They were whispering as they approached me. I bit my lower lip and discreetly looked around; there weren't many people on the street I was on. I just turned my back on them and started walking faster. My heart started pounding when I noticed they sped up too.
I clutched my clothes tightly... I took a deep breath as I forced myself to walk quickly. My heart pounded faster when I noticed the two men were now running. I started to run too, but it was useless because of my heels. Hope sparked in me when I saw I was near the CAD Bar.
"H-Help--hmmph!" I gasped as one of them grabbed my arm and covered my mouth... They both smelled of alcohol.
"Perfect, this one's a good catch... Sexy," the guy holding my arm said with a smirk.
I gasped when I felt him squeeze my butt. I tried to escape from his grip, but the other guy held my other arm too. His hand went to my waist and caressed it... My vision immediately blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. My whole body was trembling with fear, and I felt like my wobbly knees would give out any moment.
"Miss, don't be scared. We won't hurt you."
"Wow, dude. We're lucky here; her boobs are huge," the other one said.
He was about to touch my chest, but I immediately headbutted him on the forehead. He yelped in pain. In his anger, he slapped my cheek hard. I whimpered from the force of the slap; I felt like the side of my lip was cut.
They were clearly distracted when they heard footsteps. I looked over. A man was walking toward us; he had a cigarette and was very tall and more muscular than the two guys holding me now. He was wearing a black leather jacket and a white t-shirt underneath; I couldn't make out his face because it was dark... Even with my knees trembling, I didn't waste the opportunity and immediately broke free from their loosened grip. I ran toward the man and, with trembling hands, grabbed his arm.
"P-Please help m-me." I couldn't even talk properly because my voice was literally shaking.
"Bro, don't get involved. This is just a lover's quarrel," one of the men said, which made me tremble.
The mysterious man puffed on his cigarette before he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. I gulped when I realized he reeked of alcohol too, but oddly, his perfume or maybe his natural manly scent was more dominant... I was about to move away from him and run, but he immediately grabbed my arm.
I was stunned when the man put his hand inside his leather jacket. I was so surprised when he pulled out a gun from it... But what surprised me even more was when he just shot the man who had spoken earlier. My mouth fell open when the man fell to the floor after being shot in the stomach. His blood spread on the floor... The gun's sound was faint, as if it had a silencer... I was just in a daze, barely processing what I had witnessed.
The other man was clearly shocked too and looked at the man who shot his companion with wide eyes. He immediately turned his back and ran, but he was instantly shot in the back by the man beside me now... My whole body went cold as I stared at the two men lying on the floor. Their blood was spreading on the road.
"D-Did you just... kill them?" I asked and looked at the man who killed those two without any trace of remorse.
"Aww, you're shaking, you seem scared... Are you scared?" he suddenly asked, looking at me.
I know this is not the right time to compliment his deep and husky voice, but I don't know why I still managed to appreciate it in the midst of my situation... I must be insane.
"O-Of course! I'd be scared! They're dead... You killed them..." I said, still in disbelief.
I don't know what I should do right now... whether I should run or escape... but what if he shoots me too?
"Don't be scared that they're dead... be scared if they suddenly come back to life and get up from there," he said and chuckled as if what he did wasn't a big deal to him.
"Y-You're insane... Y-You're... insane," I stammered.
"Yes, I'm insane..." he brought his face closer to mine, "...insanely handsome."
Only then did I finally see his face clearly... but my vision immediately blurred again, along with my knees trembling intensely... I just found myself being caught by his arms as everything around me went blank.