HARDIN...
"The number you've dailed is busy"
"The person you're trying to call....."
"Sorry..."
What's the point of having a phone if you can't even use it right...
I should have known, kissing her was a bad idea... but what could I do at that moment.....she was right before me and I couldn't surpress my feelings any longer..
And if I had that chance again, I'd do it again, without a second thought.
She's definitely avoiding me..... that's how she is, I just know her all too well...and then again, she doesn't know me the same way..
I've changed so much that I can't recognize myself if I looked in a mirror...
Years ago...I saw myself as someone who wasn't worth it, especially after mom abandoned my little brother and I.... left without leaving any trace...
She left me with a big responsibilities...to take care of my little brother and myself too....I had to work countless part time jobs at night just so I could bring something for my little brother to eat at home...
Even so, I still made time for Tara...and tutoring her was the only time I could use to read something..
She showed up into my life at the right time...and made it bright.
I wasn't alone anymore.
She didn't know anything about my problems, I wanted to keep it that way...I never let her find out about it.
That day I wanted to tell her that I like her and ask her to be my girlfriend...it was my birthday. I'd promised to celebrate it with her...but that same day, my little brother and I were thrown out of our home because of the debts mom had left behind.
Her debt collectors took the house...we had no where else to go...if it weren't for our kind neighbor by that time who took us in...I don't know what would've happened to us.
By the time I rushed to see Tara...it was too late, she'd already left..
I hadn't shown up..I broke my promise to her, little did I know that would be my very last time to see her again..
She didn't come back to school, she never answered any of my calls or reply to my texts...
She was gone..
All she left me with were her memories.
I hated my mom, I lost Tara because of her....and I missed out on living a normal life of a teenager because of her..
I was lucky...my school gave me a scholarship until I graduated..even at the University.
After my little brother's biological father forcefully took him away...I was all alone again...
So I pursed my dreams instead, joined military training...had my skills improved there. Because of it, I was able to become a great doctor...with experience working in the military medical camp....and a highly skilled bodyguard..
Hoping to see Tara one day again, kept pushing me to become greater than I was before...
Now that I have her again, I won't let her leave me again.
~~~~~~~~~~
RESTAURANT...
"She'll be here in the next minutes, let's just wait for her" Lian said after she and Tara had taken their seats at a VIP table.
"Sure, I can wait" Tara replied..
Her eyes were glued to her phone's screen... reading Hardin's texts.
"Pick up the phone, where are you?"
"Breach of contract.. remember the penalty"
"Fine don't pick up...but don't blame me for what happens next"
"What can he possibly do?"Tara asked herself.
"Tats, Archie just texted me... he's asking how you are right now.... can't he just ask you yourself" Lian said.
"I think I blocked him before....he was harassing me through calls and texts" Tara replied, totally unconcerned.
Annoying!
"Well, if you don't unblock him, I think he'll harass me next" Lian said.
After thinking about it, Tara unblocked Archie's number and even called him...
"Archie.."Tara spoke first.
"Tara,hey...I'm glad you called...uhm, how are you doing now?"Archie asked from the other side of the line.
"I won't lie, I'm not okay after all that...I should be asking how you are because you got hurt" Tara replied.
"I... actually, I feel better now after your mom's hospitality.." Archie said.
"You must be enjoying...but you deserve it, I wish you get better faster so we can hang out again"Tara replied.
"If that's what you want....I'll recover fully in no time"Archie said.
"You're my close friend.. ofcourse I want that....Lian does too, so does Irene" Tara replied.
"Thank you, all of you....to make up for my failed engagement, I'll take you out for shopping....I know you love that" Archie said.
"I do, but I already so many things that I don't even know what to do with"Tara replied...before Lian signaled her that her client had arrived.
"I have to hang up now, take care Archie" she said before she hung up the phone.
Meanwhile...Archie smirked after talking on the phone with her.
Tara still saw him like a close friend and didn't suspect him at all...she was still naive and so trusting...
That's what he wanted exactly....for her to trust him again, for her to let him get close to her again, until he'd have her all to himself...
He'd got too comfortable at their Mansion after her mom asked him to stay, and while they all weren't around...he secretly entered Tara's room...his obsession with her grew every second..
Staring at her photos, sniffing her clothes that were in her wardrobe, her perfume and her other things on her dressing table....he was so crazy for her...
Back at the restaurant...
"Tara Montesino...it's nice to finally meet you in person"
"Mrs Savie, you came all this way just to see me...I'm so touched" Tara welcomed her.
"It was worth it, I got to see how beautiful you are in person...look at you, so gorgeous"Mrs Savie said... taking a good look at her.
She was dressed in her own fashion brand...
"Thank you, but you're even more pretty than I am....your husband is so lucky" Tara flattered her.
She really had her way with words on her clients....a good sweet talker.
"This is Lian, my business partner....we work at T&C together" Tara formally introduced Lian.
"And she's my best friend too"
"Wow, I really admire the strong bond you both have...it's nice to meet you Lian, cute as your name" Mrs Savie replied as they sat down.
"Would you like to order something?" Tara asked.
"Actually, I have another appointment after this...so I won't stay long, but I had to come and see you" she replied, implying that she wasn't going to order.
"Okay, so here are my latest designs that I've been working on..." Tara said... handing her the file.
"Classy and elegant as expected....I love it" Mrs Savie replied... looking at all the designs.
"I wasn't wrong in choosing T&C, it actually matches with my theme, Casual and Classy" Mrs Savie replied.
"Will you add them on your runway?"Tara excitedly asked.
"Ofcourse and trust me, the fashion industry will love this... you're going to be so famous Tara..."Mrs Savie replied.
"You already are, but this will be on a whole new level, and you'll be richer too" she added.
"Thank you Mrs Savie, Lian and I will start working on it right away" Tara said.
"Okay, and I'll be waiting for the results....when I'm available again, I'll ask my secretary to call you so we can seal the partnership"Mrs Savie stood up to leave...
"No problem" both Tara and Lian replied.
"Let's keep in touch" Mrs Savie said before she left.
Tara and Lian happily hugged each other...this would be a great achievement for them both... especially for Tara.
"You know, this calls for a celebration"Lian said...
"Have some drinks, what do you say?"Lian asked... but then Tara remembered something before she could reply.
"Never go anywhere public without me...it's too dangerous"
Hardin's words sounded in her head. She was still traumatized after the engagement party too, she hardly wanted to party anymore.
"I can't" she replied.
"Okay I understand why you can't.....atleast let's buy some souvenirs from the gift shop on the next floor..."Lian said.
"Sure, then we'll leave quickly...I don't want to stay here for so long" Tara replied as they both stood up to go to the gift shop on the next floor.
The small gift shop and all kinds of nice stuff..Tara took a stroll around it... searching for what she could buy, she already had everything.
Maybe she'd get something for Hardin....
A book to read....
She could remember how he loved to read books back in high school..
Her phone rang...an unknown number was calling....yet she didn't even hesitate to pick up, thinking it could be one of her clients..
"Hello..." She said, as soon as she picked up.
"You can pick up an unknown phone number but not mine....what if I was a kidnapper" Hardin's voice came through from the other side of the line.
Speak of the devil
"Har....din?"Tara was surprised and confused.
"I'm outside the restaurant...I know you're in there, come out or I'll come get you myself" Hardin replied.. before he hung up.
"This man! How did he find me?" Tara asked herself... rushing to the gift shop's window to peep outside.
Hardin was indeed there...
"What happened Tara?" Lian asked.
"We need to leave right now" Tara replied.
"Does this place have a back door?" She continued to ask.
"No, the only way out is through the main door of the restaurant.." Lian replied.
"What!....how am I..." Tara was about to start complaining...but then she saw that the gift shop had some few disguises.
She had an idea to escape from Hardin again.
She rushed to the counter...
"How much are those male wigs and those male clothes, I want to buy"
She bought a pair of men's clothing, shoes, a wig and a mask...
She dressed up and disguised herself as a man.....and forced Lian to do it as well.
After disguising herself....they went back downstairs to the restaurant...she could clearly see Hardin at the entrance...so she had to create a distraction...
Lian purposely bumped into a waiter... and while everyone's attention was diverted to her, it gave Tara an opening to bypass Hardin...
She thought she'd fooled him again....but Hardin was way head of her...
"Where do you think you're going?" Hardin blocked her way....
"Excuse me bro, do I know you?"she faked a man's voice...
"I'm just trying to go home bro...." Tara tried to turn away and go the other side.
Hardin didn't say anything...he simply grabbed her hand and carried her over his shoulder.
"Bro, what are you doing...let go of me!!" Tara tried to resist...
Lian came out of the restaurant just in time to witness this scene....she almost laughed...Hardin was smarter than she thought.
"This is kidnapping in broad daylight!" Tara stopped faking her voice and she didn't even realize it.
Hardin put her down only when they arrived at his car..
He pinned her against the car...and took out his phone...dailed her number...and her phone rang.
He already knew it was her the moment he saw her.. Tara slowly removed her disguises...
"You already knew" she said.
"Your disguise isn't such a disguise" he replied...
The bracelet she wore on her hand gave her away....
She couldn't fool him twice....even with a disguise.
"Is running away your speciality?"Hardin leaned in closer to her..
"It's not, its not..."Tara replied.
She was nervous.....very nervous.
"Why...are you avoiding me?" Hardin asked.
He had her cornered and there was no way she could run away again.
What would be her excuse this time?
"Does that really matter?" Tara replied with another question.
"It does, do you know how worried I was about you!" Hardin exclaimed.
"You didn't answer any of my calls or reply to my texts...and finding you wasn't easy" he added.
He wasn't lying... and she could tell what she did made him get mad.
Very mad...
"I'm sorry...I acted childishly... I shouldn't have done that" Tara replied....
But what he did next left her speechless, he pulled her closer into a tight embrace.
"You should make it up to me...because I won't let it slide easily" Hardin said...
How did he want her to make it up to him??
Only he knew the answer to that question..