Three

I inhaled a sharp breath when someone from medical team pressed cold compress into my throbbing leg. The pain intensified. I bit my lower lips to prevent myself from screaming.

"Okay ra ka, Ma'am?" (Okay ka lang, Ma'am?) The guy wearing a white uniform who seems to be in early 20's shot me a worried look.

"Okay lang." I said silently.

"Sure ka na di ka gusto muadto ug hospital?" (Sure ka po bang ayaw mong magpunta ng hospital?) patuloy pa niya. Someone shouted and we both snapped our direction. A girl just fainted and the team come to rescue her. Ibinalik ng lalaki ang tingin niya sa akin.

"I'm fine." I said weakly, wincing at the ugly purple bruise that is starting to form on my left leg. They ripped my jeans open to access the throbbing area.

My mind drifted back into Harry's face. I am fucking sure na siya ang nakita ko. It's him. My eyes started watering again. What is that idiot doing here?

"Diri sa ka Ma'am, naa sa koy laing atimanon. Balikan lang tika." (Dito ka muna Ma'am at may iba pa akong aasikasuhin. Babalikan lang po kita) He lifted himself up and left me sitting on the rough concrete of S&R market. Lumalaki na nang lumalaki ang apoy sa NCCC mall.

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine Harry's face once more. I haven't seen him for over two years. Yet, the memory of his face is still fresh and vivid inside my mind especially the night he betrayed me. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Are you okay?" The guy who saved my life earlier approached me, walking slowly. There are black ash stains dotted on his jacket. Basag din ang isang lens ng salamin niya but he didn't seemed to mind it. His face, although dotted with some small pimples on the forehead and chin, still looks attractive. His eyes spoke so much words it's impossible to break eye contact with him once you started it.

I nodded my head, still engulfed at the beauty that is his eyes.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier," He said silently, crouching down across me as he examined my bruised leg. "I was really panicking that time."

I shook my head slightly, giving him a tight smile. "You saved my life. I don't know how to express my gratitude for it."

"Oh, a kiss will do."

I stared at him for a few seconds and when it sink into my brain, I immediately glared at him. He threw his head back and laugh, his face even brighter as time went on.

"Kidding." He grinned and cleared his throat. "What's your name?"

"Katherine." Tipid kong sagot.

"Katherine?" He prompted. I hesitated for a while if I should tell him my full name but considering the fact that this guy just saved my life, I decided to do so.

"Katherine Lagmadeo."

"Oh," A hint of recognition crossed his face. "Katherine Lagmadeo? As in the Katherine Lagmadeo?"

I sighed and nodded my head.

"Woah. Looks like I found a real piece of work today," He mused. Napatingin kaming dalawa nang may magsipaglabasan pa sa NCCC mall sa tulong ng BFP. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin sa mga taong nagyayakapan sa labas. My heart sank a little deeper when I realized Harry isn't one of them.

"By the way, I am AJ Estrada. I'm a YouTube vlogger." He offered his hand for a handshake. I accepted it but instead of shaking, I used it to pull myself up. Muntik pa kaming matumba dalawa. "San ka pupunta?"

"Kailangan kong bumalik sa loob." My voice quivered.

"May kasama ka ba?" Tanong niya sa akin.

I started shaking my head then stopped abruptly. I gave him a desperate look. "AJ, I need to save someone inside there."

"With a bad leg?" He gave me a frown of disapproval. "That's suicide, Katherine. Let the BFP do their jobs. Saving a life isn't as easy as what you think."

"I know, but I need to save him!" I snapped. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagpatak ng mga luha ko. AJ started to panic. He must've felt uncomfortable with a crying woman in front of his face.

I saw a BFP officer emerged out of the mall alone. His eyes were glassy and his lips were set in a thin line. Nilapitan niya ang mga kasamahan. They seemed to be discussing something.

"—hindi na pwedeng madaanan. Masyado nang mainit doon."

"At ang mga taong na-trap sa CR?" I heard another officer asked.

"SSI workers. One of them is already writing down the names of the missing employees."

"Can I take a look at the missing persons?" I butted in. Napatingin silang lahat sa akin. Their faces studied me for a while before their gaze traveled to my bruised leg. "May kasamahan kasi akong naiwan sa loob." I said, saying half the truth.

One of the officer nodded. "Pwede po, Ma'am." Tapos itinuro niya sa akin ang isang grupo sa may di kalayuan. "Mga SSI workers yan. Sila ang naglilista ng pangalan ng mga na-trap sa CR."

I nodded my head and started limping towards their direction. I can feel AJ trailing after me. I was halfway to the group when I came into a sudden halt, AJ crashing into my back. My heart hammered inside of my chest.

There he is, panting heavily. The little girl is still crying loudly. Mukhang kalalabas lang nila sa nasusunog na mall. Harry looked terrible. It looks like he's about to pass out any moment. I restrained myself from hurrying towards his direction when he fell into the ground, still gasping for breath. Nagsitakbuhan ang medical team sa kanya. They lifted Harry into a stretcher, screaming orders and rushing him towards the waiting ambulance. A cop carried the little girl and darted towards the ambulance.

He fluttered his eyes open. I could've sworn in that split second, our eyes met. The longing, the hate, the love, and the 2 years of emotions I bottled up inside of me bursted out. Tumulo nang tumulo ang mga luha ko, as I stood frozen on the ground. It did not last long because Harry closed his eyes and I collapsed into the ground as well, still crying.

"Hey, hey. What's wrong?"

"Harry..." I cried silently, shoving my face into my palms.

AJ soothed my back for a long time. Then he encouraged me to get out here when the crowd started to thicken. He lifted me to his back and held my lifeless arms as I continued to sobbed.

I did not protested when he hailed a taxi and got me inside. I started wiping my tears as he instructed the driver to Vincent Heights. Hindi ako umimik buong biyahe. My mind keeps on drifting back to Harry.

"We're here." He silently announced. I snapped out of my thoughts and climb out of the taxi, wincing every now and then.

"Nasaan tayo?"

"My apartment." He answered casually as he fished for his keys and opened the front door. Nang hindi ako sumunod kaagad, he glanced at me and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll not do anything bad. I saved your life, remember?" He winked at me.

I scowled lightly as I followed him inside. The apartment is large enough for three people but it seems like siya lang mag-isa ang nakatira dito. Umupo ako sa sofa habang hinuhubad niya ang jacket. Dumiretso siya sa kusina. I could hear the refrigator door opening and closing.

Lumabas siya ng kusina na may dala dalang baso ng juice. Inilapag niya ito sa lamesa na nasa harapan ng sofa kung saan ako nakaupo. Then he occupied the single-seated sofa next to me.

"Taga Davao ka lang ba? Saan ka nakatira?" He queried.

I stared at the bruise that seems to look worse every passing second and ignored the throbbing pain every now and then. I tear my gaze away from it and looked at him. "I don't live here."

"Oh?" His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Where are you from, then? Your family must be worried about you."

"Si Grand Ida!" I exclaimed, jumping back into my senses. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na wala na akong bag na dala-dala. My heart sank inside of my chest. Nasa bag ang envelope na ibinigay niya sa akin at ang iba kong gamit. My phone and money are also inside as well. I gave AJ a desperate look. "Can I borrow your phone?"

"Of course," He got up from his seat and grabbed the phone sitting on top of the fridge. Then he strode back to the living room and handed me his phone.

I immediately dialed Grand Ida's number, focusing my gaze on the untouched orange juice. It ring but the call was rejected. I dialed again and after two rings, she finally picked up.

"Hello—"

"Grand Ida!" I cried.

"Katherine! Oh my goodness, you're alright!" She exclaimed on the other line. I can hear her calling out towards Nilo. "Anong nangyari? Narinig namin ang balita. Nasa Pundaguitan kami ngayon. Ayos ka lang ba?"

A sob rose again in my throat. It was one of the most traumatizing moments of my life. Akala ko mamatay na ako sa lugar na iyon. I swallowed the lump and replied, "Ayos lang po ako. Nasa loob po ako nang mangyari ang sunog."

I heard her gasp on the other line. I continued talking.

"Someone saved me. But Grand Ida... the money... I lost the bag."

"Nonsense." She quickly replied. "What's more important is you're alright, dear. I'll send Nilo to Davao right away para sunduin ka. You need to come back as soon as possible. I know it must've been hard for you."

I nodded my head and when I realized she couldn't see me, cleared my throat and mumbled a yes.

"Nasaan ka ba ngayon?"

"Nasa..." I glanced at AJ, obviously listening to the one-sided conversation. "Nasa apartment po ako ng nagligtas sa akin. AJ Estrada ang pangalan niya."

"Well tell that brave young man to come as well. I want to thank him personally."

Tears started streaming down my face without even realizing it. I bit my lip. "Grand Ida... nakita ko po siya... si Harry..." My voice shakes.

She remained silent for a while before she spoke up again. "Fill me in later when you've arrived. You need to come home...Mary Grace."

With trembling hands I put the phone down. No one has ever called me my real name for a long time now.

Nilo arrived around 9 in the evening. He looked really tired. For the first time, the permanent scowl on his face is replaced by a concerned look. The same concerned look he gave me when I almost got hit by his car. His eyes immediately went to the bruise on my leg.

"Anong nangyari?"

AJ was the one who filled him with what happened earlier. He is nice enough to order dinner for the both of us. I appreciated the fact that he did not bother to ask me further questions. He just allowed me to mope around in the corner while he pack his things. When I told him that Grand Ida wanted to personally thank him, he did not hesitated to come. Gusto niya daw pumasyal sa Parola and he did not hide his excitement about it. Mabilis siyang nagligpit ng mga gamit niya so most of the time, I was alone in the living room while he's upstairs.

"May bibilhin lang ako sandali tapos babalik na tayo." He said, glancing from AJ and me. He swung his backpack to his shoulders and bounced happily towards the Suzuki multicab waiting for us outside.

Both AJ and I settled on the back part of the multicab, ignoring Nilo's comment na sobrang ginaw na mamaya papunta sa Parola. I told him details about what we're going to visit. He couldn't stop searching pictures of Cape San Agustin. Sure enough, it's his first time visiting the easthern most part of the Philippines.

We left Davao City at 10 in the evening. AJ and Nilo switched places driving two times  dahil hindi kami tumigil sa pagbibyahe. We arrived at the cape around 7 in the morning, all of us exhausted and tired.

Grand Ida immediately guided me towards my room. I figured Nilo would've provided AJ a room to stay as well because the two of them disappeared. Grand Ida did not also bother asking me questions as of now.

I told her I'm feeling alright. She finally left me alone inside my room. Kaagad kong kinuha ang journal na nasa ilalim ng kama ko. Kalakip nito ay ang mga cut-out articles from the newspaper of the girl who had gone missing two years ago.

I pulled out the picture as well. It's the only picture I had with Harry, medyo blurred pa. We asked Mang Adolfo to snap us a picture when we were in Mavulis Island.

Pumatak ang luha ko sa litrato. I collapsed on my bed as tears started streaming down my face.

Harry, have you been looking for me all these years?