18.8.08

Chapter 10

Sean placed the knife near my neck as I silently prayed for a miracle. I felt so weak and my eyes were running out of tears as I laid on the bed helplessly, still handcuffed to the bed post. I was angry too but I’m not sure why. Was I angry because Cindy had such a bad judgement? Was I angry that Gail abandoned me?

“Why are you doing this to me? What did I do to you? “ I hissed fiercely.

“Why are you torturing me Lisa? With that pouty lips and smart ass attitude. I know you want me to, I have seen the way you look at me so why do you act like you don’t ?”

I’m terrified to even answer him. Sean looked extra crazy. Crazy enough to think that I would ever want to sleep with him. I tried to sit up but he pushed me down.

“Kiss me bitch and I swear, if you bite me again, I will cut out your lips”

He pressed his lips on mine and his weight pressed on my bleeding arm. I winced in pain but Sean didn’t seem to care. I was whispering, begging him to stop when I heard the door being flung opened. It was the happiest moment of my life when I saw Gail and .. Tom??

“Lisa!” Gail gasped and probably assumed I was betraying Cindy.

I turned to her so that she could see my teary face and my bleeding arm. This is not some passionate rendezvous. Gail ran to me as Tom pulled Sean off. I could not remember anything much except I saw Sean swinging the knife around Tom and then my vision went black.

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I managed to open my eyes just a little bit and I saw three figures. I closed my eyes and just let relief in.

“She was bleeding but we managed to stop the blood in time. She had eight stitches and if all is well, she can get out of her in two days” I heard a man said.

“Oh thank you doctor” that was Gail.

I heard the doctor left the room and then I heard heavier footsteps walking towards me.

“She is okay, you heard the doctor” I heard Gail said.

“I’m just mad that Sean would do this to her. I’m furious to think that he managed to get away”

“I shouldn’t have left her alone. The phone call was a prank” Gail said softly.

“ You know, I thought Sean was Ryan” Tom sounded slightly surprised.

“ Nah, Ryan is taller and has a bigger butt”

I wanted to giggle. Trust Gail to notice these kind of details.

“She look so worn out “ Tom said softly.

It hurts to know that he’s only a foot away and I had to resist the urge to sit up and embrace him.

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When I woke up the next morning, I saw Gail sitting next to me peeling an apple.

“Oh wow, for a moment there, I thought you were going to be sleeping beauty and I need to find your prince charming to come and kiss you awake”

“Very funny Gail” I made a face at her.

“What happened yesterday? Where is Cindy?”

“Sean managed to get past Tom and don’t worry, I told Cindy that we got into a car accident on the way there. I cleared the sheets and dumped them in the washer at home to get rid of anything suspicious”

That was a mouthful. It took me a second to register what Gail just told me.

“ You stole the hotel sheet?” I looked at her.

“ Oh come on. I have to. Why you never told me about Sean??”

“I just think it’s better if lesser people knew and Tom forced it out on me. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable because he’s Cindy’s boyfriend”

“Oh well. Now I know he’s such a bastard”

“Where in the world did you find Tom to come and find for me?” I suddenly remembered.

Gail looked excited again.

“Remember the bunch of paparazzi we thought that Cindy hired to cover her birthday party? It seems that Jay was in the hotel room downstairs shooting a scene for his music video. It was such a coincidence that I found Tom while I was running down the stairs to get help when I heard you screaming and Sean yelling in the room”

“Why did you run down the stairs when you could use the elevator?”

Imagine Gail running down the stairs in heels .. hmm.

She looked embarrassed “I forgot ok.. I just panic but think about it, it’s destiny. I was meant to bump into Tom. Speaking of him, he was right here with you until 5 am just now, sleeping on this chair. Lis, he cared for you. I saw how devastated he was when he rushed you to the hospital.”

“What are you saying?” I asked her softly.

“You are important to him”

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I pressed cancel on the phone and pushed my phone back into my bag. It’s been two days since Cindy’s birthday and I can’t seem to get her on the phone. Neither can Gail.

“Don’t worry Lisa. This is not the first time she ‘disappear’”

True, Cindy was known to ‘disappear’ without telling anyone. It was her way to cope with stress and she came back to tell us her problems. I looked out of the window and I saw the city view passing by and then my glance fell on my arm. My wounded bandaged arm.

I’m grateful that Tom rescued me from Sean, I really am and the thought of him carrying me was probably the last touch between us. For the past two days, I have not seen him, ever since that night I heard him talking to Gail.

“I just want to lie on my own bed again” I smiled as I put down my bag on the sofa.

Snooky ran up to me , yelping and whining until I picked him up and make a big fuss about him, which he always love.

“You should go and rest” Gail steered me to my room.

When I opened the room door, I didn’t expect to see what I saw. I saw a bouquet of beautiful white tulips but what took my breath away was the man holding the flowers.

“Welcome home” Tom looked nervous.

“ Hi, what are you doing here? “ I asked as Snooky ran off and sniffed his feet.

I noticed him, I noticed everything about him. His aftershave. His rolled up sleeves, his big hands and then I noticed, a cut on his cheek.

“What happened?” I asked although I knew it was a wound from rescuing me.

“Oh, just a little cut from the tip of the knife” he smiled.

Cue dimple. Sigh ..

“Lisa, I knew I had been confusing you with the kisses but the truth is , I really really like you .. I was not even aware when all this feelings started but I guess when we first kissed ..”

Then he stopped “ Oh gosh, I sounded so corny” he chuckled nervously.

I let out a soft laugh. In fact, I find that boyish charm adorable and my heart was fluttering , beating so fast and making me blush.

“I’m always the guy who felt like I have to be strong and independent because I had been looked down upon since I was living on the streets but I dunno how to feel when you are around me. You give another meaning to my life and I .. when I thought I was going to lose you, I was so afraid and I’m scared because I have felt this way before “ he gulped.

If you think Tom is the kind of guy who is hard to understand, he’s not. I have learned that his feeling showed through his eyes and I saw the fear and the tenderness in his eyes at that moment and I couldn’t help it but I started crying. Oh dear, I cannot imagine being without him either.

“ Lisa, don’t cry” he hugged me and I let him.

I let him touched my wounded arm as I looked up at his face with a cut.

“Be mine ok?” he whispered

“For the press?” I asked , half teasing.

He grinned “ For us”

Then he planted a soft kiss on my forehead and I melted.


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“I cannot believe you’re still blushing. It’s been two hours” Gail exclaimed.

“What?? Don’t tell me you didn’t plan to smuggle Tom into my room” I looked at her.

“Yes I did but it worked out right?” she asked cheekily.

“I love you, do you know that?” I laughed.

Suddenly the phone rang, I reached for it.

“Lisa? This is James. I have a special project for you. Can you come to my office tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? Sir, Tomorrow is Saturday” I asked, confused.

Why my boss wants to see me on a weekend? Am I being fired? Am I in trouble?

“ Nothing big. Just a new assignment for you and if you do it right, the job of senior editor will be yours”

I took a sharp breath. Seriously? This is what I had been waiting for this whole life!!

“ I’ll be there! At 10 am? Ok”

When I hung up the phone, I shared the news with Gail and as usual, she burst out in excitement for me.

“You are so gonna get that job.” Gail assured me.

No matter what assignment that I’ll be assign to, I’m sure I will be able to do it. Want me to interview the man who eats kids? I’m there. Want me to travel to the end of the world to get the story? No problem, I’m the girl.

The phone rang again.

“Maybe its Tom” Gail teased me.

I picked it up.

“Hi, may I speak to Lisa please?”

There was no mistaking that accent.

“Dylan?” I cringed and made a face.

Gail gasped.

“Dylan?” she mouthed.

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