ROZETA:
It was almost like a dream. Maybe it was because I didn't realize I would be seeing him this soon. Or it could be that I was just so surprised to see him again.
The more I stared at him, the more I get flashbacks of that night. I could still picture the way he looked at me that night. Hell, he was giving me that same look at the moment.
Standing here and staring at him gave me the feeling that I was lost in my own world. Sounded like some fairytale which gave me the cheesy vibe as soon as I processed the whole thing.
It was clear he wasn't planning to walk up to me. And in no way was I going to stand and wait for who was going to make the first move while we both stand on the busy walkway. So I take the first step into reaching out because trust me, I have a lot of questions for him.
The weird thing about this is that even with the long distance between the two of us, I was still able to recognize him. He has seldom left my mind in the first place so I guess it was justifiable, wasn't it?
Anxiety seemed to overwhelm me as I moved closer to him. It was strange that he just stood there like nothing else in this world mattered. Piqued my interest that way.
The instant I was standing in front of him, I say, "So we meet again."
"Yeah."
I didn't think that hearing his voice would trigger a feeling in my heart. Almost similar to the feeling that came with hearing him speak to me for the first time at the nightclub.
I was short of words all of a sudden. I mean, this was unplanned. But then I had a lot of things to say to him. Why can't I say it now, though?
"Are you stalking me?" I finally utter the first sensible words I could think of.
His brows are raised all of a sudden as his face reflected nothing I could tell. "Does it look like I am?" is his response which was apparently a question thrown back to me.
"Well, I don't know. Because seeing you here feels like you are,"
The look he gives me afterward seems like he's checking me out. I don't have a problem with it but then my heart seems to be flustered by it. 'This isn't why you came over here, Rozeta!' I have to remind myself.
"Have you thought about the fact that I could be staying around here? Or about the fact that I could have made a run for it the instant I sighted you if I was indeed stalking you?"
He was calm all through his speech. And that demeanor seemed to be something that suits him even though it was clearly in contrast to his heavily built body. For a moment, I felt like I was accusing him wrongly.
I wasn't going to let that get to me as I say, "You chose not to run because you thought it was too late for that."
"You're not even considering the fact that I could have seen you long before you noticed I was standing here?"
I give him something close to the stink eye. "Is this supposed to be an interrogation between us?"
He shrugs. "You started the questioning. I was only following up based on how well I could respond to you," he states. "While we're going back and forth, can we both find a place to sit? Because it's clear to me that you have something to ask,"
"Apparently I do," and that was when I decided to turn to the side so I could have a look at the road.
I couldn't tell how fast it was but then I felt my body pulled into something with sheer force. I take a few seconds to get my head settled before I look up to take a look at who it is.
The stranger whom I was still in a conversation with was looking down at me with eyes filled with slight concern. It was really weird looking up at him from this angle. I have my back against him and my body was in direct contact with his.
I quickly adjust my position, freeing my body from his grip on my arm. I had to ensure I look away from him because in no way could I maintain eye contact with him at the moment.
"You almost bumped into someone," I hear him say from behind me.
"Yeah. Thanks," I said before adding, "Follow me."
That is when I move to cross to the other side of the road where a shed was located. It was an extension of a walk-in restaurant and seemed like the perfect spot to hold a conversation.
We were both on the other side of the road and were already sitting under the shed in no time. I'm surprised I can be well-composed in front of a man I had a fling with just over a week ago. I really need to check if the concussion was indeed not affecting my sanity.
"First what's your name?" I throw the first question.
He tilts his head to the side a bit. "Jax," he says, "Jax Reinhard,"
The name sounds awfully familiar. Like something belonging to a hotshot. I don't want to believe he's one even though he looks and carries himself like one.
"I guess this is where you tell me yours," he states, bringing my thoughts back to him.
"Rozeta," I say without further details. Not like it would matter.
"So, what's your question, Rozeta?" he asks, leaning back on the seat he's on.
I already generated the words in my head. But to spill it out was giving me a bit of a hard time.
He wasn't helping matters with the look he was giving me while I prepared to speak. If I had an idea what he was doing, I would say he was being flirty.
"Did you take me home after that night?" I manage to ask but it felt like the words were choked out of me.
He doesn't hesitate to nod. "Yes, I did," he says.
I clear my throat. "Well, the morning after, I found a note in my room. You wrote it, didn't you?"
He nods again before affirming with another "Yes."
"Sorry about last night..." I repeat what I remember from the note, "what was that all about?"
He looks like he isn't going to say anything to that. His body movement and everything made me think I would not be getting a response but then he asks a question that has me uneasy: "What do you remember from that night?"
I raise my brows at him. "Quite a lot. At least enough to recall your face."
"Can you tell me to which point you remember?"
I become unrelaxed in my seat. The question caught me off guard. Why would he throw such a question at me?
"You really expect me to answer that?" I ask him.
"Not all," he says, "Just the most significant details."
I have a clue what he's talking about but I'm still not comfortable about saying any details that regard the activities that had to do with that night.
I deliberated while looking at his face. Took me about two minutes but I finally decided to speak on the question. "The last thing I remember is you biting into my neck and giving me a bad scar which has mysteriously disappeared."
"That's what I'm sorry about."
The confusion that hits me after he says that was instant. It was strange that all the fuss I had about the note found in my room was because of the bite mark on my neck.
"That's it?" I have to ask for confirmation.
"Of course. I made a terrible mistake and had to apologize for it. So, yeah, that's it."
It still wasn't making sense to me. Nothing literally makes any sense at this point. "How did you get a note to write on then? Because I don't keep those with me," I say as I look for a means to clarify the situation.
"I always carry a collection with me," I watch him dip his hand into his pocket to bring out something similar to the note I found in my room. A whole collection as he said.
"Because you don't know which woman you're going to apologize to next, right?"
He gives a weird smile before putting the notes back into his pocket. "If that's what you think about me, who am I to disagree?" is what he says in response.
The real question I was going to ask him kept pushing against the walls of my mind but I was flooded with embarrassment from even thinking about it. It was okay that I maintained composure all through with him. I'm sure that won't happen again once I make the mistake of uttering that possibly important question.
He stands up from his seat a few seconds later. It was through that I was able to realize it was getting really dark.
"I'll be leaving now," he says.
"Do you really stay around here?" I ask him. I can't begin to imagine the horror of always having to encounter him before or after work.
"Who knows?" he says which doesn't answer the question in any way. "I'll be seeing you around, Rozeta,"
"I hope not," I whisper right after he turns his back on me. But he just might have heard that because he stares back at me briefly with a smirk quivered on his lips.
ROZETA:I sluggishly drop my bag on the center table before plopping down on a sofa nearest to it. My body was a bit heavy, more like it has been in use all day. Should be an effect of being away from any tedious activity for over a week.I relax my back completely on the sofa, my eyes shutting close as I move to get my body back in order. Since I was the only one in, I didn't care about how I was sitting which is why I just went for a very careless position by having my legs on the table. This was most definitely after I took off my shoes with both my feet as aid.I should be glad I had that unplanned one-week break away from work. I guess I missed what it meant to be free and not be without any unnecessary pressure that I get from work each time I'm there.'I'll be seeing you around, Rozeta.'Those were just simple words from the man but they felt like he meant what he said. It should be something figurative but I think he was being literal. It was giving me a headache thinking abou
ROZETA:I'm dying. And it isn't a drill.I woke up all of a sudden from my sleep and I found out everything was wrong with me.My breathing was hitched and I was sweating all over even with the electric fan turned on. Moving my body proved to be difficult as well as it seemed like I was glued to the bed. All of that was enough to make me scared.I want to scream for help but the words couldn't out of my mouth. None of my body systems seemed to function and for a moment, I could swear I was going through paralysis.In no time, tears start seeping out of my eyes and down the side of my face. I couldn't bear the difficulty anymore. My life was being forced out of me right before my eyes and it was the most horrific thing that I could ever imagine.As I stare up at the ceiling, I start to recount how unlucky I've been in the past one week. One good week at my place of work would have prevented me from going to that nightclub and then having a twist of fate. I am not one to have this type
JAX:My reflexes helped me grab the attacker by the arm before I got to the ground, so we both crashed at the same time.I didn't hesitate to get up on my feet as soon as the momentum of the crash leaves me. I was ready to face the challenger without backing out when I notice it was someone I know."What the hell are you doing, Manuel?" I ask in annoyance as I face my right-hand man who looked like he wanted to do something dangerous."No... what are you doing?"The question he throws back puts me on the edge instantly even though I haven't deciphered what he's talking about. I check around for any intrusion first before saying, "What's going on here?"He takes a step toward me but I have my hand raised. "Stay where you are!" I tell him to which he adheres."I followed you all the way to the human girl's place thinking you were going to get the job done on her. But what did you do? You stayed there with her and helped her until the whole phase of her possible turning passed," he says
ROZETA:'Rozeta, take a deep breath. There's nothing wrong with you. It's just a stupid voice in your head. You're only imagining things, trust me,'I keep telling myself that inwardly just to ensure I have not gone crazy. As a matter of fact, I think I am crazy. Because if not, why would I be thinking I heard someone speak in my head when there was nothing of sort?There was absolutely no way that what I thought I heard was from my head. It was just a fraction of my imagination. Possibly from the stress of all that I've been going through this past one week.'When you're done reassuring yourself, then we can talk,'I jump from my bed all of a sudden at that. This time I was sure of it. It wasn't just me thinking some random thoughts. Someone was speaking to me. But I would be indeed crazy to think it was actually inside my head.I look around. I need to find the intruder. No, I have to leave this place before I get attacked by whoever it is that has made his way into my room.'There
ROZETA:I've been trying not to think about it but I'm not sure if that can work. No other thought seems to flow in my head other than that of the thing I still can't believe."What then will happen to me now that I have you?" That had been the question I clearly needed an answer to and the response I got was frightening.'Since I'm inside of you, it means we have become one. And that also means you are what I am now.'Where did I go wrong with my life? Why do unexpected things keep happening to me?To be honest, I still can't tell what I did to get to work because I shouldn't even be here in the first place with all of this. Perhaps it was the feeling of knowing I would get into trouble with my supervisor that actually created a rift between staying home and coming to work. But now that I think about it, I should have gone with the best option which is staying home.I haven't heard from the voice since I arrived at work. Not that I would want to hear it speak to me in the first place
JAX: "How sure are you about this?" I ask soon after i take a seat to act like i was genuinely interested in this conversation we are about to have. "A hundred percent," is his immediate response to the question. I have to try to think of what to say next because i didn't want to make the mistake of letting him know i might have a hand in the issue. With my hands folded below my chest, i ask him, "So why exactly are you here? It's clear to me you need something from me which is why you showed up here." "Of course i do," he says without blinking an eye. "Father asked me into look into it so i decided i'll be needing your help," "And you really think i would be key in helping you find the illegal bred?" I ask him. He nods to which i then move to act like i'm deliberating on the issue. But the pretence deliberation leads me to think about something that i think would help my personal affairs in place of his. "Whoever it is you are looking for, did you trace that down to the human
ROZETA: I expected to be in so much pain but the only thing i felt was numbness. So numb that i could feel any part of my body. It took me a long while to realize my body seems to be wrapped around something. I try to flicker my eyes open just so i could find out what that is and when i do, i am surprised to see i was not actually hit by the car. How it happened, i don't know. But i know i heard a loud thud that clearly signified an impact with the approaching vehicle. The fear of knowing that whoever it is must be badly injured now keeps me on edge. I am desperate now to see the face of the person that it has me asking in an almost incoherent voice: "Are you okay?" There was a bit of adjustment before the face of the person comes to view. And i won't lie, My heart skipped upon sighiting who it is. Seeing i was aware about the identity of the person, i was filled with a wave of safety that i didn't know i needed. Most especially when my eyes come in contact with his. The overhww
JAX:If i had been a fraction too late, I don't know what would have happened to her. For all i know, she could have been dead.There was a huge tendency that she could have made it out alive but her chances were slim as she waasn't fully developed yet to resist impacts like that. It would take her first shift to unlock that kind of potential in her.I'm surprised she took everything calmly when i spoke to her after the incident. I would say she was already getting a hang of the situation. Perhaps she was feeling like there was something outwrordly about her entire situation now.I had ben pushed to tell her the truth about her new existence. Even been pushed to tell her what i am. It was Voden's reminder about time not being right yet that prevented me from doing that.Thinking about it, I find Voden's stance on this whole issue confusing. He was annoyed that i made that kind of deadly mistake but then doesn't want any harm to come her way. I don't know how more confusing that could