She was so talkative, and Lana had taken to her from the moment they met.
There were some people you could just tell were genuine, and Tina was one of them. She was happy all the time, constantly going above and beyond to help customers throughout the day. Although Lana had never worked as a barista before, Tina was patient with her, taking the time to teach her everything more than once. "I like ber months, too," Lana forced herself to answer. She was shy and timid, at least since her disastrous marriage. Before she had submitted her life to Danny, she used to be very outgoing and personable, but now was closed off and suspicious of new connections. She had tried not to get close to anyone, because it made leaving more difficult. With a crazy husband always on her heels, Lana had to be ready to leave at the drop of a dime, and keeping to herself made that easier. But that lifestyle was tiring, and for once, she now felt that a new life was a possibility. If there was anyone she thought she could trust, it was Tina. "That's the best months in this country, " Tina exclaimed, pointing towards a small restaurant on the corner. People flooded from the shop carrying bags of food, and I made a mental note to try out the restaurant one day. "So, how long have you lived in Taguig?" Lana asked, hoping not to weird Tina out by being too quiet."Born and raised actually," Tina houted so loudly a couple walking into the Italian restaurant turned in their direction.Unable to bite back her mirth, Lana erupted in giggles and Tina joined her. The two women laughed together as they continued through the colorful neighborhood. She was relaxed and comfortable, asking for the closest laundry mat and pharmacy, trying to get her bearings in the new community."Where are you from?" Tina asked."Is it that obvious that I'm not from around here?" Lana shot back, smiling broadly."You're too-nervous." Tina answered, unease evident on her face. She didn't want to offend Lana, but she had noticed that there was something off with her the first day they met. She had a high wall built up, but she wanted her to know that she could lower it when it was just the two of them. She would never betray her or repeat anything shared privately. "Nervous?" Lana giggled, but in the back of her mind she knew exactly what Tina was hinting at. She was paranoid, always worried someone was out to get her."I don't know. It's like everything is new to you, and it's written all over your face. You're the tourist looking at a map on the corner of the street. I can tell you're not completely comfortable. That's why I wanted to walk home with you. Once you get the hang of the neighborhood, you're going to fit in perfectly," Tina explained. It was the truth, but she had no idea how just how right she was. Lana was uncomfortable navigating the new neighborhood, so it was incredibly sweet of Tina to offer to show her around. Together, they walked past all of Tina's favorite places, while she gave recommendations on the best days to visit and the most delicious dishes. She was grateful, trying to remember as much as she could.Everything was finally beginning to feel normal, as the tension dissolved with each step they took together. Lana thought the fear was gone until Tina nnounced she would be breaking off to head in a different direction, leaving her to walk the rest of the distance on her own.
Anxiety rushed in as her heart raced with the possibilities. The sun was setting and before long it would be dark. She hated to be out in the dark, especially alone. Walking twice as fast, she rushed to get back to her apartment, glancing over her shoulder every few feet.She could feel the presence behind her, hear the footsteps gaining, but every time she turned to look, there was no one there. Danny had filled her with so much fear that even though she'd remained a step ahead of him over the last two years, she was terrified of what he might do to her.
He always said she could never escape him, and in those times she believed him. Her paranoia was ridiculous, but what could she do? Every other place she had gone, Danny eventually showed up to prove he could track her down whenever he wanted. Lana's only hope was that he no longer wanted anything to do with her. She knew how unlikely that was, because he was the type that never wanted to give his toys away, and that was all Lana ever was to him. While they were together, all Danny wanted was for her to be a dutiful wife. He had so many rules she had to live by and if she ever questioned his reign, there would be hell to pay.She lived her life in constant fear that she would finally have to answer for walking away from the man who terrorized her.
Before long, she was jogging, trying to reach her apartment as fast as possible. The night was chasing her, and she didn't want to get caught in the new neighborhood, or find herself lost. There were a few twists and turns, and Tina had taken a different way to showcase all the area had to offer. Struggling to stay calm, Lana watched her feet moving quickly, one in front of the other, before returning her focus ahead. There was a man a little ways down the street who caught her attention. His broad shoulders filled his suit very well, in a way that made her stomach drop.Danny only wore suits, regardless of whether he was attending a family function or defending criminals in the court room. Watching the stranger with caution in her movements, Lana was filled with relief when the man turned to face her. While he might have had the football player build of her husband, this man looked nothing like the clean-shaven man she had married. It was too close of a call though, so she took off running without shame. It didn't matter who saw her, she just wanted to get back to her safe space. An elderly man sitting on the porch of his home leaned forward in his rocking chair when she passed his house. Watching her closely, the man smiled as their eyes locked, and for some reason that gave her bit of security. She felt the old man's watchful eye as she made it to her apartment building, confident that if anyone jumped out to grab her, he would be watching, curious as to where the young woman was running. When she finally got there, Lana took two steps at a time, climbing to the fourth floor as if she was being chased up each flight. You needed a key to enter her building, but even that didn't make her feel secure. In addition to the dead bolt already installed, Lana had added four other locks to her front door, making six in total. In a rush to enter her place, she regretted the extra layer of security as she fumbled with her keys. If anyone were after her, they'd have the perfect opportunity to overpower her as she struggled with the door. Thankfully, there was no one after her, despite the fear she felt deep in her stomach. When she finally unlocked the door, she rushed inside, slamming the door shut before carefully locking each of the six locks.Resting her back against the heavy door, she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the cool air. A relaxing stroll with Tina had quickly turned to panic, but she was regaining her composure as she looked around the small apartment. She examined the boxes, questioning if she had opened the one in the corner, or if someone had been rummaging through her things while she was at work. She knew it was outlandish, but she would put nothing past Danny when it came to getting back at her. She had to think outside the box and leave nothing off the table when trying to prepare for what Danny had planned for her. He was unpredictable and relentless when it came to getting what he wanted. "You're home. It's okay," she said aloud, hoping to calm herself down. Lana's hands trembled as she dropped the set of keys into the pear-shaped glass dish she left on the dining room table. It was overwhelming to live with such fear, but there didn't seem to be any other option for her. She was on her own, responsible with her safety and well-being. Many might call her behavior overzealous, but Lana didn't care. She just wanted to feel safe. A lone tear fell down her cheek as she thought back to the last time she felt completely safe. She was on a trip to Davao, away from Danny while he worked in Minnesota. She was going to unwind and enjoy herself at the massive hotel pool. Her husband had never liked her exposing too much of her body, but with him away in another state, she felt the risk was pretty low. Slipping out of her thin cover-up, she laid out on the beach chair, ready for a tan. "Can I get you anything?" The voice had awakened her, although she didn't even notice she'd fallen asleep. "Oh, sorry," she muttered, moving her hand above her eyes to provide a bit of shade. The waiters at the hotel pool wore brightly colored swim trunks as they went from one cabana to the next taking orders. This waiter wasn't wearing a swim suit though, and as the realization set in, the safety she had felt earlier melted away. "You look comfortable," the voice said. With a sick feeling, Lana recognized it was Danny from his cuff links. Dressed in a black tailored suit, he looked completely out of place at the pool, but that didn't stop him. "What are you doing here?" Lana had asked, stalling for time as she scrambled to grab her cover up, hiding her exposed body. "Oh, don't worry about covering up now. You've already shown everyone my goods," Danny shrugged, speaking about her like she was nothing more than a possession. Back in the present, her eyes closed as her shoulders dropped a bit, the relief evident in her belly. When her breathing finally regulated, she walked to her bedroom, plopping down on the comfortable king size bed as she took a deep breath, finally safe in her own place."It's going to be okay. You're finally safe," she continued, speaking in a soothing tone.
The day had gone execption well for Xy. After his meeting, he had closed a few deals on the new product launch, lining up vendors that wanted to sell his latest pet accessories. Over the years, he had learned that there was very little that dog owners wouldn't do for their furry children, and when new lines were designed, he often thought the possibilities were endless. Initially, Xy's company focused on catering to smaller breeds of dogs, since their owners had the tendency to buy more costumes and accessories. What he had learned was that large dog owners also wanted to accessorize their pups, they just didn't know how. The new line for larger breeds was projected to increase sales dramatically, and Xy was excited to see what new opportunities it would lead them to. Sitting at his fine mahogany desk, he typed out the last of the emails, thanking those who attended the meeting. As he said in the email, it was an exciting time and he was grateful to have all of their ea
Today was the day Lana could start listening to the advice provided by Tina on recommendations for places to visit in their neighborhood. On their walk the previous night, she had pointed out her gym, noting that they had a referral program. If Lana mentioned her co-worker's name during sign up, they would each get a discount on their monthly rate.It had been a while since she had worked out, but Lana was excited to get reconnected with a part of herself she had sacrificed for her marriage. Danny never liked her working out, claiming it would only make her more attractive to other men. He liked her weak and docile, but that was never who Lana envisioned herself being. The morning breeze felt great on her skin as she trotted down the steep streets winding through her neighborhood like a maze. Every new route memorized gave her a renewed since of confidence, and another connection to the city she was growing to love. Everyone seemed so nice thr city always eager to help
"That just doesn't seem like a big deal to me," Xyrus reasoned. He was talking through the car stereo system with his cell on speaker phone. A few new investors had called, wanting to get in on his innovative designs and Akira was freaking out. She looked at all problems as bad, but some problems, like having too many people begging to give you money, was something Xy considered a good problem. "They haven't even seen the prototypes," she reminded him. "So, set up the meeting. Just e-mail me all the deets," Xy instructed calmly. "Okay, I guess we can make it work," Akira relented as she always did. "Sounds good. I'm just pulling up to the gym so I'll be offline for a bit," Xy explained before ending the call. He had decided against his home gym in order to have an audience. Sometimes, he felt he needed to know someone was watching in order to keep from quitting, and that was usually the case when it came to lifting weights. His personal trainer was
"So, you've never ever tried Joshua Diner?" Tina asked Lana, as she packed away the last of the day's baked goods. The owner had established a relationship with a nearby women's shelter, and every evening, A Slice of Suzeth donated any unsold products."No, I literally just moved, Tina. I haven't even unpacked yet," Lana fought her smile, amused by Tina's confusion. For the past ten minutes, she had been trying to explain that she didn't know anything about the hot places in the neighbourhood. Tina explained that she was born and raised just a few blocks from the bakery, so she could introduce her to everything there was to know about Taguig City. "Here you are, John. Thanks for stopping by," Tina announced, handing a pink paper box to the man waiting from the shelter. He smiled, bidding both women a good evening before leaving the bakery. Lana was finishing up with cleaning the espresso machine when Tina startled her, turning to face her as the unruly strands of red ha
Xyrus watched with interest as the brunette woman he'd been lusting about knelt quickly to pick up each tomato from the floor. She was flustered from the sight of him, which he took as a good sign. After the way she had rejected him at the gym, he had feared he was losing his way with women. But the look on her face when her eyes had landed on him was the indication he needed to know that she was most certainly affected. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he started, hoping this would be a lengthier conversation than their last interaction. "No-no, it's not your fault," she said, so softly Xyrus had to lean in to make out her words. Never did she look up to him, focusing more on the task than him. "I was just shocked to see you again. You remember me, don't you?" Xyrus asked, with a tone that commanded her attention. Those blue eyes were more remarkable every time he saw them. Filled with curiosity and a dangerous emotion he couldn't exactly place, Xy felt he could get lost
"That was delicious, Tina!" Lana exclaimed after finishing her last bite. "Pesto is the easiest dish ever! I'll write the recipe out for you," Tina smiled, beaming with pride. The two women had shared a chicken pesto pasta, with salad and breadsticks. After unpacking the box marked with 'kitchen' in bold black marker, Tina began cooking while Lana continued to unpack, organizing the cabinets with glasses and dinnerware. Lana was finally feeling like her old self again, thanks in some ways to the wine. She had unwound a bit, pouring one glass after another until they had gone through two bottles of the expensive wine Xy recommended. "How about you just come over and make it whenever I order?" Lana teased, laughing at her own joke as Tina joined in. "This is such a cute place, Lana," Tina admired, glancing around the small apartment. "Thanks. It'll feel more like home once I get everything unpacked," she giggled, before taking the last sip of her wine."Yes,
"So, tell me about her," Akira demanded, as she lounged in a leather loveseat in Xyrus's office. The two had just finished up a business meeting when Xy sought some much-needed advice. Seeking discretion, he asked Akira to follow him to his office before he told her about how badly he had blown it with Lana. Unable to control her laughter, Akira had laughed for a full two-minutes before speaking and Xy found it difficult to take her seriously."What do you mean? What's there to know?" He asked, chuckling softly."What about her caught your attention?" She asked."Her eyes." Xy's answer was swift, because he had been visualizing Lana in great detail more than he cared to admit."Well, that was quick," Akira raised one eyebrow, impressed by his answer."You haven't seen them. Her eyes are. mesmerizing, as blue as the Pacific Ocean," Xyrus looked up towards the ceiling as if recalling a wonderful memory. "You really have a crush, Ashington," Akira teased, using Xy's last name as
"Chin up! " the instructor barked. Lana was stepping out of her comfort zone again, this time at the gym. After noticing an opening in the self-defense class, she decided to sign up. What she didn't expect was the one on one attention that Debbie, the instructor, gave her. It was just the two of them in the ring, after no one else showed up for the early session. Initially, she was intimidated, but after reminding herself why she was doing it, Lana decided to take a leap of faith. Running from Danny wasn't that great of a life plan, so she had to prepare for the inevitable confrontation if she ever had a chance of reclaiming a normal life. She hated to think of herself as weak, or defenseless, so learning how to protect herself was empowering. With every punch thrown, she could feel her confidence building. More than she needed to develop a new personality, Lana felt she just had to break down all the walls she had built up to protect herself in her marriage. Dan wa