"Deive..." She wanted to dispute his statement because she didn't expect him to protect her. He was only temporary in her life. But she stopped when she saw his eyes full of emotions. She felt like her heart would burst. He was worried about her and there was another emotion she was not familiar with but her heart knew.
He hugged her tightly. "Don't confront those bullies on your own next time, okay? I want to be there with you if you want to fight. If you want to protect your friends, make sure that I will be there to protect you first. I don't want you to get hurt."
She hugged him back and closed her eyes. Someone to protect her. Someone who will put her first. She never thought that Deive would be that guy when a few days ago, she thought that he would leave her. "Deive, I am not afraid to get hurt. I know you are always here to make me feel better and keep me company in the dark. That's more than enough for me, Deive."
He pulled his body away from hers and gave her a sharp look. "You mean it is okay for you to get hurt? No, it is not okay. I nearly had a heart when I saw the blood in your hand. If not for the peacekeepers, I want to bash the faces of those who hurt you."
"Well, what happened to them?" she asked curiously.
"I will teach them a lesson they won' forget." He brushed her bangs off her forehead and planted a kiss on it. "And I will also teach you a lesson one of these days. You get well soon first."
Lesson? What lesson? She didn't ask anymore because he was looking at her like he wanted to kiss her and more. She would gladly wait for that lesson.
CALLEA woke up to the shouting voices reverberate inside the house. She slept well the other night after she took her medicine. She thought she was dreaming at first because she was not used to noise at Villa Celesta. They seldom had visitors at the mansion and they don't definitely shout like there was a protest rally.
With a throbbing head, she went outside her room to check on the commotion. From the door of the slits of the second floors' railings, she could see around twenty-five people convening in the living room. "What is your right to blotter our kids? Don't you know me? I am a town counselor here. I have a brother who is a general in Camp Crame. I can have you arrested. Our kids are still minors. They are still our baby."
Callea rolled her eyes. It was Counsellor Lira Marcelo who was leading the protest. She visited the mansion once when her grandfather visited her because she wanted to buy their land to turn it into a subdivision but her grandfather refused. She was also Lindsye's mother. Such a shame. They were a family of no good-doer. They were bullies and they thought they were above the law. She also saw Lindsye behind her mother. The family of the other bullies might have joined them.
"Counsellor Lira, your children were caught doing violations," said the baranggay captain. "We have witnesses. There was ten of them but they hurt two women and a cat who couldn't fight back. They might be minors but the law doesn't excuse them from violating it. They must take responsibility. They hurt others. They were even rushed at the hospital."
So, Deive made a move and reported the bullies to the police. And now the parents were protesting as if they were the victims. "Thick-faced! And now they are playing the victim?"
She felt Marina standing at her back. "Señorita, why did you get up? Señorito Deive will get mad if he knows you are here."
"Shhh!" Callea shushed her. "I will just stay here. They won't see me. Are you okay?"
"Yes. I am not that hurt. I am more worried about you. Your head..."
She tapped her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I am just pissed off with these people. They think they are privileged and above the law."
She wanted to face their unwelcome visitor but she thought Deive could handle them better. But she was not sure about Deive's stand now since he was close to Lindsye. She was nervous about that. Whom would he choose Lindsye over her?
"Do you think we would file a blotter if your kids were well-behaved? Of course, they committed several violations. Until now, Callea was not allowed by the doctor to move much. We asked them to be examined for more evidence and her CT scan result will be released later. What if there is damaged in her nerves because of the gash on her head?" She could view Deive's sideways profile but she could see his eyebrows almost connect and his lips were pressed together when he lifted the rock that was used by Winston to bash her. It was put inside a plastic container and would serve as evidence. "Can you see this? Do you think a kind kid would have no qualms throwing this to an innocent woman? Only a bully or someone evil would do that. And who in their right mind would tie up a cat up on the tree and ask a hunchback to save it? I am sure the animal rights group would love to have fun cutting your sons into ribbons once they find out what they did."
"Deive, the cat, and the hunchback are hideous. Why should you bother with them? And Callea won't get hurt if she didn't protect her hunchback friend," Lindsye argued. "What happened with Callea was not intentional."
Deive gave the woman a deadly stare. "What happened to respecting other people or animals no matter what they look like, Lindsye? They also have the rights of everyone. Callea protected their rights. And your brother and his friends violated it."