THE WRITER IN ME... ECHOS!!!

MY LOVE ASSAILANT
CHAPTER ONE

The busy street was filled with cars bumper-to-bumper, blowing their horns and some drivers were already angry, passengers shouting that they would be late for school and for work. Majority of the street was dominated by buses coming from the different provinces. A Rabbit Liner was speeding its way into the crowded street. A Superlines bus was also speeding its way out of the traffic. Most of the passengers were asleep.
Inside a bus, on the right side, all were tired, asleep, except for one. She kept on touring her eyes inside the bus, checking if everybody’s asleep and if nobody’s looking at her. She thought of doing something which she knew would catch attention from the other passengers. She stood up and pretended to be reaching for something on the upper compartment but nobody glanced at her. She smiled and thought she was lucky and she was right for thinking so. She remained standing and sneaked a look at the person seated in front before her. She smiled again and checked if her seatmate was also in deep sleep. She turned her attention back to the person seated in front before her and slowly pulled something out of her wrist. She then lowered her hands down the face of the man and coiled the thin string into her index finger. When the string reached the neckline of the sleeping man, she slowly pulled it to touch the man’s neck but suddenly, the driver stepped on the brake.
The Rabbit Liner spun as it hit a concrete barrier.
Because of the great impact, a passenger was thrown on the seat in front with head hitting the back of the seat and lost consciousness. The other passengers panicked. The others who were sleeping woke up with great horror in their eyes. When the bus’s spinning went to a stop, it rolled on its side then there was silence. The screaming stopped. The street fillers approached the wrecked bus. The ambulance, rescuers and medics arrived. Everybody thought that nobody would survive the accident but they were surprised that there were passengers who stayed conscious in spite of the wounds and bruises they had. One of these survivors was the son of a famous businessman in Makati City. He was Miguel Sy. Everybody was surprised that a prominent man was boarding a bus.
Miguel woke up with a lady unconsciously seated next to him with her head on his lap. When he shook the lady to wake her up, he was shocked because the lady’s head was badly hit and there was blood on his lap. He panicked and kept on shouting, “Help! Help us!” He checked the lady’s pulse and felt relieved because it was still beating. When they were both removed from the wreckage, he assisted the lady inside an ambulance. While inside the ambulance, one medic asked him, “Sir, I think it would be better if you lie down first.”
“I’m okay, I’m worried about her,” Miguel said. “She needs to be alive. She saved me from hitting the backseat. She protected me and I think I should take responsibility of her.” He was so thankful because if it were not of the lady, he should’ve been hurt with the backseat.
All the victims were brought to the hospital. Miguel requested that the lady should be brought to St. Luke’s Hospital. While the lady was inside the emergency room, he was outside, waiting for the result. His father arrived, Don Enrico Sy, “Son! I’m so worried about you!” he hugged Miguel. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, Dad. I’m okay. I didn’t get hurt because of that lady inside the operating room,” Miguel explained why and his father was so thankful.
“Thank God! I won’t forgive myself if anything happened to you. You’re my only successor.” Don Enrico tapped Miguel’s shoulder. “I think I have to ask you why you’re on that bus.”
Before Miguel could answer, Francis Lopez arrived. “Good morning, Chairman. I heard about what happened to Miguel.” He was the Vice President of the corporation owned by the Sy family.
“Huwag ka ng mag-alala, Francis. Sabi sa’kin ni Miguel ayos lang daw sya.”
Francis noticed something on Miguel’s neck. “Miguel, bakit parang may hiwa ka yata sa leeg mo?” He traced the long wound on Miguel’s neck. “Ayan oh. Baka tinamaan ka ng bakal na matulis, di mo na napansin.”
Miguel touched his neck and felt the blood. “Ayos lang ako. Maliit na sugat lang ito.” He wondered, Saan ko kaya nakuha ang sugat na ito? Hindi naman ako tinamaan ng kung anong matulis na bagay. Tsaka kung tinamaan man ako, bakit ganito ang sugat ko? Ang haba naman. Para akong nasabit sa alambre.
A moment later, Christian, Miguel’s best friend arrived. “Pare! Buti naman buhay ka pa. Teka, nabalitaan ko naaksidente ka raw sa bus. Ano bang ginagawa ng isang successor ng mga Sy sa isang bus? Wala ka bang kotse? Tsaka galing sa probinsya yung bus ah. Ano bang ginagawa mo dun?”
Don Enrico butt in, “Oo nga pala, di mo pa sinasagot ang tanong ko. Bakit ka nasa bus?”
Miguel stammered, “Ah… Eh… wa-wala lang. Isa lang yun sa mga trip ko. Big deal pa ba sa’yo yun, Dad? Di ka na nasanay sa akin.”
“Oo nga pala. Isa na naman yun sa mga kalokohan mo at muntik ka ng mamatay! For the second time dahil sa kalokohan mo. Sa tingin ko oras na para kumuha ka ng bodyguard mo.”
“Dad, baka naman bantay lang yan sa lahat ng mga ginagawa ko. Di ko kailangan ng bantay. Alam ko kung ano ang mga ginagawa ko.”
“Tandaan mo Miguel, ilang buwan na lang ikaw na ang papalit sa posisyon ko bilang CEO ng ating korporasyon.”
“Blah, blah, blah…. Ilang beses ko po ba sinabi na ayaw kong hawakan ang mga negosyo nyo? Kaya lang naman ayaw nyong may mangyari sa aking masama dahil wala kayong ibang pamamanahan ng negosyo nyo eh.”
“Bawiin mo ang sinabi mo!” Don Enrico got angry and motioned to slap Miguel but Francis stopped him.
“Sige na po. Umalis na kayo rito. Balikan nyo na ang pinakamamahal nyong negosyo. Andito lang naman si Christian eh. Siya na lang ang magpaiwan para samahan ako.” Miguel said and went to the hospital’s cafeteria.
Francis invited the Chairman, “Tayo na po Chairman. May board meeting pa po kayo ng alas dyes.”
Don Enrico fixed himself. “Sige, salamat Francis. Buti na lang nandito ka.” They left the hospital.