BAIDER (ENGLISH VERSION)

I could not take her threats anymore. My chest throbbed with great force. I was scared, I was so frightened even though I could not understand her, even though I did not know what she was saying.

I shook my head and dared to speak. I took all the courage to get my words heard by her.

“I love him… even if I die today. I love him.” My voice was soft. I was grateful that my stutter was not noticed.

Her face went into shock. The stare on me intensified. Her emotions were checking if I was telling the truth. When she saw the sincerity, the anger I had seen in her disappeared.

“Lauressa!”

That voice of Laurent’s echoed. He hurriedly walked to pick me up and placed me behind him.

“Did you scare her? Huh?” Laurent asked Lauressa with a warning in his voice. She just stretched her lips with an evil smile.

Lauressa passed Laurent without answering his brother, but she stopped beside me. They have almost the same temperament as Laurent but Lauressa is even scarier. She was glaring at me as if you murdered someone.

“What’s your name?”

“A-anmela,”I said while my voice cracked and my body was trembling.

“Fight for your love, then.” Her face did not show any emotion.

I was holding my breath when she finally walked away. A sigh of relief came out of me when she completely disappeared.

‘Fight for your love, then.’ Her words echoed in my mind. What does that mean?

I was confused why she was being rude and mad at me then, out of nowhere saying such an understandable statement.

I shook my head to ease  its content.

“I am sorry. Are you scared of her?” Laurent wrapped his hand on my waist. He guided me to sit in the chair in front of the table.

“No, it’s okay.” I lied to him. I wanted to say how much Lauressa trembled my body, but I did not spell it out.

“She is my younger sister. She is really committed to the family, that’s why she acts like that.” He blew a harsh exhale. “Are you so scared?”

He touched my cheek. I calmed down a bit and forced a smile. “I am not. I am fine.”

I stood up suddenly when I remembered that I had a class.

“Oh, gosh. I have a class!” I said in a panicked voice. I had no idea when to go or what to do.

A smile was forming on his lips. “Your reaction is cute. It’s early, baby girl.”

My cheeks warmed when he mentioned ‘baby girl’. Will I never get used to it? He was calling me the sweetest endearment ever.

“I thought it was noon,” I shyly averted my gaze. “I thought I was late.”

I sat down again. I gave him a beautiful smile. His face was perfectly formed, so handsome. My smile faded when I remembered that I had no cellphone. I left that in the alley last night.

“Why do you look worried?” He was observing my expression. He wrinkled his forehead and tilted his head.

Even at that angle, he was attractive. But that would not ease my worry.

“I left my cell phone there in the alley last night.” I started to tell a story. A sadness was written on my face.

“I’ll buy you a-”

“No! No problem. I still have money, but I do not know the exact price. I can buy my own.” I was refusing so badly, but he kept insisting. In the end, he gave up.

“Can I use your phone instead? I’ll call my mom.”

He quickly took the phone out of his pocket, stretched his arm and put the phone in my hand.

I was shocked to see my face was still on the wallpaper.

“You didn’t delete?”

“Which?” Laurent said innocently looking at me. As if I was asking a normal question.

“Wallpaper.” I flipped the phone and showed him my picture.

“There’s no reason to remove that.”

A big smile gradually formed on my lips. I did not talk, but my heart was noisy, jumping in happiness. It was a celebration because finally Laurent Baider gave me a space in his heart.

The smile never left me as I dialled the number of my mom. Good thing I memorized it.

“Good morning, Mom!” I greeted her warmly, but my excitement to hear them shifted into shock when I heard her sobs on the other line.

The worriedness crawled all over my body. I was afraid to know what happened.

“Why, Mom? What happened?”

Laurent also stood up and looked at me. I started to walk back and forth. The tears were condensing in the corner of my eyes.

“We’re being evicted here because someone has already bought the land. Our house would be taken by them. We have no home.” My mother’s voice was sad.

“What?” My voice was loud that was why Laurent came over. He circled his arms on my waist.

“How’s that?” Laurent asked, his naturally knitted forehead was on his face.

I rubbed my forehead and my tears were already dripping.

What should I do? How are they? How is my family? I have no money to buy the land. When will they sleep if our house vanishes?

Laurent wiped away my tears causing me to look at him. “What’s the problem?”

I just shook my head, I do not want him to be involved in our problem. He should not be part of it because this was a family mess and it was embarrassing to tell him. He was rich and I was just poor

My eyes widened when Laurent grabbed the phone without even telling me. I just stared at him while talking.

“Good morning. I’m Laurent Baider… Anmela’s boyfriend. Yes.” He was speaking as if it was easy for him to interact with people when in fact, he was the snobber person I could ever meet.

I frowned at what he was doing. I was just wondering what he was planning to do.

“Yes…  Where do you live?” Laurent focused his attention on my mother.

My forehead furrowed even more. Why is he asking?

“Camarines Norte. Okay. All right… No problem… Take care always… Yeah, sure.” I saw the smile on his lips. “Good bye.”

I approached him with a frown. “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” He just smiled a bit and kissed my forehead.

He said ‘nothing’ again and if he was saying that word, that means a lot. My boyfriend was unpredictable.

“You don’t need to cry again. Hmmm?” He kissed my forehead again. I was curious about what was going on in their conversation?

He kissed my cheek. Then, hugged me so tight. He buried his face on my shoulder. The thrill was crawling all over my body. This man was making me crazy, just the way he touched me.

“Everything is alright, Baby girl.” He held my hand and guided me to sit again. “For now, eat breakfast so that you have energy to study. “Okay?”

“Thank you.” I smiled. In just a second of being with him, I felt secure and happy.

“So… your family lives in Camarines Norte?” Out of nowhere he asked that question. He brought ham on my plate. I did not notice that he prepared those things.

“Yes.” I gave him a playful smile. “Are you interested in me now?”

He stifled it by putting a hotdog on my plate. Then, he shrugged his head and never looked at me. It seemed like he was awkward.

“Are you, Baby Boy?” I choke his waist with my index finger. “You are interested in me now. Yiee!”

His eyes met me. He raised the corner of his lips. “Of course, I am. You are my girlfriend, remember?”

That made me stop moving. The thrill was overloading. He was acknowledging me as his girlfriend, I was so grateful that I met him.

“I love you.” I circled my hands on his arms and kissed his right shoulder.

He messed my hair and kissed my head. “I love you, too.”