Heroine's Act Part II: Writer's Instinct

Keil's face brightened up.

Before him is a familiar face, one he will never forget.

"That outfit.... Those eyes... That glistening young lady... Is Mary", he muttered. His couldn't believe his eyes as the young model walk towards him with a shy smile in her face.

When Clarisse stood face to face with Keil, she stopped, then giggled. "What a coincidence, huh? Pleased to meet you, Mr. K, and I look forward to working with you".

She was beautiful. She was so beautiful that Keil stuttered as he replied to her.

"N-nice...", he mumbled.

Everyone in the room was confused by Keil's reply. They all looked at the young man who was looking down. He punched his own chest, and took one deep breath.

"Nice to meet you again!!! Ms.... Mary?", he exclaimed.

Tumawa lamang si Clarisse, as if Keil told a hilarious pun. Pinigil nito ang pagtawa at sinagot si Keil. "Clarisse. My name is Clarisse. Mary was a screen name for... Let's just say a supposed-to-be show".

"Clarisse. May kilala akong Clarisse, but she's just a student who always goes late for school. I kinda like her, though ", Keil impulsively replied.

All of a sudden, Clarisse's expression changed. She covered it up by simply telling a joke and laughing, but it was clear as day. How she smiled, the bright look on her face.

Sa isipan ni Clarisse, there are only these words to express the feeling she has:

"You make me happy".

It may have seemed confusing for the other people in the room, especially for the clueless Keil, but for Clarisse...

For Rie...

It was a compliment that she might have been waiting for from Keil.

After the introduction, they went straight to business. In short, a meeting about the characteristics and preferences of Keil's ideal heroine.

And so he told them all about his character, Iris' characteristics and features.

Long, glistening black hair, hazelnut brown eyes, and a fair white complexity. A cold voice that sends chills down the spine, but always speaks in a relaxing tone. Kind, hardworking, expressive and brave. Keil spilt every drop of tea about her.

Meanwhile, Clarisse paid close attention to all of it. Within her, are mixed feelings that even she couldn't understand. Sa kabila nito, nanatili siyang tahimik at matiyagang nakinig sa manunulat.

After more than two hours of endless discussions, the meeting was finally adjourned. Nagpahinga muna ang lahat bago subukan ang ilan sa mga scenes para sa poster na gagamitin sa collaboration event.

Si Clarisse, na umiiwas kay Keil ay tumakbo na agad ng patago patungo sa ibang palapag.

Hinanap naman siya ni Keil agad paglabas nito sa meeting room.

"Nasaan na kaya yun?", tanong ni Keil habang lumilingon kaliwa't kanan upang hanapin ang dalaga.

Meanwhile,

Tumakbo si Rie hanggang sa rooftop, ensuring that Keil won't be able to find her. There, she sat down near the railings while wondering.

"Bakit ko ba iniwasan si Keil? What am I so afraid of? I don't get myself... Kung kailan gusto ko nang kasama siya, saka ko naman siya iniwasan".

She covered her face with her palm, and whispered to herself,

"Please don't hate me for this, Keil..."

Just as she whispered these words, the door to the rooftop opened behind her. Shocked, she slipped and lost balance while sitting on the railings.

Her shoes slowly left the ground, as slowly she fell down. Her heartbeat went wild with fear, and she doesn't know what to do. Rie closed her eyes in fear, but then her fall suddenly stopped.

She opened her eyes slowly, to a face obscured by the dazing gaze of the sun. It was a man, breathing heavily, as if he ran so fast that he had to catch his breath. Hinila siya nito pataas, but when she was going to thank him, she recognized who her savior was.

"O...o... Okay ka lang ba?", humihingal pang tanong nito sa kanya.

Rie once again covered her face with her hands, sabay tumango. Pagkatapos nito ay tumakbo na siya at iniwan ang lalaking nagligtas sa kanya.

Habang pababa ng hagdan, bakas pa din ang takot sa mukha ni Rie dahil sa nangyari. Nanlalambot ang tuhod nito, but she ran anyway, para makalayo sa taong nagligtas sa kanya.

"Clarisse?"

Napahinto si Rie pagkatapos marinig ang boses na tumawag sa pangalan niya. Sa baba ng hagdan ay nakatayo si Keil at nakatingin sa kanya.

Rie's facial expression instantly changed. From a face full of fear, tears fell from her eyes as she ran towards him.

Pressing herself against Keil's chest, she cried every tear she had to shed. Tinanong ni Keil kung anong nangyari, pero hindi siya sinagot nito.

She just cried and cried, kaya naman pinakalma siya ni Keil. They sat down the stairs, while Rie is still clinging onto Keil.

"Nanginginig ka. Anong nangyari?", tanong ni Keil matapos mapansin na nanginginig ang buong katawan ni Rie... O Clarisse, sa kanyang pagkakaalam.

Rie couldn't tell him. She's afraid. She can't tell him that she almost died and got saved by the man who once destroyed her life.

"Please... Just for now, don't let me go...", she begged.

Nang mga panahong iyon ay walang bakas ng saya sa mata ni Keil, despite the fact that the girl she likes leans on him and asks him to not let her go. All he had was concern, and questions.

"Something isn't right", he thought. "Hindi nanginginig si Clarisse sa Kaba o gutom. She's shaking in fear. Pero saan siya natatakot? Or rather... Kanino?".