I Said Quiet

“Please, let me in. I just need to tell them something. This is important!”

Cheska’s hands are clasped as she begs the two guards guarding the large gate in front of them.

All she’s asking them is to let her pass through but they just won’t let her.

Why is she always in a situation where she always has to plead for someone’s permission?

“We can’t let you go inside that forest. Please miss, just listen to us. We don’t want to use force. Especially you’re a girl.”

“I really need to go inside,” her voice slightly raised. She’s slowly losing her patience. It made her sigh. “You will regret not letting me in! I told you, a lot of times, I need to tell something to Lorenzo’s friends!”

The one sighed as well. “We told you a lot of times as well, miss. We need to hear it right from them that you can pass through this gate. We will be doomed if we let you in without their approval! We might lose our jobs!”

She was about to retort them when they heard a bike not so far from where they are. A white BMW F 700 GS is coming in their direction at an unimaginable speed.

Her eyes squinted, still can’t tell who the rider is because of the helmet he is wearing.

It only stopped when it reaches the gate.

The two guards looked at each other, nervous because of the situation that welcomed the guy riding the bike—he might not like the commotion happening at the entrance.

Meanwhile, Cheska just stood there, the calm remains while looking at the guy curiously.

Kenneth took off his helmet and gave Cheska a displeasing look—not a very pleasing way to welcome someone.

What a very transparent and honest expression that was.

“What are you doing here? And how did you know where we are living?”

“U—uhm…” she gulped, nervous. “I asked the president for your address and—“

“And why are you curious about our home?” his head tilted to one side with his slightly arching brow. “Have you already forgotten the deal between us and you? Why are you looking for us now? What do you need?”

She grimaced at the idea of how his remarks have tons of mistakes or misunderstandings.

First, she doesn't want to be there. Did she ask Lorenzo to save her anyway? He just appeared out of nowhere and no one’s expecting it. No one.

And since she’s the one who got saved by him, she feels responsible for his current situation and since she doesn’t want her conscience to hunt her until she sleeps, she decided to go to their house and let his friends know about the incident.

Second is the way Kenneth asked her what she wants. Did she ever ask them something before? She can’t remember anything. She can’t recall any situation where she asked for something from them.

In fact, it’s Lorenzo who asked for her help. It was him. Not her.

But she just let it go. She let it enter her ears and escape to the other one.

She’s not there for a debate. She’ll be considerate now since it looks like…that’s just how their mind normally works.

She doesn’t want to be so inconsiderate about their ‘decent’ way of thinking.

If you can understand someone, understand them as long as you can—that's what her mother taught her when she's still a kid.

“I am here to tell you that Lorenzo is in the hospital.”

"What?” his eyes widened.

“To make things short, a kunai with poison was stabbed on his back. He’s now in stable condition—I assume as we speak.”

Kenneth looked away with his eyes are tightly closed. “Fucking Alexandra!”

“Alexandra?” she curiously asked. When she realized what could be the meaning of it, her brows furrowed deeply. “Did that woman do this? Was she the reason—“

“Where is he now?”

Even if she’s still in the middle of a question, she just answered it. But before she could even finish, Kenneth cut her off.

“Nevermind, you’re coming with me.” and he put the helmet on her head.

It’s too big for her small head so he had no hard time putting that thing on her.

He’s about to start his bike when he noticed that Cheska is not moving from where she’s standing. She didn’t budge. She’s just there standing with his helmet on her head.

He slid up the shield to see what’s going on. Cheska’s narrowed eyes welcomed his eyes, confused.

“Why do I have to come with you?”

“Just to be sure,” he answered. “I need to make sure you’re not making it up or giving me a different address. Taking you with me is the perfect thing to do.”

If her forehead can be creased more, she might be wearing it by now.

Lorenzo and his friends are indeed strange and most especially, offensive. Really. Really offensive.

She went there with pure care and honest objective but this guy in front of her is…doubting her?

That made her wonder. Did she ever do anything to make them think of her like that? Why are they always doubting every person around them?

What do they always think she’s capable of doing bad things?

Like before, Lorenzo reminded her to return the things he let her borrowed. He sounded as if she’s going to steal it.

Next was when she was asked to stay away from Kenneth as if she had done something terrible to him and now this?

If she’ll look at it closely, between the two parties, it’s Lorenzo’s company who has the capability to do bad and horrible things.

These guys are really stressing her out. It’s making her head ache. Really.

Still, she just let it go. She sat at the seat behind Kenneth. She slightly finds it uncomfortable since it’s her first time riding a bike and…she doesn’t know where to put her hands just to assure her safety.

She feels unsafe and unprotected. She feels like she’s going to fly away in any minute from now.

“Tell your driver to just wait for you here instead,” Kenneth spoke before gripping the handgrip. “I’ll bring you back as soon as possible.”

“That is not my driver. That’s the president’s.”

He halted. “Cj’s?”

She nodded even she cannot be reached by his vision. “He let us borrow his driver and his car. He’s the one who brought us to the hospital.”

He knows Lorenzo’s relationship with Cj before. They know they’re best friends. They all know.

And they know as well how and why that friendship ended.

And because of that reason, hearing that Cj was one of the persons who helped Lorenzo is really surprising.

After what happened, after how their friendship ended, he’s expecting him to not care for him anymore. Not even the slightest.

“Mr. driver, you can go home now. I might not be able to come back here early. I don’t want to make you wait here…”

The driver smiled and lowered his head formally. “My apologies, Ms. Park but I can’t do that. I was asked by Mr. Lee to bring you back to the university or your home after this. I’ll wait for you here.”

Cheska didn’t have the chance to respond to it since Kenneth started to turn around his bike facing away from the large gate.

He let it run quickly and later on hit the break right at the moment he heard a gunshot from afar.

Because of the sudden, unforeseen, and early break, Cheska had no time to hold herself. She crashed forcefully to Kenneth’s broad back. But unlike before, something is protecting her head from the impact.

Should she feel thankful for him for lending that thing to her?

“If that’s how you drive, doubt me all you want. I’m staying here!”

“Quiet.”

She scoffed and looked away. She can’t believe this. She’s slowly losing patience with the guy in front of her. She just wants to push him really hard so he would fall.

“Am I not allowed to speak now—“

“I said quiet,” he looked at her over her shoulders. He threatened her using his threatening eyes. Then his eyes darted to the guards. They’re looking at the opposite side of the gate together with Cj’s driver. “Did you hear that?”

“Yes?” she answered with the note of sarcasm. Who wouldn’t hear that sound? She’s not deaf. “This is a forest. It’s normal.”

“No.” he drifted his bike facing back the large gate once again. It’s starting to open up slowly by slowly. Looks like the guards read the situation.

“No? This is a forest—“

“This forest is owned by Lorenzo. This is private property.”