I was taken aback as the elderly man addressed me with genuine concern,
"Is my son okay, Miss?"
"Y-your son is fine," I stuttered, my voice betraying my nervousness.
In that moment, I couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between Tyrone and the old man. Despite his age, he exuded a rugged handsomeness from his youth, his features still commanding respect. From his strong jawline to his thick brows and even the way he carried himself, it was as if his presence demanded attention.
However, there was one thing that set him apart from Tyrone - his eyes. While Tyrone's eyes had a softness to them, the old man’s eyes were piercing, as if capable of inflicting fear even when he wore a smile. There was a darkness in his gaze that sent shivers down my spine.
"Dad, this is just another embarrassment! Can't your son show some shame?" scolded a man who appeared to be in his early forties.
"Yes, dad. What if someone finds out? Our reputation will be ruined because of that bastard," another added with a mix of anger and disappointment.
A sharp inhale escaped me as I heard Tyrone being referred to as a bastard. Even though the words weren't directed at me, I felt hurt by them. In that single word, there was no need for further explanation of what was going on.
Gazing at Tyrone, I could sense his frustration. His forehead creased, and his eyebrows drew closer, as if he were battling an internal enemy even in his sleep. He looked distant and stern, as if unwilling to hear his siblings' harsh remarks. I couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt again.
The elderly man intervened, sternly reprimanding his older children, "Silence, Mandy! Ralph! Have you got no shame? She saved your brother!"
He glanced at me and offered a gentle, hesitant smile. Although I knew he was trying to put me at ease, there was still something about him and his children that weighed heavily on my heart.
"Forgive them, dear. They're just a bit hot-headed right now. I’m Alfred. You can call me Tito Alfred. I am Tyrone's father, and these are his siblings," he said in a soothing tone.
I was at a loss for words, so I forced myself to nod and smile at them. My smile faltered even more when not even one of them returned the gesture. All I could see in their eyes was pure hatred, except for the elderly Zamora in front of me and a silent man who seemed to be another one of Tyrone's siblings.
"Tsk! Because he's your favorite child!" one of Tyrone's siblings retorted, but the old man ignored the remark.
"Are you his girlfriend?" Tyrone's father asked abruptly, causing me to choke on my own saliva. I quickly shook my head, but I couldn't hide the intense blush that crept across my cheeks.
"Oh! You're mistaken, sir! No, not at all!" I denied, trying to smile back at him.
Blame it on my nerves, but it felt like I was lying to them. I knew they wouldn't believe me, yet not one of them bothered to comment on my denial.
"Joanna and Kyle, get a private room for Tyrone. It's too crowded in here," Tito Alfred instructed his other two children, who seemed reluctant to follow their father's orders.
I couldn't fathom why they all arrived at the hospital in full force. The ward felt like a family reunion rather than a hospital room for Tyrone.
I glanced to my side and caught one of Tyrone's sisters giving me a scornful look, scrutinizing me from head to toe with a raised eyebrow. It made me feel small, so I averted my gaze.
Soon enough, I excused myself, claiming that I needed to leave. I couldn't bear to stay any longer. The tension was too suffocating; it felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment. Thankfully, they didn't stop me. It was evident that they didn't care about me, except for Tito Alfred, who always thanked me whenever we crossed paths.
Wednesday came, and I was heading to school. Tyrone had been absent last week, recovering from the beating he endured. No surprise there, considering the bruises and wounds he sustained. Today's weather was better than the heavy rain last week, although it still drizzled from time to time.
"Ouch!" I winced as I accidentally bumped into a guy, or rather, he bumped into me.
Even before I looked at his face, I knew it was a guy because of his masculine cologne. It seemed like he doused himself in it. Don't get me wrong, his scent was pleasant, not overpowering and even addictive.
"Don't you watch where you're going? It's like something huge just hit you!" the guy who bumped into me grumbled. I quickly looked at the speaker.
"Z? I mean, Tyrone," I stuttered.
I couldn't help but stare at him now. Unlike the last time I saw him beaten up, his face had healed somewhat. The bruises and black eye were gone, and what remained were minor wounds on his lips and a small scrape on his left cheek.
Despite that, his attractiveness didn't diminish. He looked like a character straight out of a gangster novel. So damn badass yet so good-looking.
"Do you even know what you did!?" he asked angrily, as if I committed some grave offense against him.
His question caught me off guard, making it seem like I had committed a huge mistake.
"What? What do you mean? I-I helped you!" I retorted, my irritation evident.
Though I didn't want to emphasize that I helped him, I couldn't help myself. The tone of his voice felt like he was accusing me of something.
"Ah, so now you're proud of yourself?" he said with a sarcastic grin.
"Thank you, by the way," I replied, feeling annoyed.
This guy must have a screw loose or maybe he's having a bad day. I have no time for people whose behavior I can't comprehend.
No matter how much I pondered, I couldn't recall doing anything wrong to him or anything that should have made him angry at me.
I was about to leave when he grabbed my arm.
"Don't turn your back on me when I'm talking to you!" he said furiously.
What's this guy's problem? I didn't do anything wrong to him. It's frustrating. He's the one I helped, yet he's the one getting angry. But I couldn't deny the electric sensation that surged through my body from his hand on my arm. It was like a current flowing from his hand, creeping up my arm.
"Tell me what your problem is!" I said irritably, pulling my arm away from his grasp. He smirked at my reaction, but his eyes still held a fiery rage. He looked terrifying like this.
"Why did you call them? Do you even know what problem you caused?" He spoke in a low, dangerous voice.
His gaze was filled with anger, and I could sense how dangerous he was right now. If I were slower, I wouldn't have understood who he was referring to.
"Because they're your family, and I didn't know who else to call," I retorted in a 'duh' tone.
His narrowed eyes made him look smaller for a moment. I thought he might even hurt me. He seemed like he wanted to say something else but couldn't find the words, so he just tugged at his hair. Ugh! This guy is so ungrateful.
Feeling infuriated by his behavior, I left him there. I thought that if we saw each other again, I might hear some words of gratitude, but instead, he was still furious at me as if I had done something terrible to him. I heard him call me, but I didn't even bother to look back. Hah! Let him stew
in his anger. If he's going to give me that attitude, I'll give it right back to him. Who does he think he is? Hmp!
Three minutes before the bell rang, Tyrone walked into the classroom. Can you believe it? We have practically the same subjects.
I also forgot that we were seatmates. He sat beside me. I kept my gaze straight ahead, not acknowledging him. I felt his eyes on me, but I ignored him. I didn't want to talk right now because I might get even more annoyed throughout the day. It's going to be a long day for me.
I felt the awkwardness between us. Of all the times, why does our professor have to be late now?
I saw out of the corner of my eye that Olivia, a girl from our class, approached Tyrone. I knew it. She's going to flirt with him.
Gina is known as a campus slut by everyone. Rumors say that there isn't a guy who hasn't experienced her, but I'm pretty sure that's an exaggeration.
"Hello," Olivia greeted Tyrone sweetly.
The way she said hello seemed suggestive. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"I didn't see you last week. I was sad," Olivia said in a whiny, annoying voice.
You know that sound a mosquito makes when it's trapped? That's how Gina's voice sounds like. It's irritating and nauseating. Tyrone still didn't answer her. He kept his gaze on the blackboard, not even sparing a glance for Gina.
"Wanna hang out?" she said seductively, leaning in and biting her lower lip, clearly trying to flirt.
Ugh! So flirtatious!
"Are you dumb or something? Don't you know that I've been ignoring you, yet you keep on trying. Go! I'm not interested in you," Tyrone said with irritation, giving Gina a dismissive glance before turning to face me.
"Jerk!!" Olivia exclaimed angrily, her face flushed with embarrassment, before storming off from Tyrone. Haha! Serves that girl right.
"Sorry."
If there were someone else around, I would've assumed he was talking to someone else, but no, he was looking straight at me, so it must be me he was addressing.
Wait a second. Did I hear that right?! Tyrone Zamora is apologizing to me. Some kind of miracle must be happening.
"Sorry, okay! Maybe I'm just frustrated right now." As he spoke, I just stared at him in a daze. Is this really Tyrone or his clone? I wasn't prepared for his sudden apology. A while ago, he was glaring at me, and now he's thanking me. "Thank you for saving me last time. I owe you a lot."
I know my lips were slightly parted as I gazed at him. I just couldn't believe what was happening.
"Stop staring at me like I'm going crazy," he said annoyed, but he chuckled.
I couldn't help but laugh too because that's exactly what I was thinking. It's like he's going insane. But in all fairness to him, I could sense the sincerity in his voice.
"I just can't believe it. A while ago, you were mad at me and now you're thanking me," I honestly said to him. "I never saw you as the type to show gratitude."
"Well, guess what. I think you're wrong about that," he said and smiled at me.
That's when I was truly stunned. He looked so cool when he smirked, but when he smiled, it was a whole different story.
It was like witnessing an angel descend from the heavens. He had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen in my entire life. I could feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest. It seemed like my heart wanted to leap out of my chest and go straight to Tyrone.
"Maybe," I said, shrugging, unable to fully comprehend what was happening between us.
I tried my best to remain composed, even though inside, my heart was already going berserk. “Let’s start anew, Diane."
I was taken aback when he said my name. Did he know me? I couldn't recall ever telling him my name.
"H-how do you know my name?! Are you a stalker?" I stupidly asked, but he just laughed in response.
"Don't be so assuming," he said, still chuckling.
I could see that he was amused by my reaction. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks. Why did I have to say that? Now, I felt like such a fool!
He pointed towards my chest, and I glanced down. Ah! I was wearing my ID badge, which must have given away my name. Ugh! I felt so clumsy.
"Come on, I'll make it up to you," he said, promising to make amends. His words surprised me, but what shocked me even more was when he stood up and held my hand.
I gasped as a tiny electric current seemed to pass through us from the touch of our hands. Despite knowing I had several classes that day and should refuse his offer, I couldn't. It was as if I was frozen in place, letting myself be carried away by his presence.