No Escape Series #2: No Resolve

Chapter 16: Chase After Her

CHASE AFTER HER

The friends stopped when they got to the main campus, but they could hear a commotion outside because they saw the guards running towards it.

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ni Nikki nang ma-realize niya kung anong kaguluhan iyon. “Maaaring pumasok si Rhian!” She was about to run there, but another guard stopped them from messing around.

Mabuti na lang ay agad na dumating ang mga pulis. The woman who bumped into Rhian grabbed hold of her to escape from there, but she didnʼt even get through when there were many reporters surrounding them now. “Ano nang gagawin natin, Ms. Luther?” sabi ng babae.

“Iʼll just deal with them.” The woman frowned at Rhianʼs words. “Itʼs too late; I have to...” She stopped when someone grabbed her arm.
 
Rhian frowned when she saw the four men by their side and forced them inside, while the other guards and police were blocking it. They hurried inside, and the four of them escorted the two women away from the crowd.

They stopped when they succeeded in getting away from there. Rhian faced the four men. Tinanggal niya ang kaniyang shades para makipag-eye contact sa mga ito. “We are the CIDG police.” A man takes out his patch, confirming that they are real policemen and that they are the same men who watched over the friends earlier.
 
“You donʼt have to run from us, Ms. Luther. We just want to get your statement,” sabi nito.

“I donʼt have time for those things, officer. Iʼm here to continue the subjects I missed, and I want you to stop me dahil wala naman kayong mapapala sa akin,” Rhian said to them expressionlessly, and when she was about to turn to leave, they didnʼt let her go.

“Ms. Luther, hindi ka namin aabalahin sa klase mo, pero pagbibigyan mo kami na ma-imbitahan ka sa presinto.” Napailing naman agad si Rhian nang marinig niya ang sinabi ng lalaki sa unahan, dahilan kung bakit napabaling siya muli ng tingin dito.

“Presinto? Look, biktima lang din ako, and one more thing, Detective Vahn Darrel Fernandez got all my statements; why donʼt you just talk to him?!”

“Miss, alam namin, and we—”

“With all due respect, officers, but I have to leave.” Rhian immediately turned around, and they couldnʼt stop her.

Sinundan naman siya ng babae kaninang kaniyang nakabangga, at hinawakan ang braso nito dahilan kung bakit napahinto na naman si Rhian. “Ms. Luther!” Nang marinig niya ang boses nito, agad naman niyang nilingon ang babae.

Napansin niyang nakangiti lang ang babae. “Muntik na iyon kanina, mabuti na lang dumating agad ang mga pulis na iyon,” sabi nito, pero nanatili lang nakatingin si Rhian sa babae. “Oh, by the way, I am Pollyanna; just Yanna for short.” The girl extended her hand to shake hands with Rhian, but Rhian looked at it for a few seconds.
 
She accepted that for good manners. She also didnʼt expect earlier that she would be that mean with the police. She didnʼt know why her attitude suddenly became like that after everything happened.

“Why did you help me earlier?” tanong niya sa babae, at agad naman silang nagbitaw ng kamay.

“Bakit naman kita hindi tutulungan? Iʼm one of your biggest admirers. Iʼve been reading your works on the online writing platform, and itʼs an honor to finally meet you, Ms. Rhian Luther,” nakangiti nitong sabi.

Rhian looked away from the woman and looked at her wristwatch. The class was about to start in five minutes, but before that, she noticed that she wasnʼt wearing her ID. “Shit! I didnʼt even notice!” bulong niya.

Napailing siya. “Go to your class. Pareho tayong male-late kung patuloy pa tayong mag-uusap, and... nice to see meet you too, Yanna.” Despite the fact that she left the woman right away, Yanna was nonetheless overcome with emotion when she saw her favorite writer.