The Price Of Love

Chapter Eleven

He had his arms wrapped around her. It was as if Yvo's arms were a shield from the leering stares of men and disdainful mumbles from women. He guided her out of the meeting hall. Tracy and her two mindless monkeys stood by the door as they made their way out. She had her arms folded to her chest, her hips leaning to one side as she gave her a mocking smile. The two imbeciles giggled behind their master.

Yuka felt the urge to claw her caked up face. It would not take a genius to figure out that Tracy had something to do with this. She had known the she-devil long enough to know how her evil little mind works.

Yuka was a proud woman. She didn't like feeling this helpless and she didn't like feeling vulnerable and right now she felt enough of both those emotions to last her a lifetime. If it were some other day, she would have smacked Tracy's face but she could barely hold her emotions in.

"Whore." Tracy chuckled.

Tumakbo siya palabas at hinabol siya ni Yvo. Yvo caught up to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Ayoko na dito." Hindi niya napigilan ang hikbi na kumawala sa lalamunan niya at isinubsob ang mukha sa matipunong dibdib ng lalaki.

"I'll get you out of here." Malumanay na sabi ni Yvo habang hinahaplos ang buhok niya.

And he did just that. Even though he had work to get back to, he knew Yuka needed her now. They rode his motorcycle and drove away from there. Yvo didn't exactly know where to take her, he just knew he had to get her out of here.

"Alam mo, Yvo, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kung wala ka." Sabi ni Yuka bago tinusok ang chicken ball na nasa plastic cup at inilapit sa bibig niya. "Salamat, ah."

"You don't have to thank me. That's what friends do." A soft smile made its way across Yvo's face. "Are you okay now?"

Tumango si Yuka at humugot ng malalim na hininga. She was still in shock.

"Yvo, paano pag nakita iyon ni Tate? Ano na lang ang iisipin niya?" Her eyes began to water. "Baka isipin niya na totoo ang mga sinasabi nila tungkol sa akin. Baka maniwala siya."

"Tate's not going to care. He won't care about something as ridiculous as that." Yvo said.

"Ipapaliwanag ko sa kanya ang lahat. He needs to know." Sabi ni Yuka.

"Just calm down, Yuka. It's going to be okay. Walang pakialam si Tate tungkol doon. Trust me, I've known Tate since we were just crawling. Hindi ganon kakitid ang utak niya. He'd understand. I don't think it would even matter to him."

"I'm not a whore." She quietly said. She had tried hard not to be like her mother. She was no whore but the way those men had looked at her made her feel like one. She didn't want to be one.

"No, you're not." Yvo gently said.

"I'm not a whore!" Although her tone was now firmer, louder, it quivered with impending tears. It was her convincing herself more than anyone else.

"You're not a whore. You're nothing like one." He cradled her face into his palms and made her look him in the eyes. "You're a wonderful woman. You're a fighter, tooth and nail, that's what I like best about you. And you're... you're beautiful."

Yvo blinked at the last sentence that had slipped out of his mouth. Tears began to spill from Yuka's eyes. It occured to him that this was the most vulnerable he had ever seen her since they met and there was a sudden warmth and a sense of protectiveness that had awoken deep inside him.

"Ikaw na lang talaga ang totoong kaibigan ko." Yuka wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. Hindi alam ni Yvo ang gagawin sa tinuran ng dalaga. It felt awkward to just sit there as his new found friend seek solace through him. "Huwag mo akong iiwan, ah."