"Anyway, done? Are you ready? We need to move on," Michelle told her. "Maybe, the guys waiting for us, especially him. He hates to wait for long."
She stayed beside Michelle most of the time, quietly taking the food Michelle handed her.
"You should join my kind of career..."
"What?" Jacob intervened.
"Well, I was telling Angeline that she should try modeling. She's got potential."
He shook his head. Come on, Mitch. Spare her. I could not imagine her following in your footsteps.
"Excuse me," Angeline butt-in. "Will you please don't talk about me as if I'm not here? "
The couple quietly stared at each other.
In Jacob's group of friends, Angeline momentarily forgot the torment of her heart. But she preferred being alone. When she found the opportunity, she walked to the beach with a beer bottle.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She looked at the source of the voice. One of Jacob's fraternity mates, Henry, had been introduced to her earlier. He was the same age as Jacob. Thirty-two is the right age for getting married in her book. Her dream age was for a man she wanted to marry someday.
"Excuse me, but why so pensive?"
She glanced at the man's face for a moment before shrugging.
"Nothing. I want to unwind alone.… "Angeline said, continuing to walk.
"It's better to stay with the group. It's not safe for you to be alone here. Come on. Stay close to us."
"I'll just unwind for a while…."
Desiring to be alone, she continued to walk forward. Her mind was busy making plans when she heard a commotion not far from where she was. Curiosity prompted her to investigate the source of that noise. She gasped when she saw three men surround a wounded man.
She was puzzled by the scene. Her first instinct was to go back, but she did not turn around on the poor creature at the hands of the three men.
"Hey..." She called attention when a man rushed but avoided a lone opponent but not by a subsequent rush. It hit him on his back.
One of them approached her.
"Get the hell out of here," he snarled. "Go!" He pushed her.
It did not scare Angeline; instead, she quickly avoided his arms, grabbing her shoulder, but she grabbed his hand and pushed him away. He landed on the ground.
When she noticed the other man approaching, she waved her hand and suddenly, the approaching man flew in the air and landed a bit far from her.
What she has done made the one she pushed so mad. Then a strong fist came from behind her, thwarted the attacker's aiming punch at her, and went the man with great force.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded quietly. Even though she didn't look back, she knew that Jacob was behind her.
She felt the droplets of rain touch her face. The rain gradually got heavier.
"Jeron, let's go..." called one of their colleagues who wanted to punch her.
Angeline's eyes widened as she saw the three kneel with clasped hands in front of their chest, facing Jacob. They seemed to be paying homage to Jacob. Then they quickly ran away.
When she looked back at the opponent of the three, he was nowhere.
"Let's go," Jacob said.
Angeline obeyed the man as he held her hand and began to step forward. They ran into the pouring rain.
"Ouch!" Angeline exclaimed and bit her lip so hard, and stopped walking. She lifted one foot and found a buried small shard.
Jacob bent and inspected it. Her hand rested on his head while his eyes focused on her foot.
"Whew... Grit your teeth," he said. "I need to pull it out..."
She quietly complied. And she felt that thing pulled.
Her posture became shaky when he suddenly stood up, but she quickly clung to his hand. And even the man quickly grabbed her by the waist.
"Get on my back so we can move faster," he said.
She wanted to refuse, but the waiting man was already bent over. She quietly laid both hands on his shoulders.
Jacob stopped at the men's cottage. His companions were having fun, playing card games. She was left momentarily on a bench near the door when Henry approached and saw her bleeding foot.
The man quickly attended to her. He looked at her foot, which he was holding.
"Don't worry, it will be fine," she said with a smile.
The man looked up and stared at her face with messy wet hair. His eyes dropped to her lips.
"What's going on here?" Jacob interrupted, carrying a bag.
"I just looked at her foot. Take care of her, bro," said the man, looking away.
Jacob nodded while his eyes followed Henry's image returning to the group.
Angeline was alone with Jacob. He supported her to the lady's cottage.
Jacob's actions were quick as he entered the cottage.
Angeline quietly accepted the towel it gave her.
"Go and have a quick hot shower before you get sick," he said. "Can you walk?"
"Yep..." She quickly replied and went to take a hot shower.
When she came out of the bathroom, Jacob immediately noticed the water droplets from her hair went to her chest.
"Sit here so I could attend to your foot," he said. And pulled a hand towel from his backpack and handed it to her. "Dry your hair..."
"Thanks. Where's Michelle?"
"She went ahead. Something came up..." He replied while his hands were busy cleaning her foot."
Her mouth twitched as Jacob pulled out the buried, one-inch-sharp shard from her bleeding foot. He washed it with alcohol.
"This is quite a deep wound," he commented while cleaning the blood. "I guess, no more swimming for you, hmm?"
"Yes, sir..." she said, teasing him, followed by giggling. "You know, you're such a handsome man, but why did she turn to another man?"
He looked at her sharply. "So, you two have time gossiping about me?"
"Sort of, you know. When Michelle leaves you, you can take me instead," she said, staring back at the man flustered from what she said. "You know I'm so free officially today. What a life..."
Jacob was shaking his head, his eyes to her foot.
"Hey, Jacob..."
"What?" He replied without looking at her.
"Take me seriously..."
"About what...?" Still not looking up.
"You know, I'm free as a bird starting today since your sister snatched my boyfriend," she said, laughing, but there was a touch of pain lurking in her eyes. "So, what do you think? Can you be my lover?"