Chapter 29- One Step Behind

Yshmael's POV:

"Hey Yshmael! Are you sure you won't go and have an x-ray for your arm? I think, you need to go for it." 

I shook my head. The nurse kept asking the same question since I arrived here. "I'm fine. Can I go now?"

She released a deep sigh. "Then, don't use your arm for the meantime. And please, your arm needs rest," she said while looking at my arm covered with a bandage.

I nod as I ambled out of the room. We're here at Hespheria Doctors Hospital where we brought Primo.

He's bleeding, and I don't need to be an expert to know that he fell badly.

The stair is quite high, he protected Maelanie's head from injuries making his own body vulnerable for those, especially his head. I silently prayed for his operation. I hope he won't have any problem like head trauma or internal bleeding.

It was really a heart-wrecking scene.

We gave Primo a first aid before bringing him here. But I know that's not enough. What I'm thankful is we acted fast.

I heaved a sigh as I checked my wrist watch. It's been two and a half hours since Primo's operation but I really can't stay still and calm. The nurse told me earlier that the operation were still ongoing.

I removed the bandage on my arm as I walked towards the direction of the operating room.

I saw Primo's friends there. They are all nervous and worried. I don't see any professor with them though we came here with a few.

I saw Maelanie also, and like the two girls, she's still in shock.

"It's good that you're here. Are you okay? Why is there no bandage on your arm? Aren't your arm broken?" The guy named Roleen asked me, he even glanced at my arm.

"Yeah." My voice did not even reach my ears.

He nodded and fixed himself. "Is it alright if you stay here for a while? I'll just get some things in the dorm."

I just nodded again. He forced a smile before leaving.

Saint Augustine is just a walking distance from here so I don't have to take him there. He can go there alone.

The atmosphere was discouraging as I looked at the operating room. They have not finished operating on Primo based on the sign above the wide double door. A lot of doctors approached us earlier so why they are not yet finish? What took them so long?

"Yshmael..." Rona's voice was almost hoarse. "Can you take care of Lanie? We'll just go to the canteen."

I looked at her and the woman with her for a moment. I can't remember her so my eyes went to her nameplate. Rhosean Padua. I silently read her name. Her face is red and her eyes are puffy. She's still weeping until now.

"I'll take care of her." I said. That's all they waited for and lead to leave.

This time, I looked at Maelanie. She's sitting on the edge of a long bench while looking down.

Her long hair covered her face but I could clearly see the tight clenches of her fists.

I sighed a few more times before deciding to approach her. I touched her clenched fist. "Maelanie..."

I got her attention. She looked up at me, and even though her hair covered her face I could still see her puffy and a bit chinky eyes.

"Y-Yshma.. el..." Her voice is trembling. The corners of her eyes watered again. After a while, she sobbed again.

I wanted to close my eyes as I sensed the fear in her voice. And even if I wanted to get rid of the pain she was feeling, I did not know how.

"Sshhh..." I hushed her. "It's gonna be alright. He's gonna be okay." I uttered.

I slowly turned her over and leaned her head on my chest. And then, she started to cry again, as she blamed herself.

Maelanie's sobs filled that part of the hospital. And it was as if she was stabbing me every time she cried.

Although it is not my fault, I blamed myself and every time I look at her neck, I want to turn Hespheria upside down and find the person who did that to her and hurt him until my anger fades.

I clenched my fists. I don't have to do that, all I have to do is confirm my suspicion.

I tried to free myself from hatred.

This is not the right place and time for me to exercise my temper and send out my emotions. I should think a way out. Because we may be doing more harm than good. If I acted without thinking, we'll be in danger again.

We stayed like that for about an hour. Maelanie and I just stood up when we saw Roleen approaching us. Rona and Rhoseann are in his back, the latter handed Maelanie a bottled water.

"What is it?" I asked.

Roleen caught his breath first. "The faculty are on their way here."

My eyes widened at what he said. I did not expect that. They are moving too fast.

"Why?" Maelanie asked, her voice is still trembling. "That would be better so that we can catch Page's assaulter."

"Yeah, Page's still in there. We don't even know what's happening inside," Rhosean said, sobbing.

I and Rollen looked at each other.

"We can't do that." The guy exclaimed.

And before the women could complain, he immediately explained the situation.

"It's intentional, it was not an accident. And if we let them know what really happened, the faculty will be strict. And we will not have a chance to catch who did it. It may happen again, and I am sure they will be more careful, targeting the same person." He explained while looking at Maelanie.

Even though I was wondering what he was doing, I kept quiet. Because this is also what I want to do. This is the right thing to do, for now.

Maelanie wiped her tears. "It's okay. I'd rather gamble than do nothing about what happened to Page."

I did not like what she wanted to say so before she declared she would rather be harmed than keep quiet I pulled her away from her friends.

I held her shoulders. "Maelanie..."

She shook her head. "Don't. Please don't Yshmael." And she cried again, "I'm doubting you, you know that!"

I know that but it still hurts to hear that from a woman who's very special to me. She doesn't trust me and I can't tell her to do that, because I also don't trust myself.

I hid the pain and bitterness I was feeling. I looked directly at her eyes.

"I know you know that it didn't just happen. That man, wants you dead. And I don't know why. All I can do is to make things move slowly so we can move too, I'm not asking you to explain to me all why that person targeted you. But now... Even now, trust me please."

She just stared at me for a few seconds. I also saw in her eyes the desire to tell me everything. But doubt is more prevalent there. For me. And seeing that, hurts like hell.

"For now..." She almost whispered.

I heaved a sigh. My mind and heart are arguing, I want her to trust me, but that means she'll be in danger and I don't want that to happen.

I walked towards them, along with the arrival of some members of the faculty and my brother. They greeted us first before Yvan went straight to me.

"Yshmael, what happened? Are you alright? Did they check you, already?"

"I'm okay. You don't have to worry. It was an accident, Yvan." I said. I saw the desire of the women to oppose me but they chose to remain silent. I'm sure like Maelanie, Roleen has already told the two of them what we agreed on.

Yvan's forehead furrowed. "Accident? Because it seems, it's not. That building is exclusively for Saint Augustine's students only, why those exchange students are there?"

This time, Roleen answered. "I'm sorry Mr. Aronzaga, because we asked Yshmael so we can enter that building for the assignments that Palma gave me, I just really brought them that's why they were there too." He even used his school's name.

My brother looked at me sharply. "And you gave them your permission?"

I nodded. "Yes. It was a school related assignment so I agreed. Also, I did not expect a bomb threat and because of that I forgot that they were in that building."

"That's right, it was too late when we found out and we couldn't help but panic so we hurried down, and that's how Page tripped." Rona continued our story.

"Is that true?" Yvan still asked skeptically.

Rona and Maelanie both nodded. Yvan sighed and looked at them again.

"Apart from Mr. Seo, did anyone got hurt?" He asked, checking us again.

"It's just Primo, Mr. Aronzaga. We got scared but we're okay." Rhosean answered for us.

My brother nodded. "I understand. Even if I wanted to know if it was just an accident or not I would not know. We checked the cctv's and I saw some cctvs on the fifth floor were broken, and we found nothing from the others. And the part where Mr. Seo tripped was not seen on other cctv, it was a blind spot."

Roleen and I simply looked at each other. I don't know if that is our advantage. I can only be sure of one thing.

It was all planned. Because the last time I checked, all the cctvs in Building 3 were still fine. The criminal really knew what to avoid.

It was an inside job.

❤