"His tentacles are starting to move so that you can change your statement in what you published."
"It's the same with me, Mrs. Silva," Julianne agreed.
"With what Congressman Ravelo has done, he has added even more of being mud to our society. And it is in my heart that I will not change anything that is published no matter what happens.But I will increase more my exposure about his activities. He will pay for the explosion he made in my car."
" But as I said, double the precaution, "Mrs. Silva advised. "I'm sure they won't stop you until you meet, Jojo."It would be better to sleep at home tonight."
"Thank you very much ma'am, she said she refused what the lady boss wanted to happen. "I'll stay home after I eat."
"Why? Where are you now?"
"I'm in the Manila Pen. I was invited by a friend I met at the airport earlier."
"It's okay and you're not alone. Oh, don't go out alone at night and they might catch you."
"Thanks for the reminder, Ma'am. And if only you could contact Akitoshi and let him know that I will be coming tonight. Just we will meet in the hotel lobby."
"Okay, Jojo."
"Thank you Ma'am. I'll be there at the office first thing in the morning."
Enjoy your dinner with Akitoshi."
"Thanks, Ma'am. Bye."
Julianne was a little relieved when she returned to Andrei's table. The food they both ordered was already served.
"Is everything alright?" the young man asked him.
"Yeah, thanks. I talked to my boss and I said I'll be back in the office tomorrow. I have decided to go home after this. I feel like I'm too lazy to go back to work after what happened at the airport."
"Happened at the airport?" asking while meet the young man's eyebrows.
"I ... I mean those stranger people that chasing me at airport. Isn't that a big question?"
"Probably so," Andrei said. "And I think the most sensible decision I have ever heard of you is to go home first and rest."Andrei said while smiling.
"And if you want a companion, you probably know where I can be called." The heat crept into Julianne's face as she understood what it meant. "Thank you for your wonderful offer, Andrei," she said with a smirk. "Some other time, perhaps? I just really want a break with no one. But I'll call you when I need one."
The young man laughed at the mischief that registered on her face. "You are also naughty," he said.
"Well, I guess you lack of rest. It's not an easy job to be a journalist, is it?"
"Sometimes. Not consistent. It depends on the subject of each of us my colleagues," said the girl. "But when you finish what you work for is the sweetness of the feeling. Especially since you help a lot of people."
"You're right about that. But what if one of the people featured in your newspaper will be mad? Didn't that create a problem with your publication about that thing? I mean, did it ever go wrong? is your life or that of your comrades in danger especially when you are writing a investigative reports?"
For a moment, Julianne could not speak to the content of Andrei's question. She felt that her saliva had dried up. Suddenly she drink the glass of fruit juice that was meant for her till the last drop of it. Her eyes were on the dishes on the table.
She didn't t look at the man to hide the fear of rising again in her chest in the kind of question the young man asked.
"Why the curiosity?"he asked smiling as he regained his composure. And it started to burn again.
"Wait a minute, you were never this curious before, so why start it now?"
Andrei silently stared at the girl's face for a moment. There was a tinge of wrinkles on his face as if he was grabbing the contents of his will.
"Why do you just answer all my questions interrogative? " the young man said loosely with a smile. "Are you writers like that? Very inquisitive or it's just your personality?"The girl shrugged. I do not want to take the young man's questions seriously. If under normal circumstances, it might be in the moments before him that she might float to the joy of being with it.
But in these moments she could not have fun. Fear and trembling were always in the corners of her heart and mind.
"I can see in you eyes that you're troubled, Julianne ..." Andrei said softly. It looks formal looking at the girl. "Is your anxiety related to the man chasing you earlier? Are you in trouble or what? Tell me and maybe I can help ..."
She stared at the shapely face of the young man who also spent a few nights in her dreams. She could read the truth in what he said. She also wanted to confess to it but she could not. She did not want to be involved in her problem. Add another big reason. Andrei's words came back to hier mind and if she confessed her situation here it might just make him laugh.
"You're naughty too, what?" she said calmly when she was able to speak. She smiled at the young man before refocusing on her food. Suck it down so that there is a reason to avoid its questions. Andrei shook his head facing his food. From time to time a secret glimpse of Julianne's place.
Andrei wanted to take her to her place of residence but Julianne refused it even against her will. She did not want her to fall in love with the man and deepen her feelings for him. She avoids being hurt because she knows she will never be liked by the man she secretly cherishes.
Another is that these are not the moments for personal matters of the heart. She wants to be alone so that she can reflect on what to do with the current problem she is facing.
THEY separated the young man in front of the hotel when he got a taxi to take her home.
Extreme silence greeted Julianne as she entered her house. She returned the key under the pot outside the door of her house. Here she puts the key so that Francia will not have a hard time entering in case she comes home first. Especially after the publication,she will continue to the television studio where she is one of the newscasters.
Francia shares in her house. She is confident in everything.
Francia is from La Union. Only once a month if visiting her family. Sometimes she goes with her, so she is closed to her family who are a little poor in life. The only son of four siblings but he is not despised for being gay because it helps his family a lot. Every month it sends help to parents who only sell a variety of vegetables in the market. Her three sisters also have their own families, so they are the ones who tirelessly help their parents.
Julianne pressed the play button of her answering machine. She heard Francia's voice. Hello to her condition. And left a message that she would wait in the lobby of the hotel where she was.
Next episode...
It's good.