No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 1

We can walk around this town like we own the world

But everybody bows at your feet

They think you’re crazy, girl

Crazy for a guy like me

–

Chapter 1: Crash Into Me

Her eyes were set on her presentation—that’s it. It’s her first, and she wanted to do good—she wanted to do well. Pitching to the client on how best to allocate money for their media strategy next year, she needs to be convincing, confident and unflinching. She took three deep breaths.

Client’s building is a block away.

She was walking, aiming to reach the intersection as the building is the third one from the other side of the road. She fiddled with her laptop bag’s strap when she looked up. Her eyes strayed. She was familiar with that face—she had seen that face in a commercial for a colds medicine. After all, it is part of her job to monitor commercials, isn’t?

She watched as the guy approached the intersection, seemingly distracted with the tangles of his earphone wires. She was three steps behind him, and she bemused herself watching him untangle it, the lines on his forehead creasing. He is about six-foot-two in height, sporting an unkempt look that reminded her of Jim Sturgess. His eyes were deep set, almond-shaped swirls of dark brown that were framed with long lashes. His nose wasn’t flat nor was it pointed—just your average cute nose at the center of that gorgeous face. And his lips—thin lines of pinkish lips that looked so soft and sweet—were pursed in a manner that make you wonder how hard is it really to untangle a pair of earphones. When he started to chew his lower lip, a dimple on his left cheek was revealed.

Her eyes went traveled down his face and to his broad chest and his ripped arms—she knew immediately that he works out. The shirt that he was wearing didn’t hide the fact that underneath that was six-pack abs that she or any other girl who likes athletic men would die for. She was about to travel further down his body when she saw that the guy stepped onto the road without even bothering to do a survival check and look both lanes for the cars.

He just stepped onto the road.

Panic rose in her chest. She looked at the right and she saw about three cars speeding to get to their side of the road as the traffic light turned yellow. She of all people knew that in the Philippines, the yellow light only meant to go faster so that you won’t have to suffer about five minutes of waiting for the light to turn green. She groaned in frustration—can’t he fix his earphones while standing and not walking?—as one of the cars is about to hit the guy.

The car’s long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep woke the guy up. He looked up but there wasn’t much time to get out of the way before the car would hit him. And then—

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Two Richards

“Dude, what happened?”

Richard looked up to see his best friend, also named Richard but has the surname of Santiago (amusing world, isn’t it), rushing towards him. Andrea, Richard S.—oh wait, they are both have “S” surnames, so let’s stick with the surname—Andrea, Santiago’s wife, was at his side, also looking concerned.

Richard fingered with the bloodied hanky in his hands. “It was stupid, man,” he said, and the other Richard took a seat next to him. “What was stupid? Is that your blood?” he asked, and Richard shook his head.

“No, no, no. It’s not mine,” he said distractedly. “I’m fine.” He motioned towards his okay body, save for the bloodied left side of his shirt.

“Then who owns that blood?”

Richard didn’t get a chance to answer as the doctor came out of the emergency room, looking for him.  He had the Casey’s bag with him, and he has had heard enough of Love the Way You Lie Part 2 and King of Anything as her mobile phone hasn’t stopped ringing since they got there. He wondered how it was entirely possible to have two ringtones, but he figured it she had assigned ringtones for particular people. Who had she assigned Love the Way You Lie Part 2 to?

He wondered if he can get details of who to call. He didn’t know anything about this girl, only that she saved his life.

“Mr. Satari?” the doctor said, taking off his gloves and a grim smile on his face. “I am not sure how you’re related to the patient—”

“She saved my life. I guess that’s relationship enough for you?” Richard said in response, and Richard—the other Richard—placed a hand on his shoulder to tell him to back off the doctor. Richard tried to calm down, giving the doctor an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’m just… agitated. How is she?” he asked, calmly this time.

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Darkness and Light

“I can’t afford a room like this, Richard,” Casey said once they wheeled her into one of the more posh rooms in the hospital. Her voice was still a bit shaky—she still couldn’t get over her first (and hopefully only) CT scan experience. The room had curtains, an air conditioner, a television (a cable television, to be exact, which Casey found out later on), and a mini-refrigerator. It was a far cry from the private ward she had envisioned herself in. If not a ward, maybe a bedroom without the TV and ref. She had survived worse conditions compared to that.

“Hey, you saved me. I’m paying,” Richard assured her. He turned to help her up the bed, holding her hand while placing the other hand around her waist to lift her off the wheelchair. She still felt a bit woozy at some moments, and she didn’t know if it was because she hit her head or if it was her CT scan experience.

“There is a borderline, you know,” Casey started. “A limit up to where you can help me. Like you could have just left me here with some money and settle—”

Richard smiling made her stop speaking. “I am not that kind of person,” he said. “I nearly got hit by a car going about 120km/hour on an 80km/hour zone. Who knows if the sidewalk would be littered by my brain cells now if it weren’t for you?”

Casey winced. “Very graphic. Thanks, Richard,” she said, and Richard winked at her, tucking her in the bed. He watched her, remembering her panicky, nervous version of her and liked the calm version better. He took the remote control and started to flip the channels, taking refuge on the seat next to the bed.

It was her turn to watch him, remembering how he was inside the CT scan room.

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 4

She keeps me up after late phone calls

Dreaming of her arms around me

Well, I think she’s beautiful

She thinks I’m going blind

I could spend my life tryin’ to write this song

And I could spend my time tryin’ to right my wrongs

Oh, she’s worth it

She says that I’m the one

–

Chapter 4: Leave Me Alone, I’m Lonely

It was Day Three of Casey in the hospital. Richard swore he hasn’t seen anyone other than him, the other Richard and Andrea (who finally brought Casey some of her tasty lollicakes) who visited Casey in the past two days, and he wondered why. Most of the calls she received were all from her office, and on the second day, he actually hid Casey’s cellphone just to make her stop working while she’s supposed to be resting.

He’s actually having fun with Casey. She’s smart, witty, fun, and just… amazing.

But the part of him that has “ADD” (Attention Deficit Disorder)—according to his friends, that is—is getting bored. Not bored with Casey, but bored with hospital life. Bored with just sitting there, watching over Casey who is virtually okay, save for doctors telling them she still needs a bit more observation.

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Second Chance

When Richard got to the hospital, it was already past three in the afternoon. He headed straight to Casey’s room, carrying takeout from Yellow Cab because she had mentioned in passing before that she was craving for Dear Darla pizza and chicken alfredo pasta. But when he got to her room, it was empty.

She wasn’t there.

He headed back to the nurses’ station.

“Where is the lady in Room 307?” Richard asked the nurse named Michelle. She looked at him, almost dazed at the sight of him. He cleared his throat when her stares became uncomfortable already. She whispered her apologies before typing away on her computer, checking her logs.

“She checked out this morning.”

Richard was taken aback. “Who paid for her bill?”

Michelle found the question weird. “It was paid in cash. She did use her Maxicare though.”

Richard groaned in frustration. Wow, she just left like that? She must be mad at him. He said he’d come back to bring her dinner—he didn’t. He said he’d foot her bill—she checked out before he could even pay for it.

“Do you have her address?” he asked, and Michelle shook her head. “Am sorry. Am not at the liberty to give that away,” she said, sounding almost sad.

“Come on, Michelle. I really need to see her,” he said, but Michelle was firm with her “no.” He remembered how she was dazed by her, and—even though he hated doing this—he used his charms.

“Look, this woman saved my life. And I have yet to repay her for giving me my second life. And she just left. I missed my chance, and I would really like to get to know her. And I like her. Please, just give me her address. I promise you no one would know,” Richard said in the most charming and charismatic way he could. He wanted to sound like a lovelorn man who met the love of his life and had missed the chance to be with her.

Luckily for him, this worked.

Michelle wrote the address on a paper and slid it across the counter. “I might get fired for this,” she warned Richard, and he winked at her.

“I promise you—no one would know,” he assured her, and Michelle still looked hesitant. He took one of the three long-stemmed white roses he had hidden behind his back and handed it to her. “I promise,” he told her, getting the address and running out to his car.

–

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 6

You’re right, girl

Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with me

Coz you need somebody and I need some growing up

You’re the one who’s gonna get hurt

And no one can love you like I can, honey

We gotta make this work

Coz when I get to runnin’,

You get to thinkin’ that one of us is gonna get—

You’re gonna get hurt.

–

Chapter 6: Going, Going, Gone

Richard and Casey arrived at one of the more posh condominium units in Pasig, directly heading to the 22^nd floor of the building. The first thing Casey saw when Richard flicked the lights on wasn’t the plush leather couch or the gray and red carpet on the floor of the living room or the center table made of what seems like a slice of the trunk of some massive tree. It was the television—a flat-screen 52-inch beauty propped on the wall, held safely by silver chains protruding from the ceiling. It was flanked on either side by Dolby Digital speakers, and on the glass cabinet underneath the ensemble were rows and rows of DVDs. When her eyes flicked towards the part of the cabinet that was covered by a black cloth, she sort of figured out that underneath that sheet should be a game console or two.

“You’ve taken me. You had me at the flat-screen TV and the DVDs,” Casey joked, and he grinned, placing her bag on the couch. Casey was carrying their Yellow Cab takeout which they would have to reheat, and she wishes Richard has a microwave oven. By the looks of it, having a home theatre system? He should have a microwave if he’s living the ultimate bachelor lifestyle.

He walked her to the kitchen, another silver beauty. Everything seemed to be metal—from the cabinets down to the pots down to the appliances. A silver microwave oven was standing next to a (thankfully) black coffeemaker. The refrigerator was equally a beauty—it can make ice cubes! You can place your glass at a receptacle near the door and press a button and then tada! Ice. The burner and the pots hanging above it was at the center—his kitchen was arranged in an island style. Three steel stools were in front of the counter.

“You cook?” Casey asked him, and Richard shrugged as if it was nothing. “I’ve been living alone for half my life now, so I have to choice but to actually learn how to cook,” he said, and Casey grinned.

“What?”

“I’ve been living alone ever since I was, what, sixteen? Never learned to cook a single dish.”

“Sixteen?”

Casey took a seat on one of the stools, which was an epic fail as the seats were high for Casey’s five-foot-flat frame. “Who live here, giants?” she mumbled and Richard chuckled, shaking his head at the adorable view of Casey trying to get up the stool. He walked over to her and held her around the waist, lifting her up the stool until she was seated comfortably.

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 7

Chapter 7: You’re Free to Leave Me, but Just Don’t Deceive Me.

It seemed normal—the setup that Casey and Richard has now. Richard, knowing very well that what happened during Casey’s first night at his place would eventually happen again, moved into the room and they slept there for the succeeding nights. If Casey’s initial plan was just to stay at Richard’s until the doctor’s ultimatum passed, Richard didn’t allow her to just leave like that.

“Stay for the weekend,” Richard said while they were watching Moulin Rouge. That was Friday, and Casey was about to leave tomorrow. Her headaches were gone, and she wasn’t experiencing any other difficulty so she knew she was okay.

“I don’t have any clothes.”

“We’re just staying in, come on. Believe me, this is the longest I’ve gone without going out of the house.”

He placed his arm over her shoulder and she reached for his hand unconsciously, pulling it tightly around her and intertwining her fingers with his. “Can we just drop by my place and grab a few clothes—”

Richard shook his head. “I’m holding you on house arrest, so no going out.”

“You’re enjoying this, are you?” Casey said, a weird smile on her face.

“There is something about staying with you at home brings me comfort.”

“Is it a good thing or a bad thing?”

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. “It’s a good thing,” he assured her, and he leaned in to kiss her again. The kiss went deeper and deeper and deeper, with Richard moving Casey so that she was lying on the couch where they were watching the movie, him on top of her. When Ewan McGreggor’s character, Christian, belted out Roxanne (Why must my heart cry? Tears that I can’t hide….), Richard emerged for air, stopping before they get any deeper than this.

He wants this to pan out. He wants this slow—well, at least slower than his other relationships before Casey.

“Pause,” he said with a smile, and Casey nodded. He pulled her up to sit again and she leaned her head against his shoulders.

“You’d have to lend me some shirts,” she said, and Richard smiled, his heart swelling with warmth.

“You can have my entire cabinet if you want.”

Casey grinned, looking up at him and kissing him on the cheek, right on top of his dimple.

–

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Truth is… This is the 3rd Chance

When Richard came home, he immediately called out, “Casey?” It was nine in the morning, and he hoped she was still in bed. He bought some breakfast to make up for not coming home at midnight—breakfast from Pancake House and some hot chocolate from Starbucks (she did mention it’s her favorite drink). But when he looked around—the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, his bedroom—Casey was nowhere to be found. His bed was made in the best possible condition he has seen it in the past ten years—no folds or creases in the sheets, the pillows were plump and not soggy.

Shit, he thought, and he cursed Bella over and over in his head.

When he left Casey last night—she was watching The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers—she was still smiling. She welcomed his hugs and his kisses and told him he looked “dapper” in his coat and tie ensemble. But he knew something changed in her when he told her he had to go out again. Did she know he was lying?

And then he got to pick up Bella. He nearly didn’t get out of her house alive. She was seducing him into just staying in but he told her no, and she got into a bitch fit, throwing things at him, telling him he betrayed her for being with that “maid.” That was when he knew he was crazy for going out with a psychopath like Bella. When she managed to hit him on the face with a heel of her stilettos and causing his lower lip to bleed, that was when she calmed down.

And then, as if nothing happened, she asked him to take her to the charity event.

While he’s nursing his cut lip, she’s retouching her makeup. And then they head to the charity event, where he gets some more beating. Apparently Bella had asked another guy to be her date, but since Bella arrived with Richard—all hell broke loose.

“It’s over, Bella. Stay away,” Richard remembered telling her while he walked away from the melee. The cut on his lip deepened, got a gash on the cheek and a black eye. Plus, his back hurts like hell because the other guy that Bella asked to be her date to the charity event? He could have been a wrestler for all Richard cares as he remembered as the guy just lifted him in the air and threw him at the tables. Sure, he got a couple of good looks but it was obvious to everyone at the venue that he was the one who lost that fight.

And he lost more than that, as Casey is not at his place.

Richard placed the food on the kitchen counter and turned to look at his place. It looks so quiet, so empty. He feels empty, just like his home.

Damn it.

–

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Father

Three years.

Casey moved in with Richard after six months into the relationship, with no qualms whatsoever after Richard asked. It was fun playing house for an extended period of time, but of course there are changes. For Casey, moving in with Richard meant having a constant companion—that is, if Richard didn’t feel the need to disappear at random moments. She has to go home from work earlier than usual, now that someone is actually waiting for her at home, especially someone who is easily bored like Richard. Moving in with Richard and actually being with him meant all things to Casey—she has to learn to open up, learn to love herself more in order to love Richard, and learn to share, as it wasn’t just her in this life anymore.

She has Richard.

For Richard, Casey moving in meant those temptations to just randomly travel and move away had to be lessened. And though Casey had understood his quick mind-changing and fickleness, he could only be fickle a number of times before Casey blows off on him for not sticking to his decisions and for just leaving. And living with Casey who is a homebody is almost equal to less active nightlife, but they have certain compromises. Sometimes Casey comes along with him during his night outs; other times she’d stay with Andrea while the two Richards do their thing.

But for Richard, Casey meant so much more than a girlfriend—she was his shot at his second life.

And she was saving him in more ways than one.

–

No One Will Ever Get Hurt Chapter 10

You’re right, girl

Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with me

And you need somebody

And I need some growing up

You’re the one who said that I need somebody

And you need some growing up

So no one will ever get hurt

–

Chapter 10: Marry You

“They say that in relationships, there is always one who loves the other more.

Oh God, I wish it wasn’t me.”

-Samantha, If Only (2004)

–

Casey was tired, but she got home carrying her laptop bag, tote bag, and the Pizza Hut takeout that Richard had requested. She wondered why he can’t just have the pizza delivered, but when she got to their house, she realized why.

“What is going on, Richard?” she asked, finding him under the pool of pillows and sheets on the bed. She felt for his temperature and he wasn’t remotely sick, but he sure looks sick. “Hey, are you alright?” she asked him, feeling guilty that she went overtime when he had been calling and texting her for a number of times already that he wasn’t feeling good and he needed her.

“You’re sick and you asked me to bring pizza. What the hell, Rich?” Casey said, frustrated. She started to remove her shoes and tossed her bag onto the same bench where it was always positioned when she gets home—that same bench where Richard had placed the bag when she came home with him a little over three years ago.

“Pizza’s comfort food,” Richard said almost wearily.

Casey scoffed, sitting next to Richard. “Not the comfort food that you need now. I am thinking along the lines of mushroom soup or something,” she replied, and Richard shrugged, gazing at her. She held his gaze for a couple of minutes before she felt queasy. Getting stared at—okay, gazed at is the proper term according to her boyfriend—takes a lot of time to get used to. Three years in the running and she still can’t get used to it. Casey turned and headed back to the kitchen to get the pizza, dragging one chair with her so that she can prop the pizza box on it later. No food on the bed is one of the many rules in the Satari “household.”

“Hey, love, I can’t find my phone. Can you ring it?” Richard said as he grabbed a pizza slice. Casey shrugged, fishing her phone from the bag and pressing speed dial “2.”

And then a song blared from somewhere inside her bag.

It’s a beautiful night, we’re looking for something dumb to do. Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you. Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice? Who cares, baby? I think I wanna marry you.

Casey frowned. She knew that song. It was one of those LSS-worthy songs that she couldn’t get out of her head sometimes and she ends up singing it in the bathroom unconsciously. She rummaged through her bag and found Richard’s mobile phone in it, right next to something else.