CHAPTER 12 I'M HERE FOR YOU
It was already 6:00 in the morning. Gisella still laid on the bed with a pale face, unconscious. Lizzy and Gina left to the mansion for their chores while Antonio stood by her bed completely shuttered. He had to rush back to work but he was so desolated that he didn't feel like moving an inch from the hospital.
Choked up with tears, he slowly took Gisel's hand in his as he gazed down at her while the tears he fought back dropped down his eyes.
"Daddy is still waiting for you, honey–please wake up, please" He whispered. "Waiting to see those beautiful smiles again" A faint smile dazzled on his face while he chuckled admist tears. "i'm so sorry I never told you– you were the prettiest when you smile."
He mumbled on. Natasha slowly pushed the door opened and trod in. She instintively paused at the door as she watched the father and daughter moment. She smirked, a satisfactory smile dazzled on her lips.
" Is time to go dear" She eluded while she sauntered over towards him. "You also need some rest before getting back to work– you've not had one since last night"
"I'm okay over here Nat" Antonio mumbled. "I just want to be by my daughter till she wakes up. Work can wait for now."
Natasha sighed, drapping her hand over his shoulder with a consoling gaze. "I understand your pain, love because she's my daughter as well and i feel pained seeing her like this. – But you already know the issue at hand over there as well. Secondly, the doctor suggest she rest without any disturbance so let's go. She'll be fine. I'll later come back and keep watch over her"
She assured. Convinced by Natasha's words and the state of his business, he finally agreed to return home. Natasha patted him in a consoling manner, her gaze fixed on Gisella.
"Let's see how you move out of this bed, alive" she mumbled in her thoughts, a faint smile lingered on her lips.
" Okay, Nat, let's go" He uttered as he rose to his feet. Natasha nodded and followed him while he lead the way out.
***********
THE BRILLIANTS SCHOOL COMPLEX
Loretta and her friends sat in their desk, chatting and laughing heartedly when Desmond walked in, depressed. His expression dulled and blank.
" Look who is here guys" Loretta announced admist chuckle. "Desmond– Mr. Lover boy, the saviour of the wired Princess!" She teased.
The whole class roared with laughter. Desmond ignored her and glided on over to his desk. He instintively dropped his bag on his desk and sat down without uttering a word. Loretta winked at her friends and beckoned them to follow as she trod to Desmond's desk, her lips curved in a mischievous smile.
" Hey!" she eluded as she closed up on him. "I can't see your cursed crush anywhere today– where is she?" She added, her eyes lurked around in search of Gisel.
" Or she's hiding her cursed ass from us, now, huh?", Paola remarked. A sense of rage flashed on Desmond face, following her words. Loretta and her friends just roared with laughter. Bianca stuttered.
"Oh, or she finally chose to end her poor, miserable, evil, cursed life like she did to her moth.."
"I told you to stay away from Gisella and let her be!!" Desmond angrily shouted, his eyes widened with rage as he clutched Bianca's neck, stopping her in her words. Loretta and Paolo gazed on stunned with slacked jaws while Bianca gasped helplessly for breath.
"Please–let–me –go" she stammered but Desmond just kept on, his grips became more tighter.
"I'm so sure you guys were the ones who attacked her last night" he added, his voice so cold and wolfish. The whole class stared on, puzzled. Paola shouted, finally finding her voice.
"Stop it, Desmond– we didn't do anything!!"
"Who, then–Who did it!?" He queried on and Loretta yelled, nervous.
" We don't know!! – Please stop it, now, else you gonna kill her!!"
He angrily pushed her to the floor and turned back to his desk. Loretta and Paola rushed to Bianca, who laid on the floor, coughing.
" Get her some water!", Loretta shouted.
Paola hurriedly dashed off to Bianca's desk and brought out her water bottle. She handed it over to Loretta and she helped her sip a little.
" Are you okay?", they worriedly chorused and she nodded as she deeply gasped for breath. Loretta glared back at Desmond from the distance they stood, furious.
" What is wrong with you, Desmond?–Are you out of your mind or something? What was all that about?" She yelled but he just ignored her. Just then their class teacher trod in, his eyes lurked around, confused,
"What's going on here, Paola.?" He queried. The whole class quickly settled down as silence engulfed the room, even Paola, Bianca and Loretta stayed mute.
"I'm waiting for an answer!! –Why all this mess–Paola?" He exclaimed. Paola flinched and glanced up at their teacher and back at Desmond who just stood in his desk with his eyes fixed on his book as if nothing had happened.
" Um, nothing sir– we were just discussing something." she stuttered.
" Are you sure?–You don't look like so"
" Yes sir" She swiftly cut in before he could say anymore. He shrugged at her answer.
" Okay–Now let's start our lesson for today but before that, I've got an announcement for the class." He went on. Bianca, Loretta and Paola glared back at Desmond who just kept his gaze locked in his textbook.
"Gisella had been admitted at the hospital and in a state of coma at the moment so she won't be joining class for a while" The teacher announced and the whole class was suddenly thrown in rumpus and murmuring. "
Let's all remember her in our prayers" He added. Desmond swiftly raised his head from his book, confused and lost as tears welled up his eyes.
"No, this can't be" He mumbled underneath his breath.
" Okay sir.", the class chorused with the exception of Desmond who quickly bolted out of the class.
" Desmond!? Desmond...! " The teacher called but he was far gone from sight..
I***********
HOSPITAL
Natasha returned to the hospital and strolled to Gisella's ward. She stared at her pale face and held her hand, a satisfactory smile dazzled on her face.
" Today is your last day on this earth, Gisel, dear" She eluded. „Poor you, sorry you couldn't say your final byes to daddy but don't worry, I'll tell him for you" She chuckled as she slowly lifted the oxygen mask from her nose. Suddenly, Desmond dashed into the ward, almost out of breath.
" Gisel? Gisella!!", he cried from the door as he sauntered closer to them. Natasha jolted at the sight of him. She panicked and swiftly placed back the mask on her nose.
" Mum?–How is she?"He asked as soon as he got to the bed. Natasha stammered, tensed.
"Um, well, she's fine although had not opened the eyes yet–But the doctor said her condition is stable now ".
He just stood beside her bed without a word as he gazed down at her pale face. He slowly took her hand in his as he settled down on the chair next to her bed and sighed. He look nervous and devastated. Natasha quietly gazed at him and queried.
" Um–what's your name and who are you to my baby?'
" I'm Desmond, her classmate." He answered without looking up from Gisel's face. Natasha nodded, not so pleased with the intruder but she kept her composure.
"Okay.– Can you stay by her for awhile, while I talk to the doctor?"
" Sure– ma'am, I'll be with her. You can go ahead" He replied. Natasha thanked him, with a broad smile and trod off. She instintively paused at he door as she glared back at Desmond and Gisel.
" You may be lucky enough to escape this time, Gisel but I promise you–the next time, won't be as lucky as this, I'll make sure you rot in hell." She faintly eluded and trod out.
Desmond stared at Gisella's face devastated and shuttered.
" Who did this to you, Gisel..?" He queried but had no answer. " Please wake up, I'm here for you and i promise to get back at anyone who caused you this pain. " He added as the tears welled up in his eyes streamed down. Just then, Gisel's finger slightly moved and tears rolled down her eyes.