Maria watched Euclid, and her lawyer talk in the corner of the station, based on Euclid’s frown expression, the lawyer’s telling him the bad news. Maria doesn’t like what like her feels about their private conversation. She should be with them because she’s the client that needs to defend and not Euclid.
“It looks like that Sir Euclid is determined to get you out of here,” Wendy told Maria. “Be honest to me, Maria. Is he your ex-boyfriend—”
“Shh!” Maria covered her friend’s mouth with her hand. “Let’s not talk about that here,” she said. “If somebody heard what you said, they’ll make bad stories again about me.”
Maria looked around the police station, the policewoman guarding the prison seemed to be oblivious of what they were talking. At the same time, her inmates were busy with pack lunches, except for the woman who kept looking at her with a glare.
Wendy noticed who she was looking for. “Who’s that? One of the froggy gossipers?” She met the woman’s gaze and returned her glare. “Hey, what’s up with you? Do you have a problem with this girl?”
Maria stopped her friend. “Wendy, stop it—”
“Yes, I have a problem with her, so what with you?” the woman shouted back. “Everybody here got a problem with that bitch friend of yours!”
Wendy smirked. “Oh, look who’s talking? There’s a dry cougar jealous at the corner because this girl is fresher than her—”
Maria covered her friend’s mouth. “Stop it, please?”
Euclid noticed the commotion inside the prison when the woman on the corner stood and walked towards them. She grabbed Maria’s hair, but quickly released it when she saw Euclid approaching with the lawyer.
“I saw you,” Euclid said, pointing at the woman.
“She and that woman is pissing me off!” the woman explained.
“It’s because you’re bullying Magdalene,” Wendy countered. “I saw you glaring at her as if you’re planning to kill her.”
Maria’s lawyer stood beside Euclid. “We can request for bail so that we’ll get her out before this day ends,” he said. “We can also include the reasons that our client isn’t safe here because of those people.”
Euclid nodded. “Let’s make it quick,” he said and called Miranda. “Deputy, we’ll file assault for that woman in the corner, I need her details—”
“Hey, it wasn’t really my fault! It was her,” the woman pointed at Wendy. “Magdalene, tell them that it wasn’t really me that started it.”
Maria turned to Wendy, who just shook her head. When she looked at Euclid, his eyes are speaking to her.
“It’s up to you, Maria,” Euclid said.
She looked at the woman. Just a while ago, they were making fun at her. She was also the woman that wanted to pull her head cover during their ride at the patrol car. Her name is Carla, and she’s the bitch that started the fire around the club about her and Boss Doppy.
“She’s bullying me,” she said without taking her eyes off Carla. “I want to sue her and make her pay for all the bad things that she did to me.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “You bitch!” She grabbed her hair and dragged her towards the center of the prison. “I will kill you—”
Euclid stopped the woman’s arm from hitting Maria. “If you lay your hand on her, I will make sure that you’ll go to City Jail right away without a chance to bail yourself out.”
Carla clenched her jaw as she pulled her arm free from Euclid. She let go of Maria’s hair and marched her way towards the corner of the prison. “Lucky bitch,” she hissed and looked away from Maria.
All the detainees inside the prison were looking at them. They’re all wearing the same expression on their faces: shock and confusion. They’re shocked because Euclid went inside the prison just to protect Maria, and at the same time, they’re confused about why he did it.
Euclid helped Maria to stand up. He fixed her hair and face cover. He even checked her arms and shoulders and if she got wounds or scratches by falling on the floor.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a calmer tone.
Maria looked away from him. “I’m fine…” she said and took a step away from him. “Thank you, sir.”
Maria saw in her peripheral vision that Euclid heaved a sigh. “You don’t have to wait longer, we’ll get you out of here in an hour.”
Murmurs of complaints filled the prison. Miranda scolded them, but there are still a few who kept on talking.
“This is unfair,” one woman said loud enough to reach her ears. “Why is she the only one they’re helping?”
The other girl shrugged her shoulders. “We should ask him. Maybe he likes younger women like us,” she said and stood up. “Sir, I have a question…”
Euclid looked at the girl on his back. His brows furrowed, but still, he nodded to let her talk. Maria knew that Euclid heard them too, and he just observing their reactions.
The girl stepped closer to Euclid, almost touching his arm with her breasts. “I just want to ask why is she the only one you’re helping to get out, how about the others? Like me?” She fluttered her eyelashes at Euclid and squeezed her breasts to make it look like overflowing from her dress.
Maria wanted to snort, but she controlled herself. She waited for Euclid’s reaction.
“Well, we can also help you,” he said, making all their hopes up.
“Really?” The girl clung to Euclid’s arm and pressed her chest to him. “Please help me, too.”
Maria’s eyes landed on the woman’s breast, pressing on Euclid’s arm. She doesn’t like what she sees, so she turned around, but Euclid spoke again, this time his voice became louder.
“I will help you if you are Magdalene,” he said. “But since you’re not, you better step away from me.”
Maria returned her gaze at Euclid, who was also looking at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he started to walk out of prison. Leaving her and all the women inside surprised and at the same time dismayed by what they heard. Maria followed him walked away from the cell, even all the station officers, including Wendy and her lawyer, were looking at her, Maria doesn’t care. What’s on her mind now is Euclid and his undying feelings for her.
Maria was sure now that all her plans will succeed in the right time and right moment. All she has to do is keep Euclid’s curiosity about her. Her chest tightened about the thought before her heart could start to soften again, she ditched it. She can’t let her weak feelings destroy all her plans.
***