CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

The principal announced that we have no class for two days. There was trouble at school, our dean allegedly had a fight.

Someone seems to be trying to take her life. A bomb was allegedly found in a building near ours. Fortunately, some of our professors know how to defuse a bomb.

We felt only fear and nervousness. Some parents of students there no longer want their children to go to school.

I thought that maybe we weren't have no class not just two days, I was feeling like the mess was still going well.

I shrugged, I had to think about where I would sleep now.

I can't rent because my savings will be wasted.

If I could just sleep on the street, I did. Case in point, I don't fit in there.

I was currently resting because I had just finished eating when I heard a familiar voice call to me.

"Hira?"

I looked at someone who spoked. That's why it's familiar because it's Via. I patted my clothes when I saw a rice there, and stood up in my seat.

"Via? What are you doing here?" I asked, confused.

There was a look of shock on our faces to see each other here.

“It's really you, Hira!" excited Via said and ran over to me and hugged me.

"Are you from here?" she asked after hugging me.

We sat in my seat earlier.

"Yes. Are you? You're from here too?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No. I just went somewhere here," she replied.

I nodded and didn't speak. I stared at the emptiness.

"Do you have a problem?" she asked calmly when she noticed my gesture.

I sighed. "I left our house, I'm homeless now," I replied, causing her eyes to widen.

"What?"

"Yes... I'm wondering where I'm going to live temporarily," I replied, whispering.

She was silent for a moment. "You can go with me?" she replied so I stared at her.

"Could I? Your parents might be angry," I replied, causing a smile to fade from her lips and replace it with sadness.

"Oh, why do you look like that? Did I say something wrong?" I asked in astonishment.

"No. My parents are gone."

I suddenly felt sorry for Via. Because maybe, I know the feeling of not having a parent.

"Sorry."

"It's okay,!" she laughed but also immediately sighed and looked at the sky.

Its aleady night so little by little the stars will fill the sky.

"We were in high school when Mama and Papa disappeared. The ship they were on, sank. They were on their way home to the Philippines from some other country, in case a tragedy happened that we did not expect." Her voice was tinged with sadness.

"Did you see their body?" I asked so she looked at me and shook her head.

"No."

Because of what she said, I was encouraged.

"Oh, then they're still hope! When there's no corpse, there's no dead," I smiled, trying to calm her down.

She smiled at what I said.

"Hopefully," I heard her whisper.

"By the way, if your parents are gone, who will be with you in life?" I asked, confused.

"My older brother."

"Oh! Do you have an older brother?" I asked in shock.

"Yes. He's 30 years old. Engineer."

My eyes widened. "Wow, engineer? Your older brother is an engineer?"

"Yeah, unly?" she scolded me.

"You have an older brother, then you'll let me live with you?"

"Yeah, why? That wouldn't make him angry," she said.

I shook. "That's not what I was thinking."

"Then what?"

"Maybe your older brother will fall in love with me," I replied.

Via laughed so I turned my back on her.

I raised my brows to her. "What's funny, huh?"

"No," she laughed again. "My brother has a girlfriend," she said, still laughing.

I took a deep breath. "Good, then," I replied.

"So, come on?"

"Wait. I'll get my things first," I replied to her.

She accompanied me to my former house. The two bitched looked at me as I went inside.

"I thought you ran away?" Mama's question to me was reassuring.

I was thrown into the air.

"I'll just get my stuff," I said and went straight to my room to pack my things.

I brought two suitcases. The other one is for my clothes while the other one is for my arts equipment.

I can't leave that here because my comrades here will throw it away.

I went out with two suitcases.

"Oh?" Kylie said.

"I'm leaving," I said sparingly.

"You can't live without us, Hira. You'll be back here," she added.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You're the ones who can't do it without me. Just think, who's going to wash the clothes? Who's going to wash the dishes? Who's going to cook? Who's going to do the housework? Nothing. I'm the only one who can do that. "You, Kylie, can you do those?" I grinned at my fake sister.

She did not immediately respond to what I said. I saw her color became paled. She realized maybe I was right.

I'm the only one doing household chores here. I'll just watch what happens when I leave here.

Because without me, their lives will be going to be a hell.

"Can't you leave?” Kylie said causing me to laugh.

"My decision is complete, I'm leaving. You take care of your life." I walked out of the house.

"Go ahead and leave! Don't come back here, Hira! You are ungrateful!" Mom shouted.

“Good luck!" I shouted back.

Via was surprised to see my two suitcases. "What's this, a vacation?" she asked sarcastically.

"Because there are my other stuffs in arts, amd my make-ups," I said so she nodded.

"Ahh..."

Via helped me carry my suitcase.

Their house is not that far, just a few corners between us.

I was amazed to see their house. That's second floor. The house is pastel green. That's a nice design. Well, I won't be surprised, his older brother is an Engineer.

"Tara, Hira," Milka invited. She opened the door of the house.

The beauty inside amused me more. It was big and also airy to look at. Obviously prepared and well build.

I nodded. Looks like I'm not leaving here.

"Your house is beautiful, Via. Maybe I won't come back at home again," I joked.

She slightly laughed at what I said.

"Kuya planned it," she said.

"Where is your older brother?" I asked because there was no one else inside. The door was also locked when we arrived.

"Maybe he wander outside," was her only reply.

I just nodded.

She took me to the second floor. I looked around because their house was really nice, there was a big chandelier in the middle. There are also paintings hanging on the walls.

She took me to one of their guesroom. The guesroom is also nice. All are pastel green and the others are white.

There is a large bed in the middle, on the side there is a study table and a bookshelves. There is another side table and cabinet.

I felt so happy to see it. My room in our house is small.

I was even more excited because the room had its own comfort room. So beautiful, I have nothing to say.

"Arrange your things first, get downstairs after," Via ordered and closed the door.

I wasted no time. I put the clothes I was carrying in a cabinet, the others I was carrying I put on a table.

I lay briefly on the soft bed, I comfortably lay there and rolled over.

There is a small aircon at the top of the bed and there is an electric fan on the side. "Nice!"

I left the room, I found Via cooking a dish. I helped him for a while, I went out of the house to look at the fountain and garden I saw in the back.

There is a light there so you can see what is there. I was amazed at the design of the garden. The size of the fountain and the water was lit. Different colors. I even saw butterflies perched on different flowers. There were roses and sunflowers there so I was amused.

I heard a car horn so I walked to the front of the house. I saw a black montero.

Shit! Maybe Via's bother arrived!

It parked in a garage. I just noticed now that they have that.

The car engine stopped, I ran into the house and went straight to Via.

"What happened to you?" she asked when she saw me.

"Your bother is here!" I panicked.

Hope I don’t get kicked out of here, shit! I don’t want to live on the road.

"Via?" someone shouted outside, I heard the door opened and closed. I also heard footsteps coming here to the kitchen.

I was so attached to Via’s dress. She just laughed while looking at me. "I'm here, Kuya," Via shouted back so the footsteps got stronger.

"Via— What the?" Via's older brother stopped talking when he saw me. There was a look of shock on his face when he saw my whole being.

Via's older brother is handsome. Tall, elegant and manly. But he looked scary and serious in life.

"Brother, she's Hira. Hira Hernandez. My friend, she was kicked out of their house so I invited her here," Via explained.

I just stood by her side. Her older brother raised an eyebrow at me. "Okay," he said and left in front of us.

I stopped for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief as it finally got stuck.

That's it? Just like that? What a waste of my nervousness.

"Shit!" I said and fetched water from the fridge.

Via just laughed. "Why did u left your house, anyway?" Via asked.

"Those are evil creatures!" I shuddered.

I told Via about my experiences with them.

"Oh? That's how they treated you. It's a good thing you left," she commented.

"Yeah, eh. Thank you, Via," I said.

"What for?"

“For letting me live here," I asnwered.

She smiled.

"It's nothing, you know! We're friends, aren't we?"

I smiled too.

"Thank you very much," I replied and gave her a tight hug.

I just found a new home, and a new friend. I'm so lucky to have Via. I thank God for giving me a best friend like her.