A Star's Last Days

SEVEN

"LUÍza. Wake up.", Lina called out to me. I opened my eyes and sat up quickly.

She looked at me with sleepy eyes and said, "We have to start getting ready to go out. We are going shopping." I looked at her confused but got up from under the covers anyway. She was getting dressed in a long flowing skirt with a loose off the shoulder long sleeve crop top. The outfit showing her small waist and her long silky dark brown hair accentuating her choice of jewelry today.

I walk toward the bathroom after fixing the bed and folding Lina's comforter up.

Today's shower wasn't too bad. I think the wounds are healing nicely and there are none reopening. I didn't apply any ointment since the wounds are no longer open and just rubbed the lotion softly into my skin.

I walk out the bathroom with the towel rapped around me as I walk to the dresser. I pulled out a loose pair of pants and put on a loose oversized long sleeve shirt that fell slightly off my shoulders.

I don't like to show too much skin because then I get questions on why my body looks the way it does. I have long limbs and I look a little sickly skinny for my height. As of right now I believe I am 5'9". I don't really know and the last time I went to the doctor was so long ago.

I grab the keys to the dorm room and stuff it into my pocket before turning to Lina and seeing her grab her tote bag and keys. I slip on the shoes that I came with that I left by the front door and Lina slides into some flat walking shoes.

Once we are outside Lina tells me to follow her and be careful not to get lost. She said that the walk to the shopping center isn't too far from the campus and it will also give me time to look around the city. The walk was nice. The sun was bright in the sky and there is a nice breeze that blows my curls in front of my face from time to time.

Lina was telling me about the surrounding buildings and where to watch out for weird people at night time.

She also informed me about the pickpocketing rise that is in the area. I patted my pocket lightly to insure that the key is still there. They are thank God, so I give them to Lina and ask her to hold them for me until I get an everyday bag.

Mistake #1.

After about a solid fifteen minutes of walking I spot a book store. "Lina can we stop in here?", I question with a little worry. I don't know if she wanted to make a stop before we got to the center.

I am a little worried she would roll her eyes in annoyance or something like that. She didn't. She just smiled and nodded. We both walk into the book store and the smell of the books engulfs my nose.

Shivers went down my spine at how excited I am to be surrounded by books again. "I will be over in those chairs by checkout.", she said pointing lazily behind her in the direction of the checkout. I nod my head and she walks off in the other direction. Tracing my fingers across the books that line the far shelf I spot the same book that I was reading in Hawaii. "Haunting Adeline".

I enjoyed reading the book it was very interesting. I remember I only reached chapter twenty, so if I want to continue reading I would have to buy the book since this is not a library.

I place the book back where I found it and continued looking around at different books that intrigued me. "I'm done Lina.", I said softly. She looked up at me a little startled then nodded her head as she rose from the chair.

We walked out of the store and walked another five minutes to the shopping center she wanted to take me too. The area was nice it was like an open market but each store had a building. Unlike the plaza's that are in Maui.

"Ok Luíza. This is the phone store. You can pick any phone you want." Her excitement was over the top. But I never had a phone so I don't even know which one to get.

The phones sit on table tops with wires connecting and tying them down. I guess so people can't steal it. You can tell this is my first time in a phone store. Lina giggled a little at how I was taking in this new environment. "Don't worry I will help you pick it out since it's your first one."

The sales man came up to us, "How may I help you." His accent was thick. Lina told me to go pick out a case from the wall so I walked away before they started talking.

Most of the cases I see on the wall are clear so I picked up the box that said heavy duty. This way it doesn't easily break if I drop it. Lina comes up to me with a white box in hand, "This is a good choice. Most of the phone cases here are bland so we can come back another time to see if we find a cuter one. There are some cute stores around this area that I will take you to next time."

Her smile almost covered her entire face. We made our way to the counter to check everything out and put the phone on a plan. "So the phone is now under a new Verizon plan. It is under the name Luíza Pedroso Guerra Kala. Please sign here.", the checkout lady handed me the pen for me to sign.

I was a little nervous because this is going to be my first phone. And it's going to be under my name. I signed my name and the checkout lady proceeded to tell me the monthly fee and she also tried to sell me another phone for half off.

I told her no of course.

I'm only one person I just need one phone. As me and Lina walk out of the store she puts her number in my phone and we take our first picture together.

She said to make it her contact photo. I didn't know how to do it and she laughed, "That's ok. Let me show you."

~~~~~

I believe we were about 10 minutes away from the school and I lost Lina. We got separated by all the people leaving work for lunch. I tried calling her phone but it hung up immediately. And when I went to text her the bottom of the text messages said she was on do not disturb.

She told me that we could share locations but she said that we had to hurry back to the dorm so we didn't do it when we were in front of the phone store.

Mistake #2.

I sigh and keep walking.

Thummpp!

I tried to catch myself before I fell, but someone caught me before I hit the ground. "Are you all right?" I stopping rubbing my forehead to look up in shock. The deep voice startled me.

When I meant the man's gaze he lifted me upright so my feet were supporting my weight again. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to run into you."

I step back a little and shake my head no softly. "You're fine.", was all that could leave my mouth. I didn't mean it in a sexual way, but that's all I could say. "Are you hurt anywhere? I didn't mean to grab you so hard." My eyes meet him again causing my head to tilt up. I shake my had no again, "Thank you for catching me."

After I thanked him, he said something else but I didn't quite hear him. Then we both parted ways with eachother and I continued to look for Lina.

I didn't have any clue of where she would be, so after looking for her for 30 minutes I started walking back to the dorm room. As I made my way down the same street Lina and I walked on previously, I got this feeling I was being followed. I tried not to make it known that I feel someone following me.

I walk a little faster when I see the university sign in front of me. And once my body passed the threshold of the university grounds, the feeling of being followed stop. I quickly peek over my shoulder and no one is there. Shrugging off the weird goosebumps I power walk the rest of the way to the dorm room.