SAM

Chapter 1

The sunray kissed my feet as I trailed myself to the entrance of our shop.The laughters and giggles of three kids filled my ears as I see them walking along the side of the street.A motorcylist is waiting for a potential passenger in my peripheral view.As I turn in my left I saw a woman who is talking with her phone while holding her market bag full of vegetables and fruits.

This the usual view I've seen since I started to help my sister to manage our shop.Thus at 8:00am I am already here together with the 3 ladies and a man my sister hired to help us run the drugstore built by my parents 6 years ago.

Before retuning to the cashier area, I looked up and see the brown birds flying freely on their own.It is undoubtedly a peaceful morning.
I sighed as I thought this.It's been 4 months since I lost the peace in my mind and heart.It's been 4 months since she decided to left me.

"Charlie,I failed. I'll go now,bye."
My knees weakened as I read her txt message an hour before we part our ways to go home.

"Oh kazie.noooo! That's not true" My hands are shaking while typing this message as my feet follow unconsciously the steps of the mall goers.My heart is pounding so hard in my chest that I stopped walking while waiting nervously for her reply.And when my phone vibrated and read her message, I felt like my entired world had collapsed and my heart had broke into million of pieces.

"No,it is true.I'll go now and will never come back."

"Ma'am Charlie, our orders from P&M have just arrived". I blinked my eyes and saw Frel,one of our salesladies in front of the cashier corner.

I sighed after seeing that memory again."If only I can turn back the time. "I thought to myself. A minute passed I remember Frel is still waiting for my response. "Okay good, please ask the delivery man to place the boxes in our storage room and escort him as well". I told Frel casually.

"Sure Ma'am" Frel responded eagerly.

I watched Frel retreating figure to the side of the shop when I felt the familiar pang in my chest.I touched my chest over my shirt gently.I sighed.The pain is still fresh as if she left me yesterday.The hollowness that I feel every morning when awake up is like drowning slowly into the pit of the ocean.And little and by little that hope that you'll be on the surface of the water again is slowly diminishing as time passed by.

"Ma'am here's the money from the costumer" Iza,a long black haired lady approached the counter this time.

And when I saw a 1000 bucks for 100 bucks worth of medicines."I told you, we don't have change for bigger bills!" I snapped to Iza.

"Oh okay, sorry" Iza muttered faintly and hurriedly took the money back.

I saw Iza spoke something to the customer before the customer silently walked out from the shop.I closed my eyes and breathe in deeply.I realized I was so rude for my sudden outburst."Auggh! this is not me."I cursed to my myself.
Not only I lost the peace in my heart and in my mind but I am little by little changing who I am.I sighed deeply.

"I'll go upstairs now to my room Mom" I hurriedly told my mom after washing the plates.

Since the incident happened I always want to be alone most of the time.I isolated myself to my friends except from my two closest friends, Maine and Anne who patiently listen to my sad voices and cries everytime I miss her. Tonight I need someone to talk to thus I dialed Anne's number on my phone and after few rings she picked up.

"Hello Charlie! What's up?"I heard her ecstatic voice in the other line and somehow it warmed my heart knowing I have a good friend to whom I can confide my feelings.

"Hi Anne" I replied with my low voice.

"Woah what's with the voice Charlie?Don't tell me it's about her again".I heard her sighed when I didn't say anything as she already knows the answer.

"Charlie, when will you get tired huh?It's been months already,move on girl!"Anne said this words close to begging and irritation can be sense from her voice.I can't blame her because she saw how devasted I've been because of pain and longing.

"I don't know Anne, it's so hard and I want to talk to her to fix, maybe she'll come back" I told her sadly knowing there's no way I can reach her again as I tried all the possible ways already.

"Okay keep hoping and you will hurt yourself more, we both know her deeply.Once she turned her back from someone it means she won't come back anymore unless she wants to."I grimaced from what I heard.I know she has a point.It hurts to accept the truth.It hurts so much.

"Okay Anne, thanks.Though I am still hoping one day she'll forgive me and will come back"I whispered to the phone.

"Everything will be okay in time". I inhaled indeeply with my sad heart and replied her.

"I wish so much for that time to come very soon".

*cellphone ringing..

I grasped my phone from the headboard of our bed while my eyes are closed.I opened my sleepy eyes to see who the caller is and frowned when I saw that is an unidentified number.

I opened my eyes widely and noticed the 3 last digits of the number and I remember that it has resemblance to Jen's number, one of my bestfriends.

Thus I pressed the call button and was surprised to hear a man's voice in the other line.The first words of the man shocked me and stabbed me straight to my heart.

"This is Kazie's boyfriend and I want you to stay away from my girlfriend".