Ugly Duckling (HatsuHaru Sohma Love Story)

Chapter 20 - Rescued from the Cold

Previously on UD...

"Your friend Akira called, stating that you have her house keys. Here I will replay the message for you." Shigure played the message

"Hey Serena it's Akira, I kinda accidentally gave you my house keys when I gave you the Cafe's. Please call me back as soon as you can because I'm currently out in the shivering cold and is at risk of Hypothermia! Thank you." My eyes widened, scrambling out of my bed and went to my purse, grabbing the ring that held the Cafe's Keys and now apparently Akira's House Keys.

Serena's POV

I quickly called her back, jumping out of bed and waited for her to pick up. Shigure standing next to me worriedly. I heard the dial tone signalling she picked up the phone

"Akira, I am so sorry I didn't even realise that I had a different set of keys along with the Cafe's!" I apologised to her frantically grabbing my jacket and the key ring that held her keys and the Cafe's

"It's alright, it's my fault anyway I was stupid enough to put the Cafe's key on my key ring in the first place." I shook my head in dismay, feeling bad for her. I ran down the steps with Shigure following after me, trying our best not to wake up the others

"Aren't your folks home?"

"I live alone remember? And I only have one key to my house which is the one you currently have." I slipped on my winter boots and jacket, Shigure following suit. Shigure opened the door only for a flurry of cold winter air and snow to break through. Seriously a blizzard?!

"We're on our way!" I informed her closing the door behind us and began walking in a random direction

"Okay, wait who is with you?"

"A friend of mine, where do you live anyway?" I asked her, realizing I have no freaken clue as to where she lived

"Windbreaker Meadow, around there do you know where that is?"

"Sadly no." I deadpanned only for Shigure to speak up

"I know where it is, follow me." Shigure told me grabbing hold of my arm to lead me to the meadow

"Quite a sad name because this meadow is a freaken wind tunnel!" I heard Akira state loudly causing me to lightly chuckle

"My friend knows where the meadow is, we will be there shortly sit tight." I told her

"Okay, I gotta go my phone is about to die." She hanged up on me and I sighed loudly, shoving my phone in my pocket

"Her phone battery was about to die on her, hopefully we will get to her soon."

"She is only about half a mile away from us, I didn't even know someone lived in that meadow until now." Shigure told me truthfully and I nodded

"She has been working at the Cafe since she was 11 at first as a dishwasher now a barista/waitress. I don't really know much about her personal life but she is nice and all kinda quiet too doesn't talk much like me." I explained to him and he nodded

"Well don't you worry, we will get to her soon enough."

Akira's POV

I shut off my crappy phone with a groan. I hugged myself trying to retain warmth the best that I could. Hopefully they will get here soon or else I will freeze to death. I breathed into the palms of my hands before rubbing them vigorously, them becoming numb from the cold. I couldn't even feel parts of my body which sucked. I looked around squinting my eyes to try and see through the darkness and blizzard, the good thing was there was a little bit of moonlight casting upon the meadow in which I lived. I shivered when another blast of cold air hit me, I regret many decisions right now, one of them being living here in the first place. I bounced leg up and down, trying to regain feeling in it since it has fallen asleep. I inwardly yawned, tired from the long day. These are one of the days and moments that make me wonder if I was better off dead, if others would be better off without me. But then I always think about Akito, knowing that if that were to really happen he would have won this mindless and I am no quitter, I need to keep looking forward, not dwell in the past. A few minutes passed until I finally saw a dim light from a phone screen, signalling that I won't have to shiver in the cold any longer. With that in mind, I slowly dozed off unexpectedly tired from trying to keep myself awake.

Shigure's POV

A lone cottage came in sight through the dense blizzard, Serena shining her phone light around the area to try and spot her co-worker. A gust of wind ripping through us, making us colder than we were before. I pulled Serena closing to me, retaining body warmth for both of us. We came up to the porch to see a passed out girl curled up, shivering endlessly. Serena gasped loudly and fell down to her side, shaking her

"Akira, Akira! Damn it wake up Akira Ammara!" I froze once I heard those two names used together, recognition dawning on my face. I peered closer at her face, realizing how old her black rimming glasses were, scratches evident on it. The same brown hair that was cut shorter from the last time I saw her. My little cousin Ammara was right here all this time, I need to make up for my amends I have done in the past, I need to help her and now

"Serena give the keys, I will unlock the house." I told her and she nodded handing me the keys. I tried every single one on the key ring until I heard a click, opening the door. I saw Serena pick her, slinging her arm over her neck

"Wow, she barely weighs anything." Serena carried her in and I closed the door, running over into the living room where I saw a fireplace unlit. I searched the place for matches to light it while Serena carefully set Ammara down on the couch and running off to find blankets. I found a match box in a drawer in the kitchen and ran back into the living room, kneeling and lit the match before throwing it into the fire place, grabbing a log from the small stack leaning against the wall 10 feet away from me. I blew on it to heat up the room faster, Serena running back into the room holding tone of blankets, most of them crappy or quilted blankets handmade. We place them over her, taking her boots off and oversized winter jacket off of her before sighing in relief, sitting down on the floor

"Well this is an eventful evening." I stated staring at the little duckling sleeping peacefully in front of me.

TBC...