THE MASKED (Sequence 1)

CHAPTER 6

ANNA POV

Am so glad to be back home. Though am still having those nightmares, I've made up my mind to fight back. Mum always told me never to back down from any challenge and if there's no solution, I should create one because a conqueror always overcome every difficulty...
Being back to school was nice and weird. Weird because am all alone in this school without a friend but I'll scale through...Shilla whom I thought was my best friend has been avoiding me like a plague. She's been rude lately. She betrayed me yet she act like the one who was offended. She stabbed me where it hurt the most and i don't think I can ever forgive her..once i get a chance to talk to her i will give her a piece of my mind. Speaking of the devil....she was walking towards me. What is she doing here?
"Hello bestie. It's been a long time"
she looked happy to see me. She is just a pretending bitch. She won't trick me like she did in my dreams.
"Anna am glad you're okay now"
she says staring at me...
"Spare me that bullshit...do you think you can fool me"
I say in total disgust...
"you irritate me Shilla. Why would you betray me like this? I loved you like my own. I trusted you with my life, bitch"
I yelled at her in tears..
"Anna i never betrayed you. I always protected and loved you"
She yelled back at me. She really have some nerve...
"you're still pretending even when I can clearly see what you're doing...when i needed you, where were you?"
I shout at the top of my voice..
"do u remember how i saved you from those slave traders..I put my life at risk to save yours even though i was still a child. I put you above my own life. I was there for you when your dad died. We were just kids but i put all my effort to cheer you up"
I cried bitterly. Her betrayal is so painful...
"Please just stop crying Ann"
she says crying but it only made me feel very bitter
"stop your hypocrisy...those crocodile tears doesn't suit you and don't call me Ann ever again. Only my best friend called me that and she's dead and buried in my heart"
i responded unleashing my anger through my words even in tears...she cried along with me but I couldn't stand it anymore so i started to run away...away from my betrayer...away from every source of unhappiness. I knew she followed me and kept calling me but that did not stop me it only strengthened me to run further.....

SHILLA'S POV
I never intended to hurt my best friend. I got carried away trying to protect her. She had always protected me more than my own mom... she chose to save my life instead of that of her brother. How could i hurt such a person..seeing her cry hurt me the most. She couldn't even listen to my explanation.. instead she ran but i kept on chasing after her.
"Anna"
i yelled with all the strength I could muster.
"i never betrayed you"
i say calmly
"and i will never betray you. I just want to be there for you" she looked confused but am not surprised cause she thinks am evil right now..
"please trust me"
i cried out even though i know i didn't sound convincing enough. I just hope she listens and understand me. She's just staring at me without saying nothing. Her silence is gonna make me insane please talk to me....
"I believe you"
she says as if she was reading my thought or seeing right through me..
"i believe you but..."
I interrupted her statement by hugging her so tight so I don't get to loose her ever again.
"Thank you Ann"
It's amazing when you see that one person you love understands and trusts you. I felt happy that she still trusted me even after everything. But she moved away from me, fold her arms as she spoke up
"I deserve an explanation and you better make it nice or else..."
I laughed..its sound so good to laugh even in this messed up situation. My laugh prompted her to laugh too. I missed the sound of her laughter so much.
"come let's seat here and talk"
i said while gesturing her to a sit nearby..
"when i heard you were in comma, I decided to find out what's wrong with you cause I was scared to death"
I let out the breath that I had been holding for a while now..
"only your mom was aware of this decision. I felt it was spiritual"
She looked at me for a while before saying..
"But that did not stop you from visiting me"
I hold her hands..
"yes i know but someone was after your life and i needed to find out who it was"
Then she asked anxiously
"who might that be"
I never knew telling her this would be so difficult but I had to anyway...
"it's your aunt"
I dropped the words as fast and steady as I could. She went blank. I couldn't even read her to know how she was taking it..
"how could you even say such a thing to me? am her niece, she would never want to hurt me"
I shook my head in disapproval....then she sighed as if she lost the battle. I had to say something soothing to save her from doing something stupid because I was yet to unfold so many things
"Please calm down"was all I found myself saying. We sat in silence for about five minutes then i finally spoke up when i found the courage to continue
"i visited her while you were at the hospital. She seems happy about your condition. She hates you because of your mom"

ANNA'S POV
I knew Shilla was right but it still hurt to know that my aunt never loved me. I know it's stupid but I still hope that my aunt would love me someday.
Am just glad that Shilla wasn't hurt in the process of helping me because my aunt is a very cunning lady
"promise me that you'll not abandon me again" i asked her
"i promise".
Those words she said meant a lot to me. I couldn't help but to hug her.
"I never abandoned you to begin with" she said with laughter in her voice.
Our moment was suddenly interrupted by a gun shot...

A gun shot??
What do you think is gonna happen???

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