Became One

Chapter Two

Halos isang oras ng nakatayo si Azure sa labas ng airport habang hawak-hawak nito ang cellphone at nagdadalawang-isip kung tatawagan niya ba ito.

She hates me, and it's still four in the morning!

Napailing ito at hindi malaman kung ano ang gagawin. Sandali nitong tinitigan ang cellphone saka nag desisyon na tawagan na lang ito. Mariin itong pumikit at hinintay na sumagot ang nasa kabilang linya. Matagal ang pag-ring kaya ibaba na sana niya ang tawag but her eyes widen when she heard a groan on the other line.

"Who the hell is this?" Azure froze when she heard the sleepy voice of the girl in the other line.

She can't say anything. She ran out of words. Her throat became dry then she felt her eyes watering.

"Hey, are you just fooling around?! You know what, I can track you down right now and I can kill the hell out of you for waking me-"

"I-It's me, L." Pagputol niya sa sinasabi nito.

Natahimik ang nasa kabilang linya. Nakaramdam ng matinding takot at hiya si Azure dahil sa kanyang ginawa. Ibababa na sana nito ang kanyang telepono ngunit biglang nagsalita ang nasa kabilang linya.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" Bakas sa boses nito ang pag-aalala.

Tinakpan ni Azure ang kanyang bibig upang hindi marinig ni L ang kanyang paghikbi.

"I-I'm fine, L. Don't w-worry."

"Then why the hell did you called me in the middle of the night? I thought something bad happened already or you're abducted or you—"

"I'm here in the Philippines. I'm actually at the airport right now. Can you pick me up here?" Mahinang sabi nito ngunit ang nasa kabilang linya ay natahimik muli. Azure heard her sighed.

"I'm on my way. Hang in there." Sabi nito at napangiti naman siya.

"Thank you, Serenella."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Tss." Sabi nito saka ibinaba ang tawag.

She chuckled because of her friends' reaction. She really hates her name.

Naglakad ito papunta sa isang tabi saka doon hinintay ang kaibigan. But suddenly her smile fade. Will the rest of my friends still accept me?

It's been nine months since she left Philippines. She left her friends without any word. She's ready to accept their anger because she deserve all of it. She has no choice and her mind and her heart was filled of guilt. She thinks that it's all her fault.

She just left the country when her friends doesn't know anything. She left them hanging. It's all because of that incident. One of her friends almost died because of her. They were just shopping until Autumn dragged her suddenly. She was shocked because she saw a blood on her chest. She looked around and she saw a man wearing a black mask on the distance whose holding a gun with a silencer.

Nag panic ang lahat ng tao sa mall na nakakita sa kanila. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya sa mg oras na 'yon. Luckily someone carried her friend then help them through the hospital.

"Hello, earth to Azure Brielle Archambeau!" Biglang natauhan si Azure ng marinig niya ang familiar na boses. Tumingala ito then she saw her friend, Savannah.

She looked around and Savannah is not alone. Savannah's with the gang! Her friends are complete and they are all staring at her with a worried face.

She felt her heart stopped beating. Her throat became dry again and her tears suddenly ran through her face. Di niya alam ang gagawin. Nakaramdam siya ng hiya at takot.