10

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(ALMOST YET NOT CLOSE)

(FLASHBACK)

I was eight years old back then, and Yerre was six years old.

'Huh? Is that Yerre?' I wondered, strolling at the playground.

"It is Yerre," I ran after her.

"Yerre! Hey! What are you guys doing?" I shout in rage at the boys who kept on stomping Yerre's small and chubby body. I ran after them, but, Yerre held my left wrist before I could go.

"Alda... no... I'm fine..." she hiccupped.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, FINE? CAN'T YOU SEE? YOUR INJURED!" I subconsciously raise my voice at her, then she flinches.

"I'm sorry" I immediately apologies,

"Alda, please... please don't follow them anymore... please..." Yerre pleaded, sobbing.

"Yerre..." I bent down and helped her up. I sat her on the bench close to the enormous tree.

"Alda... Why is your body shaking?" she asked.

'I'm mad' I hugged her close to me and closed my eyes, calming down.

"Yerre, listen to me, okay?" She nodded.

"Next time, when someone hurts you. Call for me, okay?"

"Okay... I'm sorry, Alda..."

"Don't apologize," I mention,

'Is not your fault. Why do you have to be so fragile?'

"Why are you out here alone in the park again?" I asked, then saw her sad expression. From then on, I knew why. I deep sigh,

"Come here, "I said opening, my arms for her. She put her head on my shoulder and cried. I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug.

"They're fighting again?" I ask, then she nods, crying as I sigh and continue talking.

"Your father hurt your mother again?" She nods again.

"And that is the reason you ran here. Am I right?" I suspect, and she nodded while crying and clutching me.

"Don't get scared. I'm here now, okay?" I caress her back, comforting her, and letting her know that she's safe here with me.

"Yerre, stop going to this park again, you hear me? Go straight to our house and ask for me. I will be there for you. Understand?"

"Yes," She answers in sobbed. I smile finding, her reaction cute.

"I will always be here for you to protect you and to stay with you," I said to her, and she nods, still crying.

"You promise?" She mumbles crying,

"Yes, I promise I will always protect you and be there for you," I promised, and she nods.

"Don't cry. I told you my weakness is seeing you cry and hurt, right?" I said.

She raised her head, looking up at me with those teary eyes while we hugged. I broke our hug and wiped her tears away.

"I won't cry anymore for Alda..." she sobbed a bit, then giggled and smiled.

'Good girl,' I kissed her forehead, and we hugged again.

-Two months later-

"YERRE''I ran towards her, panting from running so much. Yerre looked at me with a painful expression. Her entire body was shaking and trembling as she cried. I hugged her,

"Yerre, thank god, you're okay..." I sighed in relief.

"Alda... my mother and father are... inside our house... our house...is on fire... Alda. I'm scared..." Yerre said in-between hiccups.

I hug her tight as I feel hurt and feel pity for her so much.

"Yerre..." I didn't know what to say. I hugged her tight and assured her that everything's all right.

"The firefighter is here," The people shout while two firefighters exited the house, carrying two burned bodies.

"Al! Don't let Yerre see this" Mother shouts at me in terror,

"It's my mo, mother?"

I hugged her tight and clasped her head upon hearing my mother's instruction.

"Alda?" Yerre called, wondering why she won't let her see her parents.

"Yerre... it's okay. Your mother and father are out now. They're inside the ambulance now," I said, burdened with sadness and pain for my best friend. What would happen to her? How will she live her life now?

"Alda? Why are you shaking?" Yerre called, worried about her best friend trembling and shaking so much while crying.

I tried to compose myself,

"Yerre... everything will be fine," I said, scared that my voice would make her cry. I hugged her tight while I stand like steel in front of her, nodding and hugging her while crying.

"Thank you, Alda... for being here with me..." Yerre mumbles in relief.

"Of course, I am your best friend. I can't leave you. You're too special to me. More than you think, Yerre..." I sobbed, mumbling my last words., she didn't hear my last words.

After that tragic incident, Yerre was having a hard time accepting what happened. Every night she had nightmares crying, though she was never alone in her sufferings and sorrows. She faces it with her only best friend, who understands her and treasures her like a sister.

Who stays with her and helps her with all that she can. She never leaves her side. She always visits her every day and even stays overnight at her aunt's house. Who took Yerre in as her child after the accident?

Until years have passed, Alda turned nine-teen, Yerre turned seventeen years old, and she moved on from the past with help from the people who love her and made her special.

"ALDA," Yerre calls upon seeing Alda walking to the street heading towards her residence so they can go to school together they, are now high-school and college students.

Yerre smiles.

"Yerre..." Alda mumble as Yerre ran towards her, jumped on her, and hugged her tight.

"I miss you!" Yerre said, glad and happy.

'ah... she is heavy... those chubby and fats hahaha, but I still love her,' I thought, struggling a bit.

Alda hugs her back, drowning her face into Yerre's left neck, sniffing, Yerre lavender scent.

"I miss you too," Alda replied glad, to see her best friend not crying anymore.

(FLASHBACK END)

"Yerre, you must be scared right now," I mumbled to myself while holding a paper that falls from my wreck desk.

I looked at the big window with a painful expression, crumpling the paper in my hand in anger.

"Don't worry, I will find that lamp and when I do. I will wish for it to find you right away. Yerre, wait for me..." I mumble, determined as I think of her.

To be continued...