May

"Hello? Who is this?" 

"May! It's me!!!" Darah exclaimed from the other end of the phone. She sounded much more joyous compared to her old self now that May noticed. 

"Wait, is this your new number? How many numbers do you have for real?" May asked in doubt. 

"I missed you!" Darah cut off her questions and sighed in relief. 

"Aw… I-I did too." May smiled on the other end. 

"In fact. I fucking missed you so bad that I kept calling you from that other number you told me not to save, you dumbo!" May continued in a fit of madness that Darah sensed her voice breaking in between. She could hear her sniffling just a second after. 

"May? Are you okay?" Darah kept a hand to her chest. 

"Of course I'm not! You just vanished into thin air with that broken phone of yours! I wanted to see you badly. But it's ok I'm fine now…" May wiped her tears and smiled to herself. 

"No you're not fine! Tell me what happened!" 

"You already know." May broke down again. 

"It's him isn't it!? Like father like son-"  Darah said so, knowing full well that May's boyfriend had a single father who was a big fat cheater. She felt so bitter at herself. I couldn't support her because I was stuck here. But how can I tell her what happened? 

"Darah…" May cried painfully. She should've listened to her long ago to end her toxic relationship. It went on for years and years and she kept coming back to him everytime he apologized for being mad at her or even obsessive. She thought it was love… until he cheated just recently. 

"I'll sound like a clown if I told you I never expected him to fucking cheat. But I already look like one now…" May tried to put on a fake smile but she couldn't even do that now. She instead went towards the mirror and looked at her horrible self. Her 'lover' had messed her up to that point. 

"I'm going to meet him in person to settle things today. You coming?"

"You bet! I'll teach that motherfucker a lesson..." Darah furrowed her brows. After a while of talking, she placed down her phone and sat over the bed end. She proceeded to retrieve all of her emails and numbers, social media but with new ones, which was suggested by Ryu. If she stuck to her old ones, it wouldn't be long before those men caught her again. 

But they will get to me one day. What I'm doing is only earning more time till that day comes. Darah looked at the ceiling with a stubborn gaze. This time, I'm not alone. Needless to say, she was beginning to have faith in Ryu. He wasn't a trained assassin for nothing. Good or bad, I have to stay alive. For my sake. 

She opened the door and strode out placing the black phone into her purse. She stood in front of the mirror and contemplated putting on a mask. Great job! You're stepping out on your own after a long time and you're already afraid! She facepalmed. Grabbing her purse tightly, she walked towards the stairs and was met with a happy looking Ruo who then looked confused at Darah's pretty dressed figure. 

"Are you going somewhere child?" 

"Ah yes! To meet a friend!" 

"Is that so?" A familiar sound came from the entrance. It was Devin but looking different in his casual clothes, as if he came here to relax. He looked at her up and down. Why so dressed up all of a sudden? 

"You sure come here a lot…" Darah said a tad bit louder than she thought but then closed her mouth feeling embarrassed. 

"Of course I will. This was supposed to be my home but Ryu took it away from me in a bet." He smirked. 

Darah gave a lopsided smile to that. They have bets over multi-million dollar mansions? Nice…

"Not just that. It's the weekend so I thought I'd see him, but it looks like he isn't around." Devin turned around in confusion. 

"Oh… He'd told me he was heading for a meeting. I don't know when he'll be back." 

"Alright alright… By the way, are you heading somewhere?" He raised a brow. 

"Uhm yes. To see my friend." 

A small smile lit up Devin's face. What a brilliant opportunity. Furthermore, it comforted him more that Ryu wasn't rough on her anymore even though he heard the news of what had happened back at her place. Maybe they were finally on the same page. 

"Luca!" He called out firmly. 

"Yes sir!" Luca appeared from outside the door and stood behind him in a stiff position. Devin threw him the key with his back to him and ordered "Get the car ready!" 

"Yes Sir!" Luca hurried outside.

"Wait where are you going?" Darah frowned as she followed Devin.

"Not going. We're coming with you!" He said cheerfully with a wide grin. 

"No wait I'm going to meet MY friend! Why are you coming!? I can go by myself!" She followed him outside with puppy eyes and pointed at her dusty but okay bike at the side which was brought back here after she went back to her rent house that day to grab her materials. 

"In that almost dead bike of yours? No.  And also, your friend!? Darah remember? We're friends too. So your friends are my friends too."

She squinted at his goofy smile as he got into the backseat of his Mercedes Maybach and made himself comfortable. Guess I have no choice… Darah got in too. She felt fancy all of a sudden, looking at the interior and turning her head here and there. One could tell she wasn't surprised but still not quite used to such a rich lifestyle. 

"So, who is this friend of yours?" Devin asked all of a sudden. 

"Oh. It's May. She's been with me since college." She looked at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. And she's also the girl who tried to set you up with me by pretending to be me but let's not talk about that. She felt a smile creep up to her face thinking about that. Oh the things May would do to find Darah a man. They travelled for about an hour and reached the street across which was May's boyfriend Ashton's house. 

"Stop here." Darah said softly while looking out of the window. At a little distance ahead stood May, hands folded over her chest as if she was in mourning. 

"You can stay here right?" Darah said hurriedly as she got out of the car. 

"I can come-"

"It's not a request." Darah smiled with zero emotions in her eyes as she gazed at Devin. She wanted to be alone with May at the moment. What if she started acting all giddy seeing her with Devin and mistook them!? So Darah rejected his idea to step out.  He took it as a hint to not bother her further. Who knows maybe it's something that'll be over with quick. 

"Fine them Ma'am. Go on." Devin smirked as he leaned back into his seat.

"Good." Darah whispered and strolled towards her friend who looked lonely in the corner near a tree. She went behind her, placing a hand over her shoulder. 

"May…" Darah smiled but the next moment, she was engulfed in the tightest hug ever. 

"My baby!" May cried and smiled at the same time, squeezing Darah tight in her arms.