A woman in her 30s found the perfect top that would complete her sporty outfit for a club she has recently joined. She cheerfully went inside one of the four fitting rooms adjacent to each other. She was about to take off her blouse when she felt a painful squeeze in her chest and suddenly couldn't breathe. The sporty top she was holding fell from her hands. She felt her chest tighten as her right hand kept on rubbing it as if to ease the blocked air passage. She wheezed heavily while breathing in and out and trying to take all the air she can get to survive but her lungs didn't pave the way. She quickly opened her shoulder bag and took out her bronchodilator.
~
Betha's earsplitting shriek lasted 60 seconds just like the first and second time that Apollo has experienced it. Even with his ears covered, it hurt in the strangest way it could. It felt like his eardrums exploded but once the shrieking stopped, it felt like everything will be fine again. And it did. Betha transformed back to her beautiful form and regained her consciousness. She looked at Apollo who removed his hands from his ears. Betha's worried face made him get up instantaneously to appease her seemingly shocked state. "What the bloody hell…" she uttered with a panicked voice.
"It's fine now, Betha. You're back." He cupped her face and guided her to take a seat on the mini sofa.
She looked around the small space with white walls, a life-size mirror and three hooks protruding on the wall beside it with her rainbow tee top hanging. "We're in the fitting room."
Betha covered her mouth in disbelief and uttered with wide eyes. "We're still in the mall."
"Yes."
"I can't believe I transformed here. This is crazy. I could've been exposed."
"But you weren't so it's fine now. I'm sure people heard your shriek though, but they may have been too busy covering their ears to even locate where it's coming from." Apollo's reassuring face calmed Betha. He sat beside her and lightly tapped her shoulder.
"People have the ability to see me but with my cloak, nobody else can hear me except the people who know me."
"Wow. It's good that you have your cloak with you then." Apollo suddenly looked excited. "Let me tell you…it was amazing how it was a grey pouch at one point then it suddenly became a cloak. That was awesome, Betha." He gave her a thumbs up.
Betha let out a big smile then a soft laughter which didn't take long as she stopped with a serious look on her face. "A woman is dying. Let's find her." She quickly stood up.
Apollo couldn't believe he had forgotten the reason why Betha had transformed; endangered life within five kilometers always triggered her banshee form. He should remember that, he thought.
They were on the fourth fitting room adjacent to three more rooms. Betha checked each room; two were vacant but the first one was locked. "She's here."
"The dying person?"
"Yes." She knocked on the door. "Go get help. Hurry."
Apollo did as he was told and in less than two minutes, the shop's male manager who was holding a bunch of keys unlocked the door. When it finally opened, a woman was lying unconscious on the floor. Her face was damp with sweat and her lips were blue. Her lifeless hand must've dropped the asthma inhaler that was resting on the floor.
Betha, Apollo, and the manager were joined by spectators as the shop's employees and customers huddled by the fitting room to find out what happened. It didn't take long before the paramedics arrived, and the woman was carried to the ambulance. Betha and Apollo couldn't take their eyes off the patient. A petite woman in dark navy uniform approached them. "Were you the ones who found her?"
"She did." Apollo said.
"You're a heroine. She could've died if she stayed longer. She had severe asthma attack and it was possibly coupled with ischemia, a silent heart attack. I need someone to come with me to fill out a form."
"Oh, we don't know her." Betha said.
The sporty shop's male manager approached. "It's okay. She's a valued customer and we have her information. Her daughter is on her way to Springland Hospital."
"Alright then," said the paramedic woman. She then left with her team to tail the ambulance.
Betha and Apollo looked at each other then went back to Daylight Avenue without saying a word. Betha broke the silence. "I haven't bought the rainbow tee."
Apollo looked at her with a smile. "Let's go back to the sporty shop and I'll buy that rainbow tee for you."
"Seriously?" She giggled.
"Well, you're a heroine. You deserve a treat."
Betha liked to be called a heroine but she didn't feel like she was. If it weren't for Apollo, she would've let that woman die so she can take her jewelry; her earrings, pearl necklace, and bracelet were all that she could think of when she saw her lying on the floor. There was no doubt that woman was wealthy. She could still remember how much she suppressed her emotions when she got dazzled by the sight of her Baroda pearl necklace. That thing was worth millions of dollars. She couldn't seem to move on with the fact that she almost had it if the circumstance was different. Nevertheless, though she loved jewelries, money and all the luxurious things it could buy, it was more important to get rid of her ugly banshee form. Betha thought, "Apollo is the only key to that. He thinks I'm a heroine, so I'll continue to play that role until he falls for me."
"I don't know about being a heroine." She responded humbly after a moment of contemplation. "But I do want that treat." She smiled.
They both went back to the sporty shop and bought the rainbow tee top. Apollo could tell that Betha loved it.
They decided to resume their date at a steakhouse called MeatLovers. The smell of grilled meat made their stomach growl. The waiter led them to a vacant table and ordered their Meat Overload, the restaurant's specialty -- pork, beef, chicken strips, java rice, and gravy.
"You know it's only been a few days and a lot has happened already. This all seems like a dream to me. I mean. You saved two people and one dog in three days. You're something." Apollo said as they waited for their sumptuous meal.
Betha didn't realize that it has only been a few days until Apollo mentioned it. "Well that's strange. It felt like I've known you forever." She giggled.
"Really? Betha, don't make me blush." Apollo said jokingly but the real words that he wanted to tell her were, "Betha, it's only been a few days, but I think I love you." He shunned that thought because it would be crazy to let her know that during their first official date.
Betha laughed and thought to herself… "I think I'll kiss him tonight. If he dies, then he loves me. If he doesn't, then I'm just gonna have to wait a bit more."