In the midst of silent night, a controlled but heavy breathing could be heard.
'Wells, don't look back, focus in front and run as fast as you could,' the young girl muttered to herself to lessen her tensed body.
Every lamp post on the road turns off after she passed away from them that doubles her adrenaline. She shook her head and enhaled deeply when she felt someone's presence at her back.
She almost lost her breath when she saw that the man behind her wears a black hoody and a mask. Turning around made her want to shout but the man is faster than her, so he held her mouth from making unneccessary noise.
"Hey, it's me. Ronald," the young man chuckled as he release her mouth and removed his mask.
"You almost 'killed' me, are you aware of that?!" she emphasized the word killed as she look at him like she want to do that to him.
Right on there spot.
"Take it easy," he said while raising both of his hands as if he is surrendering to the police, "I just recognize you when you runoff passed by in front of me. I realized where you are heading so I followed you and tried to call you but it seems that you can not hear me," he explained then putted down his hands and inserted it in his ripped jeans' pockets.
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes before turning around and walk.
Without the man's knowing, she made a few flicks of her fingers and after that all the off lamp posts lighted. One by one.
"What was that?" He asked while looking at the lamp posts with amusement and shock in his eyes, "Anyways, why are you running a while ago? I don't think it's because you are going to be late. As long as could remember our time in is 12 o'clock, so we still have 15 minutes before that," he narrated with curiosity while trying to copy her every step.
"For a man like you, you surely are talkative," she said nonchalantly.
"Well, not all man are silent and for a woman like you, you surely are closemouthed," he countered then diverted his gaze to where we are heading, "Night shift is really convenient, especially to students like us who wants to study in the morning and works at night. On contrary, it is so tiring because you can't get enough sleep everyday…"
They did not have a long walk and instantly arrived at their destination. The two separated as the guy chose to use the comfort room before he change to their uniform.
"Good evening, Wells!" the young girl almost beat the girl who suddenly popped in front of her face while smiling widely— she is already in their uniform; pink above the knee skirt, white polo shirt, white high knee socks and, one inch black shoes, together with her signature hairstyle, high ponytail.
"Gosh, you're really a beauty!" she said while scanning her from head to toe after she has completed wearing their unifrom, "Anyway, let's go already. Lots of coffee are still waiting for us! Aja! Fighting!" she cheerfully said then pulled me out of that room to start the work.
It was already 12 past 5 when she arrived in front of her doorstep and held her doorknob. To her surprise, it was open but she eventually shrugged because she had a habit of forgetting to close her door.
May it be before leaving or while inside.
"Happy Birthday, Rosewell!" confetti's and balloons welcomed her sight when she enter her apartment, obviously showing her family's effort.
Red, black and white balloons could be seen in the surrounding matching with the fairy lights. Her eyes stop on the smiling face of her 'family' waiting for her to step forward and come near to her cake.
'Yeah, I almost forgot that it is my 17th birthday today,' she thought in her mind and smile to herself in her mind.
"Happy birthday to you…" they sang in unison and claps with delight while her Papa Lock is coming near who holds a cookies and cream cake with lighted candle on top, "Make a wish! Make a wish!"
She took a time on staring at their glowing faces before she decided to close her eyes and make a wish, 'I wish them to stop on chasing me,' with that being said, she blew her candle and open her eyes that matched the sky to empasize the brightness of the full moon — pitch black.
"Happy birthday!" her Papa gave her a hug with his left hand holding the cake carefully and cherished her back using his right hand.
"Thank you, papa."
"Happy Birthday, Rosewell!" "Happy birthday, dear!" Her Momma and younger brother, Julio, cheered and hugged her tightly.
She thanked them lightly and let them go before she would get out of breath from the tight hug.
"Time for eating!" Julio cheered then energetically run towards the dining table where the foods are, "Did you know sister that I could already recite the table of multiplication? My crush congratulated me because of that…"
The whole dining table was filled with laughter and life because of the kid's stories including the times that their Momma disciplined him.
"Did you know sister that Momma pinched my ear in front of my crush? How could I get her heart if she was laughing at my pretty hurt face?" the child's face looked so down.
The middle aged man laughed while the woman whom he have complaints pinched his ear again.
"They still want to catch you, do they?" the celebrant came back from her deep thinking when the who took care of her ever since she was young spoke beside her.
They both looked at the mountain view that they could see from the balcony of her apartment.
"Well, they can not stop unless they want to end their lives," she said jokingly with her voice and eyes void of happy tone.
"I know right?" He then sighed while looking at nowhere, "And we all know that you could not run away from them forever," he took a sip from his tea and added, "Life is really hard especially for those who still can not accept the destiny they have to face. We don't want you to leave us but what could we do aside from accepting the truth?"
"I should be the one who should be thankful. Thank you, because you raised me well and made me happy while staying here," despite of her cold tone, the man felt her sincerity and smiled at her.
"No need to thank us. It was an honor to have you as our daughter for the mean time," he said with so much emotions in his eyes while looking at her, "But, did we really make you happy?" he asked seriously that made the young girl tried hard to smile and ending up on smirking, "I'm just joking, I know you mean it," his happy face changed into frowning one when her wife came in the scene.
"Why are you asking her like that?!" she scolded my papa, "Don't mind what he have said, my dear. I know that it may not be shown in your face, you are truly happy inside your heart —," she was stop on her sentence when she realized her word and sigh with frustration.
Maybe because she was lost of words, she just came near to her 'daughter' and hugged her tight.
"Look who should mind her own words," the middle aged man quickly left us when woman picked up her cup on the table, ready to throw the hot tea to her husband.
In the young girl's mind, the scenario was worth laughing at but she could do nothing to make her feel happy in her heart and face.
"That bastard," she hissed then turned her gaze back to ger her blooming eyes became suddenly gloomy, "I hope this day won't end because I'll miss you," Momma Celine's hug to her tighten that made her close my eyes and cherished her warm hug, she would surely miss that.
"Why you'd grow up so fast? You should have stayed as the young girl who can not go out without me!" she added as she held both of her chicks and looked at her eyes with so much love, "If only I could keep you by my side, I will."
"But you couldn't," Rosswell blankly stare back at her and held her hands that was on her chicks, "And it is okay, I will be fine," she tried her very best to smile back to her but to no avail.
The middle aged woman saw her struggle and couldn't help but to burst out her tears.
When the afternoon came, her family left her and she took a sleep the rest of the day. Only to find out that it would be her last time on that bed.