Azie's POV
Walking for about twenty five minutes in complete silence makes me felt at ease for the moment. I guess I really needed this one to think straight.
Maingat ang bawat hakbang namin habang pinapakiramdaman ang buong paligid. Both our weapons were placed in front of us incase someone jumped out of nowhere.
I heaved a sigh before Gifflet himself broke the silence.
"There it is." He pointed in front of us to what seems to be an old gas station.
It almost looks abandon if its not because of these four 90's model cars hanging around the place. One still at the service center shop.
Dumiretso kaagad kaming dalawa ni Gifflet sa gas pump saka pinuno ang galloon na aming dala. I left it running since its an electronic thing making me sure it knows when to stop filling and roam my eyes around.
"Azie." Gifflet called. I shushed him and made some gestures which he immediately respond with a nod.
The place is eerily creepy and I think this is quite alive before everything happened.
I carefully walk towards each cars and cautiously peep inside.
Everything inside is clean and empty.
I smiled at myself when I found a car with it's keys still inside its ignition. I opened the car trunk creating a little noise which made Gifflet jumped. I smirked when I saw him glaring at me.
"Sorry." I mouthed still smiling. He's cute when he's scared.
"Put it inside after you're done." I told him when out of the corner of my eyes, I spot something move inside the gas station shop.
I draw my gun in front of me making Gifflet flinch a little. I slowly walk towards its direction when Gifflet stood in front of me blocking my sight.
"What are you doing?" He asked, eyebrows shot up.
"What's wrong?"
"I saw some movement inside." Wika ko saka sya nilagpasan ng bigla nya akong hawakan. I took a deep breath.
"What.are.you.doing?" Matigas at seryoso ulit nitong tanong sa pangalawang pagkakataon at mas lalong pang humigpit ang hawak nya.
I removed his grip from my arm while my eyes still focused inside the shop.
"Stay here. I'll go check inside." Hinawakan nya ulit ako kaya humarap ako sa kanya saka kinasa ang dalang baril.
"I have this, don't worry. You guard here." He didn't say anything and so I started to walk towards the shop and peek on the transparent glass. I felt a presence beside me and I rolled my eyes.
"You're not going anywhere without me." He said before making his way in front of me and stepping inside the shop. The door creates a ringing sound as it hit the bell above the door frame.
We immediately and cautiously draw our weapons in front.
Gifflet and I stop and listened for any movement inside and around us. I admit, I'm getting nervous making me gripped my gun tight.
Because of how big the store is, the sun's light doesn't shine the whole room. Idagdag mo pa ang abot hanggang ulong mga stalls kaya hindi mo talaga malalaman kung may tao bang naka tago kapag hindi mo tinalasan ang pandinig mo.
*crack
Mabilis naming naitutok ang baril at flashlight namin sa direksyon ng ingay. The sound came at the very corner of the shop where all the drinks and refs were plastered.
Gifflet pulled me behind him and put his finger on his lips. I nodded.
We cautiously walk towards it.
"W-who's there?" Gifflet moved quickly and showed himself. I watched his reaction from horrified to a calm manner.
"He-help me.." I walk towards him still drawing my gun as my eyes searched for what he's looking and there I saw an old man lying on a pool of blood.
I slowly put my weapon down.
He's semi-bald— if that's what you call it, and injured wearing a white lab gown.
"P-please.... he-help me!" Mukhang sagana pa ang sugat nya dahil may isa pang katawan na wala ng buhay ang naka handusay 'di kalayuan sa pwesto kung nasaan sya.
"You... you have t-to help m-me.." I don't think he's bitten because I can't see any bitten marks, I think he got shot by the person lying dead beside him.
"Hey..." I called out and crouched in front of him when he suddenly grabbed my arms in an aggressive manner.
Shit.
Arius's POV
After Dwarf and Gifflet left, I can't help but to glare at the thing in front of me.
"Woah there dude, baka mabutas na ang bag mo dahil sa sama ng tingin mo." I heard Dearil jest making my glare avert from my bag to him. He held his hands up.
"What?" He said in a defensive tone. I just heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes.
I don't like the feeling of Dwarf being with Gifflet on God-knows-where that gas station would be.
"Calm down bro. Azie will be fine. She's with our best buddy, you know." Dearil said. He's right.
I know Gifflet ever since we're in diapers. He's like the back of my hands.
Our parents and his were actually best buddies on their highschool days alongside Dearil's on the same university where we're studying. Like why not when it's my grandma— Dad's mom who owned and founded it?
Gifflet and I bonded for as long as I can remember then Dearil came together with Kaliya— her dad is my dad's business partner because aside from being a university owner, he also runs half of the business his family inherit to him, grandma and grandpa.
Although I know Gifflet very well and the he is a good guy and he's never been a playboy unlike Dearil here who let's say, dated almost half of the school's cheerleading squad. I can't help but to feel offended of him for something he didn't even know he did and I don't also know why.
Before this outbreak happened, when everything's still well, Gifflet, Dearil and I were Football players. We've been playing it since we're eleven up until now.
Apparently, Kaliya on the other hand is a school cheerleading captain. Making the four of us more popular. We're like the school's jock and a popular group.
"Shut up Der." I said in annoyance making him chuckled.
"What?"
"Are you... jealous?" He asked.
"What?! Hell nah! Who you saying jealous, man? No one's jealous 'kay?" I replied in a raised tone making him laugh even more. I looked at him.
Man, I can't believe this dude can even laugh like this in the middle of the end of the world.
"Easy, easy. I get it. You're not. Don't have to raise your voice like a girly girl." He nodded.
"Speaking of, gotta help them out." He pats me on my shoulder and walked away leaving me with Kaliya.
"Hi." Kaliya greeted me with a small smile. I just stared at her.
"So, what's the two of you talking about?" She asked.
"Nothing." I said. Because right, we talked about nothing. I felt her became uncomfortable.
"Arius.." She started and I know I'm not ready for any of this.
"Look, I don't have any time for this Kaliya. Things were already getting more complicated, please don't push it more." I pleaded and saw hurt from her eyes.
I just can't help. Kaliya and I we're not a thing. She might think we are because of what happened last night, but no. We aren't.
I mean, Kaliya and I had a past that only lasted for a night which happened last night when things are still under control and only the four of us know.
We've attended a party, we played a game, became drunk and wasted, we kissed and that's it. No sex or anything because hell, she's almost like a sister to me!
And I am an asshole for kissing her and thinking she's someone I like.
When the boys knew what happened, of course they got angry at me. The four of us treated each other like a family already. Brother and sister.
But I explained everything. We played a game. Truth or Dare. Hell, I choose Dare and it just happen. You know, when you're drunk you can't control yourself. That's not an excuse. Drunken state of mind is a fucked up situation where you do things you aren't even aware you did when you're sober enough.
And I'm a big jerk for that. Except that I'm well aware of my actions. But fuck this. It's still, all my fault.
From that night, I learned that Kaliya like me ever since we're kids, but I just can't return the feeling she has on me.
"Stop badgering me with your flirty actions because I don't have any thing towards you. You're my best friend. You're like my sister." Dagdag ko pa. I know I'm hurting her but I think it's better this way than give her false hope or mixed signals which for me, only meant as a friendly concern.
And she knows pretty well who I liked. She's just staring at me, looking like she wants to tell me more instead she smiled at me. Not the one that reaches up to her eyes.
"Yeah. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. Well, I just wanna say that, I hope we all get this together." Is all she said before leaving me and going back to where the others were.
I'm a freaking jerk for hurting someone who likes me, in this way.
"I should be the one to say sorry... We'll get through this." I mumbled watching her walk away.