The unfortunate event. Present time.

"Argh!" He is shouting in pain. Twisting and turning on the ground like there's something so painful inside him that he want to get out.

"What to do..." I am crying and trembling as I watch him like that. I want to do something but I'm panicking and I really don't know what to do.

I look at my glowing bracelet.

We need help... please anyone...

I cried louder. "What to do..." I'm looking around for possible things but nothing, I can't do anything.

But... I need to do something. I am the only one here that can help him. I shouldn't be like this.

"Ainoa you need to calm down." I said to myself while sobbing. In trembling hands, I reach for my phone.

I have to call for help, but my hand and fingers are trembling so bad that my phone almost slip from my hand and fall and I can't tap the right icons.

"Ainoa!" I shouted to scold myself and look at Leal who's still suffering in pain. "Hold on, please..." I sob and look at my phonebook. First I need to call the police.

When I dialed 911, a woman immediately answered.

"Yes, how may I help you?"

"P-please help... Leal is-- I-I don't know what's happening and he's--"

"Ma'am please calm down first. Can you tell me your location?"

I look around. "W-we are inside the f-forest near the Ventimiglia AU, I-I d-don't know exactly. Drunk..." I sob. "Guys chasing us e-earlier-- there's a gun. Please Leal need help!" I cried more.

"We will send a search team right away ma'am."

"But it will take too long!" My voice raise because if we will wait I don't know what will happen to Leal.

I don't want another person dying in front of me. Because of me. This is... very similar to what happened to me several years ago. I am saved but... a person will die because of me.

"Why is this always happening?" I end the call and sit down on the ground, crying, as I watch Leal still groaning in pain.

I can't do anything. I'm so useless.

"Don't die on me." I close my eyes and a tear slide on my cheeks and fall on my hand and it made me remember what happened 14 years ago when I was 4 years old.

14 years ago. At a dark corner of the cold dirty room. I am sitting with a boy 3 years older than me, he is hugging me from my back. Keeping me warm while he is enduring the cold. I'm not crying because I know everything will be fine because that's what my brother always telling me.

He is here so I am safe. He will never let anything happen to me, like he always does.

"Are you hungry?" He ask me.

I shook my head and smile at him. "I'm fine... as long as you're here." That's what I always thought.

But... because of me. Because I'm stupid. I...

Killed him.

I open my eyes and I immediately get up and look around. I'm laying at a white bed and there's green curtain around me. I look at my hand and there's a dextrose connected on my wrist.

I'm at the hospital. Emergency room to be exact, I think.

What happened?

The curtain opened and it revealed a nurse holding a silver pad with paper on it. She look behind her and say, "The patient is awake, Doc." Then she face me again and come closer to me. "How are you feeling, miss?"

"I'm fine. What... happened to me?" I stop when I remember the last memory I have.

I was on the forest with Leal while he is--

"Where's Leal?" I ask the nurse urgently. "Who brought me here? I have someone with me! Where is he? How is he?"

"Calm down, miss. You had a panic attack so please calm down." She said softly, trying to calm me down.

"But--" I stop to calm down because my hand is starting to tremble again. I need to get a hold of myself. Panicking will not do me any good.

"The police brought you here, you were found inside the forest. I will check if there's someone with you. Just lay down and calm down, okay? The doctor will be here shortly."

I nodded and just lay down like what she said and calm down. But... I'm still worried. Where's Leal? Maybe he's somewhere here if I was brought by the police. I just hope he's fine. Even I hate that guy, I'm still human to be worried about him. He saved me after all.

I stayed at the hospital that night. I am checked and given supplements but I still haven't seen Leal and when the morning came. The nurse told me that I am brought alone, there's no one with me. It got me worried so I immediately pay my bill and go out of the hospital.

There's a police who interviewed me earlier. He ask me about what happened and etc. I answered honestly and ask if there's someone with me. They told me, they found me alone. It can't be. I'm with Leal. Where is he? It's impossible that he just disappeared like that and he is... not in the good shape...

I called a taxi.

"Ventimiglia AU, please." I said.

But I didn't go to school. I go inside the forest and tried to remember where we go. After minutes of wondering inside, I found the big rock where we hid.

But it's clean. There's no trace that we'd been here.

"What the fvck happened?" I ask myself and get my phone. "It's dead." I can't open it.

Maybe I should go home first. Then I remembered Aurea. Damn, she must be looking for me now. I shut my eyes so tight. I can imagine her killing me if she saw me.

I sighed. I can't clearly remember what happened last night but I'm sure I'm with Leal and there's something glowing, he is in so much pain. My eyes widen when I remembered.

I look at my bracelet. It's normal, but I know last night it is glowing while Leal is suffering from the glowing thing running on his veins all over. What's with this? I tried to take it off but I can't unlock the lock.

What?

I try to unlock it again but it's not moving. It's so tight.

What the hell.

I can't remove it.

"It's broken."

I decide to go home to take a shower and change clothes. I didn't found Aurea here, maybe she's in school now. I will just go there too and search for Leal. I need to know what happened to him. I wonder if Izar notice that Leal didn't come back to their dorm. I need to talk to him.

Yeah, I need to look for Izar first! It's not just because I want to see him, don't judge me, okay?

I go straight to Izar's classroom and talk to one of his classmates.

"Excuse me, Is Izar Sanchez here?" I ask her.

Her eyebrow shot up and look at me up and down. "I don't know. Wait." She go inside their classroom. "Ah, he's there." She said and look back at me. "I'll call him."

I smile and nodded and just wait here outside. In a few moment Izar go out and smile at me.

"Hey!"

"Hi, uh..." I look away. Oh my Gosh! I will talk to him. I can't believe this! But, Ainoa, it's not the right time to be such a girl. But it's awkward, how can I ask him?

"Do you need anything, Ainoa?" He ask softly.

I breathe in and gather the sane me. "Uhm, I want to ask about Leal." I look at him straight.

He's handsome.

“Heh…” He teasingly smirk at me and I immediately get what it means.

I widen my eyes. "It's not what you think!" This misunderstanding again! I'm sure he's thinking that I am spying on Leal because I like him and now I am asking about him. "I have no feelings for him! I will just ask something."

"Uh huh." I knew it. He doesn't believe me. Because he's still wearing his teasing smirk.

"I will not ask about him! I will just ask about something that's related to him." I explained.

"Then how is it not about him if it's related to him?" He ask a little bit sarcastically but playfully.

Err...

He chuckled and pinch my cheek. "You're so cute trying to hide your feelings."

I stilled and feel like my whole face turn into a red about to explode tomato. Why... did he do that?! He have no idea he is my crush and he will do that?! I step back and cover my face with my hand. Oh my Gosh it's embarrassing...

"Ask me. I will do anything that can help you." He said.

I just sighed. I have to focus on my point. "Uhm, last night... something happened to us..." I look away, suddenly getting hesitant to tell him.

His eyes rounded and his mouth fall open. "You... and he... last night... happened..."

My eyes slowly widen in realization on what he understood. "No! It's not like that! Uh, It's! Uhm! Wait!" Argh! This is a misunderstanding! “You thought wrong!" I can't help but shout.

He's misunderstanding! Everything!

"What the... it's so loud. It's early in the morning..."

I froze when I heard his voice. I look at my right and I saw Leal walking towards us. His hand is on his pants pocket while his other hand is on his mouth, covering his yawn. I can almost see the tears in the corner of his eyes as he yawn like he didn't get any sleep.

"Hey! The fvck Leal Santiestevan!" Izar hold Leal's uniform collar tight and angrily look at him. "The reason why you came home so late last night is because..." His glare intensifies. "You have sex with her?" His last sentence turn into a whisper for just us to be heard.

I want to react violently when I heard the term "sex" saying "I will never ever have sex with Leal!" But... I have no time to be shocked on Izar's wrong conclusion anymore. I am so amazed that Leal is here in front of me, safe. My eyes got teary. I feel like a burden lift from my chest.

"Are you on drugs?" Leal simply ask Izar as his answer on its scandalous question.

"You're insane. I thought you don't like her? But what is this? Ainoa is not like your other girls Leal, she is Fei's..." Izar's words drown on silence in my ears when Leal look at me and our eyes met.

His sleepy eyes buried into me, carefully reading me. I blink twice to wake myself from staring at him so much. He will accuse me again of liking him if I won't stop. I look away but... I have this burning feeling inside me. I am very much relieved that he is alright so I look back at him.

He remove Izar's hand in his collar and face me.

I can't hold myself back anymore. I step closer to him and hug him. Tight. I don't care if he accuse me of anything again. I'm just so thankful he's alright.

"Thank goodness..." you're fine.

I felt him stiffened and his breathing turn uneven. I close my eyes and bury my face below his neck. It's hard to explain, I just feel so thankful that he's fine. He didn't die on me. He's fine. I breathe out in relief and when I'm relax I started to notice the beating of his heart. It's so loud and a little fast that mine.

What... am I doing?

I slowly pull away from him when I realize what I'm doing. I am... hugging him. I hugged him! Suddenly! I'm sure he will kick me out of this school and wish to never see my face again because he terribly hate that I like him even I really don't. I shut my eyes tight as I ready myself from his glare and his future insults.

Damn... I got so carried away.

I look up at him, ready for his dark glare but I'm shock on his strange expression. The back of his hand is on his lips, covering it. His eyes is dilated and wide, he's a little bit red but his ears are redder. I blink so many times.

Am I hallucinating right now? He looked flushed.

When our eyes met I realize we are so close, I catch my breath and because I'm still near him I heard and felt that his heart beat faster than it is before, I can really almost hear it like its mine or its mine, I just feel like it’s his?

"Do you have a heart disease? I think it's abnormally beating." I said without thinking. What did I just said? I'm so drown on the depth of his dark eyes.

He turned red than he is before and his other hand hold my shoulder and push me a little. "Don't come near me." He cleared his throat and put down his hands to his pocket and look away, not meeting my eyes.

I slowly breathe out because I've been trying to not breathe while we are on that close proximity. "Uhm... about last night..." Oh my, it's so... awkward.

He sighed. "While we are hiding from the drunkards you suddenly lost consciousness. I called the cops to get you to the hospital because it's such a pain to me. When the ambulance came, I leave to go home. Now... don't come see me again." He look at Izar. "Let's go, we need to go somewhere."

Izar is staring at us like we are some weird specimen so he almost jump from startle when Leal called him. "H-Huh?"

"I said we need to go somewhere."

"Oh... okay." Izar nodded and look at me, then to Leal. He look so confused at the situation and what's happening.

You're not the only one. I'm confused too.

"Let's go." Leal said and turn around to go.

"Uh, see you later Ainoa." Izar said with hesitation and follow Leal, they talk while walking away but I can't hear it anymore.

I blink many times.

I lost consciousness while hiding? His story didn't match mine. Is it just a dream? It didn't happen? Then...

What?

"Ainoa." Aurea called me coldly when we finally met at the apartment.

She's standing in front of the door when I open it and she's crossing her arms on her chest while glaring at me.

I look away and grin big. I'm dead. "Hi, Aurea!"

In my peripheral vision I saw her titled her head. "Do you have eyesight problem? I'm not on that way, I'm straight in front of you. Why don't you look at me?"

I glance at her and my grin turn into grimace when her glare intensifies. "Uh... I'll explain-- Ah! Ouch!" My explanation got cut because she just hit me and I cover myself using my arms so she is hitting the back of my shoulders.

"You got me so worried! You're such a trouble fvcking seeker!" She's saying that while hitting me.

"Ah! Ah! Ouch! Aw!" I chuckled while enduring the pain of her hit. I deserve it. "I'm sorry! Ouch!"

"You're even laughing! You btch! What did you do now, huh?! Do you think it's funny?" She stop hitting me and now facing me with her hands on her waist.

I'm still in defensive stance though. I slowly stand straight and look at her apologetically. "I'm sorry I got you worried, something happened and..." I smile genuinely. "I'm happy you're worried for me."

Her face contorted in annoyance. "Then I'll kill you now." She scoff.

I chuckled so she hit me again. "Ouch! I'm sorry! I'll behave, I'll behave!"

She stops and sighed then look at me seriously. "The last time you're gone for the whole night, the day after that I found you at the hospital with gangsters because they tried to rape you. Now... what happened to you?"

I open my mouth to tell her but I close it again because I remembered that Leal have another story of last night. I think for a while before looking at Aurea.

"I'm not sure yet what really happened but I am chased by drunk guys last night. Leal saved me and we hid." I told Aurea the thing that I'm sure happened.

Her eyebrow shot up. "That lazy jerk? Leal? He saved you? Why? Did he ask for something to you?"

"Huh? Why would you think that?" Damn, his reputation is ruined on my friend's perception

"Because he's a brute lazy jerk. You're always cursing him."

Ahh, because of me. I just laugh. "Maybe, he got a sudden calling of kindness?"

Aurea shrugged and turn around. "I'll thank him for saving you even I don't like him." She said and go to her room.

I sighed. I got inside my room too and lay in my bed. I close my eyes and let my body rest and I'm once again drifted on a dream that I can't explain or understand. A dream that has been hunting me since I was a child.

A girl in her teens. I'm sure she's young but she act and look like a lady, she have brown curly hair and hazel eyes that's defined by her long eyelashes, her lips is heart shape and pouty, while her nose is straightly pointed. She's such a beauty.

She's inside a room that looks like a room of a royal Spanish princess on the past. She is sitting on the chair of her study stable with a journal and pen on her hand. She is crying while writing on it.

"January 29, 1946

Anastasia

I became the head lady on the house. I became a queen in a foreign place. I am fed and dressed like a royal. But the reality is I'm a prisoner. I'm not complaining... I deserve it. I'm just so lonely.

It's all my fault.

I... want to die."

She stop writing and hug the journal. She cried more and sob but there's no noise coming out of her mouth. Her shoulders is shaking and she seems like going to faint.

"I miss you so much." She whispered. "I've been... dying to see you. I miss you." She cried. "I'm sorry... I didn't... loved you. I... regret it. Please come back."

I open my eyes and I felt a tear slide from the corner of my eyes. I stared at the ceiling and let my tears fall on its own.

My heart is heavy and tightening and my throat hurts.

"What really happened to you?" I whisper in the wind.

I close my eyes and remember the first time I dreamed of her.

She is maybe 10 years old then. She's playing at the big garden of their mansion with two nanny whe she met a boy aged 16. His eyes is shiny dark brown, his eyebrow is neat and thick, aristocratic nose pointed to his thin lips. He's handsome like a prince charming wearing a royal clothes.

Anastasia is scared at him. She hide at the back of the nanny when the boy approached him to give her the doll that she throw away. The boy smile when he saw her scared of him.

"I don't like him... his eyes is... something." She slowly explained when her mother ask her about what happened.

Her mother and father laugh together.

"He is kind." Her mother assured her.

When she met him again, she still have the same feelings towards him. She can't stay still, she's nervous and she can't look at him. His aura is terrifying her so she's keeping her distance.

But... he saved her life. She almost drowned on the lake, no one saw her even she's shouting for help. He is the only one who found her and saved her immediately. When he successfully saved her, he shouted at her.

"What are you doing?! It's so dangerous! Do you want to die! If you want to die, don't ask for help! Are you stupid! You're stupid!" He shouted at her.

He is angry at me because I made him saved me even he don't want to. She cried so loud until the house helpers came to them. The boy didn't talk to her again, but when she cried because her friend told her that they are only friends with her because she is the Count's daughter, he was there... to save her again.

"So what if they are fake? Use them as you want. You only need one true friend to get going." That's a very twisted advice but... it saved her from loneliness.

"I want you to be my one true friend." She said.

"You're just a kid." He murmured while smiling with amusement dancing on his eyes.

She pouted. "So? Is there an age limit for friends?"

He smirk. "I'm Casimiro... Ventimiglia."