Before June

Before June: Fifteen✓

“I need to leave, Mrs. Vanidestine,” she teased. I’m not even married! Yet she’s calling me Mrs. because she saw the ring on my finger earlier. Though the ring didn’t come from any man, it came from Cleo, my brother. It’s a luxury gift from him so I value it the most because I know he spent all he saved to buy it. But I rarely wear it because I might get it lost. I promised to him that I won’t get it lost, no matter what and she got it wrong. Kie thought that I’m already engaged to an unknown man she’s talking about.

I frowned. “I’m not yet married!”

“Not yet? So why are you wearing a ring? Oh, so it’s just an engagement ring. That’s why it's ‘not yet’ because you’re not married yet, just engaged.” She giggled, eyes shining. “When will be your wedding? Invite me, okay? Promise, I will bring you both a gift!”

I lightly smacked my forehead out of frustration. “I’m not getting married, I’m not engaged, and I don’t even have a boyfriend!” I corrected and frowned. “And who the hell are you talking about?!”

“The handsome man with you in Boracay,” she replied and acted like an innocent child who committed a crime that her parents caught. Shoot, I’m sorry Elm! They thought you’re my boyfriend again, lmao.

I groaned and crossed my arm. “Cheez. He’s just my friend. Alright, enough, shoo! Just go!” I said, pushing her away so that my world will be peaceful again. She just laughed at my frowning face and stepped back while raising both hands in the air.

“Okay, okay! I’d better leave because it looks like you’re about to throw me out, literally, of your hotel room,” she said while laughing out loud.

I invited her to have lunch here at the hotel so that I could have someone with me, which I would not have done. She did nothing but annoy me! She’s just the same as Elm. Both annoying, ugh.

“See you when I see you!” she said with a wide smile on her face and headed to our hotel room. I stood up to escort her to the door and turned off the movie we were watching first.

I jokingly rolled my eyes at her. “See you never!”

I opened the door for her as she stepped outside. She stood up straight. I can’t help but admire her, she’s so pretty. She was a few inches taller than me, with a very slim body, red lips, rosy cheeks, and an artistic face that whether female or guy couldn’t resist to look at her. Aside from that, she is also a good person and very friendly.

She just chuckled softly and ran towards me to hug me tightly, I also hugged her back while laughing. It was like our last hug. I feel like she wants to say something but she can’t say so she just hugged me tightly. I feel the sadness in her warm hug, I don’t know why it’s supposed to be happy. Maybe because we won’t see each other for a long time that’s why she’s sad or maybe for some other reason that she wants to tell but it’s f*******n. Nuh-uh, maybe I’m just overthinking again but she can visit me at the hospital if she wants so she won’t miss me that much.

We talked a little while walking toward the elevator. We talked about a lot of things like dreams, life, opinion, work, etc. It was fun. I admit I’m happy around her, she’s straight to the point person and I like it more than a fake company. Even though she’s the opposite of me, we still get along with each other in a way that I thought it’s impossible since we’re so different. She’s a friendly, hyper, and energetic while I’m an introvert and I don’t know how to talk to people.

“Take care, Lorei.” She waved her hands as she smiled at me before the elevator closed, but my forehead knitted when I saw a teardrop in her cheeks. What was that? It’s like I want to stop the elevator from closing and wipe away her tears, I don’t want someone crying because of me or something. But I got the urge to stop myself and just let her go, it’s already too late and she needs to take a rest.

By the time I got to my room, my forehead was furrowed because of what was happening. She even told me to always leave a light in the hotel where I was staying when I was alone, she said that I should always close the windows and curtains at night, she also said that I make sure that the windows and doors are locked properly. It was overwhelming yet confusing.

I shook my head and took a deep breath, maybe he was just worried that a thief, kidnapper, or bad people might come into my hotel room and hurt me. Yeah, that’s it. Maybe I’m just overthinking or being anxious at people’s actions around me knowing that there are these dark disciples of darkness that are scattered around and they can attack me whenever they want, it’s scary.

I shivered when the frightening smirk of the man in black back then registered in my mind. Thankfully, I never encountered one again and I don’t want to encounter one of them again, they’re scary. I sat on the couch and just watched TV to wait for Elm. Maybe he will come now because our flight to Tagaytay will be later. He just makes sure he goes home now because the money that I spend for our flight to Tagaytay is no joke. Otherwise, I will punch him in the face even if he will get a black eye from me.

I waited in the living room for a few minutes but he was still gone so I was a bit disgusted. Since knowing me, my patience is too short to wait for a couple of minutes like this. I don’t want to waste my time on useless things, my time is gold, and I manage it wisely. I have also arranged my belongings and his so that we can leave straight away. I also wear my mask and gloves for protection.

“Yow!”

I looked lazily at where that voice was coming from. “Oh, you still came back?” I sarcastically mumbled and acted surprised but also immediately frowned. He’s so annoying. “You shouldn’t have bothered to come back, we’ve been late for our last trip so let’s not just go. If we go, the airplane will leave us.”

“Don’t get mad, I’ll take care of it. We’ll continue our flight.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “How?”

He just smirked and took our suitcase and bag so I could do nothing but stand in my seat. He pulled my waist closer to him, my eyes widened and my mouth went open in shock. What was that? I immediately hit his arms and looked at him sharply but he just grinned at me.

He started walking straight while holding our suitcases and bag. My mouth opened again when I saw we were no longer in the hotel, we didn’t even check out. We were already outside the airport, there were lots of people as usual. I didn’t realize that he was gone so I pouted, he didn’t even wait for me!

“Hey! You used magic, didn’t you?!” I scolded and lowered my voice so no one can hear us, I might even be mistaken for a lunatic. “Can we just use it so we can arrive at our destination immediately? Also less money?”

His expression becomes serious. “No, it’s too dangerous, and I want you to experience the tiredness after a long trip and impatience of waiting a few hours to get to your destination because that’s what travel is. You have a lot to spend, our magic is not made for travel or whatsoever unnecessary things. We used it to protect others from harm.”

I scratched the back of my head. “You’re so serious, I’m just kidding!” I scowled when I remembered something. “If you only used your power to protect, what emergency have you done these past few days? Is there a problem? Who did you protect?”

If they’re just using their magic to protect, what did they do in these past few days? He’s not going anywhere if it wasn’t that serious or urgent. He will not leave me alone on our trip for nonsense reasons, I know him.

“It’s not that important, just an emergency meeting,” he said but I didn’t believe it. He’s too bad from lying. I know something is going on, there is probably no emergency meeting that will last two days. This just means that he’s hiding something and my curiosity is killing me again.

“I am on the side, by the window,” I immediately said and sat down first to make sure I was there. I heard him protest but of course, he couldn’t do anything because I was already sitting down. I laughed in my mind.

“By the way.” I turned around and looked at him. “When will I meet them? Didn’t you say that I will also meet your group mates?”

“Soon,” he shortly responded. I nodded as an answer. I’m excited to see and meet his team, he’s the team captain or boss to their team. I wonder how he leads them. Is he scary, funny, or something?

“Anyway, I met the girl who took us a picture in Boracay earlier. Her name is Kieran Valdex and she’s so loud, irritating. Though I enjoyed her company, irritating but fun,” I told him how irritating Kie is.

I also told him what we did earlier and what happened when he was away except for the sick CF girl who came up to me and even gave me a flower and we even held hands. We would definitely be back at the hospital in no time when I said, I still want to travel so I didn’t say. He was just laughing as I told him Kie’s teasing of me, I also said they were both annoying.

“I imagine you with a smoke coming from your nose because of anger.” He laughed.

I rolled my eyes and just looked outside. Annoying. The sky was dark and the small lights coming from the houses below were clearly visible from the plane and it’s so beautiful, one of the most beautiful sceneries I’ve ever seen. They are like stars in the sky when they shine.

I want to be one of the stars in the sky when the sun comes, I want to be a light in the darkness of the people and I want to guide them and give them comfort through the darkness. Since I could not convince myself that there was hope in the dark I would just tell them, there is still a way out of the darkness. Like the sun we will stand and shine bright and we will also sink but there’s still the moon guiding us in the dark.

Hopefully, the peaceful dancing light from the houses below is just as peaceful as it looks inside. I wished that the people who are in the dark now and crying because of what they are going through in life would be filled with love and hope in their hearts. I prayed that God would ease their pain and guide them through the ups and downs of their lives. I hope that they will not be consumed by the darkness and will continue to shine like the stars in the sky, even though it is very dark around them. Shine bright like the star in the night sky.