"Hi, Miss Beverly!"
I smiled at Miss Heather and remember what we planned not to look suspicious to the bodyguards and driver who obviously work for my mother.
"You have to act like we've been friends for months and I had not been seen you for weeks. We should hug each other and hand me the cards with my new identity to not look suspicious."
"Yes. I got it, Miss Beverly. I promise not to tell this to your mother."
"Also... Please send to me my school credentials with my new identity. In case I plan to go to school there."
"Yes, sure, Miss Beverly. In a day or two, I will send the document to you."
That's impossible, though. I can't enroll in any school. I know that I ain't famous for being an actress but I'm famous for being the daughter of my mother. People can recognize me.
I wanted to pull it off but something in me is stopping me.
"Miss Heather! It's such a long time since I saw you!" I walked closer to her.
"Come on! It's just 3 weeks! Don't be so dramatic!" She laughed but I didn't respond. She's good at this, huh. I looked at the bodyguards and they were also looking at me so I raised a brow.
"Did she just call me a dramatic?" I looked at Miss Heather. I pouted when I saw that she seems nervous and she might be thinking that is not an act anymore. "But I won't get to see you anymore after this!" I faked a cry and hugged her.
I tapped her back to give her a signal. Then I felt her hand slide the cards on the pocket of my blazer. I smirked. I like this girl.
"You can call me, you know," she tapped my shoulder as well before letting me go.
"Fine. But when I visit you, don't make me wait for a second!"
"Of course, I won't!"
We said goodbyes to each other shortly and I finally get in the car. I quickly slid the cards inside my bag without anyone looking.
"Into the Lipa City, Batangas, please," I instructed and smiled at the driver and the bodyguard beside him when they looked at me through the front mirror.
I looked at the buildings passing by through the tinted window of the car. I wonder if this is really meant to happen? Am I really that girl who deserves everything that is happening right now? I mean, yes. It has an advantage to be free from them but do I have to... I sighed and looked down while playing with my fingers. I did everything that I can just so they could be proud of me but-
"We're already here, Miss Beverly," the driver suddenly announced. I looked at him, confused. We're already here? Then I glanced outside and saw the sign that says, WELCOME TO LIPA CITY, BATANGAS!
The grip on my bag tightened. Why are you hesitating? Stand up and face the truth, Dilly. You can't run away from this. It will still hunt you even if you choose to stay with them. I closed my eyes tightly and breathe heavily. Fine, let's do this.
I went out of the car and wore my sunglasses with my bag clanging on my right arm. I glanced from the hotel in front of me to the bodyguard and gave him a signal to help me with my things. He nodded and carried my things. I checked in for the night since I'm going to that place tomorrow afternoon when it finally cleaned out by the caretaker I hired.
Money isn't a problem to me, anyway. Instead... The problem is how can I survive?
I threw myself out on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I've been telling myself for a long time that I can survive without anyone's help. But now that I'm actually living alone and experiencing it myself, I wonder how long can I endure this all? I sighed and sleepiness dozed me to sleep.
Everything's going to change from now on.
I told myself and let myself believe that again. But nothing changed at all. I roamed around the house that my brother gave me slowly as my tears fall to the ground in every step I make. I, am still a lonely girl. I, am still feeling so sad and in pain every time I remember a memory with him, whether it is a good one or a bad one.
"Just what is this place?" I glanced at him before turning it back on the house in front of us.
"This place? This is where you can hide in with your future boyfriend incase that our parents are against with your relationship with him. Don't worry, I'm always on your side," he said and even winked at me as if it is something he can joke around.
"What?!" I stumped my feet as a protest and was about to talk when he started walking away. "Sigmund!" I called him that made him stop and looked back at me with his narrow eyes. I couldn't manage to contact his eyes so I looked away and played with my finger which I was hiding on my back. "I mean, BROTHER Sigmund, I don't need this house since as you can see, I don't have a boyfriend and will never have an interest on having one. It is not as if it is a key through the things I wanted to do, anyway. I can live without a man," I explained but he just stared at me like a statue. He didn't even blink once.
"Who knows?" he answered to my long speech, finally breaking the long silence before starting to walk again.
"Wait, hey!" I picked up his pace and blocked his way. "By the way, why didn't we get inside the house?"
"Because it's not yours anymore?" He smirked that made my jaw drop before ran fast.
"Sigmund! Brother! Sigmund!"
"Tsk. There's nothing special here but you want me to live in here?" I laughed with my face, damped and wiped my tears off. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm just going to live in here for a while. And it's true, though. I need no man. Unless, he's the key to my success?"
It took me days or even weeks before I finally decided to go out from the house, trying new things, learning new things, and letting myself have fun.
I was preparing for a jog when I accidentally dropped a box and saw a small teddy bear inside it.
It was the teddy bear I won in an arcade and gave to my brother-as a gift for everything. It already has burnt on the left side of its ear because of what happened that night but I still kept it because it's something precious more than everything I have right now.
I bit my lower lip and sighed. I slowly arranged it back to where they are used to be inside the cabinet and finally went out.
It was already dark and the breeze was cold. I didn't wear a hoodie jacket because I thought I was already used to the coldness. But I then realized that the air from the aircon was less than colder than the actual breeze at night.
I should get back and just jog tomorrow, I guess.
I was already heading back to my house when I suddenly got bumped into someone. But he wasn't the one who caught my attention... It was the teddy bear that fell from the stranger's hand which looked very the same as the teddy bear I saw in my condo just a while ago.
"Sorry," he apologized. I just smiled, distracted from what I saw.
But I was more distracted when my eyes darted to the guy who looked like... him and was leaning onto the wall of a convenience store.
Am I dreaming? Is that guy really my... No way. There's no way!
How could a dead be here?