Ruzzel's POV
Aliyah had been driving for so long and honestly, I don’t have any idea where are we going.
I tapped her shoulder. I know she will get angry but I need to ask.
"I just wanna ask where are we going?"
"I don't know either! If you want to get down just say so!"
“Can I suggest where can we go? Tatsi’s band has a gig tonight, we can watch them if you want to.”
“Alright then, tell me the place.”
Seriously? Did she want to go there?
Okay, after I gave her the address, she continued driving.
We arrived at the bar in just no time. We saw Tatsi and his bandmates occupying a table so we approached them. They are not yet started playing so we still have time to talk. Aliyah and Tatsi seem to have their world. They are discussing a lot of things and I may conclude that this girl is fond of bands reason why she is kind to Tatsi. Or, hmmm... Perhaps it’s just better if I haven’t introduced them to each other.
After a while, Aliyah said she needs to go first because something came up with the frat so she needs to go to the hideout.
She’s in a hurry so she runs fast as she could..... Together with her is my heart that she took away as well. Hahahaha, just kidding.
Aliyah's POV
Arriving at the hide-out, Patrick immediately greeted me.
"Aliyah, someone has been looking for you. She mentioned joining our fraternity. She requested that you must personally do her initiation. I already explained to her everything but she still insisted.”
Who the hell is that girl? Is she out of her mind?
"Where is she?" I asked. Maybe I should meet her as soon as possible.
"In the living room, waiting for you."
A familiar back sight of a girl sitting on a couch- that’s what welcomed me.
"Excuse me..." I am now trying to get her attention.
She immediately turned her direction to me.
And I was startled.
So I was right, it was her.
It was Joana Margaret Sison.
My best friend.
But,
I lost her several months ago.
I never expected to see her again.
Not again.
Not here.
Not anymore.
Please!
Pain is all I can feel, now I am seeing her again.
My heart badly knows how I missed my best friend but I just can’t hug her. I can’t go back to the past where she plays a huge role in my life. I am trying to hold back my tears, when in the first place... I shouldn’t be crying. Since I've become a frat leader, I pushed her away.
"I want to be a member of this frat," she said seriously then she bowed her head.
It hurts seeing her that way.
"I want to be a part of your life again," she added in low voice.
She's crazy! Joining a fraternity is not the type of her personality. A smart, decent, kind girl doesn’t fit for troubles.
"We're not looking for a new member anymore. You can now leave." Then I turned my back on her. I can’t talk to her anymore. There’s a part of me that wants to explode. I badly missed her but I just can’t throw away what I have right now. The frat? My stoned heart? My whole being? I think it's more precious now than in my past.
My love for Joana as a best friend? that has not changed. But I know, her life will be ruined if she comes with me. So she is not allowed to enter the kind of life I have right now.
"Aliyah...." she ran our distance. She hugged me then started crying.
I closed my eyes. But I couldn't stop my tears from falling. I'm having a hard time... I don't want to hurt her so I don't want her to enter my new life.
"I badly missed you, Aliyah. My best friend. My only best friend. Please come back to me ..." she continued to cry.
I shook my head. I do not want to go back to the old Aliyah. The weak Aliyah. The Aliyah was dumped and left broken by Lewis. I don’t want to become that kind of Aliyah anymore.
I turned my back again.
'I am Sorry Joana.' is all I can whisper.
“Aliyah..”
No, please.
For one last time, I heard her cries.
I heard her sufferings.
I heard her sadness.
"I'll never give up on us Aliyah.." And every memory that we had ... the sweetest one, the happiest, and even the saddest, it continued to have a flashback on my mind. I feel weak again and I hate this feeling!
I have to be strong!
Remain strong! I have to continue living as the new Aliyah for the rest of my life.
"DO NOT EVER DO SOMETHING THAT MAY HARM HER! DO NOT TOUCH HER! LET HER LEAVE THIS PLACE SAFELY.” it was my command to the frat members before I could finally get out of the hideout. In that way, I could protect a friend. A sibling rather, because truth is, she is more than just a friend.
The moment I stepped out of that room, I finally let go of the chance to be with Joana again.
I immediately got on the motor and started to drove fast.
This time, I did not hide.
I did not hide all the tears that wanted to fall. Let them fall freely. Don’t try to catch them...give them freedom.
I went straight to the park. I do not know why my feet brought me here.
I sat on the grass while still crying. Good thing, no one sees me. I have no one else with me.
I heard a live band playing in a distance. And it looks like they wanted to tease me, the song they were playing, I and Joanna’s theme song.
The heavy rain suddenly started to fell but I did not bother to stand up and look for some shelter. It was cold. But nothing is colder than what I did to Joana.
I cried even harder.
I don’t have any idea how long I’ve been sitting on the grass but I just suddenly felt that it was not raining anymore in my place.
I looked up and saw Ruzzel.
There he is, holding an umbrella.
"Because you are crying, heaven is also crying with you." He said seriously.