Chapter One

I was drumming my fingers on the bed and eating my popcorn while watching the anime Love Live. I was in the part where they are performing Snow Halation and I'm currently singing along it.

I was about to sing aloud when I heard a loud bang outside. I stopped eating my popcorn and my heartbeat immediately picked up its pace at the sound.

He isn't going to visit today. He's supposed to visit next week. And I don't have anyone who was scheduled to visit me this month.

The only thing left is...there are bad people in my house.

I gulped, feeling my throat tighten at the thought. He has taught me some self-defense, but I was too lazy then to listen.

Should I call him first?

I reach out to my bedside table to call him but felt nothing. I looked around the room while hearing the crashes downstairs, and I remembered that I charged my phone at the kitchen.

I cringed at myself for my stupidity. Why the hell are you so lazy, Nia...

No choice, then.

I inhaled to calm myself down and pull out my fake (but still sharp) katana that was chilling in my bedroom for years and the necklace that he gave me. He told me that it could protect me from harm. Obviously I didn't believe it, but because of him, I still wear it everytime.

I opened the door and silently went down the stairs, being careful with my footsteps. I can still hear the crashes getting louder the lower I go. Judging from the sound, I can tell that they're in my study room.

I tiptoed towards the landline at the tip of the kitchen table and tap the number three for a while, then the number one. They're the emergency numbers in my house, where the number three is the police and number one is my friend(he forced me to get his number on speed dial number one.)

I took a deep breathe and tried to silently walk to the entrance, when suddenly I see a black wall infront of me. Out of shock, I step back a few steps and fell on my butt. I look up, and find a scary-looking man looking down on me.

"No!" I raised my trembling hand and point the fake katana to him. "Please don't hurt me! I haven't done anything to you!"

The man looked behind him and seemed to sign something with the movement of his head. I looked too, and saw several more men, then I realized that the movement of his head meant that he found something.

The men surrounded me, and I crawled backwards, unable to stand up due to my whole body trembling. "Please...please don't hurt me..." I say, my voice as soft as the wind.

"Don't worry, miss. We're not going to hurt you," a deep voice said. I look up only to find a man larger than the others, with a noticeable slash on his forehead.

"You're...you're not?" I asked hesitantly.

"I already told you guys. If you find a person, do not intimidate them," the man said, talking to the other men.

"Sir yes, sir!" The men said in unison, which kinda shocked me because of the volume of their voice.

The man looked back at me, "See? They're not going to hurt you," he said.

"But...what about you?" I asked, using the wall to help myself stand up.

The man chuckled, his deep voice reaching the deepest I've ever heard. "I'm afraid not. Miss, we're just looking for something very important."

"Oh," I said, completely standing up now. "Then, will you please let me out of the man-prison here first?" I said. It's better to secure an exit first.

The men immediately dispersed the circle and let me out. I inched to the kitchen door that leads to the outside while talking to the man.

"So...what is it that you're looking for, wrecking my whole house at the process?" I said, looking around the house. The men mimicked my actions, and I walked a few distance closer to the door before their eyes came back to me.

"Oh, sorry about that," the leader said. "We're looking for a necklace. It's a crystal necklace and it is important to us," he said,

"Okay," I said, realizing what he's looking for and start inching to the door more desperately. "Would you get it at all costs? Even killing a person?"

"Yes," the man affirmed. "Even killing a person."

After that statement of his, I sprinted out the door, running for my life.

After Nia ran out the door, the man stood there for a while in confusion. He was about to call her loudly when he saw a glint in the air that seemed to come from her neck, and he realized the reason why she's running.

"Go after her! Do not let her go at all costs!" He ordered, running after her first.

The men behind him responded to his order and ran to the door, while the man was left behind. He narrowed his eyes and called someone on his phone.

"It seems like we found it. But we're going to have a little trouble obtaining it."

"Get it. At all costs. You all know what kind of price I'll give when I get the thing in my hands," the voice from the phone said.

"Yes," the man said respectfully and heard the phone click, indicating that the voice from the other side already hung up the phone.

He lowered it and put it in his pocket, a dangerous light visible in his eyes.

After I ran, I jumped over the fence and over some more obstacles. I'm glad I listened to him when he taught me parkour, because it is definitely useful now.

I ran and ran, and after a while, I heard footsteps also running behind me. I tried to run faster that I overcame a biker and, somehow, a bus. I think it was running slow.

I panted and stopped at the middle of a crowded intersection. Where was he? Why did he even tell me to make him the first in my speed dial when he can't even come to me quickly?!

I glanced around and my eyes widened when I saw the men across the street. I looked at the lights and saw that it only has five seconds left to cross, so I quickly crossed to the other place, making a wall of speed cars between us.

I looked around, and I caught my breathe when I saw him. I was about to run to him when suddenly, I heard the most abundant amount of sounds in my life.

A bang.

Glass breaking.

And him calling my name.