"Where am I?" looking around me, there's nobody in sight. It's late in the afternoon, the red and orange clouds moved lazily in the sky. "Hello! Anybody here?" I shouted. I looked around. This is getting scarier every second. From a distance, I can see a blonde haired figure.
"Mina-chan?" I ran up to catch her but the more I ran fast, the more she gets away. "Mina-chan! Mina!" I watched as she faded from my sight.
"Serena!" someone called me from behind and I looked back.
"Raye! Lita! Amy!" I ran again to catch up with them but to no avail. What? They were saying something to me. "Raye! Lita! I can't hear you. Wait! Wait for me! Wait for me!" but they didn't wait. They just looked at me as they faded back; waving what seems to be goodbyes. "No! Wait for me! I'm alone! Don't go! Don't leave me!" I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. "Don't leave me! I'm alone!" But I can't catch up with them. I'm too slow. I tripped on a rock and fell down. I tried to stand and run again but my knees are shaking, I couldn't get up. I suddenly felt tears in my eyes and there's no way I can stop them. I'm alone now.
"You're not alone…" I looked up and in front of me, there's Haruka. She held out her hand for me and urged me to stand up.
But I'm scared. I'm afraid that she'll go and fade like the others.
"Come on Serena… stand up. I'm here." She smiled at me a smile of assurance. I nodded and held my hand to hers to stand up. Her hand is a firm one and she strongly pulled me up.
Suddenly, my arm is being pulled heavily downwards. There was lightning and the bright afternoon clouds were replaced by dark and heavy ones.
"Serena!"
Below me is a huge pit of dark abyss, "Haruka!" Haruka is at its edge, suspended in mid-air and the only thing that keeps her from falling is her hand still in mine. "Hold on!" I shouted, concentrated with all my might to pull her up.
"Serena!" I can see her face in pure fear. There were tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Serena, help me! Serena!" I pulled as much as I can and I managed to pull back a little. But then, I could feel her hand slowly slipping from my grip. I saw Haruka's eyes widen in fear, "Serena! Serena help me! Don't let go!"
"Haruka hold on!" I reached with my other hand and she held out her other hand to reach it. The wind is blowing hard as if working against us. "Haruka!" Oh no, I could feel her hand slipping fast. I tried to reach her.
"Serena!" We're both in panic. I'm already holding only to her fingers right now. "Serena! Don't let go! Don't let go of me!" I can't hold on. I can't do anything now. I can't reach her.
Loud thunder clashed in the sky and my hand jerked involuntarily, "No!" The slip is inevitable. She shouted at me, "Serena!!!!!!!!"
"Haruka!!!!"
I can't do anything but watch her fall with my tears.
NO!!!!!!!!!!!
Serena sat upright. 'Walls, white, curtains… where am I?'
"Serena are you okay? Speak to me! Serena…" I saw Darien's face at my side, full of worry. Darien… hospital… Haruka! I remember now.
"Where's Haruka?! How's she? Answer me!" Serena pulled at Darien's shirt.
Darien could almost hear Serena's fears, "Don't you worry now. She's okay, Haruka's okay. Don't worry." He stroked Serena's back and arms to calm her down. She's already emotionally exhausted. "Calm down now, Sere. Everything's okay."
"I want to see her," Serena stood up. Darien could only be thankful that they're in Haruka's room so as to prevent Serena from walking around too much.
Serena looked once again at Haruka's form. Like before, still it is lifeless. "I'm just thankful that you're alive. Hold on, Haruka. I won't let go. I won't…" Serena whispered to Haruka's ear and gently held her hand as slowly drifted off to sleep, "I promise…"
* * *
Haruka slipped from under her car. She just finished doing her weekly check-up and is pretty satisfied to know that her car is doing pretty well. She stood up, wiped some dirt from her face and then poured herself a glass of ice cold water, "Hmm… nice drink," she poured herself another glass.
"Soda! Ice cold soda!!!" the soda man yelled from the streets. Haruka smiled to herself and ran outside the house. "Hey soda!" she grabbed some money from her pocket and the soda man gave her soda just like a normal exchange.
Haruka walked back slowly, sipping from her soda. She stopped short and looked at the sky, "It's getting dark…" the sky is a mixture of purple, red and orange. Haruka could see from a distance several birds already flying home to their nests. Cold breeze passed her form, taking away the exhaustion of the day. Suddenly, a rumbling noise disturbed the peaceful scene. Haruka grinned; it's time to call for pizza.
She sat at the table, a whole pizza and a can of soda in front of her. 'How convenient,' would often pass her mind. Haruka hasn't been a very good cook even though she lives independently. She decided, cooking isn't just for her. She prefers take-outs than having herself poisoned by her cooking. Well, it's not really that bad. She's able to make herself some basic foods but she can't live on eggs and toast all her life!
"Sometimes, being alone could be so bad," Haruka told herself loudly. She doesn't know where that thought came from. It just went out by itself. "Hn, maybe subconscious thoughts." Then she stooped short from chewing her pizza. "Serena…" Haruka may have lost her family but she became pretty contented with having Serena around. Sure, there were times when she was deeply saddened by the fact that she is alone, especially during important occasions, but her friends in Tokyo filled them pretty well.
A grin spread across her face. She stood up and dialed on the phone. "Hello!" she recognized Serena's voice on the other line. "Hey Sere! Let's go out tomorrow. It's been a long time!" Haruka slumped on her favorite huge bean bag and put an arm behind his her hand, "I miss you!"
"Yeah I miss you too," silence," but… I can't make it tomorrow."
"What? Come on Sere. We haven't gone out for weeks! We saw each other, right, but we didn't do something then. And besides, that Darien is a bummer. Please…"
"Umm… but I have a quiz coming up."
"Quiz? But you don't have classes tomorrow. Don't tell me you're gonna study the whole day."
"Umm… yeah?"
"You're impossible! Serena? As in Serena Moon? Studying for a whole day for a quiz?!"
"But if I don't I will fl—"
Haruka doesn't want to hear more excuses. She put down the phone rather heavily. "A quiz!" Haruka shouted, "She dumped me for a quiz! When did Serena became interested in quizzes?!" Haruka's blood almost boiled in her veins. Serena has been neglecting her for the past weeks. Haruka tried asking her if she could bring her home but said that she has to go to the library. She tried lunch but she was with Darien. She tried a day affair to have a break but said that she's going out with Darien and some classmates. "Boys, school… and now a quiz?!" Haruka couldn't believe it. "Excuses! Excuses!" she walked past the dining room, knocking a chair rather violently. It made a crashing noise that echoed Haruka's frustration. "She couldn't even call me to say hi!" Haruka made her way to her room and banged the door. She threw herself onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, tears impending to fall, but she angrily brushed them away.
* * *
Serena opened her eyes slowly, waking up from her slumber. She stayed still for a while and blinked for a couple of times when she felt something covering her. Serena sat up and saw that it was an extra blanket from the hospital. She looked up and saw Darien on a chair, his neck strained in an awkward position as he slept soundly. Serena noticed, Darien must be tired. 'I shan't have let him stayed. How insensitive of me…'
She gazed once again upon Haruka's peaceful form. It isn't always that she gets to see Haruka in her peaceful form. She could remember her as pretty aggressive if not quiet. Oh, and definitely not to forget her mischievous acts especially in the field of teasing Serena.
"Don't say that you're not a good friend. We both know that you are a good person. Wait until Haruka wakes up and she herself will tell you that."
'Maybe Seiya is right. Perhaps I should stop crying around and just be strong for Haruka now.' Serena noticed a strip of light coming from outside the blinds. "I'll just have to accept Haruka's hatred after this. I'll worry about that later. What's important now is her life…" She smirked at herself as an idea suddenly flashed across her mind, "I guess it's time for some… things," and left the room smilingly.
* * *
Darien opened her eyes and felt an odd pain at his neck and back. He must have fallen asleep on the chair. He massaged his neck for a while to pacify the pain. When he looked up, he saw Serena and a sweat drop appeared on his head, "What are you doing?"
Serena licked the tip of her fork before looking at Darien, "Oh Darien, you finally woke up." She forked a fairly large portion of the cake on her plate, "You want some? You must be hungry now."
Darien stood up with question marks on her face, "What are you doing?"
"I'm just eating my favorite chocolate marble cake. It has strawberries on top and a load of choco fudge just around. Want some?" Serena put a strawberry in her mouth and uttered a loud, "Mmmm…" for emphasis. "I'm just enjoying myself for a while. I just realized that I haven't eaten for hours."
"You're not worried anymore?"
"Of course I am, silly. I just decided to just be strong for now. I wouldn't be able to make Haruka well with my tears anyway. I'll just have to commit suicide after Haruka curses me when she wakes up." Darien's eyebrow twitched at that, 'Is she serious?'
Serena stood up in front of Darien, fork with cake in hand, "Try this Darien. It tastes better than any cake in Tokyo!"
"No, no... I… I'm not hungry at the moment," Darien shook his head but still rooted on his spot.
"Come on, Darien. Haruka wouldn't be too happy if you refuse her best friend's offer," Serena extended her arm to directly feed Darien with the cake. Darien shook his head and managed to take few small steps backward. "I know you're hungry. Just give it a try. Or else…" Serena wasn't able to finish her sentence. She tripped on a life-support machine cable and tumbled forward with Darien, the fork, and the cake.
* * *
"Damn that Seiya!!" Haruka punched the wheel with an angry fist. She wasn't able to sleep well last night because of that guy that Serena introduced to them last night who keeps on haunting her. She thought, Seiya would again add to Serena's list of excuses. Haruka defended her thoughts by saying that she's only protecting Serena but jealousy drowned all her defenses. She has always been keeping her cool but she felt as if she's going to burst.
"Shit!" Haruka suddenly remembered that she has exams this morning and she's running late!
Nearing the intersection, Haruka could see the orange light. She stepped angrily on the gas, determined to beat it on time but to her great distress, a black Ford suddenly swerved to her lane, blocking her chance of beating the light. Heavy traffic greeted her next, "I'll be late! Damn you Seiya! Damn you Darien! Damn everybody!!" Haruka would let the car fly if only she could.
She turned on a corner to take a shortcut. The path is narrow. She followed the road with speed until she noticed a slow moving car in front of her. Haruka blew her horn endlessly as the car before her crawled ever so slowly like a turtle. She always hated sluggish movements especially in driving. What's worse now is that driving along a narrow highway makes it risky to overtake. "Wake up and drive, slowpoke!!!" Haruka angrily shouted at the driver who seems to ignore her complaints. Hell, she would be late for class and her exams!
Finally, her patience snapped and she angrily swerved to overtake the turtle car. When she reached the driver's side of the other car, she furiously shouted, "To hell with you, son of a bitch!!!" as she pointed a mad finger at the man who seemed to deliberately ignore her.
Haruka never saw it—or heard the bellowing sound of the horn. When she finally did, it was already too late…
* * *
There was a sound of fork and plate crashing on the floor. Serena opened her eyes to find herself face to face with a man, her lips joined together with Darien!
* * *
CRASH!!!
Haruka woke up with a start and the first thing that she saw was Darien lying on his back with Serena on top of him, kissing him right on the hospital floor. "Ugh! God, just let me die…"
