24

Haula's POV:

I search round with my eyes but I can't find her. Fortunately for me I am just done and waiting for the next band to come up.

Where could she have gone? I just saw her.

The next band comes in as I walk away from the stage searching round the crowd one by one, but I still can’t find her. My heart begins to race.

I just left her here.

"Mom," I call going deeper into the mall. I call and call but I can't find her. I would have called her if my phone and bad wasn't with her.

"Mom are you there?" I call again as I hear noise coming from a corner.

The mall is full but not like other days, as most of the people are at the show.

"Haula?" I hear someone call my name, as I turn back but it isn't my mom. "Haula right?" A lady in an army uniform approaches me.

She holds a gun in her hand which scares me as I look at her from her face to the gun.

To say the lady looks normal would be a lie as she is really pretty, has nice eyes and her complexion fits her well with her uniform.

"Yes, who are you?" I ask as she comes closer when I notice a guy with her also in an army uniform, but this time I recognize this person but I can't recall where.

"Haula," The other guy call and then I remember.

"Mathew?" I call. He's Theo's friend one of which I remember from their stay here. I drift back a bit sacred, as seeing two soldiers at the front of you isn't really the best sight to see.

"We're not going to hurt you, Theo sent us," The lady speaks. I should have known.

They are with Theo.

"What happened to him? Is he alright... I just saw him," I blab.

"Yes that's true, but then he got caught up in something and asked me to see to your safety," The Lady speaks.

"My safety, what do mean?" I ask as she moves closer.

"We can't talk here, just trust us even if you don't trust me, you know Mathew right?" She asked and I nod.

"Good, I'm Lisa, a friend of Theo. Can you come with us?" Lisa asks.

"I wouldbut I can't find my mom and I can't leave her, what if she comes back and she doesn't find me." Mom will be back soon, maybe she just went to the restroom.

"Don't worry about your mom, Theo already took her, we are going to meet her now." Mathew cuts in.

"What is going on? You guys are scaring me," I'm only trusting them because I know Mathew and I want to see Theo.

"You're safe now, please come with us, we are not supposed to be seen here. Theo will join us soon, I promise" Lisa speaks. I looked at her and then to Mathew contemplating if I should go or not,but they said my life is in danger and Theo is with them, so is my mom.

"Okay." I nod and we head to the ground floor. Lisa opens a door and my mom came out.

"Mom?" I run straight to her. "Haula," She hugs me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Theo said I had to go with him that I wasn't safe and he was going to come back for you," She replies.

"So he's really here?" I ask.

"Yes, and I don't know what's going on but it’s not good," Mom says as my breathing increases.

Lisa tells us we had to leave that place which we do and go to the semi-ground floor. The whole place is filled with soldiers, as my eye moves from right to left looking at them all standing in a stance or something.

"Sorry this isn't the best environment, but you two will be safe here. By the way I'm Lieutenant Lisa, there is Captain Steven, he's from here." Lisa explains as I just stare in confusion.

"What is going on?" Mom asks.

"That is something I'm going to have to explain," She replies.

"Captain is everything alright? We are in position, Haula is safe too." Lisa speaks but I don't know who she is talking to. I stare at her in confusion as she looks at me and pointed to her ear.

"That was Theo," She speaks. Captain? Theo is a Captain? God there's so much I don't know about him.

"Where is he now?" I ask Lisa.

"Okay let me explain everything to you." Her hand goes to her ear, before turning back to me.

"We traced a very dangerous terrorist here and Theo is with him right now but don't you worry we have him covered." Lisa explains and my heart begins to beat faster. "And there's also something else I would like to tell you." She stops looking at me for permission to go on, which I do.

"Theo and I have a very close relationship, so that means we tell each other stuffs. I mean I know about you and him," She stops and I nod for her to go on.

"Theo is one of the most honest and faithful guy I've ever know and judging by the way he talks about you, and I mean he talks about you a lot, every day. How he misses you, how much he loves you and how much he wants you to know everything about him, but he was scared, he was scared that if he told you, you would have left him.

But I swear to you, Theo is madly in love with you, everything he's done is all because of you. Where he is now, is so he can repair the damage he has done, a damage that wasn't his fault.

So please don't give up on him, I know he had no right to lie to you but don't judge on that. I've never seen him so restless and hopeless before in my life until you, he doesn't know what to do, so he told me." Lisa concludes.

Wow, I... I'm speechless, I didn't know Theo cared about me this way. "I... I never knew he felt the same way. I only pushed him away because I thought he was playing with my feelings, but you have to believe me, Theo is the only man I've ever loved and I'll continue to love.

He completes me, he understands me and I love him so very much even if I never told him that. Right now I don't care about some stupid lie, I just want to see him." I say as Lisa looks at me in awe and a smile creeps onto her face.

"Thank God, now I have someone to talk to than that idiot." We both chuckle. "Thank you very much Lisa for this." I tell her.

I instantly like Lisa as she seems like a very good friend to Theo.

"Well he deserves someone like you. Oh and don't worry I'm so going to kick his ass when I see him for lying to you." She laughs.

"I would love that," I laugh also. I turn to see my mom just staring at us not saying a word. I decide not to talk as I let her process everything. I know she's not in support of me and Theo but maybe she might change her mind, just maybe.

"I guess now you'll want to know how he ended up there?" Lisa says and I nod. "Just don't say anything until I'm done talking please," She says.

"Okay." I agree and she begins.

Lisa explains everything and by the end of it, I have tears in my eye.

"Is he crazy, why will he go and meet alone with someone like that? Someone that almost ruined his life," Lisa tells me about Vladimir, the disease and all, but my shock is why Theo will go and meet him all alone.

"That was the only way he could get his answer from him, Vladimir is smart and he wants something from Theo. Nothing will happen okay, he wouldn't let it, even if anything does happen that's what we are here for." Lisa speaks as she helps me from panicking.

"I don't care Lisa, I just want him to come back, there's a cure right he could just leave and you guys could catch him," I talk fast as Lisa taps her ears again, as I wonder what's that about.

"It doesn't work like that, if Vladimir releases the bacteria not even you can survive it with the cure and also not him. He'll come back to you I promise." She assures me as I start to relax.

"Okay you heard him guys let's move." Lisa speaks as the soldiers got ready. Ready for what?

"Where are they going?" I ask.

"Backup," She explains I don't know what she means and I don't want to know. "We'll bring Theo back okay? Stay with Steven." She says before they rush to leave to God knows where.

Steven is her with his team I think, as Lisa had explained to be protecting us.

I'm so scared right now, I want to see Theo to tell him how much I love him, to kiss him. I want to do everything with him.

"Haula," Mom calls.

"Yes mom," I answer beginning to feel lightheaded. I can't stop thinking about Theo and the fact that he is in harm’s way. I just want him back.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" I realize she's talking about Theo. "I'm sure Mom," I tell her holding the discomfort I am feeling inside.

"If that's what you want I’m..." I can't keep up to what she is saying as my insides starts to turn and my eyes dizzy.

"Haula?" My mom calls as I open my eyes.

"Mo..." I try to say, but my legs felt too heavy to carry my body and they fall on the floor into a bridge of darkness.

*****************

My fingers tickle by the touch of something in it, my eyes feel heavy to be open as I tried to move parts of my body but I can't.

I can't hear nor move but I can feel. I can feel a touch on my face, a familiar touch, but I am too weak to see it.

Suddenly my ears begin to open as Ihear the sound of a machine, words being said, but I can't keep up with it, then I heard that voice and everything in my body awakes.

"You see I fought for you, and I will continue to fight for you, because I love so much Haula, you're the only thing that makes me what to live another day in this world that I live, please don't leave me all alone, come back to me. I love you. " That voice wakes me out of laziness as I feel his hand touch my skin.

Theo.

I felt his hand move away as the touch disappeared. It takes all in me not to think this is a dream and I hope it isn't. I felt his hand down my hand leaving as I stop it and hold it in mine.

"I love you too Theo," I speak as my eye shines open seeing the most handsome man my eyes has ever laid on.

There he is standing in his ash shirt and army trouser looking, disheveled, but still as handsome as ever.

"Haula," He speaks as a smile cowers upon his face. Oh God how I've missed that smile. I hold his hand tighter in mine as I try to sit upright.

Theo sees my trial and helps me up sitting better. How I missed that touch, it’s been like forever but it was just weeks.

"Sit with me," I pat the space next to me as he plops over.

"I'm so sor..." He begins speaking but I stop him by moving closer to him making sure I am close enough, before smacking my lips on his.

I hold him closer making sure I'm touching every part of his, as I kiss him. It takes some seconds but he responds, kissing me back and putting his two strong arms on my face savoring the kiss.

"I missed you so much," I whisper to him as we pull apart. He doesn't say a word as he rushes in and take my lips in his again, this time my hand goes into his hair as his hands caressed my waist feeling every part of me.

"Do you know how scared I was?" He breath husky as we drift away. I breathe heavily as I bow my head in his chest and played with his tag on his chest.

"I don't care if you lied to me, but these few days has made me realized how much I'm not complete without you," I raise up my head staring into his blue orbs.

"I'm so sorry Haula, I don't mean for you to find out that way, I wanted to tell you but..." I cut him off again.

"You don't need to apologize I know everything now, Lisa explained it all to me." I tell him.

"I know she did, but let me apologize please, you deserve it. I'm sorry. Throughout those days without you I felt miserable, I love you so much that I can't even think clearly at times, its only your name that seems clear to me. Forgive me." He says.

I look at this man and how lucky I am to find someone like him, a lot of guys these days wouldn't even care to apologize, but this man right here drops his ego just to apologize. I'm never ever letting him go again.

"You're forgiven. If I don't forgive you, I'll be an idiot because I'll be throwing the only man I love away. I love you so much Theo," I tell him holding his face in my hands looking at every beauty of him. "No more lies okay?" I tell him.

"No more lies." He agrees as he pulls me closer to his chest and looks at me like he is never going to get enough of me. He leans in closer as his hand travels around my waist, while he strokes my cheeks and lock our lips.

We move in sync enjoying every swift as I kiss him harder getting all those kisses I haven't been able to get all these weeks.

"Theo...Oh... I'll come back later," The door opens as I releases myself instantly while I bury my head in his chest and his hand strokes my waist. I can’t turn to look at the person because I am too shy to. They just caught us kissing.

"Come in Lisa," Theo replies as he chuckles. So it's Lisa. I turn immediately as a smile appears on my face, seeing how happy she looked.

"You know I could come back and you guys could carry on, seems like you were in the middle of something interesting," She teases as I bowed my head in shyness.

"Oh come on like you haven't seen worse," Theo argues.

"True." She chuckles. "I just wanted to see how you're doing but seems to me everything is perfect." She speaks to me.

"Thank you Lisa, I mean for everything. And I'm doing okay," I reply back. Lisa has been so helpful, I don't know how much I could thank her.

"Now you'll make me feel shy, anyways I gotta go." She says as she is about to leave when my Mom comes in.

"Haula," Mom calls as she comes in. "Mom."