**ROSEANA**
My chest felt heavy as I made my way to the crowd. The road I walk is familiar. The men who were drinking on the side of the road looked at me, but they did not try to approach me.
"Macy, it's me, Roseana." I knocked on her front door, but I heard nothing in response. I just found myself being carried here by my feet. It was the only place I could go. Besides Macy's, I have nowhere else to go. She is the only person I know in the city.
I heard footsteps coming towards me. "Your friend moved out last week. Didn't she tell you?” asked the fat woman who owned the apartment Macy was renting. Her thin eyebrows furrowed, forming a deep line between her brows, as she gazed at me. Her expression made her look scary and poor, the opposite of her attitude.
I gently shook my head. Macy hasn't contacted me since the last time I visited her. We didn't talk after that. I wonder what happened.
"Did she mention to you where she moved?" I asked daringly.
The woman shook her head. "She left in a hurry, so I didn't ask her where she was moving to."
I nodded at her. I didn't even stay long in that place, and I said goodbye to her. Sighing, I fished my phone from my pocket. I bit my lower lip when Damon's ten missed calls dawned on me. I didn't realize that he was calling me. My phone is on silent.
My feelings only got heavier upon seeing his caller ID flash on the screen. He is calling me again. I watched how his call ended and did not attempt to answer that. I closed my eyes tightly and looked up, trying my best not to let the tears in my eyes cripple my cheeks.
I dialed Macy's number. I thought she wouldn't answer my call. It took her a while while to answer my call, but she answered. "Roseana, hi." I heard her sweet voice on the other line.
When I heard her voice, my tears flowed like the flu. My earlier refrain from crying didn't happen either.
"Roseana? Are you okay?” Maybe she heard my sobs. "Are you crying? Where are you?" she asked nonstop. Worry is itchy in her voice.
"I, uh," I couldn't speak. I am hyperventilating. My words are swallowed by my constant sobs. I clung to the wall when I felt the spin around me. I closed my eyes tightly. I can feel my sweat mixing with my warm tears.
"I'm at your boarding house. The landlady told me that you have moved.” Instead of answering her question, I muttered. I tried to calm myself despite the shaking of my knees and my sudden dizziness.
"I will send you my new address. Do you want me to fetch you? You don't sound fine to me, Roseana." Even though I'm not in front of her now, I can tell she's worried about me. Her voice tells me that she is.
I slowly opened my eyes after a minute. I calmed down a bit as I felt better. I dried my tear-soaked cheeks when I noticed the curious look that people passing by on the street were throwing at me.
"N-No need, Macy. Just wait for me there at your house," I answered.
I was about to end the call when I suddenly remembered something. “Macy?"I bit my lower lip when embarrassment swallowed my whole body.
"Yes?"
"Can you... Can you wait for me in front of your house?" I mumbled. "I, uh, I don't have money to pay for the fare."
I felt so belittled. I feel sorry for myself. Since when did I ask someone to cover my fare? I used to be stressed; I lacked money, but I never got to the extent that I would ask someone to pay for my fare just because I didn't have a single penny with me.
Why do I feel crushed right now? I feel like I'm sinking.
"I understand. It's okay, Roseana. I know that your brain is overthinking right now. I am assuring you that it's okay. You don’t have to worry about it, hm?” she reassured. Her voice was soft and soothing.
"I'm sorry, Macy."
"For what?"
"For the inconvenience." I looked up at the sky to stop myself from tearing up again. I don't want to cry again in front of so many people.
"Stop it, Roseana. You know I never thought of you like that."
My lips curled into a small smile despite the tears forming in my eyes in the tone she used. She sounded like a strict sister scolding her younger sister.
When I got in a taxi, it was pouring heavy rain. I watched as those who were drinking on the side of the road drank and went into their houses. People seek shelter from the rain.
Every time I leave Damon's house, it always rains.
I just closed my eyes and let myself relax. My body felt so heavy. I'm not sick, but I don't have the energy to move all of a sudden. All I want is to lie down and sleep.
"Have you eaten?" That's what Macy asked me immediately after she paid for the taxi I took. She anchored her arm around mine and led me into her new residence.
It is also an apartment building. The only thing that makes it different from the previous place where she lived is that this place is safer and cleaner. I don't see any men drinking.
I just nodded to her question.
"What can you say about my new place? Better, right?” she said with a wide smile.
I agreed. "This is way more decent than your previous ones." I looked around.
"Wait until you see my room," she said excitedly.
Her cozy living room opened up to me. Her new apartment is not very big, but as I have said, this is decent. I wonder how much she pays monthly here.
I saw a room with its bathroom. The kitchen is clean, and the living room is also cozy.
"So, care to tell me what happened? Why were you crying?” she asked me after she sat me down on the couch. I breathed a sigh of relief when my butt met the soft chair. I was walking a while ago. My whole body aches.
"I fought with someone."
She looked at me, amused. "Oh, this is new to me. It's not just the fact that you fought with someone. It is also about you having someone.”
"Who is that someone, if I may ask?" she asked, intrigued by my mention of someone.
I can't tell her it's Damon, right? Even though I was upset about the words that Damon had said, I still hadn't forgotten our agreement.
"I... I can't tell you," I stuttered. I averted my eyes from her. I felt guilty for not telling her. He has helped me a lot. We consider each other the best of friends and my only friend. Yet here I am; I can't even tell her the reason why I am crying pitiful.
"I met someone. Remember when I was on the run after Cedrick found my location? He saved me.”
"I thought you couldn't tell me? You don't have to pressure yourself, Roseana. I understand," Macy said genuinely. She probably thought that I was forced to tell her that because I felt indebted to her for helping me.
I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll just leave some information in honor of what I and that person agreed on keeping from others.”
"As I have said, I met someone. He helped me.”
Macy listens to me attentively. She handed me a glass of water, and I accepted it.
"He took me to his house. He gave me food, and shelter, and he even gave me clothes. But I, uh, I guess I angered him? In the heat of our argument, he said some hurtful words. That's mainly the reason why I ran away."
I tried to make my story short. Reminiscing about it made me weak, and I suddenly felt like crying again. Macy was silent for a few minutes. Maybe he was trying to cover up what I said. I didn't tell him everything, especially not in detail, so I can understand if he has a hard time understanding my story.
"That man... do you love him?"