Ehlarie Kate's P.O.V.

I woke up to the sunlight that kissed my skin. I looked at the clock on my bedside table and it showed 7:49. It was a little cold so I moved my feet upwards and as I did, I felt a sudden pain and I remembered that I was wounded from running away last night. I looked down at my feet and Calvin's handkerchief isn't there anymore, gauze was surrounding my right foot and it looked neat. I was still musing about the incident last night when I yawned.

 

It's Saturday anyway and it's a free day for me so I decided to go back to sleep but I heard someone knocking on my door. I was too lazy to attend to it so I just pretended that I was asleep.

 

The knocking stopped but I heard my door open. Soon as I opened my eyes, I saw my brother holding a cup of coffee and giving me a questioning look, the same look he gave me last night when he saw me and Calvin at the subdivision's main gate.

 

As Calvin walked or more like carried me home, we heard a car's horn which made Calvin look back. Lo and behold the confused look in Tristan Ace Crisologo's face staring out from the driver's seat. He eyed Calvin first before eyeing me and down to my feet.

 

When he realized that I was kind of injured, he went out of the car. He was about to say something but I told him I'll do the explaining when we get home. Ace didn't push his question and he helped Calvin bring me in the front seat. That was the moment I realized that Ace was not alone.

 

Back at the passenger's seat is a passed out Eron. I was still looking at the sleeping figure of the person my heart longs for when I heard Ace clear his throat.

 

"Thanks, bro. I'll take care of my sister now. Get home safe." Ace thanked Calvin and I saw a dimple showing.

 

Calvin smiled at Ace before looking at me.

 

"Goodnight." He said.

 

"Goodnight and thank you." I replied and Ace drove off.

 

During the whole ride, which was kind of intimidating, I didn't talk and I avoided my brother's eyes. I knew that he was sending me a lot of questions through his eyes. I pretended to have dozed off until I now woke up in my room.

 

But now that I'm faced with my brother, I had no choice but to tell him what really happened last night.

 

"What?" I tried and he just gave me a 'duh' look.

 

I went out of bed, combed my hair and walked past him as I went out my room and descended to the kitchen, limping. He was tailing me until I finished making my milk. I sighed before facing my brother.

 

"Jace probably told you last night how he came here and what I did after." I began and Ace just stared at me.

 

"So I went out to buy meds and ointment. But I had no cash in hand so I dropped by the bank." I paused to check if he was still listening and he was nodding.

 

"When I went out, the rugged guy outside the bank followed me up to the pharmacy. I thought he was going to beg for money but when I was done, he followed me once again and catcalled me. You know I really hate being called names, right? So I just had to slap him and scream at his face that he doesn't have the right to call me names and that my clothes don’t speak of anything sensual." I said and the memories of yesterday came back to my mind, I could feel the goose bumps.

 

"I thought he would just leave me but he forced me to come with him. Suddenly, Calvin came and he punched the guy on the nose before we ran away together. I was too afraid to look back and I just wanted to ran away so I didn't mind if my slipper got ripped along the way and slipped off my feet. That's how I incurred these wounds and that's why Calvin offered to carry me home." I said and I felt my brother's hand wipe away my tears.

 

I guess the fear I felt yesterday resurfaced and triggered my tears.

 

"I'm sorry, sis. I should've been there. And you should've just called me before you decided to go out." Ace gushed as he pat my head.

 

"That won't happen anyway so I hope you don't worry anymore." I avowed and he just nodded.

 

"Good thing Calvin was there, too. I owe him a lot." I added.

 

I was about to ask how Eron ended up in his car but the person I was supposed to speak about just appeared, freshly bathed, and greeted us good morning.

 

"So you're awake. God! Dude! Whatever made you drink a lot last night?" Ace commented as he stood up and went towards the fridge.

 

I looked at Eron only to see him looking at me, too. I avoided his gaze by looking down at my glass of milk.

 

"I know right," was his only reply.

 

"Coffee's on the table." Ace informed as he started beating some eggs.

 

While Eron made his coffee, I went out to the garden to greet the morning sun. They say early morning sun produces vitamins. That's good for the health so I guess there's no harm in believing.

 

I took a seat at the chair beside the table and adored the beauty of the trees. The reason why I love autumn so much is because of the multi-coloured leaves falling to the ground.

 

Back in our younger years, Ace, Eron, and I would play with those fallen leaves. We would carve shapes in them and cut it. That was my idea back then but Ace and Eron found it interesting so they joined me in.

 

We would cut figures of people in it and when the night comes, we would play 'leaves-theater' here in the garden as we place the figures against the flashlight and start moving them and giving them lines.

 

I was still reminiscing those good old moments when a leaf fell on my glass of milk and a hand removed it.

 

I looked up.

 

"E-Eron." I stammered.