Neither Hebe nor Genie spoke for the rest of the night, both ladies went straight to bed after their respective showers. They weren't kidding when they acclaimed their tiredness.

After the clock ticked through the night, it was time for the sun to rise and accentuate a new day, and month at that.

While Genie checked them out at the hotel's front desk, Hebe was outside monitoring their luggage being put in the back of the cab that they've called earlier. Hebe entered the cab first and then Genie second after she had exited the hotel. With that done the cab driver was given the two women's condo address, yes they've stayed true to their words last night, and moving into a 'home'.

While the cab driver drive, the two women naturally sparkled conversations with each other.

"You know, Kat called last night again. Can you please pick up your own phone calls next time." Genie complained after shoving a piece of chips into , with a pout. Kat is Hebe's publisher back in the United State and the publisher has been nagging the novelist for a new story drafts with unrealistic threats.

"You're my assistant it’s part of your job to answer my calls for me."

"Whatever." Genie rolled her eyes, but she was also defeated, the novelist has a point.

"True words of a loser." Hebe teased in a childish triumph.

"Says the one that acts like she's five." Genie barked back. "Wait! Did we register electricity and water for the house yet?" Genie widened her eyes in panic.

Hebe pulled away from her IPhone, and stared at her assistant, " I thought you were the one doing it!" Genie gave her boss the are-you-kidding-me look, which resulted Hebe to continue, " Well, what are u waiting for, do that now, assistant!"

Genie opened and then clasped it closed, she was speechless, and she doesn’t want to do it! But with her job "title" in which Hebe would use, against her, Genie literally has no say in this typical situation of theirs, bully and victim.

"Urgh, later, u won't die without electricity and water for a day." You're inhuman, the assistant added mentally to herself.

"Correction, a couple of days and I might as well die!"

"Stop being a drama queen and it up, I will do my job, just not now!" Genie threw a magazine at Hebe as a sign of telling her to shut up.

"Talk about horrible work ethnic."

“I’m sure having no story drafts for over a year is some extreme work ethnic.” Genie snapped with sarcasm.

Suddenly, the car jolted violently, and the screeching of tires echo horrifyingly; within seconds the cab driver quickly rushed out of the cab. He had almost run over a woman. Genie’s shocked orbs rounded, her breath was held still for a split second before she also rushed out of the cab to accumulate the situation.

While Genie and the cab driver were busy handling the situation, Hebe remained inside the car, left forgotten. As if every atom of her froze, the novelist continued to remain still on spot, her eyes unblinking and blank with deep horror in thoughts. Only her appearance remained still, but she could hear her own heart beating like drums, and her blood rushed cold inside her.

“-be, Hebe, HEBE!” The novelist exhaled heavily, then snapped her neck towards her assistant, who got back inside the car, and had just snapped fingers at her. “What’s wrong?” Genie asked gently, with concern. She had noticed the novelist’s frozen state even when she was outside the car, for an instant she had thought the novelist was suffocating.

Hebe’s eyes were still scattered and blank, and it took her a few seconds of silence before she opened her lips to speak. “Oh…” a million things were running in the novelist’s head, so scattered and paralyzing resulting the novelist’s inability to collect her words into sentences. “Nothing,” She paused again, “I need to go somewhere. You can go first and start unpacking. I’ll catch up to you later.”

Before Genie could even voice out her protest, the novelist was already out of the car and striding across the street. All she could do was watch the novelist’s back shrink into the distance. Something was wrong.

“Miss?” The cab driver, which has finally recovered from the horror-stricken event stared at Genie through the front mirror, waiting for further instructions from his customer.

“To the address, drive carefully this time.”

“Of course.”

The driver weren’t being attentive to regard the green light moments ago resulting the small accident. Thankfully no one was hurt.

Or so the situation seems.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The car accident has literally the soul out of Hebe Tian’s body and gave her a petrifying rollercoaster ride down her memory lane. If it wasn’t for Genie’s call she might’ve suffocated herself, she had forgot to breath.

Like a new military recruit going into the battlefield for the very first time, lost, confused, scared and anxious, there was no bravery. Except Hebe Tian felt all of that and more and worst. No one would be able to understand her, not even herself.

Not knowing where she’s going, she walked, walked and walked more, until her legs has fully given up on her and refused to lift another inch, she stopped. Her lips were horribly dry, and tears were stuck at the top of , the novelist slowly lifted her head and gazed up the sky. Its clear and sunny, it’s mocking her.

She chuckled sadly at herself. She must’ve gone crazy she thought to herself.

For the fifth time in her lifetime, Hebe Tian felt fragile, she’s tired and she wanted to cry. That is just what she did next. Disregarding the location, her surrounding and the world, Hebe Tian squatted down on spot, arms crossed, set on her knees and buried her face in, and then she began to, cry in public.

For every drop of tear she sheds, it was a part of her sinful memories that haunts her to this very moment, and it is not going to stop.

The car crash that haunts her in her dreams; his and her cruelty that breaks her heart into two, and then he breaks her heart into fourths and she didn’t know when, it has became sand. Her heart was no longer, and yet her chest screams pain every second.

Does she really deserve all this pain?

------

“Hebe.” The novelist heard an extremely familiar voice call for her name. No, she was imagining things. “Hebe, is that you?” This time she was sure of it, she wasn’t imagining things. Because she felt a gentle touch shake her.

Slowly, the novelist lifted her head and was faced with the concerns of Aaron Yan. Her eyes were bloodshot, swollen and tear marks lingered on face, which convinced Aaron Yan that Hebe Tian had cried, in public. He was surprised, the woman has too much pride to allow her self to be fragile and cry in public. Yet, he had just witnessed the impossible. Does time really change a person?
“Are you okay?” the business man asked in a gentle manner, afraid that his voice would shatter the fragile woman in front of him.

Unconsciously, the novelist sniffed and wiped her eyes before helping herself up, with some struggles due to her numbed legs. “Here,” Being the gentleman he is, the businessman quickly offered his help in a natural rhythm.

Holding on to Aaron for support, Hebe slowly got up, “Thanks.” She mumbled.

“What are you doing here?” Now that the novelist has gotten up, they were standing facing each other, and the business began his trial of concern questionings.

“Why can’t I be here?” The novelist challenged, she is not going admit that she don’t even know where she is.

The businessman raised an eyebrow in amusement, “Normal people don’t squat in front of the mall, causing public inconvenience.”

The novelist scrutinized her surrounding, the streets were crowded with people and cars, and they were indeed, standing in front of a mall. He caught her; she was causing public inconvenience. “So, I feel like it.” But her stubbornness and pride is not going to admit such un-Hebe like act.

“Is everything okay, why were u crying?” The business quickly caught the novelist’s stubbornness, so he didn’t even bother to further the argument. Instead, he pushed his accurate assumption.

“What are you talking about Aaron Yan,” the novelist narrowed her eyes, he did not just say she cried, “Everything is okay, I did not cry.” Her proclaim was strong and convincing, but the businessman knows better. Hebe Tian did cry.

“You eyes are still bloodshot.”

“Sand got in it. I was rubbing it.”

“Squatting down?”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“Hebe, quit making excuses. You cried.”

A pregnant silence settled down between the two, Hebe felt a pang of happiness yet contradicted with bittersweet in her; Aaron was caring for her just now. For a second, Hebe had thought she felt Aaron’s love for her, but that was quickly dismissed by the memory of the businessman’s coldness from Selina’s gallery show. The novelist doesn’t know why, but she felt angered. “I told you I did not cry!” The novelist raised her voice to emphasize the truth of her fallacy. “Why am I wasting my time here with you? I’m going home.”

“You do know what you’re at the business district right?” The businessman’s statement caused the novelist to halt her step and turned around.

“So.”

“There is no way that you can get out of here without any transportation.”

“And your point is.”

“Look at yourself.”

Hebe took a scan at herself. Nope. Nothing’s wrong, she’s in her favorite jeggings and a lose button shirt. Wait. That’s all she has, she doesn’t have her purse that contains her wallet, cellphone and all other necessities. She left it in the cab.

The novelist focused the businessman in front of her with a deadly glare. “You . Take me home.”

Aaron chuckled, humored; it has been so long since he has heard those words from the woman. Be mostly, the sassy confidence that only the woman can pull off, only she has it; because that is her charms and it was that charm that had chained his…No, Aaron is not even going to consider the remaining of that sentence.

“Be nice Hebe, you’re asking for a favor remember.”

“Be honored I’m letting you take me home .” A smiled spread across the novelist’s face, this was their signature way of conversations, it was their comfort and she had loved it. And so does he. Oh, how she missed such vulgarity.

It didn’t take more than a second before Aaron burst into laughter, and Hebe soon followed. They don’t know what they’re laughing at, but at that moment they just laughed heartedly. Maybe it was because of the businessman’s lack of response to the novelist’s insult, or maybe it was something else.

“And where may your home be your highness,” Aaron gave Hebe a charming smile as he bow slightly and lead Hebe to his car, which was right next to them. Just like old times, using they’re inside joke, She’s the princess and he’s her knight in armor, escorting her.

Hebe allowed herself to engross into the businessman’s playful and familiar warm eyes; eyes that she had never thought would look at her that way ever again. Hebe Tian might be your wild diva on the run that often acts impulsively; however deep down she is more sane and rational than anyone would ever thought her to be. The quick-witted woman had not failed to catch the sudden contradictory and irony of their moment. Aaron Yan and Hebe Tian are acting in good terms, as if nothing had happened, when it was just yesterday that the man had coldly responded to her and coldly left her in the midst of their conversation. The man had been nothing but cold and nonchalant to her prior, yet now he is, acting like the Aaron that she had once known, her Aaron. A million thoughts ran through her head, the moment is too good to be true, yet too precious for her to shatter it, and so Hebe Tian became selfish and went a long, hoping for it to never change, ever.

“Why thank you my dear Knight.” And the princess prepared to enter the glamorous vehicle, only to stop abruptly with her previous uneasy expression plastered across her face, drastically. Aaron may be able to distract her, but it seems like god is not going to let her have it easy as guilt and terror rushed in her as her eyes landed on the vehicle, she dreads it and her heart beats in a rapid rhythm, forbidding her to even go near the vehicle.

“What are you waiting for, hurry and get it.” The businessman who is still holding the door for her awakened the novelist from her terrorized thoughts. She looked up at the man, and the clueless man initial another usher, “Get in, we don’t have all day.”

She couldn’t possible say no now, without any choice, the novelist got in the vehicle. Anxiety overwhelmed her, and her fists formed into firm balls unconsciously. She dreads it.

“Where do you live now?” The businessman asked as he began the vehicle, the novelist’s heartbeat increased to another level of rapid, and her fist tightened even more. Nevertheless, she was able to voice her new address with a feigned stable voice to conceal her tsunami of misery.

Due to Hebe’s sudden drastic change of attitude that Aaron had failed to notice, the two were wrapped up in another pregnant silence of discomfort. To Hebe’s upmost dismay the businessman is driving a sports car in a speed almost equivalent to 60 miles per hour, but the novelist wouldn’t know the actual rate that he is driving in, she was too zone out in her fear to notice anything. For this, it was time for the businessman to finally think through everything that had just happened now that there is no good-old-times conversation to opaque his common sense. He was caring for Hebe Tian, and he had allowed himself to be engrossed in a normal conversation with the woman; they had laughed together and he is now driving the woman home. What has he done, what had gotten into him? He doubts anyone would know the answer, not even god, if he exists that is.

And now? He is stuck with her in the most uncomfortable silence ever, because apparently the woman besides him is not speaking at all, almost as if she is ignoring him. It would’ve been okay if it was any other situation but definitely not when Aaron finally comes to his sense to realize that he wasn’t suppose to be in good terms with the woman, and to so say be driving her. They were strangers; strangers with mutual friends. Yes, that is Aaron Yan’s limit. He may have let all the past go and partially forgiven the woman, but he refuse to allow the woman to get things her way; a friendship. Or more.

Anyhow, the businessman coughed in attempt to catch the novelist’s attention, hoping to break the discomfort, but he was treated with silence in return. Agitated, the businessman stepped on the pedal and increases the speed as they were about to exit the highway.

Quickly, the novelist grabbed onto the door panel while she felt her adrenaline blasted off the bar, her anxiety finally reached its limit. She cannot bear the speed, or even to be in a car.

“Stop,” Her voice hitched, but the agitated man wasn’t paying any attention to her, so she tries again, “stop,” still no response, and the novelist felt like she’s going to have a mental break down the very second, “STOP THE CAR !” she screamed with terror and anger.

Upon Hebe’s rage, Aaron finally stopped the brake abruptly and glared at her angrily to only quickly soften into concern. The woman in front of him was back to her previous state when in front of the mall, she was fragile, scared and was about to break, no, she is breaking.

“Hebe…” The novelist was shaking, shaking horribly and she was in the air but not once did she exhale; worried began to build in the businessman. His eyes traveled down to the woman’s fits, they were tight, extremely tight, and the businessman was 100% certain that something is wrong when he spotted marks of fresh blood caused from the novelist’s tight hold of fist. “What’s wrong?”

But the novelist didn’t reply him, instead she quickly burst out of the car as if it were plague. And perhaps, to her, there is.

Concerned, the businessman quickly run after the novelist, disregarding the location of his car. That’s his last concern as of the moment.

“HEBE!”

She began to run.

“Hebe! Hold up!” He quickly jogged after the woman.

But the novelist had none of his calling, she wants to be alone, she don’t want him to run after her, so she did what she could, run faster.

But the businessman also began to sprint.

As the novelist ran, she was running down her memory lane, a lane that's haunting and eating her alive. It began to play in her again, the memories that was suppose to have faded but only to become more vibrant and vivid by day. She dreads how its replaying in her mind, so she clasped her eyes shut tightly, naively thought she wouldn’t be seeing the memory in her. But it only continues.

That day was a sunny one, and she had been happily driving her new BMW to his college dorm. He’s finally done with his final, and they can finally go on a date after many weeks due to his studious hibernation. She was excited, and obviously happy. Music blasted in her car, as she sang with the songs; she was eager to finally see her boyfriend, because he is the only one who she can tell her troubles to, and she needed someone to rant to and a shoulder to lean on. And of course she missed his hugs and kisses. Giggling, the young woman of no younger than the age of 19 or 20 stepped on the pedal and drove faster. Yes, she does have a driver’s license, but no one but her boyfriend knows.

And then it happened.

Within a matter of seconds, a woman’s body slammed on her car’s front window, and then slid to the ground.

A car, a BWM, hit the woman and the driver froze, then shakes and quickly drove off.

It was a hit and run.

-------------------

Hebe doesn’t want to think about it anymore, the guilt is eating her alive, but the scene replays in her, it keeps on replaying and replaying. Finally she couldn’t take it anymore, rapid tears streamed down from the corner of her eyes as she run, running away from herself, her memory, and her crime.

And she trips as a consequence for not watching her steps. She didn’t try to get up, but remain laid on the ground, and cry her heart out.

The businessman who quickly caught up, stopped his step in front of the fallen woman. She can’t deny it this time, she is crying, crying hard.

“Hebe.” His voice was soothing, but startling.

The novelist looked up at the man, “Go away Aaron.”

“How can I when you’re in this state.” He helped the woman up despite that the woman has no intention of the getting up. Regardless, he got her up and standing.

After getting up, Hebe pushed his hands off her softly, “Thanks,” and mumbled before she turned her heels, attempting to get away from the man.

But the businessman is not going to let it go easily this time, something is definitely wrong, and he is not going to allow the woman to wonder alone in such a state. So he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him causing her body to slam onto his chest. He then spun the woman around, making her face him. “You’re not going anywhere like this, now tell me what’s wrong.” He stared straight into her eyes.

Those eyes, eyes of concern, she doesn’t deserve to be look at with those. She couldn’t look at them, so she turned to avoid it. “Nothing is wrong, I just want to be alone. Now, please.” Once again, the novelist tried to push away the businessman’s grasp, but to only have him tighten his hold.

“No Hebe, something IS wrong and you’re not going anywhere until you tell me.” Anger and frustrate stray in his tone as he raised his voice.

There is no way Hebe Tian is going to talk about it, or to say tell Aaron Yan anything. He may be frustrated, but she is also annoyed. Hebe used all her strength to push Aaron away, and began to let out her rage. “WHY DO YOU CARE! AARON THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, YOU DON’T EVEN WANT TO TALK TO ME! WHY THE ARE YOU BEING SO ING CONCERN NOW! DO YOU KNOW HOW CONTRADICTING YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!” She didn’t mean to take her emotion out on the businessman, but she couldn’t help it, she need to let it out to stable her from a mental break down.

Aaron Yan’s widened at Hebe Tian’s sudden outburst. She was right, why does he care, he don’t know, but at the moment he knows that the woman is fragile and needs some support. Perhaps, it is seeing the woman in such a devastated state he decides to forgive her, no he has already forgiven her. Something’s eating her alive, causing her great suffer, and Aaron Yan sees it, the woman is having her consequence.

Feeling sorry for her sudden outburst, Hebe look at him with pleading eyes, “I’m sorry, but can you please just leave me alone?”

Aaron Yan’s next action took her by surprise, he pulled her in and hugged her tight. Her eyes widen, and her two arms were above the man’s back, hesitating on whether they should wrap around that strong back or retreat to her own hips. In the end, they rested to her hips.

“I’m sorry about my action during Selina’s gallery show.” She could feel his breathing on her neck, and she could smell his cologne, he changed it, it wasn’t the one she used to buy him. “But I care, because we’re friends.”

Friends? Did he say friends?

Hebe inhaled heavily, and then exhale softly, heavily. If this was any other day, but today when she’s going through her memory lane of guilt, Hebe Tian would’ve been relief and happy about the businessman’s words. But this was not any other day, and the novelist has allowed her emotion to cloud all rationality in her.

She pulled away from his hug, “Friends? Really Aaron Yan, I don’t need your pity nor forgiveness. So, stop acting like a saint!” No, she didn’t mean what she said.

Taken back by the novelist’s speech, Aaron would’ve gave her a piece of his mind if he doesn’t know the woman, and her personality. This was her way of pushing away those who cares.

“C’mon Hebe, you know I’m not.” His two hands reached for her face, and his thumbs began to gently, wipe away her dried tears. The motion was so smooth, so warm, and so familiar. “Lets forget about the past, and be friends okay? There is nothing to forgive.”

The next thing that happened was Hebe Tian clashing her lips against Aaron Yan’s. She don’t know what had gotten into her, but she missed kissing Aaron Yan.

Aaron who was taken back by the novelist’s sudden actions on him, but as if he wasn’t himself, he allowed her to kiss him, and might have just kissed back. However, he quickly came back to his sense, and pushed the woman away. He wanted to kick himself for letting the sensation get to him.

“What the Hebe.”

Hebe turned her head and chuckled darkly, lightly. Then she turned her heels and walked away; this time Aaron Yan didn’t follow.

As he watched the novelist’s back shrink into the distance, he touched his lips, and cursed, “,” before he turn the other direction and headed toward his car. But to only find his car gone, and found a ticket telling him the location where he should pick up his car.

“!” another curse escape the businessman as he kicked on nothing.

Frustrated.

-------------

After a couple minutes of walking Hebe stared at her two palms, they were bleeding and burning in pain.

Her hands were covered with blood.

Yes, covered with blood, because she has killed.