How to Save a Star [BxB]

III

Chapter Three

It was already eleven-thirty when I returned home. The house was dark and most of the lights were off. "Happy birthday," mom and Eris greeted as soon as I switched the lights on in the living room. My younger sister was holding a small chocolate cake with a candle on top of it.

"Make a wish," Eris demanded. I closed my eyes and whispered something to myself before blowing the candle.

"Where's dad?" I feigned a bewildered expression.

"Drinking with his friends." As soon as Eris said those words, my expression lied again. I heaved a huge sigh and pouted my lips a bit. Dismay showed on mom's face.

After a while, I curved my lips, a bright one like I had already gotten over it. "It's fine. Let him have fun sometimes," I said.

"But today's your birthday, he should at least come home," Eris complained.

"It's fine, he already called and greeted me," I lied again but my words were like knives piercing my chest. It hurt that my life depended on a lie, a big fat lie.

Mom smiled and hugged me. Eris did the same. They led me to the dining room where they prepared some of my favorite foods. Mom served palabok which was my favorite since I was young. Lumpiang Shanghai, buko salad, and Leche-flan were also decked out on the table.

"Aw, that's really sweet, mom," I said and looked at my mom with a thank you gaze. She beamed while Eris pouted.

"That's unfair, kuya, I also helped in preparing these things." I turned to Eris and patted her hair. She giggled and hugged me again. This little girl was already in her second year of high school yet she still loved being spoiled.

After we ate, we left the dishes in the sink since all of us were too tired and the night was getting deeper. My body fell on the bed when I reached my room. But exhaustion still didn't help, sleepiness never visited. Then it all came back to me, memories forced their way in my head again, like a streaming waterfall.

A cold hand grasped my neck, so powerful that I had no breath in my lungs. I tried to shout but the sound wouldn't come out, air was choking my throat. I shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep, convincing myself that it was a ghost. The ghost pressed his weight against my chest, his breath touching my cheeks. Heart pounding, my ears studied every sound: the tick of the clock, the whistling wind, and his rapid breathing. I opened my eyes slightly and traced the silhouetted face of the man in front of me. His body jerked away, moving his free hand. A sharp metallic object shone between my eyes through the faint light from the stars above. My body trembled, fear consumed me. His moistened palms tightened. I blinked and he disappeared but his iced fingerprints lingered on my skin. Gross.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I gasped, breathing heavily in between sobs. My chest hurt like I was going to burst so I thumped my arms on the bed, trying to release the swirling rage, helplessness, and fear.

"Aw!" I exclaimed when I struck something hard. I leaned my back against the wall and searched for it on the bed. Tears hindered my sight, making it hard to see. I wiped and tried to hold them back, then looked again. My gaze paused in a faint light beside my right knee. It was my phone. I stared at it for a while before picking it up.

"Hello?" The phone almost slipped from my hand when a voice spoke from it.

"Hello?" When I heard it a second time I knew that it was a familiar voice. I looked at the phone, hoping that it would read 'Unknown Number'.

"Axle?" I whispered.

"Hello? Who's this?" His irritated voice smacked me hard like a fist. The realization struck me. I knew him. I couldn't be wrong. It was Yeren.