Elyana
"Umm!" That hurt.
Feeling the slight stiffness of her neck muscles, the numb tingling on her left cheek, and the cramp soreness in her arms and shoulders.
"Mmm! Where was she?" She silently asked as her eyes fluttered open, gradually adjusting to the bright light of the lamp on her table.
Then, there he was. The star of her dreams, looking down on her, with an expression that looked like concern. Or was it genuine affection?
Well, that was odd. He had never looked at her like that before, whether in real life or in her dreams.
"Damn! You're much more handsome than in my dreams." She smiled coyly, ogling those lips that brought back memories.
Savoring the moment, clearly delighted with such a special treat.
Who knew when she would have this opportunity to be this close to him again?
Maybe never.
Then—
"Were you just dreaming of me?" He spoke.
Fuck!
Her dreams had always been like watching a silent movie. Eerily quiet.
Except for tonight.
"Who are you, Elyana Pryce?"
This time, she knew there was something different.
Instantly, she was wide awake, her eyes dilated as realization dawned on her.
As if struck by lightning, she jerked in her seat, pushed herself upward, which accidentally shoved the table forward, knocked the chair backward, and a series of chain reactions followed.
Coffee spilled on the table, documents flew in the air, and assorted items scattered on the floor.
Anyway, none of that mattered as her body and mind focused on only one thing. Or rather, one man.
The man who saved her again before she had the same fate as her office supplies.
"Damnit!" Her body reacted like a caged animal as her arms wrestled against his hold, snatching them free.
Of course, she was not threatened by his presence. Far from it. But she would admit she was afraid of how her body behaved under his gaze and with his touch.
"Mr. Caldwell..." Acknowledging her boss, who still hovered over her.
In all honesty, she hated how her thoughts betrayed her as they replayed all the memories she tried to bury deep in her mind.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you." Kowen briskly retreated, giving her space. "I just saw your light on and came to check if you..."
"I won't be staying here late if it weren't for you." Suddenly, the jerk was back, replacing the man of her dreams, as he reminded her of the unreasonable task that he had given her.
"But don't worry, if you're here to check on the progress of my work." She looked down at the manuscript on the table before staring back at him. "I'll make sure that it will be on your table early tomorrow morning."
"No... no... that's not what I mean, Ms. Pryce. But I can see that you managed to finish more than half of your task." He glanced at her work before turning back to her.
"Anyway, since you're here still because of me, maybe I can give you a lift home." Since he was the reason why she stayed late at the office, it was the least he could do.
Besides, it was not safe for her to go home by herself at that hour.
"No, thanks, Mr. Caldwell. You don't need to do that. I can go home by myself." She declined his offer, packed up her things, and left her table.
Her boss still volunteered to accompany her until they were inside the elevator. But when he insisted on walking her to her car, she vehemently declined, making up all sorts of excuses.
She was afraid that her boss would press on driving her home if he learned that she never really had a car.
Since working for him, she had learned to commute, taking a taxi or the bus, or even walking if the weather was fine. Preferably the latter since it was cheaper.
However, tonight, she had no choice but to book a ride. Her safety was still her priority. Although that would put a dent in her budget.
Yeah! Someone like her belonged on the lower half of the bracket now, where every cent mattered.
"Finally, home sweet home." Unlocking her apartment and letting herself in.
Breathing only when she was finally in the safety of her small square room.
Her new home.
Oh yeah! She finally found an affordable place, meaning a cheap one, where she could stay until she could save up for a better one.
Well, beggars couldn't be choosers.
Just like her home, where she had lived her entire life, she also left behind her car, credit cards, most of her clothes, bags, jewelry, shoes, and the luxurious life her father had provided for her.
Now, she planned to live using her hard-earned money and to save up for her future.
How hard could that be?
"Easy peasy." She clapped her hands as if dusting off some dirt on her palms. "Right, Mr. Whiskers?" This time, she grabbed her cat, who twirled around her legs.
"I'm sorry I'm late, but I'm here now." She hugged her furry pet tightly, kissing him on his head before setting him down on her very tiny kitchen counter.
The apartment was just a room. On one corner was her small bed, on the other side was her kitchen. Then, there is a small bathroom the size of a shoebox. Well, it was nothing compared to where she used to put her shoes.
But she didn't mind. For now, this was her safe haven.
Until—
Bang! Blag! Boom!
A loud commotion came from behind the thin wall of her apartment. It sounded like someone was fighting in the other apartment, as she heard the shouting, crying, and banging on the wall.
Then, more.
"Wait, Mr. Whiskers." She walked to the door and pressed her ears against the surface, hearing the same loud disturbance along the hallway.
"Meooowww..." Her cat circled around her feet as he tried to get her attention.
"Stop it." She shushed her adorable feline friend. "I need to find out what's going on."
This time, she opened her door a crack, peeking through the small slit.
It was chaos. A pandemonium out there.
People were in panic.
"Get out!"
Everyone... you need to get out... fast!"
"Fire."
"There's a fire..."
She watched the chaos as her mind finally made sense of the scene.
"Oh my!" She breathed in shock as the smoke started to cover the hall.
Damn! The building was on fire.
"Run..." Her brain told her, but it seemed her body failed to listen as she stayed glued on the spot.
Honestly, she didn't know what to do. She hadn't been in a burning building.
But there was something about the chaos that she found familiar.
It was as if she had experienced this same numbing, terrifying fear before.
"Hey, young lady. You'd better get out." An older woman shouted at her before rushing to the stairs. "The fire is getting worse."
Then, she snapped out of her trance.
Quickly, she ran back into the apartment to get her bag, phone, and other important things, such as the picture of her mother and the manuscript.
When she was on her way out, she suddenly stopped, believing she had forgotten something.
But what?
Noticing that the smoke was getting thicker and darker, she knew she had to leave now before it was too late.
"Oh, no!" She gasped. "Mr. Whiskers, where are you?" How could she forget about him? But he was only at her side a moment ago. Dropping everything on the bed, she went looking under the bed, the table, and in the bathroom. But he was nowhere.
"Mr. Whiskers, come out. We have to go." Thinking that her cat must be scared out of its wits.
She was.
Then, remembering her feline's favorite hiding place, she looked up. On top of the kitchen cabinet, Mr. Whiskers was curled up tightly in the corner.
"Come down from there." She called to him, but Mr. Whiskers only snuggled tighter.
"Mr. Whiskers, come on. We need to get out of here." She turned to the door, seeing the thicker, black smoke entering the room.
"Ah, ah, ah..." It was starting to fill her lungs as she found herself coughing and having difficulty breathing.
Without any other choice, she pulled a chair and climbed the tall cabinet to reach Mr. Whiskers, but he would not budge.
When she tried again, she accidentally lost her grip on the shelf and then she fell.
Unfortunately, no one came to catch her fall.
"Ouch!" She felt the hard impact on her ass and lower back, making her wince in pain. But that was not the only problem, as she struggled to get air into her lungs.
Was this her end?
"Am I about to see you, Mom?" She asked as her vision started to blur. "Mr. Whiskers, save yourself." She pleaded between coughing and panting.
But, "I don't want to die." Not yet.
"You won't. I won't let you."
Out of the periphery of her vision, an apparition appeared through the smoke.
Soon, she was floating among the clouds.
"Are you my guardian angel?" She asked before she lost her consciousness.
"Are you here to take me away?"
"Yes, Elyana." That voice. "Hold on tight."