She feels the softness of the mattress as she tightly hugs the pillow on her arms, the wind blasting the window as a strong rain springs inside the window frames, causing the curtains to moisten. Astrid after perceiving that the rain slowly soaked the blankets, widely opened her eyes and got up from the bed. "What is wrong with the weather today?" She whispered and peered at the curtains to behold what had gotten outside.
"What time is it?" She roughly steps on the footing and rushes her way toward the living room, ignoring the presence of the young lady who is peacefully sleeping at the bed and she drifts her sight to search for the clock. "It's six in the morning," she uttered and let her heavy body lean on the couch, she tightly closed her eyes and attempted to relax herself yet the downpouring of the shower distracts her.
"What else should I do here?" Astrid muttered and continued to think as she shut her eyelids, she proceeded to feel the cold atmosphere and the noise of rain became a sound of melody in her ears.
"I probably should reread my lists of preys," she carefully sat down and took the bag beside her, she carried it with her and checked her journal note—the one which she will never reveal to anyone because the inside of it uncovers her darkest secret.
"I failed to do it for three weeks straight," she mumbled and scanned the thick pages of the note, flipping it through and reading all the names of the men she dared to include of her death note.
"Who's next?" She whispered once more and thought of it, and right after as she let her mind operate, her lips parted whilst a name began to come out of her reflection. "Louis Feldirez," she mumbled and hastily got up to check certain leftover clothes.
"What are you doing, Astrid? Do you seem to be in a hurry? What is it?" She halted from digging into the cabinets and turned her back to see the owner of the voice.
"Mace,"
"Are you okay? What are you trying to find? I will help you," Mace Leo insisted and walked near her friend.
"I'm searching for some clothing which you are no longer using," she kneeled on the floor and shifted her gaze as she tried to avoid meeting Mace's stares.
"What for?"
"I will be stitching and making another figurine," she uttered and a sheepish smile escaped from her lips. Mace finger brushed her hair and chuckled, she took a soft cloth and handed it over to her friend.
"Here, just let me know if you have something else to ask, I'll be at the kitchen preparing our breakfast." The lady walks ahead and goes to the kitchen area and opens the fridge to see what will be their meal for the morning.
"Where is Kyaellani?" Astrid walks after her and sits comfortably on the couch as she faces the cooking area, she watches her friend doing the cooking and she begins to open her little kit and takes yarn and needles.
"She got off last night, her father called her since they've been so worried about her well-being," Mace responded and poured a glass of water and drink from it, she gazed at her friend's reaction and then smiled upon seeing her staring back at her.
"I could sense that she has her own burdens," Astrid spoke and proceeded with her stuff, Mace halted and gaze at her momentarily, 'She can discern people's feelings,' she thought.
"Anyhow, are you going to the school later on?" She opened up and Mace slowly nodded her head as she continued cutting the onions.
"Uh, probably, why? Are you planning to come with me? You can't go out, for now, you need to rest, Astrid."
"I didn't say anything, silly." Astrid chuckled and proceeded to sew the ruined fabric and craft it once more into a beautiful tiny dress.
"You have that potential in fashion designing, Astrid. What do you hope to be in the future?" Mace asked out of her curiosity, and her pal smiled at her.
"I really love the idea of being a fashion designer, it's what I always hoped for since I was a kid… but perhaps I can't do it anymore," her voice stumbles, and her horrible memories begin to flash on her mind. She froze on her seat as she let those flickering thoughts ruin her once more.
"... Why did you say so? You can reach that dream, you know?" Mace responds, and begins again with her cooking yet upon realizing that Astrid isn't answering at all, she glimpses at her and calls for her name. "Hey, Astrid? Are you okay?"
She noticed that she's not moving at all, as if she's been interrupted by something. "Astrid, would you like to taste my chicken adobo?" She stirred the heated dish, placed it on a rectangular plate, and served it on the wooden table.
Minutes uphold and Hawthorne finally gets back on her senses, "... I would like to see Miss Talia," she suddenly muttered, which caused Mace to glance at her, "Can't I work too?" She added.
"I'm concerned that something might happen to you, I can call the owner of the bookstore to inform him that you can't work today, he pays the bill at the hospital and he takes care of the store when you're out, I am pretty sure that he will consider it…"
"Really?"
"Of course, since you are not able to go out, for now, you can sleep all day or read books, or watch movies," she uttered and took spoons and a fork for the chicken.
Astrid shrugged her shoulders and thought of it, "I don't think I will enjoy such hobbies, do you have any neighbors here? I find this apartment so strange, it feels so quiet."
Mace let out a sigh and slowly nodded her head, "Okay, I see that you're not having fun with my ideas, well, you can knock over at the room next door if you want somebody to talk to, she's a friend, perhaps… but she's good," and she forced a smile as she tried to convince the lady who was now sitting comfortably at the couch while looking in her direction.
"I doubt so," she watches her friend gazing at her wristwatch, "You gotta hurry up, Mace. Also, send my regards to Miss Talia…"
"I surely will,"
After having their meals, Mace Leo hastily got out of the apartment and went her way to the school, finishing their assessments for the entire semester. She hopes for a better and victorious day as she attends all her classes and visits Talia Sanders at the library.
"Hey, Mace, how have you been?" The teacher greeted as she welcomed the student.
"A blessed morning to you, Miss Talia! I am doing good, how about you? Astrid wants to send her regards to you, she misses school…" she retorted and handed her school ID for the check-in, an odd smile beams on the teacher's lips as she scanned the learner's ID.
"Tell her, I miss her too, and I hope to see her again." Talia Sanders headed her way toward the corner and took a wrapped box. "Anyhow, here's my gift for her, kindly hand it over and let her open it,"
"I'll surely give this to her, Miss Talia! Thank you!"
The lady led her feet toward the bookshelves and selected the desired books that they will be using for the rest of the lesson. Yet she paused upon seeing a familiar figure of man, "Louis?" She called and he turned his back to see her. Their sight met and so he let out a smile.
"Hey, Mace," he greeted.
"Hello," her gaze wandered and she stared at the book in his grip, "Uh, do you have some copy of that book? I've been looking for it,"
"Oh, you can have this. I'll be going around to search for another copy, anyway, how's Astrid Hawthorne?" He spoke and gently handed the edition to her.
"... Are you really sure you wanna hand it over to me? And also, about Astrid, she's fine at my apartment, she's resting her. Thank you for this, Louis!"
"No problem, Mace."
On the other hand, Astrid blankly stares straight at the ceiling as she takes hold of the pillow beside her. She sighed and rolled over the mattress, "It's already four o'clock in the afternoon, why is she taking so long?" She whispered and gazed at the unfinished figurine she placed on the couch.
"... Louis," she uttered once more and recklessly bumped her head on the soft bed. "I can't, not now…" she muttered to herself and closed her eyes as she withstood the stinging discomfort she felt. It's never been new to her, yet the disturbance digs her emotions causing her to behave violently. She never wishes for it.
"No," she let out an outcry upon feeling the familiar sensations of aggressiveness, she took a hold of her head, trying to stop the running thoughts inside her mind. 'No, please… not now,'
She recklessly smacks herself on the floor, as if she's in battle with another spirit inside of her. "Get away from me!" She screamed, and her shriek filled the four corners of the room.
She heavily breathes as she hugs herself, letting her tears fall down her cheeks. Astrid heard a knock from the main door and so she tried to get up but her knees trembled to cause her to fall flat again on the wooden ground.
"... Hold on!"
She inhales once again and stands up, finding support as she leans on the plain wall of the room. She successfully arrived at the doorway and upon opening the entrance, a lady greeted her sight. Astrid momentarily gazes at her countenance, observing the visitor's figure. "—How can I help you?"
"Your face is new here, you are probably a friend of Mace Leo. Hi, my name's Iris, and I live next door… if I am not mistaken, I heard you screaming. Can I know if you're doing well here?" And Iris Del Costa stares back at her.
Astrid hastens herself to wipe away the tears from her eyes and sniffs, she shifts her sight. "I'm sorry if I ever disturb you, it's just that… I can't understand myself, I'm struggling to behave well," she began to lower her head and bit her lower lip.
"I'll talk to you next time," before she could even close the door, the girl who's living in the room next door stops her, "Let me talk with you if you are fine with it."
"I can see that you are all alone, we always need someone to talk to… come on, I'll prepare some grubs as well," and for the first time, she smiles at her.
"... Thank you, Iris."
"Come by to my room, you can wait there for your friend's arrival,"
Hesitant as to what she often feels toward strangers, Astrid took courage and went with her. "Don't be so lonely, it causes ruin…" Iris spoke which made Astrid halt and thought of it.
'She is right,'
"I hope you'll feel comfortable around me, I don't bite," the lady jokingly said and chuckled. Astrid feels uneasy yet seeing her confidence makes her feel somewhat better.
'She's not scared at all,' she thought and forced a smile.