Chapter 22: Shan's POV

**Shan’s POV

*”I’m still looking at my budget.” Sol’s words echoed in the back of my brain as I walked in the hallway.

I could see her weary eyes behind that smile. I went to her classroom because I wanted to ask her if she would join the tour because our department is coming too, only to hear her hesitating because she doesn't have enough money. I left without even getting to talk to her because their next professor has already arrived.

“I would also like to pay for Solene Ramirez from the Architecture department.” I said to the opening of the glass window in the registrar's office.

The staff looked at me first before writing my receipt. I knew she had suppressed questions as she formed her mouth into a thin line while scribbling her signature on both of the receipts before handing it to me.

**You:** *Hey, are you busy?

**Solene:** *Not really. Why?

**You:** *Come shopping with me again.

**Solene:** *Okay, what time?

**You:** *That fast?

**Solene:** *I said I was going to help you last time but I ended up making you return home earlier before I could even go to the supermarket with you.

**You:** *You're still thinking about that? Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal.

**Solene:** *But I wanna make up for it. I said what I said. So, what time later?

**You:** *If that's what you want. I’ll pick you up later this afternoon. Just be ready.

We headed straight to the supermarket section as soon as we entered the mall. She looked straight ahead, determined to reach the supermarket and help me buy what will be on my meals for the next two weeks. The first time we went there, we didn't even reach our final destination because of someone’s intervention.

I can still remember the expression plastered on her face that afternoon. It was clear as day to me. Her eyes wide from terror, sweat dripping from her forehead that soaked her eyebrows, and her forcing to hide the trembling of her hands.

I watched as she walked away with that guy, with Fire’s visible tight grip on her arm as he pulled her into some place far from me.

It took me a matter of time before I found them in the parking lot. Every minute of the search made me short of breath.

Fire was already leaving when Solene shouted something at him that made him stop. Droplets of tears were falling from her face. The joy has left her eyes. And though she can't see it, from my position, I could clearly see Fire's expression. There was anger in his face, along with a hint of grief and helplessness. I think I know where it's coming from. His jaw tensed as he swallowed and left Solene standing there in silence. All alone.

I knew him. Knew him well enough to the point that I know he doesn't want any of this to happen to them. But he's a mess. He himself is struggling to clean that mess. And Solene is the last person who can do that for him no matter how she wanted to.

I walked towards her while she's wiping her tears with her trembling hands.

*“I just remembered something sad.”* Is what she said to me after I asked her the reason for her tears.

I nodded. Showing her that I believe what she just said even if I saw what really happened.

I can't forget how dead her stare was that day. How lost her eyes were. But what made my chest cave in was when her bitter smile beamed on her face when she's lying to me.

I hated being lied to. But her lies didn't awaken any anger in me. It was not despise that I felt but a different kind of feeling that made me understand why she lied, why doesn't she want to tell me what really happened.

I sent her home earlier than we planned. I went home without a single plastic shopping bag from the supermarket section. I also didn't have dinner that night just thinking of what happened. Callante won't answer my calls either.

*“Thanks!” Solene bent down to look at me in my car's window.

*“I should be the one thanking you.” She just smiled before turning her back. She's holding a plastic bag with a big bag of chips inside. She said she’ll be bringing it for her tour tomorrow.

On my backseat was the fruits and vegetables we purchased, along with the ingredients of my favorite dishes that I’ll be eating these upcoming days.

I watched her walk inside her apartment’s door and heard the door click. I could still remember how I went inside her apartment that night. It was hours already when she entered but I didn't see any movement inside as I observed from my window.

My heart was racing as I decided to open her door after finding it unlocked. Darkness welcomed me upon stepping inside her apartment. And I was like poured by a cold bucket of water when I saw her lying on the floor, passed out. I called out her name in an attempt to wake her up but there was no response.

My body can still remember how I frantically carried her and put her inside my car. It was already midnight when we reached the hospital.

**I saw her crumble into fragments and now that she's slowly building her pieces back together, I want to be a safe place for her so that she can fully heal. I don't want to see her crumble again. Never again. Not on my watch nor because of Fire Callante.