CHAPTER 29: His Unselfish Shelter

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

Finally, I’m home. As I arrived in here yesterday, Mom was delighted to see some delicacies that I bought for her from the Philippines. She even let me ignored my fair share of household chores before letting me take a good rest.

This morning, I woke up in a good mood. I’m going to visit Erevell in their new home, and I want to surprise her that’s why I didn’t told her anything about it either. I prepared myself for a long day ahead, before I climbed down from my room.

“Going somewhere?” Mom asked while preparing our breakfast.

“Yeah. I’m going to visit my bestfriend. Dad gave me another extension of leave from my work.”

“Really? Well that was so nice of him. Come and eat then. Their new home was a long way from here. You need the strength to cope up.”

I nodded, before helping her prepare some kitchen wares and utensils. The two of us ate breakfast together, before I finally bid my goodbye to my Mom. I kissed her forehead then grabbed enough cash from my wallet for this trip.

While walking down towards the nearest train station, I inhaled the cold wind of the city coming from the few trees standing by the corner of each streets. As I arrived at the subway, I bought my tickets before boarding myself inside of the train. I sat down, staring intently at my phone.

My hands went through the gallery of it, and looking by the photos mostly occupied by Erevell and my faces made me chuckled silently to myself. I’m very lucky to have this girl. Through thick or thin, she never leave me.

After four hours of trip, I finally arrived at their destination. I wanted to text her, and asked her to fetch me up. But that will completely ruin the sense of surprise, I guess. So I think I just need to ask some questions to the people around here. Or maybe I should go and get a cab, then tell to the driver her given address. I choose to do the latter one, for it was easier than the first one.

I went outside of the subway to wait for an available cab, until one finally stopped right in front of me. I asked the driver about the place, and thankfully, he knew it. I hopped in, excited to see her once again after two long months of being apart from each other.

After another set of waiting, we stopped in front of a small apartment, and I instantly remembered Claire. This is how exactly their apartment way back in the Philippines looks like. I paid the cab driver, before I stepped outside of his car. I sighed, looking at this cute little home of my bestfriend.

I slowly walk towards their front door, before knocking several times. I observed the place. It was clean, and nothing is so suspicious about it either. When I knocked on their front door once again, no one answered. So I did it again, and again. I felt nervous, having a feeling of deja vu. This is exactly what happened and how I felt before after I found out that no one lives on their abandoned house in our village.

I clenched my fist, suppressing the annoyance in my chest. I badly wanted to kick the door, thinking that somehow, that simple action of mine will miraculously change the fact that Erevell isn’t here like what she had told me before. I was about to pound the door harder this time when it suddenly swing opened, revealing an old lady with a confused expression plastered upon her face.

“Excuse me, who are you?” she asked, forehead creased.

“Gabriel... I’m Gabriel Elizar. I’m friends with Erevell Smith. Do you know her?”

“Nope. I don’t remember anyone with that name,” she surely answered.

“But...” I trailed off. “That was impossible, ma’am. I mean, she gave me this address, telling that she lives in here.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t really know someone named Erevell. I’m just new here myself.”

I blinked several times, and with a heavy heart, I just nodded. Just when I was about to leave when the old lady called my name, making me stop walking to turned around and face her again.

“Gabriel? Right?”

“Uhm, yeah...”

“What’s your friend’s name again?” she asked, her brows nearly touching in confusion as if she’s remembering some old memories.

“Erevell, Erevell Smith.”

Her face suddenly lit up, causing hope to slowly crept into my chest. Is it possible that she knew her?

“I know that name!” she stated, and I sighed out of relief.

“Really? Could you tell me about her? And is there a possibility that you know where she is right now?”

She slowly nodded, before fixing her eyeglasses.

“Erevell. The red headed girl, right? She used to live here with her Mom. I mean, they previously live here, not until I arrived, and they decided to live in the nearest hospital in town.”

“Hospital?” I highly expected to hear this one, but why are they living in the hospital?

“Yeah. Your friend is really sick. Don’t you know about that? Her Mom decided to get her a room on the hospital for she often collapse and passed out for an unknown reason.”

My heart thumped so bad, hearing those words coming from her. I thought the doctors already fixed her? I mean, she’s still passing out? Well how about the days that she often visit me in our place? Those are the questions that is starting to play around my mind.

“When did they moved out?” I asked her.

“A month or two, I guess.”

I was shocked, unable to move. A month or two? Is that mean that they already moved out from this place even before I left the country for our high school reunion? If that’s the case, then Erevell has been in the hospital for over a month now.

“Are you okay? What can I help you more with?”

“Can I... Can I get the address of the nearest hospital?”

She smiled, then nodded.

“Of course you can.” She grabbed a pencil and paper before writing down the address. She then gave it to me, looking worried. “Here you go. May you two find each other.”

It felt weird after hearing those words, but I decided to be tough, and just thank her for giving me much helpful information.

“Thanks a lot, ma’am.”

“You’re welcome.”

I get a cab, before giving the driver the address. I hope this hospital isn’t that far away from here. Thankfully, I’m right. As soon as the cab stopped, I paid the driver before hopping down. I entered into the hospital, before going into the counter where a nurse is currently standing up.

“Good morning, miss,” I greeted her.

“Good morning, sir. How can I help you?”

“Erevell. Erevell Smith. Does she have a room in here?” I asked.

Her forehead creased, as if she knew something about her but she doesn’t want to tell me about it.

“Are you a relative?” she asked.

“I’m her friend.”

“I’m sorry, sir. Ms. Smith told us never to received any visitor for her unless she said so.”

“What? That is insane! But I’m indeed her friend!”

“I’m really sorry, sir,” she apologized once more.

I clenched my fist, mad at the fact that I couldn’t even visit my bestfriend.

“Can’t you just call her or something? Tell her it’s me, Gabriel.”

“She don’t receive any phone calls during weekends, sir.”

“What?! How is that even possible?!”

The nurse shook her head, so I was left there dumbfounded. Out of anger and frustration, I decided to find her myself. If this nurse is not going to help me, then I will do it myself.

I leave from that place, secretly running through the hallways of the hospital, for I was afraid that maybe that nurse in charge on the front desk will call a security or something. After a few seconds, I turned to the corner before I saw a glimpse of a red headed woman.

My eyes widen, so I decided to follow that glimpse and trust my instincts. As I turned into a series of corners, I bumped into someone... Someone who’s also running at the same time. The two of us landed on the floor, causing a great impact for we are both running earlier.

“Shit...” I heard her cursed right after we crashed onto each other.

She was at the top of me, and as I looked down to see who is it, I was surprised, looking straight into my bestfriend’s eyes. Her orbs widen in shocked, before her hands slowly reach out to touch my face.

“G-Gab?”

There, I finally saw the girl who always been there for me. My one and only unselfish shelter. It was my bestfriend, Erevell.