The cloud cracked as rain fell mercilessly outside the small house.
Avelina jolted awake as water from the leaking ceiling dripped onto her face and bed. Her sheets were drenched—so wet that the water had already seeped through.
"Oh no, no, no," she muttered, jumping up. This was one thing about rain, when it came through the house, it usually turned the place into a riverbank if not an ocean.
And now her bed was soaked. She was the kind of person who woke immediately when the rain was about to fall, always trying to cover the spot with a bowl so the water would fall into it rather than ruin her bed. Her nightgown clung to her skin, making her feel like she had wet herself.
She hissed in annoyance, she moved her hands under the bed to check if her money was safe. Where could she even hide it so it wouldn't be seen? She didn't understand her room anymore..there was no safe spot she finally pushed it inside more.
She stood, shivering as the cold seeped through her hair and down her body, making everything worse.
It was still midnight. While others might find the rain soothing, Avelina only suffered, getting wet. Of all places for a leak, why did it always have to be right where she laid her head? Thankfully, her money was safe.
She heard the door open from another place and quickly straightened up. The lamp was still dimly on, which had helped her see.
To her surprise, her door hadn't opened. Normally, if her mother came at night, it was to check on her—but this time, she only passed by.
A soft sigh left Avelina's lips even do she was surprised that she did not check maybe she was going to get something.
She moved quickly, grabbed her bag, and stuffed a bundle of cash into it. She could not even count it now? She would count it at Roxie's hostel—here wasn't safe. If her mother caught her, that would be another story. It was better to be smart.
Thunder cracked again as lightning struck, filling her room with a blinding flash.
She pulled off her wet bedsheets dropped it in the laundry bag and walked to the bag of cloth. Stripping quickly and changing into something else, she then used a towel to dry her hair.
When she was done, she grabbed a blanket, laid down on the floor, and covered herself with another before closing her eyes.
Avelina was almost asleep when she suddenly felt it—like a finger gently brushing her lips. She jolted awake, fear surging through her.
She sat up, her breathing growing ragged and rapid. The way that thumb brushed her lips felt too real to be just imagination. She moved to lie down..maybe she was just overthinking, but just as she laid, something flashed.
A sharp, fleeting wind grazed her skin, sending goosebumps crawling across her body. She sensed a suffocating, deadly aura—brief, yet unmistakably real. Her heart began to race.
How was that possible? She was in her room.
Even though she wanted sleep so badly, she forced herself not to close her eyes. She was tired, yet too scared to rest.
"What w…was that?" she whispered, her hands moving to her chest as if that would calm her pounding heart. Or was it just her conscience playing tricks on her?
No..that felt to real.
Morning came. Avelina turned sideways, then the other way, while Alor knelt beside her, tapping her.
"Big sister… wake up, Sister Lina, wake up."
Her eyes were lazy, still heavy with sleep. She wanted nothing more than to drift back off.
"Are you not going to school today?"
Those words jolted her awake. She immediately sat up, shocking even Alor. Dark circles framed her eyes—proof she hadn't slept because of fear.
She stared at Alor. He was already in his school uniform, his bag slung over one shoulder. It was her old bag, the same one she had carried at ten, now passed down to him.
She froze. She was late. Oh no..this was exactly what she had been trying to avoid! She quickly stood and went to the wardrobe to grab clothes for a bath.
"Big sister, good morning. How was your night?" Alor asked calmly.
Avelina managed a smile. "My night was great," she lied. Deep down, she didn't want to worry her little brother.
"Has your school bus not arrived yet?" she asked. She knew they had a free bus that came for him, and Alor, who took school seriously, never missed it. She was surprised he was still here.
"They changed our timetable. The bus will be here by nine," he explained.
Avelina's eyes drifted to the broken clock hanging awkwardly in her room—8:34.
"Oh no…" she whispered. She was late for registration. She rushed into the bathroom to bathe and get dressed.
After bathing, Avelina tied her hair into a messy bun. She looked far less presentable than she wanted. Today, of all days, she was supposed to pay her finals fees. Imagine walking in looking like a beggar—would they even take her seriously?
She threw on jeans and a white tee with cute designs on the front, then rushed to the dining table. She grabbed some bread, realizing the butter was finished, but that didn't stop her. She ate it plain.
In the living room, Alor sat calmly, his face as composed as always.
"Thank you, Aly, for waking me up," Avelina said with a smile.
Alor turned to her with a glare, silent. Avelina laughed as she knew exactly why he glared.
Realizing how quiet the house was, she grew curious. "Alor, where is Mother, Father, and Ella?"
His lips curved downward before he replied, "Mother and Father took Ella to the hospital this morning. The rain was too disturbing for her last night."
Avelina nodded. She sensed something was wrong, but her parents weren't saying anything, it was like her parent were not telling her something. She decided she would head to her sister's hospital today to pay the fees herself.
BEEP! BEEP!
The bus honked. Alor's face lit up, and he quickly stood.
"Wait," Avelina called, making him pause. She moved to her bag, pulled out some cash, and handed it to him. His eyes widened.
"You mentioned that new hotdog store near your school. You can buy one today." She smiled as her brother stared in surprise.
"Go now…we wouldn't want the bus to leave," she added, snapping him out of his shock. He nodded and ran to the door. Avelina sighed, then rushed to tidy up before leaving.
Two hours later…
Avelina stood in front of the large university gate, sweating profusely. She looked nothing like a student. Sweat trickled down her face, and her white tee clung to her back like a second skin. She had trekked all the way here after missing the free city bus. She couldn't waste money on an Uber.
Checking the time, she realized she was late. She hurried inside. The university was huge, but thankfully there would be many people at the place that meant she would not be the only one in line. She thought to herself positively.
Her stomach growled as her head spun. She hadn't eaten properly, and the hunger made it hard to concentrate. She touched her forehead, then pulled out her small button phone to call her best friend, Roxie.
She dialed.
Ring one… Ring two…
Finally, Roxie picked up.
"Hello? Roxie, are you in your room? I need water."
"Yes, I am," Roxie's soft voice answered.
"Wait—you're in your room? Did you already pay?" Avelina asked in surprise. Roxie was supposed to be outside too.
"No… didn't you see in the group chat? The date was shifted to tomorrow."
Avelina's eyes widened.
So all this suffering all the walking, the sweating, the hunger—it had been for nothing.