Her Hiding Place

A cute white hairy puppy with a red bell on her neck is wagging her tail as she greets the owner of the house in the front door. She's barking happily as she finally sits on her owner's lap after a whole day of waiting alone in the house. How's your day Millie? -she asks as she brushes the dog's soft fur with her fingers. The dog suddenly jumps and run in the front door, as if she's wanting her owner to take her out for a walk. Sorry Millie, Mommy is tired. Maybe some other time, I promise I will take you out. It seems like the dog understood what she said, and started looking down. It walks towards her owner and lie on her feet. The young woman is in her early 20's. Her name is Clarity Rosewood. She's pale looking and with a gloomy aura, she is always hiding behind her black hoodie. She may look ordinary at first glance and maybe the kind of girl that won't make heads turn, but as you stare at her, you'll realise that she have a classic beauty that only few notices. Her cellphone suddenly rings and as she picks it up, she sighs as she found out whose calling her. It's her best friend and workmate, Amelia. Can you please give up? I already told you, I am not going. -says Clarity. Clarity's eyes grew wide upon hearing her response: Open the door, I am in front of your house. She quickly opened the window and frowns upon seeing Amelia outside her house. She opened the door and the guest quickly enters the house. Millie started barking as if she's not happy to see her owner's bestfriend. Hey doggie, you are already familiar with me, I've been visiting this house for years yet you still treat me like a stranger? -says Amelia, the dog started grinning her teeth which made the girl scared. Millie I know you don't like her and I understand you. -says Clarity. Amelia smiled sarcastically and teases her best friend. I wonder how peaceful it will be if I agreed before that you'll just raise a cat instead? Do you remember how excited we are before to get a pet? You want a cat and I told you a dog is better. You told me you really want a cat yet you ended up having this dog? I guess Millie is really for me, she's soft and brave at the same time. -Clarity answered. Amelia sits at the white sofa and asked her bestfriend for some food. Clarity went to the kitchen and as she returned, she have two bowls of cereal, and the milk is not even half a bowl. Wow, cereal, at night, after a long tiring day at work, a cereal is the best that you could offer? Seriously? Clarity didn't mind her and started eating. Amelia don't have a choice but to have a spoonful because she's too hungry. You should go. That party isn't for me. You know me Amelia I won't be happy there. -she uttered. Amelia smirks and replied.. As if you are happy here either? You're not happy at all Clarity, whether you're at work or at home or even anywhere, you're not really happy. You're never happy. Clarity's reaction is emotionless. She's just continuously eating her cereal, she grabbed the tv remote and turned on the TV. Her bestfriend stares at her with sad eyes, she wanted her to get out of her comfort zone and meet new people, she wants Clarity to enjoy life just like how she used to, but she's too stubborn and too hard headed to listen. Amelia moves nearer to her and convinces her again. It's Emma's wedding. Emma is our colleague. She's a nice girl. It's a grand wedding Clarity. Imagine being married to a successful businessman? They even rented the most beautiful hotel in the city! What are the chances that we're going to witness a fabulous event? We shouldn't miss the chance? Clarity smiled and put down the bowl of cereal on her lap. Then you should go, I am not really into fabulous night, I am already comfortable here in my couch, with the tv on and with Millie. You know me Amelia that's not my thing. Despite of her convincing effort, she sighs because of her bestfriend's stubborness. Yeah of course I know you, you're the type of person who doesn't even care. You like your black hoodie a lot , you love darkness and silence and I am the wild and the lively type. I wonder why on earth I ended up with someone like you? Millie barks as if she's agreeing with Amelie's statement. See? Even your dog agrees? I don't know if I'll find it amusing that she gets what I am saying or feel sad that what I said is a reality. Suddenly it went silent. A silence that overshadows noises. Clarity is watching a comedy show. The TV screen shows laughing people, a lot of people actually. They are all laughing hysterically that they are about to cry. It looks so funny and entertaining, even the background music sounds fun and lively yet Clarity's lips are not even moving. Even a smile can't be seen. She's just watching, watching blankly as if she's only passing the time. Amelia stares at her once again. She's not the girl named Clarity that she used to grew up with... A flashback of what happened 10 years ago suddenly struck Amelia's memory. May 2010 It's a beautiful and windy afternoon. In a wide field with colorful flowers, a young girl can be seen with her eyes closed, dancing freely while humming her favourite song that she just discovered in the radio. She loves the song, she loves the wind, she loves to dance, she loves everything in that moment. She's with her bestfriend Amelia, whose lying on the grass. Why don't you just lie down and relax? The wind is making me sleepy. Mom woke me up extra early today and I hate it. Have you seen me taking a nap at school earlier? Good thing that Mrs. Robbins didn't notice or else I'd be dead, you know how terrifying she is. Clarity stretches her arms and lie down beside her. Yes, I am feeling extra sleepy too. But it is such a waste to sleep when we can just play and run around, don't you think? Amelia closes her eyes and ignored what she said. She prefers sleeping over playing, but Clarity is just too energetic and started tickling her bestfriend. She started tickling her waist, then her neck, then all over her body until she finally laughs, Amelia is shouting and begging her to stop. Stop it Clarity! Please! They are both laughing and giggling as they tickle each other while rolling in the grass. They are both enjoying and no one is willing to give up. They get up and started running around, swaying their arms in the wind like a bird. Both their hairs are dancing with the wind too and it is such a beautiful moment to look at. You see?! It is much better to do this than to sleep Amelia! It's really fun!!! Her smile is as beautiful as the spring season. In fact, much more beautiful than the blooming flowers. The kind of smile that would light up a dark room, the kind of smile that radiates and spreads positivity. That's the last time that Clarity smiled like that. Amelia, Clarity!!! The girls looked around and as to their surprise, it is Amelia's Mom, that is calling them. She just got out of a black car,she's standing at the road nearby. She looks so worried. As if a bad news just made her looked that gloomy. The girls walked towards her and they are both clueless as to what's going on. What's the matter Mom? Mrs. Adams didn't replied to her daughter, instead she just stared at her daughter's bestfriend, she hugged her, as tight, and as gripping as possible. Wondering what's going on, the young girl looked up at Mrs. Adams face and noticed that she's crying. Amelia started crying too upon seeing her mother's tears. What's wrong Mommy why are you so sad? Clarity is still clueless, not knowing what's the reason behind Mrs. Adams tears. ------------ Scene: Saint Mary Hospital. At the long hallway. It is not crowded and only few people are passing by, they are mostly hospital staffs. It's almost 6 p.m and the sun is about to set. Clarity can be seen crying hysterically while her Aunt Melissa is trying her best to calm her. Mrs. Adams and Amelia are crying too. Clarity's parents, Xander and Joanne Rosewood encountered a tragic accident. According to the investigation, they were on their way back home from a work related trip when the accident happened. Their vehicle collided with a big oil tanker which made it explode. The car was totally wrecked and their bodies were burned to ashes because of the explosion. The company of the oil tanker assures that they will compensate for the loss and insisted that it was an accident. The company where her parents work also promised that they will give Clarity the financial assistance and compensation because her parents played a big role in the company. Clarity is an only child and what makes her sad even more is the fact that her parents suffered a very tragic death. They were good people, and she feels that it is so unfair for their family to end that way. No amount of compensation can ease her pain. She's only 10 year old and all that she needs is her Mom and Dad beside her. Nothing else. A day has passed, many people grieved for her parents death, including friends, relatives, co-workers, colleagues, and many kinds. They all looked at Clarity with sadness and sympathy. They utter words of condolences yet no words reached the girl's heart. She often hear people talking. And gossiping at the same time. How is she going to live her life now? How is she going to face each day, she's still a child, you know, a clingy and needy one, what else can she do? I've heard that she will inherit big amount of money, the company's compensation is so big I bet she'll grow up in a fancy and shopaholic life. Xander and Joanne must be drunk. I've heard that they won the bid for the project, maybe they had a drink to celebrate, such a poor man with wrong choice, he should have been more careful. Now he lost everything. She must be cursed. She made her parents die with her cursed life. Look at her eyes, she looks like those cursed child in the movies. Clarity stood in silence as she listens. For the adults she's only a child, but she knows things, she knows life, and that moment she realizes how cruel the society is. She went to her room and silently closed the door. She lie down in her bed and stared at the ceiling. ----------- Present Moment. Amelia stood up and prepares to leave. Girl, I'll be calling you tomorrow, better prepare your dress or else I will dress you up by myself, and oh, no hoodies allowed. Clarity opened the door and told her to leave. You better leave, I told you I'm not going. You should ask somebody else. As Amelia steps out of the house, she looked back once again and says.. You'll attend the wedding tomorrow, I believe that you'll go Clarity. ----- Clarity's POV What's the sense of going at a party and to be surrounded with people that I don't like? I'd rather be with Millie than to socialize. At least she's not human. Humans have flaws. Well, except Amelia, she's my favourite human. I get it, she's nice and sweet but I don't really understand the need for parties. It is time consuming and tiring. It's not my thing so why would I go there? ----- The next day arrived quickly. It's 9 a.m and Amelia is busy sorting out her dresses in her wardrobe. She have too many dresses actually, and sometimes when you have too much, it's really hard to choose. She works as a researcher in a news and media company. She's a newcomer yet she's making a name for herself because of her outstanding skills. She's really a good friend, she's always thinking of Clarity, and the reason why she eagerly persuades her to attend the wedding is because she just wants her to get out of her shell and be the Clarity that she originally knew.