Sofia Maya Gabriella Ana De Leon

Audriana didn’t want to think much about the message because it was normal that her parents would want her home for dinner just so that they can spend time together but when she read the message over and over again, she could sense the urgency in the message and was worried that something was up.

That thought alone kept her worried and she couldn’t concentrate on her work so she decides to call him.

“Hey dad, how are you?” Audriana asked when he picked up the phone.

“My princess, I am okay. How are you doing?” he replied.

“I am doing fine, dad. Still, on that project, you sent me the day before” she smiled as she looks at her laptop.

“Okay, okay, how is it going? Feeling stuck?”

“It’s going fine and no, I am not stuck. Will reach out when I am”

“Will be there to offer my help anytime, princess” he chuckles softly.

“I keep that thought with me. Dad?”

“Yes, dear?”

“I saw your message just now,” she said then heard him take in deep breaths “What’s going on?” she inquired.

“Yes baby, we have to see,” he told her sounding so distressed.

“Are you okay? Have you been taking your medications? Have you be-” he cuts her off.

“Easy Ana, I am fine and I have been taking my medications” he assured then sighs again “Princess, it’s not about me… it’s… just come home, okay?” he told her sounding defeated.

Ana is her nickname by her dad.

“Are you sure? If it’s not about your health, then what is it?”

“It’s not something to be discussed over the phone, we need to see so that we can think of how to solve the pending issues,” he tells her.

“You’re ensuring me that everything is fine?” she asked.

“Just come home, okay?” he said.

“Okay, I’ll head home after work, send my kisses to mum for me,” she said with a sigh.

“I will do that”

He hung up and she sat still for a while then tried to get back to work but couldn’t since their conversation played in her head.

Audriana knows her dad well enough to be someone that solves whatever issues he faces without bothering to ask for help but when he does ask for help like now, it’s something big and with how distressed he sounded over the phone, it got her worried and she wanted to immediately find out the cause.

Deciding not to think too much about what the issue might be, she tried to focus on the rest of the lectures she had for the day before she headed home.

After the day’s lecture, she continued with the project and faced a major bug, this was the same bug she faced while writing the codes earlier. She had to delete what she wrote and rewrite it, now, she is facing the same thing. She tried and tried and tried different methods but still got the same error message.

"I think I’ll just call it a day and just go home because I can feel a headache coming already” she muttered to herself and closed her laptop with a reminder to finish it up before the end of the week.

Standing on her feet, she packed up her laptop, phone, chargers, some books she needed to read, and other essentials inside her bag, slung the strap over her shoulder, and made her way out of her office which she locked before going to her bestie’s office which was on the floor below hers.

Her bestie, Sofia was her ride home.

Sofia Maya Gabriella Ana De Leon is also a lecturer at Teslundo University. But she teaches Archaeology in the Science and Art department. Both ladies have been friends since college, Sofia studied archaeology while Audriana studied computer science.

They met in one of the weirdest ways ever. In the bathroom.

Audriana was a transfer student from Precise Tech college and was new to her environment, she was looking for the bathroom and got lost severally before she finally found it.

She heard some sniffling and little sobs and wondered who that was but her full bladder didn’t permit her to go ahead and find out, so she entered the cubicle next to where the cries were coming from.

While she was doing her business, she didn’t hear the sobbing and heard one of the cubicle doors open, followed by footsteps then she thought that whoever was crying must have left but when she came out, a black-haired lady was staring at the mirror and wiping the tears that fell on her cheeks.

‘She didn’t leave then’ she thought.

“Hi” Audriana greets with a wave and a small smile then walked to the sink to wash her hand.

The lady looked at her without saying a word, her eyes were bloodshot from the excessive crying.

Feeling worried about the lady, Audriana turned to face her but what happened next shocked her.

The lady burst out crying and hugged Audriana who seemed a little taken back but she returned the hug and gave her comfort. They introduced themselves and she poured out what happened that put her in that state. Audriana felt bad and took Sofia to her car when she was calm.

They became friends since then. They were like sisters, telling secrets to each other, and go to parties, events, and conferences Sofia compelled Audriana to go, and even do sleepovers. They were inseparable.

“Hey driver, I am prepared to go home,” Audriana said when she entered Sofia’s office.

Sofia took a little glance at her with a smile before looking back at her laptop and typing “Chill master, I am still busy. Please, bear with me” she responds.

Audriana thought for a while “Hmm… you’ve been a great employee so I will grant your request for extra time” she said then walked over to where her friend was sitting.

“Why thank you, ma’am, I appreciate it much” Sofia grins then stood to her feet to give her friend a hug. “How are you doing girl?” she asked when they lean back from the hug.

Audriana went over to the table to sit in front of Sofia then sighs “Stressed but good, how are you?” she asked back.

“I am so great and as you can see, bubbly” she wriggled her shoulder and they giggled.

“I can see that mama. Tell me,” Audriana leans her hands on the table while Sofia’s attention was on her “How’s mum holding on?” she asked referring to Sofia’s mum.

A sigh left Sofia’s lips and she dropped her pen “She’s holding up fine, I guess” she sighs gain and had a sad look on her face “I am just bothered”

“About what?”

“About this new treatment mum is to undergo, they have been so many treatments she had to go through so that this cancer can leave her. The doctor said that the last surgery she had will totally remove all the tumor but” she looks up her “Another one was found and she needs more of those painful treatments and surgeries”

Audriana knew about Sofia's mum’s condition.

She has Culoitpyro valnyum cyst. It’s a rare disorder that grows tumors in the liver, kidney, breast, and brain.

This cancer makes the person gradually become blind with painful yellowish discharge coming from the eyes and nose. Sometimes sweat could be brown or slightly red and when it gets to a certain stage, the patient is likely to become paralyzed with no hope of walking.

It has been so hard on Sofia, especially since the auto crash claimed her dad’s life while he was on his way to get the prescribed medicine for her mum. She got the news of her dad’s accident and immediate demise due to the injuries he sustained from the crash.

That was the day they met and Audriana has been there for her all through those times which Sofia is grateful for.

“I’m scared” Sofia looked down as tears gathered in her eyes.

Remembering all those makes her so emotional and Audriana feels bad that she feels that way. They take each other as sisters that’s why they get each other.

Audriana stretched her hand to hold Sofia’s hand and rubbed comforting circles on her palm. Something she does to give her comfort and it works almost all the time.

“Sofie, look at me” she looks up at her and a tear slipped out of her eye “Liliana will do just fine, okay?” Sofia nods and wiped the tears from her cheeks “She wouldn’t want you looking all gloomy and all that, you know?”

“Yeah, I do. I am just trying not to think too much about it and be positive”

“That’s our only option, being positive,” Audriana said.

“I just hope this works out and all this pain she has been feeling comes to an end. I want her to be happy and live her life outside of the hospital”

“Me too, babe… me too”

They stayed silent for a moment just looking at each other before Sofia breaks the silence.

“Thank you Audri, you’re the best that ever happened to me and I am so glad that I have a friend like you,” Sofia said.

“Stop silly, I told you already… for better or worse,” they said the last part together with their pinky fingers crossed against each other before bursting out in fits of giggles.

Sofia faced what she was doing while Audriana was scrolling through her phone as she drums her fingers on the table.

“What are you doing?” Audriana asked after a moment then looked up at her friend who was looking at her too.

“Well, there is this new museum I stumbled into, last Friday and you know how I have been teaching my students about the history of Selfth Creswp?” she asked and Audriana nods.

Selfth Creswp is a semi-man-god that has scales as skin, fingers like a bird’s talon, and the waist down of a goat. Sofia has been so obsessed when she found out about this new discovery from her recent visit to Murie.

“I am thinking about taking them there by the end of the month, hopefully,” Sofia said with a huge grin.

Audriana smiles knowing fully well her bestie’s intense love for all historical kinds of stuff. Her eyes lit up like a little girl who got the best gift on Christmas day, whenever she is explaining new discoveries to anyone.

Her office also tells it all too, with all the weird things she brings from her tour to the places Audriana wouldn’t ever visit. All those souvenirs are what she uses as decorations in her office and she earned the name ‘The Mother of Those Times’ from Audriana.

“Oh girl, that’s great. Have you written a letter to the school chancellor yet?”

“That’s what I am writing, I pray that it gets approved before the last week of the month so that my students can get prepared, they are as excited as I am with all I have been telling them about this discovery”

“I am glad you have people you could share all your weird adventures with, you know?” Audriana said while playing with the pen she took from the table.

“Me too weirdo”

“Hey! That should be my line” Audriana protested.

Sofia stuck her tongue out at her and continues her work.

They kept talking in between about their day, and what they planned to do for the weekend and somehow, Philip came into the conversation.

"I actually think you should give Philip a chance, that boy likes you," Sofia said not removing her eyes off her computer.

Audriana sighs, "I don't know, he hasn't stopped pursuing me and whenever he gets the opportunity, he flirts with me and says silly things," Audriana said twirling a strand of her golden-brown hair.

"Well, novice that's what every guy who likes a girl does tease them, flirt with them, make their face flush red, he likes you a lot," Sofia said "And by the way, you are twirling your hair, and talking about how annoying he is," she said and stopped typing.

Sofia leans her elbow on the table and rests her jaw on her palm as she gave Audriana a knowing look.

"What?" Audriana asks with her brows raised.

Sofia gave her a look that says 'You sure as hell know what I’m talking about'.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Audriana questions "Okay, okay let's get this straight, I do not like Philip like that, okay? I… uh… take him as a friend. Okay, that's all" Audriana said defensively.

Sofia gave her a dry look "If you don't like him, you won't be all that defensive" she said. "Give the dude a chance and see where it goes"

"I do no--" Sofia cuts her off.

"I didn't insist you like him," Audriana couldn't talk. "Give him a chance, I can say Philip is a very nice guy, he is funny and carefree, even though he gets too inquisitive, overall, he is okay, and who knows he could be your Prince Philip" she added wriggling her brow and causing Audriana to blush. "And I don't like him," Sofia said in a slightly high-pitched voice.

Audriana tore a little paper and folded it then threw it at Sofia which she dodged before she stuck her tongue at her.

"Very mature" Audriana muttered.

"I am saying the truth"

"Whatever" Audriana rolled her eyes.

Almost thirty minutes later, Sofia was done with her work for the day and they started leaving the school building to the parking lot.

"I am so famished, where should we go to eat?" Sofia asked.

"Oh, sorry love we can't go to our mini-date, I have to go home, dad summoned me," Audriana said.

"Oh, can I come? I miss my old peeps," Sofia said.

"Sure, you can, you are their second daughter remember?" Audriana said.

They got into Sofia's car and she started the engine.

"Really, I thought we were twins, so that makes us their first daughters," Sofia asked.

"Whatever we are still their children"

"I know, but I am the first," Sofia said.

"Nope, I am the one" Audriana argued.

"I am the two" Sofia said and they both laughed.

They talked about many other things till they got to Audriana’s parent’s home.

"Pfft kiss my ass" Audriana said.

Sofia parked in the Bernard's garage that was beside their cream and gold-colored duplex. They got out of the car and starts with their usual play fights as they struggled to be the last one to hit.

"Oww," Sofia glared playfully at Audriana who slapped her arms quite painfully “You’re annoying” she pouts.

"Such a child" Audriana replied.

They continued their play-fight when they heard a voice coming from the front door.

"You know, no one would believe you girls are adults with your constant play fights," Moana Bernard said with a laugh.

Moana was wearing a green armless fled shirt that had flower prints on it with dark jean trousers, she is wearing the gold-colored necklace and bracelets Audriana made for her some years ago. She matched her outfit with a pair of green-colored flats.

She wasn’t wearing any earrings mostly because she doesn't have her ear pierced, same with Audriana.

"Oh, my mama" Sofia went over to her for a hug "Is it I, or do you just look ten times younger than you did the last time I saw you,"

"Oh, my dear, you have your ways with words, you look spectacular" Moana replied when they lean away from the hug.

"Thank you, mama, how are you? What of papa?" Sofia asked.

"Good evening mom" Audriana greets her mum with a hug too.

"Good evening, dear" Moana responds.

"Papa is inside, come let's get in," Moana said and the three of them entered the house.