Collapsed

Leaving Giselle's place, Lillian had no wish to return home. She began roaming the streets aimlessly.

No matter how much she tried to forget it, Lillian Grey could never stop over thinking that she might be responsible for Giselle leaving.

'Is it because Giselle wasn't ready to be with me?'

'Maybe I overstepped that night by visiting her without a notice?'

'Does her parents did not like me?'

'What happened that made her leave so sudden?'

Lillian's mind sank under dozens of questions.

She kept walking randomly without noticing the way; Thinking that no longer could she see Giselle made Lillian listless.

..

Finally exhausted from roaming, Lillian Grey collapsed on the ground. All of the stress takes a toll on her, leaving her unconscious.

Her fall alarmed the passing by strangers.

They mistook Lillian to be a drunkard, assuming that she got inebriated from the liquor. Also, these busy people kept moving without wasting time to stay and help.

Lillian did appear fatigued from lack of food and sleep. Upon hearing that Giselle left the country, she couldn't focus on taking caring of her health.

At last, giving up on her visits, she passed out on the streets as a homeless person.

***

Edwin looked at the time. It is almost nearing midnight, and Lillian, who usually returns by now, did not come home yet.

Worried about her strange silence along with careless behaviors, Edwin called Lillian Grey.

However, he received no response.

Edwin continued calling, but there was no answer from Lillian.

He started panicking about the situation and immediately dialed Anna's number.

Anna learned that Lillian isn't back at home. So joining Edwin, Anna called in for Diego's help as well.

They tried reaching Lillian through phone calls. However, not even a single response received from Lillian, the three worried.

With no other option available, they all left home to search for Lillian Grey, hoping, and praying for her safety.

They searched separately.

Edwin went around the nearby streets while Anna checked the familiar spots they would often hang out. Meanwhile, Diego, after hearing that Lillian did not return home, had a vague assumption of her location.

Without hesitating, he went on checking the streets around Giselle's neighborhood. He suspected that if there's a possibility of Lillian staying out late at this time, it might be only hers.

Diego also learned Giselle's departure from Anna. He quietly felt reassured.

However, he did not expect Lillian to be so stubborn to visit Giselle's place every day. He wondered for what reasons Lillian went there.

To his anticipation, Diego went to check every street around Giselle's neighborhood. As he examined the area, Diego noticed the random comments emerge from every group that passed him.

He listened to them.

'She must be drunk to get so wasted like that.'

'I guess so. Young people these days are so careless.'

A few more remarks of a homeless female passed out on the ground. The more Diego heard, the more he got convinced that it might be his Lillian.

Soon to his suspect, he found Lillian Grey, blacked out by the pavement. She appeared unconscious.

Quickly reporting it to both Anna and Edwin, Diego went near to wake up Lillian.

Lillian fell with her face down, and with the no motion, Diego assumed that she fainted.

When he picked her up gently, Diego noticed Lillian's face.

At once, his whole body recoiled from the sight.

The expression she wore along with the faint teardrops falling by the corner of her eyes, Lillian looked lifeless.

Diego froze on the spot, not knowing how to handle her.

**

Anna was nearby, and so, she reached the place soon. On her way, she informed Edwin to return home while she would bring Lillian herself.

Edwin insisted on staying, but Anna did not want Edwin to see her in 'whatever' state she was in, Anna pleaded Edwin to return home as soon as possible.

Anna found Diego and Lillian together. Rushing towards them worriedly, she saw Diego arrested with supporting Lillian with his hands.

"What the hell happened here?" Anna shouted.

Startled by the voice, Diego snapped out of his dazed zone to see Anna.

"I found her like this," he responded naturally.

Seeing him utterly frozen, Anna took over, letting Diego catch a breath.

Anna patted Lillian's cheeks softly to try waking her up, but it didn't work. Lillian Grey is not responding.

She feared, thinking that it would be wiser to bring Edwin here to the scene. After all, they are still kids.

The more Lillian remained motionless, the more Anna panicked.

She glanced at Diego, hoping that he could give her a hand, but upon seeing him, Anna found it useless. Diego is even more shocked than Anna.

'This is no time to get distracted.' - Anna observed.

Instead of getting scared, Anna kept tapping Lillian until eventually, Lillian opened her eyes.

"Lilly- Lillian?" Anna cried.

Diego got alarmed from Anna's scream. He noticed that Lillian is awake now.

Though she looked very pale and feeble, the fact that nothing grave happened to her relaxed Diego.

Lillian Grey, when she opened her eyes to the warm embrace, witnessed Anna in front of her.

As soon as she verified it was Anna, Lillian broke into tears. She hugged Anna tightly and sobbed.

Her sobbing was out loud and attracted the public.

Anna ignored the noise and comforted Lillian first to calm her down.

'What in the world happened to you, Lilly?' Anna thought while supporting Lillian Grey.

'Why are crying like this Lillian Grey?' – Diego's eyes swelled from her loud sobbing.

Within a few seconds into tearing up, Lillian fainted once again.

The first time when she fainted, it must be due to exhaustion, but now, she collapsed from all the pain she bottled up until now.

Anna caught hold of her and asked Diego to help take Lillian to her car.

Once they settled Lillian in the seat, Anna advised Diego to return home while she takes Lillian home by herself.

She also informed Diego about staying with Lillian by her side.

Diego followed.

***