"In Valemnia, a war between demons and its people have been ongoing for ages. And by ages, that's more than thousands of years into the past."

♣

CHAPTER THREE ♣ JOB SEARCH

The cab pulled over in front of the airport. Xandra and her parents waiting in front of the gates. Her best friend's face was creased with worry as she restlessly rocked on her heels and played with her fingers.

Valeriana rapped on the back of the driver's seat and spoke. "Sir, I'll just be a minute. Do you mind waiting?"

"Alright," he said. "Don't take too long. Airport policy—"

She then disembarked the cab and pulled herself to stand up. "Xandra!"

Her best friend jumped when she heard her name being called. Xandra whipped around, her black hair swishing as she met Valeriana's gaze. The look on her face was priceless as she ran forward and crushed Valeriana in a hug.

"Oh my god, Val. I was so worried," she said, breathing against Valeriana's unruly hair. "I'm so glad."

"Ouch. Wait." She hissed as her best friend accidentally brushed against a tender spot on her back. She tapped on her shoulder and pulled away, grimacing.

"Sorry!" Her brown eyes glinted with guilt, her eyes raking over her body. "Are you alright? Oh my god, look at you! You need to go to the hospital!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just . . . well, I hurt my foot," she said, looking down at the aching limb.

"I don't think you are. You need to get cleaned up," Xandra insisted. "What about the thief?"

"He got away," she answered. Xandra began fussing around her, though her rant fell on deaf ears. Her gaze flew over her BFF's shoulder to see her parents making their way over.

"Good grace! You just made me lose a few years of my life!" Xandra exclaimed.

"I'm sorry." Valeriana chuckled.

Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez examined her with incredulity as they came behind their daughter. Anna, Xandra's mother, placed a hand on Valeriana's shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. Mr. Hernandez pulled Xandra close to him, an arm around her shoulders.

"Dear lord, Valeriana. Are you alright, dear?" Anna's blond hair washed over her shoulder.

"I'm totally fine, Mrs. Hernandez." She took Xandra's hand and felt her chest tighten at the thought of not being able to hang out like they used to.

"I think we can spend a few minutes and bring you to the hospital ourselves," stated the Xan's father. "We can't leave you in that state."

"No! Please don't bother doing that at all. You'll miss your flight."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure," she said and nodded. "Just let me say goodbye and I promise I'm going to go home immediately."

They looked at her with doubt and worry.

"Can you guys not tell mom what happened? I can't have her worrying too much," Valeriana pleaded. She watched them exchange hesitant glances and grimaced. "Please?"

Anna sighed disapprovingly but nodded. "Alright."

She looked at Xandra. She had been with her since their childhood days. Over the course of twelve years, they were with one another. It was hard to think that they had to be separated.

While Valeriana was outgoing, she wasn't a social butterfly. She preferred a small group of close-knitted friends over hanging out with a bunch of people she hardly knew for the sake of having fun. She chose to form more intimate relationships, which was why letting go for her was harder than anything else.

She thought she wouldn't cry, she told herself she wouldn't. She would have that huge, crazy smile on her face so that her best friend would remember her without any of the crying. Even so, the sudden wave of tears flooded her eyes. Before she knew it, big and fat droplets of salty water trickled down her cheeks and sobs started tearing through her throat.

Xandra had the same reaction seeing her face. "I love you, Val," she said, their bear hug resuming. The warmth of her best friend and her trademark scent of cherry blossoms washed over Valeriana's senses. She closed her eyes, wanting to file this memory deep into her brain.

"I love you, Xan. My god, I'll miss you," she murmured, pressing their cheeks against one another. She would never get enough of Xandra and the comfort she brought.

"I'm sorry to leave like this, Val. I'll be back, I promise. I'll always be with you."

Valeriana made the strangest, strangled cry—a cross between a dolphin and a dog. Xandra could not believe what she heard and pulled away, laughter bubbling from her chest. Valeriana could not help but laugh as well, wiping off the tears and snot on her face.

"Oh my god, what kind of sound is that?" She howled with laughter, sounding more like a horse under an asthma attack.

Valeriana snorted at that and shook her head. "I don't know. What about the sound you just made?"

They all laughed, even Xandra's parents. They then dried their faces and composed themselves, sniffing as they held each other's hand.

"Gosh. I'm really sorry. Instead of giving you good memories, I just had to send you off looking like this."

"I think this is one more reason not to forget about you," Xandra told her, sadness coating her words. "My best friend sets out to see me off only to get victimized by a thief she had to chase down the street. I'll remember seeing you limp while you run to me."

She groaned, shaking her head. "Please don't."

"But really. I'm going to miss you so much . . ." Xandra trailed off, her eyes becoming teary once more.

"Don't give me those eyes." Valeriana chuckled. "I'm going to miss you too. I wish you didn't have to move away."

"Oh, honeys. I really wish we could stay." Mrs. Hernandez said. "College is really expensive here, though. Not to mention Emmanuel wanted Xandra to see what it's like living in the Philippines."

Xandra's father nodded. "We'll come visit," he said in his accented English.

At the mention of her best friend's home country, Valeriana felt herself breathing out loudly. Thinking about the distance between them made her head ache, but it was inevitable. Xandra needed to see what her other heritage had to offer.

"So it's final, huh?" she whispered. "I'm happy for you."

"Have you decided which university you're going to?" Xandra asked.

"I haven't decided. You know I go where you go. But this time, I can't . . ."

"What do you want, exactly?"

"Probably something different from high school. Maybe like Hogwarts."

They giggled.

"Unleash your inner sorceress, then," she told her. "And I will, too."

And they hugged once again, one last time.

"By the way, Valeriana dear. Wasn't your bag stolen?"

"Yes," she answered.

"How will you get home?"

She looked at the waiting taxi and realized she didn't have anything to pay with. Valeriana's cheeks reddened as she hung her head in shame.

"Here, take this," Anna said, pulling out her wallet and handing over a couple of bills to the girl. "This isn't much but it's enough to take you home, I assume?"

She looked down to see more money than she even needed at the moment. She withheld the guilt rising from her stomach, swallowing heavily. "Yes. This is more than enough. I'm sorry to bother you like this . . ."

"You aren't a bother." Emmanuel smiled kindly at Valeriana. "You are family."

"Thank you . . ." She tearfully bowed her head.

"Take care on your way home, Val. Make sure not to get kidnapped this time." Xandra joked, though her eyes started getting glassy for the second time around. "Man, if I saw that thief, I'll give him a good beating myself! Are you sure you're alright going by yourself?"

"Yes. I just need to hug you one more time."

The cab started honking, the driver looking impatient behind the wheel. Valeriana lunged for her best friend one last time and said the last part of her goodbyes.