บท 32: I promise you

"Are you okay?" She didn't respond. Her eyes are shaky while staring at Richard's picture. She's breathing heavily and, her eyes become teary.

"Miss, do you need anything?" She is still not responding to me. She starts to let out a soft howl as tears come out more and more. I quickly take the magazine and rip apart the cover before stepping on the picture. My action shocked the cashier but, she's starting to see me in front of her.

I looked at her seriously while holding her face gently. "Hey, look at me!" The girl nods while looking at me with a pale face. "Now, follow my breathing." I take a deep breath and ask her to follow my action. The girl follows my action obediently, which is a good sign.

"Do you need anything?" I asked her gently while looking at her straight in the eyes. The girl shakes her head before changing to nod. I return a nod at her while smiling. "Tell me, I'll help you to take care of the thing." The girl nods again. Her face is pale but better than before.

I saw a chair near the window when I entered the store just now. I run slowly to pick up the chair before walking back towards the girl. I let her sit on the chair and give her a bottle of water I picked up on the way here. "Drink first."

The girl looks at me for a few seconds before taking the water from my hand. She is gurgling the water while shutting her eyes tight. She almost finished drinking the water when she stops to take a breath. Then, she continues to drink until she finishes the water.

I didn't stare at her so as not to make her uncomfortable. I still stand by her side, though. I was still staring at the high prices on the cigarette box when I feel tugs on my clothes. I look at the hand on my clothes before looking at the owner of the hand.

"How did you know...?"She asked in a low voice. Very low, but luckily I can catch what she's saying.

"Know what?" When I asked her that question, I see that she's glancing at the ripped magazine without the cover. I nodded while pursing my lips before looking at her.

"I know that person." The girl stares at me with wide eyes and, her body starts to trembles again. "We are enemy." I smile at the girl. Her trembling is lesser but, I know she's still wary of me. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." I pat her head a few times. "You can trust me." As I said that, I take out a sum of money from my wallet.

"This is to pay for the things I bought. Including your drink." I smile at her while putting the money on the counter.

"Er..thanks!" She nods again while gripping the empty bottle tightly. After a few seconds of watching her like this, I let out a sigh.

"You did nothing wrong. I'll help you take revenge." It's very sudden for me to say this but, I don't want to see a young girl like her give up and live with trauma her whole life.

"Isn't revenge a bad thing?" She asked in a low voice while looking down at the floor.

I pet her head a few times with a smile. " Revenge is a good thing if you do it the right way." Luckily, the girl is looking down. While my hand is still on top of her head, the girl can't see my expression. But, I can see my reflection in the glass door for the shelf where they keep the cigarette clearly. 'I'm making a scary expression right now.' I chuckle under my breath.

"Anyway," I paused as I pick up a phone from my bag. " Give me your number."

"Ah!?" The girl is really shocked by my request. She stammered for a while and, it makes me chuckle. "Don't worry! Let's become friends from now on!" I smile at her and can't help but show a line of my teeth. " What's your name?" I asked as she takes my phone from my hand.

As she put her number in my phone, she glanced at me before quickly looking at the phone when she sees me looking at her.

"An..na..." She said slowly. "My name is Anna Heath." She return the phone to me. "Yo..u? What's your name?"

"Avaline Ricks! Just call me Ava!" I tell her with a smile on my face. But, somehow, her expression becomes ugly right after I tell her my name.

"Ava..."Suddenly, she gets up from the chair and holds my shoulders tightly before pushing me down.

"Guh!?" I was taken aback by her sudden pounce. I can't help but fall with my back facing the floor. I quickly protect my head and grabs the corner of the table to slow my fall. Luckily, my reaction is fast enough and, I don't receive any injuries. I'm lying on the floor with Anna pinning me down. I was about to ask her what happened when I feel something wet fall on my face.

I look up to see Anna is crying with an angry expression on her face.

"If it wasn't for you..." She speaks between gritted teeth before biting her lips. She shut her eyes, and another drop of tears fall on my face. "If only you don't offend him... He won't do all that to me..." She cried.

'She is crying.' I am stunned by her words. I can't help but feel something is burning in my heart. 'She's crying...'I can feel anger rose in my heart. My expression changes as I stare at Anna. "What did that bastard do to you..." I try my best to control my voice. But, I can't hold my anger when someone hurts innocent people because of me.

Anna stares at me while still gritting her teeth. But, instead of looking angry, she's looking like she's holding her tears. After staring at my face for a few minutes, she gets up from my body before she slumped on the ground and cries.

"Why...why does it have to happen to me...!" Anna tries to wipe her tears, but it still comes out. "I never...never asked for it!" She rants and rants in front of me. "I thought... they said... for one night..."

I look at her crying before slowly comes toward her. I hug her and bury her face in my embrace. "I will bring them down and make them beg for forgiveness even if they don't deserve it." I stroke Anna's back while gently promise her to give those bastards their own destructive ends.

"Mark my word!" as they mess with the wrong person.