His Girl Friday 2

Chapter 22: Her Lifeline

Chapter 22: Her Lifeline

Apollo: Meet the caretaker at the lobby

Apollo: She will give you the keys

Apollo: Tell her whatever you need

Sahara: Okay

Sahara: Thank you

***

I was on autopilot.

Leaving the museum and being away from my ex and my coworkers felt good at first. But then when I reached my car again after checking out of the hotel, I could feel the panic surging in and creeping through my veins. I tried to shake it off and took my phone to keep my mind off things.

Maybe I should text or call my friends. Maybe they could talk me out of this panic attack with their words of wisdom and comfort.

But before I could find Everly's or Leila's number, a slew of notifications from my bank app popped up on my phone screen.

You have successfully transferred PHP 15,000.00 to NORTH SHORE LEISURE PARK AND HOTEL CORP via BankPay...

You have successfully transferred PHP 15,000.00 to NORTH SHORE LEISURE PARK AND HOTEL CORP via BankPay...

You have successfully transferred PHP 15,000.00 to NORTH SHORE LEISURE PARK AND HOTEL CORP via BankPay...

You have successfully transferred PHP 15,000.00 to NORTH SHORE LEISURE PARK AND HOTEL CORP via BankPay...

You have successfully transferred PHP 15,000.00 to NORTH SHORE LEISURE PARK AND HOTEL CORP via BankPay...

What the fuck?

***

I was drowning from my own tears and sobs. The lump on my brought out by the sheer force of my anxiety and panic was choking me, cutting the oxygen off my lungs.

Panic attack. I was having a panic attack inside my car at the basement parking of the hotel. No one was out here to save me from my mind.

But then a loud ringing noise pierced through the suffocating fog. I pulled my body off the steering wheel and looked down on my lap where my phone was sitting, but its screen remained dark.

Where is that ringing noise coming from?

Despite the sobs and the heavy weight on my chest, I concentrated real hard to breathe as the phone continued ringing. When my breathing started to come easily to me, I started concentrating on where the ringing noise was coming from.

It was inside the car... but it wasn't anywhere near me right now.

The piercing sound was coming from the back.

I looked back and checked the backseat, and sure enough, the ringing sound was louder as I clumsily climbed on there. It got louder when I opened the duffel bag I hadn't opened since I left Hermosa yesterday.

I gasped when I saw the new smartphone Apollo bought me a few weeks back.

Apollo Arcangel calling...

Without any thought, I answered his call. "H-Hello, Apollo?"

"Sahara?" his worried and authoritative voice washed me when he responded. "What's going on? Are you crying?"

"I—" I tried to answer but my tears were back, along with the choking sensation brought by my panic attack earlier.

"What's wrong, Sahara?"