Tiara Marionette Mitchell was just a normal 2nd year college student, she go to school everyday, has friends and boyfriend, etc., anything that indicates she is just a normal college student. Her normal life comes into an abrupt stop after an incident happens that change her whole life.

June 4, 2022 Saturday, inside an apartment room #934, Tiara is laying on her soft bed soundly asleep in her bedroom. Her apartment was small and lack of some furniture. Her walls was undecorated and plain white, except for her bedroom, her bedroom's wall was full of anime posters. When you enter at her rented apartment room, you will firstly see the living room, in front ahead was her kitchen, at your left you will the cr and bathroom and turn to the right, you will see 2 rooms, one is her bedroom and the other one is for the guest room. Actually she owns a house, it was left to her by her grandmother. She only rented this small apartment room because of two reasons, one is it is near to her university, her house was 5 rides away from the university. Second reason is, it is affordable since it is small besides she's in a crisis right now and she is working at a part-time job for her everyday costs. Today was her day off.

Early in the morning, there was a sound that breaks the quietness of her bedroom. Her clock is ringing, reminding her that it is already 8:00 am. She sleepily grab it and shut it off. She stay still for about 5 minutes and decided to sit up right. Upon sitting up, it reveals her messy blonde hair ー which almost look like a gold ー that is caused by her sleeping. She looks around and blink, which reveals her bright innocent-like-blue eyes. Remembering that she is still have a date with her boyfriend and he will be outside her door in about 10:00 am, she quickly get up, take a bath and prepare.

Tiara is 20 years old. She is petite and has a porcelain like skin, has a knee length, straight, blonde-like-gold hair. She has an uneven Bangs, due to her hobbit when is bored, she likes to cut her front hair whenever she got bored and touched a scissor. She has a circular face. Her brows are thin, straight shape and aligned, her eyelashes was not long but it is soft. She has a bright innocent-like-blue eyes, has a red blush cheek and a downward-turned lips. Her height is only 5.2 ft.

She finish her preparation at 9:27 am and since she's still have more time left before her boyfriend comes, she decided to sit at bed and wait for him. She is wearing an off shoulder, knee length, baby pink dress and baby pink, flat sandals. She is wearing her usual star, rose gold earrings and the necklace given by her boyfriend. Her necklace has a moon shaped pendant and the necklace is 14k gold. While she's waiting for him, she grab her phone and open her Facebook. While scrolling she see a post related to Harry Potter, the post consisting of a picture of a room full of Harry Potter merchandise that is neatly arranged and looks so beautiful. Tiara was a potterhead but she doesn't have any money spare to buy a merch besides all Harry Potter merch was expensive and that is reason why she felt hurt looking at it and looks at the picture jealously. After seeing that post, she decided to just watch an anime. She only finished one episode when she heard a knock on the door. She go for a one minute check for herself in front of the mirror, get her things and run excitedly at the door. A soothing flowery scent was left as she run towards door. She opened the door quickly that for a second, the door looks like it's going to fall off.

"James!" She shout excitedly and brightly and she give him a big bright smile that her eyes cannot be seen because of those smiles. James replied with a gentle smile. He look at her full of affection and gentleness.

"Let's go." He said affectionately.

His voice was soothing to ears, it is soft and gentle.

"Hmm" she replied energetically.

James Arthur Potterson is 22 years old, 2 years older than Tiara. He has masculine body and has a porcelain like skin. He has a straight flaming red hair. He has a heart shaped face. He has a bangs that is sometimes comes inside his eyes. His brows is thick, straight shaped and perfectly aligned. He also has a long and soft eyelashes. He has brown eyes and as the sun strikes at it, the more it become more attractive and beautiful. He has a pointy and long nose and have a downward-turned lips. His height is 6.0 ft. He is wearing a plain mint green T-shirt and pants. He wears jacket that has zipper in the middle and two pockets with hood on top of his T-shirt. He wears a necklace that has a same design of the necklace Tiara's wearing. In fact, it came from Tiara herself. He also wears his newly bought Nike, although it is locally made not the original. Even though he is wearing a cheap cloths he still look so handsome in it. His perfume was soothing and pleasant to the nose, it was a mint flavor men perfume.

James get Tiara's hand and intertwine it with his. They lock Tiara's apartment door and walk away. Both them didn't erase the smile plastered on their faces until they leaved that place. Everytime they are together, they felt like they are the only one living on the world and they see the world brightly and beautifully.

Tiara and Ashton was walking down the road with their hands intertwined. They didn't pay any attention to their surrounding even though the noise of the passing car was loud or the murmur of different conversation from the people was unpleasant to ears. It didn't matter to them even if there's too many people looking or watching, they just felt contented with themselves at these moment. Even if they didn't say 'I love you' at each other, just by this, it is already meant more than the word 'I love you'.

Tiara steal a glance at Ashton ー this caused her cheek to have a little blush on it, though she didn't realize itー and asked.

"So, where are we going?"

Ashton walk into the side of the road where the passerby won't get disturb in their business and stop there. Since, their hands are still intertwined, Tiara just follow suit while confusion was written on her face. He put his right hand under his chin and have a serious expression on his face that makes him looks like he is thinking at something serious. Coincidentally, at that moment does Tiara choice to take a look at him and this just make her cheeks become brighter red. She got stuck at her track and stare at him.

"Hmmm, maybe mall?" Ashton replied.

This makes Tiara to come back to herself and she look away. She look at the passerby pretending that all this time her whole attention was at them.

"Mall? But we don't have any money." Tiara said with a concern in her voice.

"Why? Did I say that we are going to buy anything? It is free to just stroll around, you know?" Ashton replied with a sarcasm in his voice.

Tiara look at him and she looks like she is holding at something. Later on, she burst into a laughter and it is now Ashton's turn to get confused. Tiara's stomach hurt a little because of laughing that's why she hold it while she still continue to laugh. This attracts the attention of the passerby. Ashton scratch the back of his head because of confusion. Thinking back at what he said, he really didn't know what part of his questions that Tiara found funny. He can't help it and asked Tiara about it.

"Ahmm, did I say something funny?" Ashton asked.

He give an apologetic look to the passerby who got startled and disturbed by Tiara's sudden outburst. After a while, Tiara recovered from her outburst and she dry the tears comes out her eyes because of laughing.

"Well, your right. Strolling and wondering around is free for everyone." Tiara said with a shaken voice and then a chuckle escaped at her lip. Ashton got astonished at Tiara's cuteness when she tried to suppress her laugh. Unknown to him, his ears turned into bright red. Tiara cleared her throat and calm herself.

"Before we go to mall, can you please accompany me first at some place? Please, please, please." Tiara said with a pleading eyes, she even pout that added to her cuteness.

This time, the whole face of Ashton turned red.

"O-okay" Ashton replied, uncertainty was clear in his word.

"Yays!" Tiara shouted and jumped because of joy. She run off at some place and Ashton followed her at the back. Ashton didn't allow Tiara to get off his sight.

Tiara take a turn and enter into a passageway, this passageway is just a gap between two houses and it is only as wide as three people. Inside, a very unpleasant smell will enter your nose, it is a combination of the smell of different waste that is thrown carelessly there. Tiara takes too many turns, they even passed a group of men that is having an illegal transaction of drugs. If it is in other times, Ashton might already called a police to report the crime he witness but since he is busy at chasing Tiara, he turn a blind eye into it meanwhile Tiara just passed them carelessly without giving a glance. After a five minutes of running, they finally come out of that passageway. Ashton look around the place, it is a deserted road and not even a single soul are present in it except for a birds that quietly perched in the perfectly arranged trees . Ashton was amazed, he didn't know that there is a place like this in their city.

"So, what are we doing here?" Ashton asked and look at where Tiara was supposed to be standing but to his surprise Tiara was not there anymore. When he look around, he see her 10 kilometers away from him. He catch up at her and just continue to follow her until they stopped in front of vending machine.

"And then?" He asked.

Tiara didn't answer him instead she walk closer to the machine and started to shake it. After a while of shaking it, two canned drinks come out of it. When Tiara saw the canned drinks she brighten up because the canned drinks that come out is her and Ashton favorites, looks like there luck was high today. She get one and give the other one to Ashton. Ashton accept it and watch Tiara to finish gulping down the drinks before asking.

"There are too many vending machine on the main road so what is the difference that we needed to go here?" Ashton asked confusingly.

"No peoples around?" Tiara replied but when she see that the confusion didn't leave in Ashton's face she added "oh c'mon how am I supposed to get a free drinks if when even I just shake the vending machine a little there's a police that will come to chase me."

Ashton sigh, though he is against at his girlfriend's behavior, he doesn't want to go against her. He just finish his drink and pushed those thoughts at the back of his mind. Tiara gives a satisfied sigh and throw the can into the trash bin.

"Let's go?" Tiara asked and give ashton a big smile.

Ashton nodded as an answer. Together, they trace back the way they take on going into that place. To Ashton disappointment, the group of men that is having an illegal transaction of drugs earlier was not there anymore. He is already prepared to call a police though. He just forget about it and go on to his date.

After a long walk, they finally reach their destination. They spent an hours strolling at the mall without buying anything. When they already see every part of the mall, Tiara suggest to play at Tom's world. So they spent another hour there, Tiara refuses to leave until she try every game there. When they exited the Tom's world, Tiara's stomach started to grumble. It is too loud that Ashton heard it. After he heard it, Ashton let out a stifled chuckle. Tiara pouted at James's action.

"Ok fine, we will have a lunch right away and my treat." James said gently after he manage to stop his chuckles and he gently hold Tiara's cheek which makes her world stop and her heart beat like crazy.

"And stop making that face, I may not be able to control myself and kiss you." He added.

"Eeeeehhhh!!" She shouted, her whole face become red and she feel hot that she even wonder if there's a smoke coming out her face.

James let out another stifled laugh after seeing Tiara's reaction. As his chuckle stop, he smile gently at Tiara and get Tiara's hand, intertwine it then run as he drag Tiara behind him. At his back while James look seriously at the way, Tiara was looking at him mesmerize and secretly let out a small smile. At this moment, even they didn't say it to each other, through only their eyes, you can tell how happy they are at each others side and they felt lucky to met each other.

James was finding the restaurant that he see earlier, that restaurant was clearly a newly opened restaurant because they are short of staff but despite that there are to many dish in one plate and their food is cheap. James spent a dozen minutes before he found the restaurant that seek to find. It is just stationed near the spa with 2 kilometer distance from the entrance. The couple enter the restaurant while holding each others hand. After entering, Tiara look around the place and amazed at the interior design.

'It's so beautiful!' Tiara thought.

The theme of their design was a pirate ship, at the middle there's a small ancient pirate ship toy and it is connected to both side wall where a small stair to ship located. There is also an old steering wheel of ship designed at the wall and others that it looks like your inside your inside an ancient pirate ship. Inside was clean and tidy, it's also so wide but even with it's wideness they still felt suffocated because it is overcrowded. Tiara guessed that too many people take advantage at it while the price is still low. They find a table that is not occupied at the back left corner, it is far from the entrance/exit since it is in the right. The place that they choose is dimly lit and quiet and Tiara liked that kind of place. Tiara look at their table, infront of her there's a table mat and table wares and sauce at the middle. At her left, a folder contained with the menu was ready for them. Across from her, James sat in silence while he is busy choosing from the menu so Tiara just imitated him. In the end they choose the cheapest and it is also buy 1 take 1 so they only order one for the two of them. In ₱60.00, there is one cup of rice and 3 big lumpiang shanghai and a portion of vegetables partnered with a big bowl of hot soup. Both of them sat there and enjoy their meals, after a while they will talk with some nonsense topic and laugh. They finished their meals with a satisfied smiles and both of them felt like their stomach will burst from fullness.

"Hahahaha, that was delicious! We are lucky to stumbled at the restaurant with a huge discount." Tiara said happily but she replace it all immediately with a sharp eyes and a mischievous smile with her right hand at her chin and left hand was under her elbow. This is the face she always show when she is thinking some mischief and James could tell that right now is different so he listen to her intently.

"Well, (aren't) we lucky? At the vending machine, it happens that both of our favorite come out and now this." Tiara continued. This statement makes James to get confused.

"And?" He asked.

Her smile become bigger at James reply. She changed her position, right now she leaning at the table with both her elbows at the table and both hands at her chins without changing her facial reaction.

"Everytime I got lucky, there's always a misfortune that follows." Tiara answer.

As if to prove her theory, James smelled something is burning. He notice a smoke at the air which alarm him, he look around the restaurant to see the source of it. He knew that Tiara also notice it since she is also looking around alertly. After a few seconds, murmur broke out at the crowd, sensing what the couple observed.

"Fire!" Someone shout.

This become the reason for the crowd to panic. The couple immediately stand up and started to assist the people to get them immediately to the safely. Ashton position himself at the door to make sure that no accident occur while they run toward the exit meanwhile Tiara run deeper inside to guide those who are far from the exit and near the fire. Both of them did their best to evacuate everyone into the safety but they didn't know whether the crowd was just massive in number and hard to control or it is the fire that's spreads quickly besides they already lost track of the time, the fire was already huge and it's near the exit. After understanding the situation Tiara hasten her pace and double her effort. It paid off because after a short amount of time the people that is needed to get evacuated get fewer and finally it's just two person. She see that the other one was a kid and trying to lift the huge block that traped it's older companion. Tiara approach the two and they noticed that someone is approaching so they quickly glance at her direction. A new hope light up at the young one's eyes and he ran towards Tiara. He grab Tiara's hand with teary eyes.

"Please miss, I beg you, help my brother. He is trapped there..." The boy said and pointed at the direction of the said trapped person. "... And I can't leave him. Please, help my brother." He added.

Tiara squatted to match his height and patted him at the head.

"Don't worry ok? Sister is here, I'll help your brother, okay?" Tiara said and smile soothingly.

Tiara spotted a half filled water bottle at the boy's feet and get that. After that, she tore a long piece of cloth from her dress and divided it into two. She wet both of that using the water that is inside the water bottle and give one of it to the boy.

"Here, take it and put it in your nose" Tiara said.

The boy follow Tiara's instruction and put the wet piece of cloth at his nose, together they march toward the boy's older brother and start lifting the block. Tiara would be a liar if she said that it was an easy task, she was a woman and her only helper was a child. After a long period of time passed they finally lifted the big block, Tiara help the older brother to stand up and put him to her shoulder. They are about to leave when Tiara heard a small voice asking for help. Tiara stop and listen intently to the surrounding, at first all she heard was a crackling of the fire and the sound of debris falling off but after a moment, a voice calling for help resounded again. Tiara turn to the direction it come from. The two look at her in confusion, the voice was so low that they didn't notice it. Tiara look at them and say in a low voice.

"You should go without me, I have something I needed to do first." The brothers protested but Tiara was already determined at her decision. Before they go, Tiara briefly explain to them the direction of the safe way to exit. Tiara watch them as they go to make sure they understand her instructions, when they are out of her sight she let out a sigh and start walking toward the direction of the voice. Her steps was slow as she's looking for a safe way to walk through. As she is getting nearer to the kitchen the voice getting louder. She enter the room of what she believed the kitchen and observe the surroundings, it's large and the wall was covered up with utensils. Some that are hanged on the wall was in a mess, plates and spoons was left on the sink and not yet washed. It all indicate that it was left there in a hurry. Even on the floor the utensils including the knife was scattered, anyone who see it will say that it was a disaster. At the center of the room stands a long table filled with food although it is now filled with dust and ash. She realize that this is where they wash the dishes and at the far right corner was a passageway to kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen she quickly search the source of the voice, she didn't give any time for observing the surrounding. She found her near the cabinets and she was pinned down by the refrigerator. Tiara run towards her and help her remove the refrigerator. Tiara notice that the woman has a big wound in her forehead, she is half conscious because of it and she might be one of the staff based on her dress. She carry the woman until she go back to the sink and that is also the time when the woman regain her senses. Tiara detect it and help her stand up on her own.

"Thank you for helping me." The woman said

"It's nothing, by the way can you really manage yourself?" Tiara asked.

"Yup! No need to bother you more."

"Then allow me to guide you towards the exit."

"Oh! Thank you!"

Both of them approach the open door but Tiara see that the upper door frame was burning and about to fall and once it falls there will be no way towards the exit besides the woman was heavily wounded so if they both run towards it they won't make it, in order for someone to survive only one person is going to pass through that door. Upon seeing this, Tiara quickly reacted and push the woman outside the room and just after she push her at the same time the upper door frame fall. The woman look at her hero, horror stricken as she realize what is happening. She get up and try to go to Tiara because of worry but the fire dividing them was so intense that she instantly backed away.

"Go now! Don't worry about me! Just follow the path that I created! The fire won't reach you there!" Tiara shouted.

"B-but how about you?"

" I'll be fine just go!" Tiara answer while putting an act of confidence.

Convinced at Tiara's word, the woman run in the path created by Tiara. When finally the woman was out of Tiara's sight, she slammed herself to the floor and just wait there for the time she will die.

The woman run as fast as her legs could do. She follows Tiara's instruction and safely arrive at the exit. At that time, James was still standing at the exit door, waiting for Tiara to come out when a woman who appeared to be in a rush grabbed him frantically while still out of her breath but the woman didn't even wait to catch her breath and continue tell her purpose which causes her sentence to become disjointed.

"Sir, (haa!) P-please (hhu!), Pleasesirhelp!" Said the woman. The last part was too fast that James can't understand it.

"Calm down, say it more slowly so that I can understand it." He said.

" Sir, please help!"

It takes her some minutes to finally able to calm her breath and continue to explain the cause of her inquiry.

"There's a woman who helped me escaped the fire but she got trapped while helping me. She is at the kitchen right now!"

Hearing those words, James's world seems to stop, even though the woman didn't say who it was but James know. There is only one woman who are still inside helping other stranded people. A tears trying to come out of his eyes but he tried all his best to hold it in and rush back inside. He can hear the woman's voice calling after him but he don't take notice at it and continue to run because, all that matter to him right now was Tiara's safety. He run and run and run, every second that pass is like an eternity to him and as the clocks tick, anxiety slowly eating him. And finally, he can see Tiara's sitting near the kitchen door and even from afar he can tell that the fire on that only is so intense. James scream Tiara's name at the top of his lung which causes for Tiara to notice him. As Tiara's eyes fall on the figure of running James, shock and anxiousness for him envelop her.