Timeless || FreenBecky [Completed]

Chapter 19

Days passed, and Becky fell into an unusual silence. She was no longer the cheerful soul who'd always bug Freen about the latest tech trends or this era's quirks. Instead, she confined herself to her room, lost in books and deep slumber.

Freen grew increasingly concerned but couldn't find a moment to reach out, buried in her own work. She had just finished part one of her book, and now Heng was relentlessly hounding her for part two.

"Come on, Freen! Don't you want to join the crowd? There's a horde of eager fans waiting for your signature. They won't budge without your presence," Heng grumbled with a hint of frustration. "They're even threatening to demand refunds if you don't sign their books."

"Is that really my problem?" Freen asked nonchalantly.

"Of course, it's OUR problem. If you don't show up, your book sales might tank. No income means we'll starve," Heng retorted.

"But I can't just leave Becky alone. She hasn't budged from her room for days. If I go, she'll be all by herself," Freen explained, her gaze fixed on Becky's room door. "I don't want her to feel abandoned."

"Then take her with you! Maybe she's just bored cooped up in there. Plus, you'll have a book signing event, and she could meet lots of people who admire your writing style. She could chat with them," Heng persuaded Freen.

Freen let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll ask Becky if she wants to come. If she declines, I'm not going."

"Freen!" Heng exclaimed, but Freen hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket.

She headed toward Becky's door, ready to knock, but before she could, the door swung open.

Becky appeared utterly stressed, with dark circles under her eyes and disheveled hair, as if she'd just rolled out of bed. She looked completely drained.

"What's going on?" Freen inquired.

"A book has officially wrecked my life," Becky declared, pointing at Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook."

Freen chuckled and glanced at Becky before pulling her into a warm hug. Becky nestled her head on Freen's shoulder, finding solace there, but eventually, Freen had to let go.

"I'm heading to a book signing event," Freen informed Becky. "Would you like to come along?"

"But I thought you wanted to keep your identity a secret from your readers," Becky said, puzzled.

"I've thought about it, and you're right," Freen replied with a grin. "My readers deserve to see the face behind those incredible books."

"You're getting a little cocky," Becky teased, crossing her arms. "Are you sure you want me to come? I might just be a burden."

"No, I'll let you roam and browse books so you won't get bored. Do you want to give it a shot?" Freen asked again.

Becky smiled and nodded. She retreated to her room to freshen up, and for the first time in days, Freen witnessed Becky's radiant smile once more.

***

At the book signing event, Freen wore a cap and a mask, sufficient for her readers, who eagerly lined up for autographs. They understood her need for privacy.

"Freen, I'll be right back. I need to use the restroom," Becky informed Freen before walking away.

Freen focused on signing books and asking for the readers' names for personalized autographs.

"Your name?" Freen asked one of her fans.

"Friend," the reader replied, causing Freen to raise an eyebrow.

"For your friend?" Freen inquired.

"Nope," the girl chuckled. "That's actually my name. Friend." She beamed at Freen with admiration.

Freen tilted her head. It was an unusual name, but she jotted it down with a smile.

"Thank you for being here today. I've been looking forward to meeting you in person," the girl said and walked away, just like the others, expressing their gratitude and eagerness for future book signings.

Nearly an hour passed, and Becky hadn't returned. Worried, Freen asked Heng if he could locate her, but he was swamped with book buyers.

Once the event concluded, Freen scoured the mall in search of Becky. She wasn't in any of the restrooms, which started to worry Freen even more.

Where could she be?

Freen finally ventured to the parking lot and found Becky, seated on the ground, crying. Her knees were scraped, as if she'd been chasing someone.

"I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing here?" Freen asked, her heart racing.

"Freen... I saw her," Becky sobbed into her arms. "The girl from my dreams. I saw her here."

"Where?" Freen inquired.

"She went right here, but then she vanished," Becky clung to Freen, tears streaming down her face. "She's here, Freen! She's here."