"Oh, man. I am so hungover", Yasmin said, sitting up on her bed. Hazel looked over at her roommate, unable to recognize how they had become friends in the first place. Hazel was more of an introvert. Brazil was the only place she had ever been outside of the States. She would much rather read a book, than go out to a party. Plus, Hazel wasn't much of a fan of revealing clothing. Yasmin, however, was loud, flirty, and liked to go clubbing. Her shorts and skirts literally stopped at her belly button. Okay, not literally! It's called exaggeration! "Really?" This was only the norm for Hazel. When was Yasmin not drunk? "It's not that bad. We can still hit up the club!" Yasmin said, raising her hands to the air. Hazel giggled at first. When she looked at her best friend's face, she knew she was serious. "Yas, you just went clubbing yesterday. Take a break." Yasmin rolled her eyes. "Okay, mom. I didn't come down here with you to stay around at home all day. We have to live it up here in Brazil!" Yasmin leaned in, close to Hazel. "Remember. Your parents aren't here to ban you from doing whatever the hell you want. Plus, we don't have to go to the club. Let's go shopping or something." Hazel sighed, but nodded. "Shopping sounds okay."


Less than an hour later, Hazel was lost in the big mall. Yasmin had ran off with some hairy dude, leaving her all on her own. "Yas? Yasmin?" Hazel would call out, as soon as she entered any store. Passersby looked at her as if she was crazy, calling out a name when nobody was responding. She felt crazy too, as she wandered around the large shopping mall. It didn't help that every corner of the mall was crowded with a bunch of people. Hazel made her way through crowds of sweaty people all bunched in one.

Giving up on her search, Hazel sat down on a bench. She crossed her legs, and picked up a newspaper lying beside her. 'Family road trip goes wrong', the headline read. At the bottom of the paper, it said the incident happened in Tennessee. Of course it took place in the States. Situations like these were almost too common in America. Hazel was so deep in concentration , reading, that she didn't even notice the shadow looming before her. Looking up from the newspaper, Hazel made out a tall man, with his hands in his pocket. She backed up into the bench instantly. Oh, My God. He has a gun in his pocket. He's gonna shoot me, Hazel instantly thought. She shut her eyes tight, knowing that she looked like an idiot. For some reason, she thought it would make the bullet hurt less. Hazel sat, knees tucked, eyes squeezed shut for a good minute or so, when she realized nothing had happened. The man was still in front of her, hands in his pockets, looking at her as if she was an alien.

Hazel allowed herself to look up into the man's eyes. He was still looking at her weirdly, but grinning at the same time. She eased into her seat comfortably , now that she knew she wasn't about to get killed.

" Você está bem?" The man asked , in what sounded like Portuguese to Hazel. She looked closely and saw that their was a name tag -- the name Alfonso on it, and the word : volunteer attached to his blue shirt.

Hazel was just watching him, unsure of what to say next. He looked at her as well, until it finally occurred to him that she didn't understand what he had said.

In surprisingly good English, Alfonso spoke up. "Are you okay?" Hazel's eyes widened. She had not expected him to speak a word of English. "Yeah, I'm fine," she responded, rubbing her head.

"Sure? You looked a little startled when I came up to you", Alfonso said, grinning. He sat down next to her and picked up the newspaper she had once been reading. Alfonso was sitting so close to her, she felt almost violated. She had embarrassed herself in front of this guy--- this really cute guy.

Hazel only noticed how attractive he was when he sat down next to her. Yasmin would love him, Hazel thought to herself as she watched him read the newspaper. He suddenly looked up. "This yours?" He asked. "No, I found it here", Hazel replied. He nodded and kept flipping through the pages of the newspaper.

It was awkward. She felt uncomfortable sitting next to a stranger, while he read silently to himself. Hazel wanted to do or say something, to break the ice a little. She went for the name tag. "Alfonso. That's a nice name". He looked up once more from the newspaper and smiled at her. His teeth were shiny and white.

"Thank you. I'm sure yours is just as nice". Hazel shook her head. "It's actually quite boring". "Oh? Well, what is it?" Alfonso asked. "Hazel".

"Hazel", Alfonso repeated, looking off dreamily. "I like that. It's beautiful. Very American." Hazel shrugged. "How do you know I'm American? What if I'm like from Canada or something?" Alfonso smiled, steadying his grey cat-eyes on her. She had to look away. He made her so nervous!

"I just know", he winked. Hazel's heart began to beat rapidly. She pointed to the part on his name tag that said 'volunteer'. He answered before she even asked the question. "I spend most of my time volunteering around the mall when I'm not at school". Hazel nodded. "Is it fun?" She asked. She had wanted to ask something more serious, but that was all that came to her. He chuckled softly. "Yes! I see a lot of my friends from childhood walking around. We stop for chats, eat, you know, the usual. But mostly, I just love helping". Hazel was interested. The way he talked made her want to stick around. She almost forgot about the butterflies in her stomach when she talked to him. She liked that. He made her feel at ease. Hazel never met a guy who's done that.

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Hazel and Alfonso were deep in conversation. They had been talking for about an hour, covering every subject. She discovered that Alfonso had been born in Brazil, but raised for the most part in Canada. That was why he was so fluent in English.He had a semi-professional soccer career going on, that originally started in Brazil, then led him to play in different parts of the world. He would soon be playing in an upcoming World Cup. Hazel made note of that, to tell her brother that she had met a rising athlete. He would be impressed. He spends most of his time during the summer in Brazil, to help out some of the poorer folks of his native region, Sao Paulo. Hazel surprisingly let herself open up to him, and she told him about her life and her family. He seemed genuinely intrigued about her American lifestyle. Hazel didn't want the conversation to end. Things were going so well, until She appeared.

Horrible timing was Yasmin's specialty. "Missed me?" Hazel's best friend said as she rushed toward her. Yasmin had barely noticed Alfonso sitting down next to Hazel. She slowed down as soon as she saw him. Hazel knew she would like him. "Well , hello there", Yasmin said flirtatiously.

Hazel gave her friend's arm a good yank, shutting her up. "Ouch!" Yasmin yelped. Hazel gave her a look. She turned to a confused Alfonso. "Uh, this is my best friend , Yasmin." Yasmin waved , and winked seductively. Alfonso just smiled politely and waved back. "We need to go", Hazel said suddenly. She knew deep down that she wanted to stay and keep talking to Alfonso. That was all she wanted to do at that moment, really. To be honest, Hazel was not very excited to see her friend at this moment. Alfonso looked a little upset that his new friend was leaving so suddenly, after having such a deep conversation with her. Yasmin looked angry that they were leaving almost as soon as she saw Alfonso. She was clearly attracted, and wanted to use her natural flirtatious charm on him.

Alfonso stood up, and hugged Hazel. She hugged back. Yasmin waited for her hug, but instead got a friendly little smile. Why is he so into Hazel? I mean, I love the girl, but look who else is standing right in front of him! Yasmin thought , as Alfonso slowly turned and walked away.

If looks could kill, Yasmin would have been dead long ago. The anger Hazel felt towards her best friend 1. for leaving her alone in a crowded, huge mall in a foreign country . And 2. for ruining the one and only good part of her day. For interrupting such a good discussion with a nice, good-looking guy. Hazel turned, and marched towards the exit, not waiting up for her best friend.

"Hazel! Wait up!" Yasmin called out, running after her friend. Hazel was already too far up ahead to hear her. "Hazel!" Yasmin called out once more. The stop light had just turned red, giving Yasmin the opportunity to catch up with her.

Hazel stood , arms folded as Yasmin approached her. "Where were you that whole time in the mall?" She demanded. Yasmin shrugged. "I went with Julio, I told you , right?" Julio? Oh, right! The hairy guy, Hazel remembered. "No, actually you didn't tell me. You just walked off. Do you know how lost I was? Keep in mind, I've never been to this country before!"

Yasmin sighed. "Look, Hazel. I'm not a kid. I get to do the things I want to do. Why are you even getting angry? You should be grateful I gave you that time to chat to Mr. Handsome back at the bench," Yasmin said, talking about Alfonso.

Luckily , before Hazel needed to respond, the light turned green, and the familiar white walking sign appeared. She marched down the road, Yasmin not far behind.


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The next week was a bore. Hazel found herself at home everyday, eating bars of chocolate and watching continuous episodes of Brazilian telenovelas. Yasmin had been hitting up bars with her hairy Brazilian companion.

Oddly, Hazel felt a little lonely. She was used to it. She actually preferred being alone,but for some reason, things felt different for her in this whole new country.The girls were not in much of a talking mood lately, especially ever since the whole mall issue. Hazel hadn't seen Alfonso around either.

Today, Hazel would do something. She was compelled to go out and see the rest of Brazil, whether that was with Yasmin or without her. She had had enough of staying home, while Yasmin got to soak up all the fun.

Hazel threw on an FC Barcelona jersey, and a pair of white denim shorts, and was out the door. She was going to ask Yasmin to come along with her, but realized that she was gone (as usual).

It didn't matter. It was probably better that she went alone. Hazel walked past parks, smiled at small children kicking soccer balls around, and helped elderly people cross the street. She was in a great mood, and felt good about the rest of her day. She realized that she still had one thing to cross off her list. See Alfonso.

Expecting to see him inside, Hazel walked into the mall. She looked everywhere for a familiar blue shirt and name tag, but found none. She asked several workers, but they all had no idea where he was. Since she was already there, Hazel decided to do a bit of grocery shopping while she was at it. She bought some cereal, some bread, and a delicious-looking cake, kind of an apology gift for Yasmin, (she did sort of miss her best friend) , and stuffed it in a white bag.

I'll come back later. He'll probably be there then, she thought to herself as she exited through the double doors of the mall. From the side of the building, Hazel heard muffled voices ; one female, one male. Worried that somebody might have been getting mugged, Hazel rushed over to see.

She dropped her grocery bag at the sight of the two people.....







Yasmin and Alfonso.

Yasmin's body was pressed up against Alfonso's. She was pulling his face in closer . He tried to push her away, but her grip was too strong. Hazel could only watch in disgust as Yasmin planted her lip-glossed lips on his.

Once Hazel's bag dropped, both of them turned their heads and looked at her in shock. Yasmin quickly pulled away and re-arranged her shirt. Alfonso's jaw was hanging open, clearly just as surprised as Hazel. Hazel couldn't believe this. She felt stupid. Why did she ever think a guy as attractive and smart as Alfonso would like her for real? Why did she think she could take a guy away from Yasmin?

It felt as though somebody had stabbed her in the heart with a knife. It's not that Alfonso and her were dating, so technically he could see whomever he pleased, it was just that Yasmin knew that Hazel liked him. How could she do this to her own best friend?

Hazel quickly collected her shopping bag from the floor and walked off. Yasmin called after her. Alfonso ran toward her. She ran faster. Hazel did all in her power to not break down and cry right then and there.

Hazel thought she had lost them, but suddenly felt Alfonso's hands grab at her elbow. He instantly slowed her down, until she could no longer run. Hazel turned to face him, and saw Yasmin running to catch up to them.

"What?!" Hazel instantly snapped at the Brazilian. "Hazel, look----", Alfonso started, only to be interrupted by her. "You know what, just shut up! I don't want to hear your voice". Hazel pointed to both Alfonso and Yasmin. "You both disgust me". Yasmin's eyes looked apologetic , but Hazel knew better than to fall for it.

"I'm sorry, Hazel", her best --- ex best friend said. "Yeah, right," Hazel scoffed, still locked in Alfonso's grip. "You can pack your bags and leave as soon as you get home. I'm sure Alfonso here can let you stay at his place". Yasmin looked hurt.

He tried to speak again. "Haz---". The girl slapped him right on the cheek. He rubbed at it, as reddened. Hazel managed to slip out of his tight grasp, and took a step back. "Don't ! Just don't!" She cried out hysterically, running away.

Yasmin called out for Hazel once again, but only got the back of her best friend, as she ran down the block.

Hazel didn't want to go home. That would only mean that she would have to see Yasmin's lying , sneaky face again. Instead, she let her feet carry her down unfamiliar neighbourhoods and roads. Having not the slightest clue in where she was headed, Hazel kept running and running into the darkness --- that is until she saw the sign up ahead.

' Beco sem saída ' , the sign ahead read. Thankfully, underneath it , there was an English version. Hazel felt relieved until she saw the words ; 'Dead End' written.

Hazel looked around, unsure of what to do. Should she call for help? No, there was nobody around. Should she call someone, Yasmin, maybe? Nope, she had no bars left on her cell phone.

Crap! Hazel thought as she stubbed her toe against a large rock. All she had wanted to do was run away from Yasmin and Alfonso --- instead, she was alone, and didn't have a way out.

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For the next few hours, Hazel did all that she could to get help. Her plan was not working. Nobody seemed to pass by her, and she couldn't find any ways to get to the other street.

Suddenly, it became cold and dark. Unfortunately for her, Hazel didn't have a blanket or a flashlight. She only had her grocery bag with the cake she had been planning to give to Yasmin--- that is, before she found her making out with Alfonso. The girl was so hungry, she could eat a horse. Better yet, the dead end sign she had been facing the whole time.

Hazel dug into the cake, and finished it all in a matter of seconds. A sleepy sensation overwhelmed her . She sat down on the dirt ground, and tucked her knees tight. While seated, she rubbed her legs wildly, hoping to get some warmth.

She had fallen asleep for a good five minutes, before something that felt like a ball hit her right in the face. Scared, Hazel opened her eyes and sat up instantly.

You could imagine the screech she let out once she saw a shadowy figure looming over her.

Hazel clutched onto her blanket tightly, shutting her eyes as she did so. Just as she had done when first encountering Alfonso, Hazel waited for the gunshot. Instead, she could hear the roar of the wind, and an eerie silence.

"Please don't hurt me", Hazel said , surprising herself. No response. She opened an eye, and looked up, to see that the figure was crouching down to pick up the ball that had hit her.

"I so sorry about ball ", the man said, in a deep gruff voice. He picked up the ball, and began to walk away. Hazel shocked herself once more, by getting up and running after him. Usually, she would walk away as well, pretending that nothing had happened.

She didn't care that he could have killed her, maybe he knew how to get out from here. "Wait!" Hazel called out. The man stopped suddenly and turned to face her.

At this point, Hazel didn't know what exactly to say. Should she start off right away by asking him how to leave this place? Or should she ask about his day? Questions roamed in and out of her head as she stood , looking at him .

In the darkness, Hazel could see that he was frowning at her. He probably thought she was an idiot, judging by the way she was staring at him, mouth wide open. He waved his arms in her face, clearly annoyed.


"Um, sorry", Hazel muttered, gathering her thoughts. The man still waited for her to say whatever it was she needed to say.


"I was just wondering if you know how to get out of here . I was --- well, I was running away from someone, and then I ended up --- -". The man put up a hand, and gestured for Hazel to follow him. She considered running back and grabbing her blanket and other items, but quickly changed her mind once she saw how much farther ahead the man already was.


He lead her through a prickly bush, and a large gate. "You not supposed to play in forests like this. Very dangerous". The man called out sternly, from behind him. Hazel could almost feel her cheeks redden instantly. How much more embarrassing could this be?


"I wasn't playing. I told you, I was running from someone", Hazel said quietly, hoping he didn't hear her. Her own words sounded stupid to her . He grunted in response, and pushed his way though another thick bush, Hazel following closely behind.


She almost fainted when she saw the familiar houses, and of course the mall . She was back. She was alive.


Hazel wanted to give the man who had helped her a big hug , and kiss him! However, when she looked beside her, he was gone.




She slowly made her way towards the apartment she shares with Yasmin, unsure of what to say or do once she got there. She was still fed up with her friend, and really wanted nothing to do with her.




Hazel dug her key into the keyhole, and found Yasmin sitting on the couch, watching television, as if nothing had happened.


She closed the door behind her and eyed Yasmin. Yasmin finally recognized her presence and stood up. "Hey", she said casually. "What's up?" Hazel did all that she could to not slap her. What's up? Of all the things to say or ask, she says : 'what's up?'


Yasmin watched Hazel, waiting for a response. "You wanna know what's up? I was lost for 95 hours, in the wilderness, and you didn't even bother to help. That' what up", Hazel snapped.


Yasmin rolled her eyes. "Hazel, it was your choice to run away. We tried to tell you, but clearly you wouldn't listen. And it was only 5 hours, relax".


Hazel's jaw dropped. Any other best friend would be worried out of her mind , but Yasmin was in fact, blaming her for her own disappearance. Hazel looked around the room, and realized something ; she was the one who was paying rent. She was the one responsible for the apartment. Which means, she could do exactly what she was about to do.


Hazel pointed to the door. "Get out", she said with confidence. Yasmin gaped at her wildly. "What?" She whimpered, slowly rising from her seat. She looked so sad and innocent, but Hazel wouldn't let that get to her.


"I said, get out!" She repeated firmly, hands now on her hips. Yasmin looked back from Hazel to the door, confused. "What?" she said once again. Hazel breathed deeply. She didn't want to do this to her own best friend,but she had no choice. She had had enough of her.


Yasmin gave her a death glare, before slowly heading into their shared bedroom. Hazel could hear as she zipped up her many suitcases and packed items into it. Was she really doing this? Was this right? Where would Yasmin live? Would she be out on the street? Hazel considered all these questions, and was about to call off her whole ' kick Yasmin out of the apartment' idea, until her best friend was in front of her, smiling evilly.


"What?" Hazel snapped. "This is about Alfonso, isn't it?" Yasmin replied, that same smile etched on her face. Before Hazel could respond, Yasmin spoke again. "If it is, you just made a very bad choice". Hazel frowned, trying to piece together what Yasmin was saying. "It's not like he ever liked you. You can keep telling yourself that, but you know it's not true. Just look at you, Hazel. You're just like every other girl. You're boring, okay? You have no beauty. "


Hazel gasped. It would be much easier to take this from someone else, but her own best friend? How could she say these things? Hot tears began to pour from her eyes. "No, no! This has nothing to do with Alfonso!" Hazel cried, literally. Yasmin crossed her arms . "Didn't you always say that we should never get in a fight over a boy? That was you, Hazel! Now, you're just gonna throw me out over fricking Alfonso?! You're a bitch. I don't need you anyways."


With that, Yasmin left, and slammed the door behind her.


Hazel stared at the door, still teary-eyed. What the heck just happened?