[20 years later]
"Ring.. Ring.."
An alarm clock starts ringing at a small table alongside the bed. A small hand with long slender fingers comes out of the blanket and turns off the alarm.
Slowly a girl gets up and sits on the bed. It's not that easy to look beautiful when you have just woken up but she was extremely beautiful that she seemed flawless even in the morning.
Her rogue red hair crashed over her shoulder, a thin sculpted figure with glossy skin, slender eyebrows, long eyelashes, an elegant nose, puffy and heart-shaped lips, and not to mention her sparkling hazel eyes. She was beautiful no matter how many times one looked at her.
On top of it, she had a cheerful personality which was like a cherry on the cake. She was always happy and bouncy no matter where she was, at least she showed it. She was not fake but just afraid, afraid that her secret might come out if she doesn't show others how happy she is but what goes on her inside only she knew.
"Another bright morni..."
The girl was getting out of bed, wishing a good morning when a flying pillow landed right on her face.
"Stop it, Nia. Who wakes up at 3 in the morning?" A voice came from the bed that was on the left corner of the room while Nia's bed was on the right corner.
The place they are right now is the student's dorm at Alianj University in the city 'Pliko'. The dorm is not so big or that small. It's fit just right for two students. 2 beds at two corners of the room, a small table on each side of the bed, and a cupboard at the side of the door.
"Me." Nia scoffed.
"Sorry for disturbing you once again, I will go to take shower, you sleep," Nia said while picking up her essentials for the shower and went into the bathroom which was connected to the dorm room.
She did all her business, brushed her teeth, showered, and came back to her dorm room wearing a gym tracksuit. She then started drying her hair with a hair dryer, combed her hair, and tied it to a ponytail leaving some hair strands on her face. She put some moisturizer on her face and black socks on her feet and there she is ready to go.
One might think she is going to the gym but no she is just going to stroll out in the university's garden.
She was about to go out when she remembered that she hasn't taken her medicines and came back towards her table, took a tablet out from the medicine bottle and gulped it down with the bottle of water which was there at the table.
She also noticed that there was only one tablet remaining so she had no medicines for tomorrow.
She then went towards the girl who was in her deep sleep and started shaking her slowly saying, "Aditi, Aditi wake up."
"W..What?" Aditi said in a sleepy voice without even opening her eyes.
"I only have one tablet of medicine remaining. I will go straight to the library after the garden so we will not see each other for the whole day. Please don't forget to bring my medicines from your father." Nia stated.
"Hmmm.." Aditi said making an Ok sign and signaling her to leave.
Nia just softly smiled and said in a soft voice, "Sorry, thank you, and good night."
Then she left the room to go towards the garden.
The lights around the university were never off unless there was a power cut. So, the garden was still bright and beautiful.
Nia liked strolling in the garden that early as no one would come out at that time and she would be there all alone with nature. But today was different as there was someone else too.
It was the season of spring and in the garden, there was a place covered with night-blooming jasmine. The place seemed very romantic with the night-blooming jasmine covering both sides of the path.
Nia was walking through that path smelling the sweet fragrance of those flowers when she saw an image of a tall man standing afar on the same path. Looking from the back she just assumed he must be a senior from the university.
But she was curious why he was there as it had been two years since she joined the university and from the first day she is strolling the garden at the same time and she never bumped into anyone there.
Those broad shoulders tightly hugged by the long black coat and those long legs with black pants, she was curious how he looked from the front as he was attractive enough from behind. But her curiosity didn't even last for a few seconds.
If it was any other time of the day, she would have at least said hello but at this time she preferred to be alone so she just ignored the man in front and just turned around to return back.
Nia had taken just a few steps to go back when a voice stopped her. She closed her eyes and stopped one of her legs in mid-air as if she was caught running away after stealing something.
She then turned around to look back but she bumped into the man's chest in front of her.
"Ahh." Nia groaned and took a step back.
The man in black bent his knees, went near to Nia's ears, and whispered, "Is this your way to treat a senior, red honey?" the man in black stated.
Nia felt awkward by this behavior of the man and went a few more steps backward rubbing her ear. She was about to scold the man but her gaze started admiring the man's beauty when she looked at him.
He had a really good facial structure, and his pointed jawline looked like it could cut anything. Even those black sunglasses looked good on him but Nia felt weird seeing someone wearing sunglasses at 4 in the morning.
"Nia, Nia Park," Nia said not liking how the man called her by nickname at the first meeting.
"Ian, Ian Watts," Ian replied.
"I didn't ask," Nia stated.
"You started." Ian scoffed.
Nia got irritated by Ian but she knew there was no point in fighting with him for such a small issue. As he said earlier, he was a senior it was not necessary to make her remaining two years in university uncomfortable so she just thought of ending the conversation.
"Hello Senior. I am Nia Park, Second year in Computer Science. It was a pleasure meeting you. I have some works to complete. So, I will take my leave." Nia said with a small bow and turned back but was stopped again.
"What work do you have at 4 in the morning?" Ian questioned.
"There are people who have works no matter the time, SENIOR," Nia replied and started walking away.
Nia had only taken 3 to 4 footsteps when Ian came from the back and hold her wrist.
Nia suddenly froze at her place. She started having flashbacks of her past when she was a child she was running deep into the jungle at night. It was raining and someone was chasing her, her white night pajamas were torn here and there. And suddenly a hand stops her holding her at the shoulder.
Nia started trembling and those memories started shaking her whole body. Her legs started feeling weak and imbalanced. In a short time, she was already on the verge of feeling unconscious.
Ian turned her around holding her shoulders with both hands to stabilize her but the more he touched her the more she was getting tremors.
Ian thus carried her in a bridal way and lied her down on the bench. As he didn't know what to do in this situation, he thought of bringing water as he understood that any touch would only enhance her symptoms.
Ian went a bit far from Nia and with his index finger started making oval shapes in the air. It was a skill of creating a small amount of water he learned at his school.
In a few seconds water started creating the oval shape and he collected the water in his palm he quickly went to Nia but she was already fine, sitting as if nothing happened.
"Here," Ian offered the water in his hand but Nia rejected so he threw the water away, and before he could ask anything, Nia stated.
"I hope that senior is not a tattletale who is going to spread about this in university. And from now onwards don't touch anyone without their permission. Good Bye." Nia turned around to go to the library.
"Nia," Ian called out as she started to go.
Nia looked back and saw that Ian had taken off his sunglasses. He had pretty constellation blue eyes gazing at her. They were like jewels melted in the snow. Nia thought that he was very handsome but she was not interested.
As soon as they had eye contact, Ian's expression changed completely. He looked like he saw some ghosts. He then quickly put his sunglasses on.
Nia had noticed those changes but decided to ignore them as she didn't want any more problems. So, she just left without looking back anymore.
Ian just stood there looking at the disappearing figure of Nia.