The girl of Charles' dream, Thalia Mirabel, had indeed received admission from Milas University together with her friend, Flora Leeds, the dark blond and smallish girl, and they had started their university studies the same day as Charles Wanky.
However, because their faculties were obviously different, they had never crossed paths … yet. Also, because of his class structure, Charles could only come to the Fashion and Décor Institute at specific times of the day, usually as the day drew to a close, and by then, the two girls would be back in their residence.
Thalia Mirabel, and Flora had grown up together and did almost everything together. They were literally inseparable. Some people even thought that they were sisters of a sort because of this. They had rented a small on-campus room. It was just a tiny room with two small single beds in there. They used the shared kitchen and bathroom with other students in that building. It was a good arrangement for them as the rent was manageable.
In their room one night after lectures, the girls sat on their respective beds and chatted idly.
Thalia Mirabel seemed lost in thought, and this drew a knowing smile from Flora.
"Are you still thinking of that creep we met at the tour months back?"
"I did find him funny; …" Thalia Mirabel giggled like a schoolgirl,
"… and a girl can fantasise about such things, can't we? It was not every day that you find a guy … I mean not just any guy but a sophisticated-looking and handsome one who would fumble in front of you and profess his 'I like you!' when you just met!"
"… when the person does not even have basic information about you, like your name!" Flora added, and the girls fell on their beds in laughter.
Suddenly, Flora stopped laughing and cautioned, "Be careful, my dear sister,"
Flora could see the apparent attraction on Thalia Mirabel's face. Like her, Flora had never had any intimacy with anyone. But that did not mean the girls were naïve, and she could see that her friend also appeared to have fallen for the creepy young man who had professed his 'likeness' for her. In
Flora's opinion, it was not bad for someone to do this, but one could never be cautious enough when it came to wealthy young men. He did appear rich enough … and a little silly; Flora found it a little cute at his apparent silliness that had been put on display for them … or rather for Thalia Mirabel. She, Flora, had just been privy to that scene because of her best friend!
Thalia Mirabel had not made any move to find the man even though they knew his faculty and his name, unlike him. How could they forget when Thalia Mirabel wrote it in her diary and kept writing about it daily?
"Have you thought about what to do if he comes to look for you as promised?"
"I really don't know," Thalia Mirabel had a lost look on her face as she sat up on the bed to look at her friend. It was a question that she had deliberated upon several times. It was a little far-fetched that Charles Wanky would follow through on his promise to come to look for her when he did not know if she had even obtained the admission.
On the other hand, she was a little scared to let herself think of that possibility because Charles was young enough to be driven just by his hormones. It could have been just as it was and nothing else. That was why she had never entertained the thoughts of looking for him as she had other things to think about her future rather than a 'maybe guy'.
"He seemed intriguing enough, but I am not sure if I want to start a relationship now. It is obvious that he is looking for that. Besides, you know my mum and her usual warnings about unreliable rich men. That keeps popping up in my head for some inexplicable reason."
Flora knew exactly what Thalia Mirabel was referring to but weren't these two friends getting ahead of themselves a little?
"I know what you mean," Flora whispered. They moved to other topics and chatted deep into the night as they usually did.
The two girls had their reservations about the encounter, but as if by some tacit understanding, they just decided not to voice anything else out, for why fret about the future and an uncertain one at that?
The next day, Flora stayed behind in the library when Thalia Mirabel had left for the day because she was a little late in working on an assignment for an elective course she took.
She was interested in 'bead and trinket making', but Thalia Mirabel had taken 'interior décor' as an elective course instead. Just as Flora packed up her bags to leave the library later that evening, she did a double take in her steps to look at the young man who had passed some shelves ahead of her.
Flora could not believe her eyes! It was really him! That same young man that they had been talking about the night before, "Is that not the creep? What was he doing here? I thought he was in a Management program. Maybe I am seeing things?" But she could not deny that it was really that guy."
"He is in a Management program?" a girl who had overheard Flora talking to herself asked. Then the same girl added,
"That young man is a daily visitor to this library, so I thought he was a part of our program. Many girls have tried talking to him to no avail. Hmmm…. That would explain why I have never seen him in any of our lectures!" she whispered to herself as she walked off.
Flora gave her back a strange look so she could guess what the man was doing there. It seemed like he was earnest about what he had told her friend on that tour day!
"This is going to be fun!" Flora whispered to herself with a smile.
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