The following day marked a Sunday, granting Aria a break from classes, although the customary morning tasks persisted. Breakfast was prepared by her while her father tended to the cleaning. Post-breakfast, her father set off for the city in pursuit of job opportunities. With minimal tasks at hand, she retreated to her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed, clutching her phone. She absentmindedly scrolled through various apps until she lingered on Faceless. The notion to open it crossed her mind momentarily, but she brushed it aside. Eventually, her attention drifted to WhatsApp, where she clicked on Cherry's name, contemplating a message. Perhaps spending some time out with Cherry was a good idea since she had nothing better to do.
While musing over what to text Cherry, a message from her college unexpectedly flashed on her screen. Intrigued, she tapped on the message to unveil its contents. It read:
"Dear Aria Waverly, Your admission fee and first installment payment have surpassed the due date. Kindly remit the amount by 5 September 2016 to avoid discontinuation.
Amount due: 50,000 MD (Merurian Dollar).
Regards, Papoli University Administration."
Aria set her phone down, gazing up at the ceiling as she let out a deep sigh. "It appears all my troubles are converging at once," she murmured.
She retrieved her phone and settled on the bed, fingers dancing across the screen to open the banking app. A glance at her account balance brought disappointment; a mere 3000 MD lingered, despite the recent income from the trekking event. Sighing in resignation, she messaged Cherry, "Have you paid all the college dues?"
Silence enveloped the other end, fueling Aria's impatience. Ten long minutes crawled by before she decided to call Cherry. Regrettably, there was no answer. Frustration boiled within her, and she impulsively tossed her phone onto the bed. In mere seconds, the phone rang. Aria hurriedly retrieved it, finding Cherry on the other end. She answered with a curt, "Hey."
"Hey, pretty girl. Sorry, I was helping mom with some chores," Cherry chimed in.
"Do you have plans with DJ today?" Aria asked.
"Ahaa," teased Cherry. "Are you jealous?"
"Jealous of you dating DJ?" Aria quipped rhetorically.
"I guess you're right," Cherry replied playfully. "After all, you've been asked for a date. Did you accept?"
Aria took a deep breath and confessed, "Yes."
"What's his name?" Cherry inquired.
"Luffy," Aria hesitated before answering.
"Luffy! Is he a foreigner?" Cherry asked, curious.
"No, he's from Meru itself... I guess," Aria replied uncertainly.
"So he lives in Papoli right?" asked Cherry.
"Well…actually…I never asked him, but he is coming to Papoli for the date," answered Aria.
"WHAT!" shouted Cherry. "He is coming to Papoli, just for the date? Dude, it seems like you have found the ultimate romantic guy in the world…the prince charming. Where is he taking you?"
"Can you please stop asking questions?" requested Aria, not out of annoyance, but embarrassment at dating someone from a chatting app for strangers, and not knowing much about him.
"Answer this last question only. Please," said Cherry.
"Didn't I tell you, I can't reveal," replied Aria.
"Yeah, yeah. I know, I might ruin your date," said Cherry. "I guess, you might be true. By the way, when..."
But before Cherry could complete her sentence, Aria interrupted, raising her voice. "Anyways, have you paid your college dues?"
"Not fully. The first installment is pending I guess," replied Cherry.
Aria sighed. "I have the entire amount pending," she admitted.
"50 K right?" asked Cherry.
"Yes," replied Aria.
"DJ told me they had to pay 40K during their time. Can you believe they've increased the fees this much in just two years?" Cherry expressed, frustration lacing her voice.
"Yeah," Aria concurred.
"What's the last date, by the way?" Cherry inquired.
"Didn't you receive the SMS from the college?" Aria asked.
"I don't know. I haven't checked," Cherry replied.
"It's the 5th of September, the upcoming Monday," Aria informed.
"I see," Cherry acknowledged.
In the midst of their conversation, Cherry's mother called, the sound audible even to Aria. "Mom's calling. Will catch up with you later," Cherry informed.
"Fine," Aria responded and hung up.
Now idle again, Aria decided to prepare lunch for Jim and herself. By 1 PM, the meal was ready, and she awaited her father's return so they could eat together. An hour passed, and Jim was still absent. Growing bored of waiting, she called him, but he didn't answer. She then texted, "I have prepared lunch. When are you coming?"
Minutes went by with no reply. She sent another message, "I'm having lunch. Will keep your lunch in the fridge."
Aria assumed Jim was occupied with something, which explained his silence. After informing him she had lunch, albeit a little late, she continued checking her phone for any messages or calls from him. Finishing her meal, she prepared to text again, but an unknown number called her. Perplexed, she answered, saying, "Hello."
"Hey cupcake," came the voice from the other end.
"Dad?" Aria exclaimed, surprised.
"Sorry, I lost my phone," Jim explained.
"How?" Aria inquired, curious.
"Someone snatched it from me," Jim revealed.
Aria seethed for a moment, the anger bubbling within her, before she took a deep breath to compose herself. "It's fine. Did you have your lunch?" she asked, attempting to keep her frustration in check.
"I was about to eat lunch, but I thought of informing you first," replied Jim.
Aria's anger flared again, feeling hurt that Jim hadn't even bothered to ask if she had prepared lunch. She sighed, struggling to maintain her composure. "Fine. I also need to get ready for work. Let's talk at dinner," she said and hung up the phone.
After a while, she readied herself for work and headed to Happy Burgers, arriving a little early. All the staff was present except Cherry. "Where is Cherry?" asked Sasha, one of the staff.
"She mentioned being busy with some chores with her mother," replied Aria.
Harry, another employee, chimed in with a tease, "Or is she busy with her boyfriend?"
"Yeah. After DJ came, I think Cherry is spending less time here," added Sasha.
Aria, usually one to engage in casual conversation, couldn't muster the interest due to the recent string of events in her life, casting a shadow over her mood. Sasha picked up on it, asking, "Did something happen?"
Aria looked at Sasha and took a deep breath. "My dad lost his job yesterday and later had a fight with his boss," she revealed.
"WHAT! YOUR DAD LOST HIS JOB?" Cherry's voice rang out from behind.
Aria turned to face Cherry. "Yes," she affirmed.
"If you want, I can ask my dad to help find him a job," Sasha offered.
"I can also reach out to some of my contacts," added Harry, wearing a smirk. "Or your father can always work full time here."
"NO," shouted Aria and Cherry simultaneously.
Harry burst into laughter, saying, "I can understand."
In the midst of their chatter, the manager clapped sharply, effectively capturing everyone's attention. "That's enough chitchat for today. Now get back to work," he calmly instructed.
Cherry promptly headed to the locker room, and the rest of the crew delved into their tasks.
Meanwhile, Joe diligently immersed himself in his whitepaper on the supernatural phenomena that had unfolded in Meru over the past century. Positioned at his study desk, he meticulously scoured the internet for research material. In an intriguing twist of fate, he stumbled upon an article discussing ancient coins.
As his gaze fixated on the screen, he clicked open the aged article and began delving into its contents. The piece unraveled the intricacies of coins used by ancient civilizations, shedding light on their three primary purposes:
1. As a currency.
2. As a gift: Precious golden or silver coins were bestowed upon individuals during special occasions or placed with the departed during their final rites.
3. As an offering to gods: Often currency coins were used as offering, but there were some special coins as well. Those coins held special significance and were dedicated as offerings to deities.
Joe delved deeper into this captivating article, exploring images showcasing a variety of ancient coins. Suddenly, his fingers halted, and his eyes widened as he recognized a coin resembling the one Aria possessed.
Intrigued, he scrutinized that section of the article with great care. The text revealed a fascinating history:
"Close to a thousand years ago, the civilization originating in Meru began minting copper coins adorned with intricate carvings on one side and three stars on the other, a sinuous snake winding around the edges."
"Initially perceived as currency by archaeologists, a suspicion lingered. Traditional currencies bore the likeness of monarchs or authoritative figures, but these coins did not. Subsequent research uncovered their religious purpose."
"These coins played a role in fulfilling wishes within wells situated on temple grounds. Presently, only a dozen of these coins remain, housed in the National Museum of Meru."
Having absorbed this revelation, Joe couldn't help but exclaim, "So, Aria possesses one of these ancient coins."