As the morning sun slowly rose, dispelling the darkness, the city came alive with its usual hustle and bustle. However, there was one house that remained shrouded in silence.
Selena's mother, exhausted from the events of the previous day, continued to sleep even after the sunrise, a testament to her weariness.
Meanwhile, in Selena's room, the two of them were still lounging around. Despite their late-night play, Selena seemed to be brimming with energy, as if she possessed an otherworldly vitality.
"Mmmm."
Selena softly hummed a tune while gently running her fingers through Jason's hair, her voice enchanting and delightful to hear.
Jason focused intently on the melody, even though it was his first time hearing it. It felt strangely familiar, as if he had heard it countless times before.
"Where have I heard this before?" He delved deep into his memories, but the newly unlocked fragments were hazy, making it difficult to pinpoint the source. Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of dizziness, he had to abandon his search and opened his eyes, feeling tired.
With his head still resting on Selena's lap, Jason gazed into her captivating eyes, admiring the lullaby. Suddenly, his eyes widened, as if he had seen a ghost.
Selena's enchanting face remained youthful, but her eyes held a hint of change, as if they had witnessed countless years. Yet, all of that was overshadowed by a chilling glimmer of obsession lurking deep within her gaze as she looked at him.
Her eyes were filled with love, but also with resentment and grievance, all while she continued to play with his hair.
Before he could delve deeper into her gaze, everything returned to normal, as if it had all been an illusion. Gone was the look of change, replaced by the bashful expression of a young woman in love.
Unfazed, Jason continued to peer into her eyes, as if searching for the woman from his vision. His unwavering gaze caused Selena to blush, before she gracefully brushed her hair behind her ear and asked a question.
"What's the matter?" Selena inquired, gently tapping Jason's forehead.
Jason maintained his gaze for a moment, before shaking his head with a nostalgic smile.
"Oh, nothing. Where did you learn that melody?" Jason asked curiously.
"I can't quite remember, maybe from a TV show," Selena replied, furrowing her brow as she struggled to recall.
"Whoosh."
"You're going to be late for college," Jason remarked, as he swiftly moved towards the window and pulled back the curtains, allowing the sunlight to filter in and illuminate his figure like a prism, casting a colorful reflection.
Selena hurriedly followed him, gripping his hand tightly, her eyes transitioning from awe to anxiety.
"Your mother is on her way," Jason stated, causing Selena to jump in surprise. Nevertheless, she refused to let go.
"I'll be nearby, I promise," Jason assured her. With his promise, Selena leaned in and kissed him passionately.
"Knock."
"Knock."
"Selena, wake up!" Selena's mother called out from outside the door.
The pair exchanged reluctant glances before Jason disappeared through the window.
"Good morning, Mom," Selena greeted with a sleepy expression, pretending as if she had just woken up. Despite her best efforts to appear groggy, her mother's eyes flickered with suspicion.
Selena's mother scrutinized every detail of the room, searching for any signs of discrepancy, but found nothing of significance. After one last intense gaze into Selena's eyes, she retreated downstairs in defeat to prepare breakfast.
"Phew," Selena sighed dramatically, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from her forehead. With a final glance at the window, she too descended the stairs.
Time passed swiftly, and the college bus arrived.
"Honk."
"Bye, Mom! Love you!" Selena exclaimed, planting a quick kiss on her mother's cheek before rushing out of the house.
As the bus disappeared into the neighboring area, Selena's mother stood motionless in the doorway, her gaze distant as if reminiscing about something from the past. Eventually, she snapped back to reality and whispered to herself.
"Selena, you seem different. It's not just because of that boy, is it?" Her words carried on the wind before fading away.
Selena's mother could sense a subtle shift in her daughter's temperament and demeanor, even though it was not clearly defined.
"Hey Selena, I saved you a seat," Ashley called out to Selena, who was still standing in the aisle, searching for a place to sit while disregarding the curious glances from other students.
With a warm smile, Selena happily made her way towards Ashley and took the seat.
"Where were you yesterday?" Ashley began the day with a question.
"Nowhere, I just went home early. I was exhausted from exams," Selena casually lied, her eyes widening as she gazed out the window.
"What? Is there something interesting outside?" Ashley asked, also turning her attention to the view.
"It's such a beautiful day today, isn't it?" Selena smoothly changed the subject, and the two friends spent the entire journey to college chatting away.