The early morning sun filtered through the curtains of Azerion's dorm room, casting a gentle glow on the sparse but neatly arranged space. His morning routine was precise—every action, from the way he dressed to how he prepared his breakfast, was executed with practiced efficiency. As he sipped his coffee and reviewed his notes, he felt a sense of contentment with the order he had created in his new life.
Campus life continued to bustle outside, and Azerion made his way to his first class of the day. The campus was a hive of activity, with students hurrying to and from their lectures. Despite the lively atmosphere, Azerion maintained his usual composure, navigating the crowd with a focused detachment.
In his psychology class, he found himself settling into a routine with his classmates. Eliza, Tom, Samantha, Jake, and Ariana were now familiar faces, and their interactions were becoming more relaxed and natural. They had started forming study groups for their assignments, and today was one of those sessions.
As they gathered in the library for a group study session, Eliza took the lead in organizing their discussion. "Let's focus on the cognitive theories we covered last week. I think we should brainstorm some real-world applications."
Tom leaned back in his chair, casually contributing, "How about we look at how cognitive biases affect decision-making in everyday life?"
Samantha nodded in agreement. "That's a great idea. We could even create a survey to gather data."
Jake, ever the tech enthusiast, added, "I can help with the survey design and data analysis. It'll be interesting to see the results."
Ariana, who had been quietly taking notes, spoke up. "I think we should also consider how cultural factors might influence cognitive biases. It could add another layer to our analysis."
Azerion observed the group's dynamics with a sense of detached interest. Their energy and enthusiasm were a refreshing contrast to his previous life, but he kept his distance, contributing when necessary without fully immersing himself in the group's camaraderie.
Later that week, Azerion began to notice subtle, unsettling occurrences. A strange phone call at midnight left no message. An unfamiliar figure was seen lingering near the campus late at night. A package containing a cryptic note appeared at his dorm door—"You can't escape your past."
These incidents were small but significant enough to disrupt Azerion's otherwise calm demeanor. He brushed off the phone call as a wrong number and ignored the figure, but the note was more troubling. His usual calm was slightly disrupted, though he remained outwardly composed.
Eliza noticed his distraction during their next interaction. "You've seemed a bit off lately," she said, her tone laced with concern. "Is everything okay?"
Azerion offered a reassuring smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine, just a lot on my mind. Thanks for asking."
Their conversations continued with an easy flow, but Eliza's curiosity was piqued. She didn't press further but kept an eye on Azerion's subtle shifts in mood.
The chapter ended with Azerion alone in his dorm room, reflecting on the strange occurrences of the past few days. As he stared at the cryptic note, his thoughts turned inward, grappling with the possibility that his past was beginning to intrude on his carefully constructed new life.
He lay down, the weight of his thoughts pressing heavily on him. The future seemed uncertain, and while he had managed to maintain his composure so far, he knew that the challenges ahead would require more than just his usual calm.