" Say, What ? " Winow looked at her bestfriend in disbelief.
" A paid girlfriend app . 'MINGLE BEE' is an app like any other dating site except for one feature - you can pay a person here to be your girlfriend or boyfriend for certain duration of time " Bella replied scrolling through her page to see if there was any notification or not .
" Bella , I don't think it's safe for you . What if you get tangled up in some bad or messy situation ? " Winow advised worriedly founding the app sceptical.
Bella finally looked up from her phone and stared at Winow with a wry smile but determined gaze .
" Honeybun , nothing in this world is safe . Everything is risky in a way or other . Moreover I need to pay for my university fees and bills . I am orphan, I don't have anyone to pay for my bills . And salary from my part time job doesn't even suffice me . I have no way out other than this . You should also try it too . The money you will earn from it will help you to get rid of the heavy load of debt your runaway parents have left behind on you ." Bella suggested, getting annoyed talking about the scumbag parents of Winow .
" I would rather not . I don't find this way feasible .And I don't trust this app too . " Winow replied packing her bag.
" Your wish " Bella shrugged going back to scrolling through her page . She was lazily scrolling until she was hit by a pillow at her face.
" WINOW WHAT THE FUCK !!!! "
" Go get ready or else we will be late for university."
" It's just 6:30 am , what are we gonna do going so early to the uni— OH MY GOD IT'S ALREADY 7:30 !!!! Why Didn't You Tell Me Sooner !!! " Bella jumped off the bed , grabbing her outfit from her closet before she dashed into the bathroom.
" What am I gonna do with this girl?" Winow shook her head helplessly.
**********
" Glad that we made it on time ." Bella sighed resting her hands on the palm tree in the university campus , finally catching her breath .
" Yeah! " Winow couldn't help but agree , they ran like madman so that they can reach at the university on time , before the gates get closed . It is a rule in the university that if you are late ,you will have to pay a fine of 1000 USD , a very big amount considering to Winow's and Bella's states . Not to mention they can't even take a day off , normal students are allowed to be absent however they like but the same doesn't apply for scholarship students like Winow and Bella . According to university's rule , if scholarship students take a day off , they will have to pay a hefty fine of 500 USD .
Winow barely manages to make 150 USD from her part time job at a cafe ' Spring Day Booth ' excluding the tips given by customers. And Bella probably makes the same at the mall she works at.
So there was no way , they both could afford to get late or take a day off .
" YOU ARE A FUCKING ASSHOLE. I WANT TO BREAK UP WITH YOU!!! " A girl's loud yelling and cursing voice grabbed Winow's attention. Turning her head towards the source, she saw a girl holding a boy's collar and screaming at him with rage on top of her voice .
" Not again" Bella rolled her eyes in annoyance. Winow was confused by Bella's reaction.
" Do you know what is going on there ? " Bella was speechless for a while. Looking at Winow with a expression ' Are you kidding me ?'. Then realising something, she decided to clarify.
" Oh yeah , you probably don't know about them since you spend most of the time in library at the university. Let me give you the incite . Those two who are fighting are the IT couple of the university. The girl who is holding the boy's collar is the queen bee of our university and the daughter of the elite who sponsored our scholarship. Her name is Nivee Kim .The boy is the hearthrob and son of our university chancellor. His name is Damon Ivering . They are way above our league so is their friends circle. They on a regular basis fight , break up then patch up . It's their regular thing. If anyone comes inbetween them , they make his or her life a living nightmare. Prime example is James Smith ". Bella explained looking away from the source of commotion.
Winow gasped in shock , her hand flying to her mouth as fear washed over her .
" We shall not get involved with them . It won't be good for us . Let's go to our class " Bella dragged Winow away with her . But Winow couldn't help looking back to the source of commotion.
!!!
Her breath got caught off in her throat when she accidentally had an eye contact with him , Damon Ivering. Goosebumps crawled all over body . His eyes were intimidating. No matter how much she tried to look away she couldn't. It was like his gaze had pinned her up . Her body had frozen under his intimidating gaze .
If it weren't for Bella dragging her away, Winow would have probably failed to escape his gaze . She finally came back to her senses when both of them reach in front of their class .
**********
Throughout the day Winow couldn't concentrate on her studies. Her mind kept repeating the scene of the commotion when she had an eye contact with him . She felt like she was sitting on needles . She was extremely nervous.
' What if he tries to retaliate against me ?'
She was scared Damon will take action against her since she evident his and his girlfriend's commotion. But there were other students too . So she should be fine right ?
Bella noticed her strange behaviour.
" What's wrong with you today? Why are you behaving so weirdly today? " Bella asked in a concerned tone.
" I think I messed up a big time ." Winow replied nervously playing with her fingers .
" Umm...what did you do ? "
" I accidentally made an eye contact with Damon Ivering ."
" WHAT !!!! "
" You said not to pay them any attention. But I couldn't help myself from looking back , out of curiosity. That is when I made eye contact with him . I couldn't look away due to his intimidating gaze and he wouldn't look away either. The eye contact prevailed until you dragged me into the university building. " Winow replied timidly.
" FUCK! !!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT !? DON'T YOU KNOW CURIOSITY KILLS THE CAT ? IF HE TAKES ACTION THEN OUR UNIVERSITY LIFE WILL BE COMPLETELY OVER!!! " Bella was panicking. She has seen , heard and herself had evident the endings of various victims of Damon , Nivee and their group. Chill ran down her spine just imagining about the consequences of offending them.
" What should I do ? " Winow who was holding back her tears , couldn't held it back anymore. She finally burst into tears, covering her face with hands .
" You should probably disappear from the city , no probably the country for a month." Bella suggested with wide eyes .
It was a very absurd Idea , totally an absurd Idea.Winow looked at Bella with tear filled eyes with an expression saying ' Have you gone crazy ? '
" You know I can't. The university will fine me for being absent. And I also don't have the money to act upon your idea."
Bella realised how absurd her idea was . She calmly thought for a different plan.
" We can do this. For a month, don't come in his view. Try your best to not get his attention. "
" That is something I can probably do . Let's hope he doesn't come after me. " Winow said wiping her tears away.
" Yeah " Bella looked at her wrist watch and calculated something in her mind . " We should leave now ."
" What ? Why ? I have to go to library and don't you have club activities ? " Winow asked confusedly.
" I don't have club activities for a week . For today, atleast you shouldn't go to library. Damon and Nivee's class BBA81 , have library class today . And you wouldn't want to meet them . Since their classes will be still going on, this is the best time to depart for home . Our classes are all over , there is no meaning in staying here. " Bella replied quickly packing her things . Winow nodded as she did the same .
" By the way , Bella how did you know about their classes schedule? " Winow asked curiously.
" Though the student forum dummy, which you probably do not assess." Winow embarassedly nodded.
" Their classes happens on 5th floor and we are on the third floor . So the hallways must be inhabited to depart ". Bella got out off her seat and poked her head out of the classroom. Looking at both ways - left and right , Bella said " Winow , there is no one . It safe to depart ".
She grabbed Winow's wrist and dragged her all the way from the halls , through the staircase until they were out of the building. She looked around to see if there was anyone. Seeing no students Bella and Winow both ran to the university gates with all their might as if their life depended on it , thinking they have successfully escaped today.
Unknown to them, some eyes followed their each and every movement from upstairs.
********
" Do you have any plans for today? " Bella asked getting down from the bus .
" I have part time job today. "
" Okay, then I will go first. I have to go grocery shopping. Bye ." They both parted their ways after Winow paid for both of their bus fair .
She strolled around leisurely with plenty of time in her hands before her shift started. A loud scream broke the peace bubble surrounding her . It was evening time and the voice was coming from the alley on her way to job . Normally, that alley is deserted due to murders or illegal activities happen during this time .
She was curious as well as little afraid. She wanted to find out what was going on there . But she surpassed her desire to do so. Since she had already suffered enough due to her curiosity.
But the alley fell in her pathway to her part time job . She couldn't restrain her self from looking sideways into the alley . That is when she got the biggest jump scare of her life .
Two men claded in all black clothes were stabbing a man whom they had pinned to the wall . In the dimly lit , nothing except their eyes which was glowing due to the flickering street lamp was visible. The victims agony filled screaming voice for help gave her goosebumps.
Winow jumped when her eyes met theirs . Their eyes were swirling with something dark , something spine chilling.
The next moment, Winow was sprinting for her life with all her might. She didn't dare to look back , she kept running and running until she finally reached the doors of the cafe , she worked at .
The luminous font ' Spring Day Booth ' on the glass door , the busy streets, the brightly lit streets , all bought relief to her . She finally felt safe . Taking a deep breath, she entered into the cafe .
" Welcom— Oh! It's you Winow . Thank goodness you are here , I was hoping to get off early. " Smilingly greeted her co worker, Merry. Winow nodded before going into the room marked ' only staff allowed ' . She quickly changed into her cafe uniform before going back to the desk , where Merry was filling the cafe register.
"Let me take over from here on ."
" Thanks Winow ".
" By the way , is there something special today that you are getting off so early? "
Merry blushed. A small smile creeping onto her lips . " Yes, I have a dinner date with my boyfriend."
" Oh my! All the best for you date."
" Thanks . I will get going. Bye "
" Bye " Winow breathed out in relief gazing at Merry's departing back . She was glad Merry didn't notice anything strange about her condition. She had no energy nor any plans to give any kind of explanation .
Her work went on without much event happening. There were certainly some annoying customers who hollered , cursing and screaming. And their was a guy who kept eyeing her making her uncomfortable throughout but other than that , nothing much happened. And Winow was glad about it .
By the time, she reached home, she was utterly drained out and tired . The only thing she wanted to do was eat dinner and go to bed . She pressed the bell of her rented apartment. After few minutes, the door opened revealing Bella.
" Welcome bac— Hey! What happened to you ? " Bella worriedly asked seeing her battered state .
" Don't even ask me ." Winow responded pushing past Bella to fatiguedly plopping down the sofa .
" Okay, I will heat up the dinner for you ." Bella locked the door behind her , before going into the kitchen.
* Ding-Ding *
Suddenly the bell rang. Winow tiredly get up from the sofa and drowsily went to open the door . Opening the door, she was shocked to the point her drowsiness and tiredness disappeared, replacing with fear and terpidation.