(Chapter 3): "Shadows of the past".
The woman handed them their room assignments. 'These are your rooms,' she said, but despite the girls' excited gazes, she felt a pang of discomfort."
" The rooms are beautiful the girls said as they entered Evelyn looked at her friend with a smile Marble, what do you think about the room is it nice?.
"Marble's eyes sparkled as she nodded enthusiastically, but Evelyn noticed a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze, a fleeting moment of doubt that made Evelyn's own unease grow."
"Evelyn, it feels different without .., Please I don't want to talk about what happened in high school and Antosia is the last person I want to talk about".
"Marble's voice was barely above a whisper, but the mention of Antosia's name sent a shiver down Evelyn's spine, and she felt a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach."
"Come on, then," Evelyn said, hoping to ease the tension. "The lecture is about to begin in a mere half hour." They exited the room in tandem, their expressions carefully composed, as if nothing had transpired.
"As they walked to their first class, the sound of chatter and laughter from other students filled the air, but Evelyn couldn't shake off the feeling that the past was lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to disrupt their newfound tranquility."
"Evelyn, are you alright?" a voice inquired gently. A hand lightly touched Evelyn's waist.
Evelyn's head lifted, "Mikel, is that you?" she questioned.
"Yes," he confirmed, his blue eyes etched with concern.
"Evelyn's heart skipped a beat as Mikel's gaze held hers, the concern etched on his face making her feel seen and noticed in a way that made her pulse quicken, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside, unsure of how to process it."
"Evelyn coughed, causing Mikel to pause abruptly. He smiled gently as he removed his hand from her waist. With a graceful sweep, he pushed his red hair back, revealing his handsome features.
"Mikel's smile was warm and familiar, but Evelyn's eyes lingered on the faint scar above his left eyebrow, a reminder of the past they shared, and the secrets they kept hidden from the rest of the world."
The door creaked open, revealing a girl with an air of quiet confidence. Her expression was serene, yet her eyes held a certain coolness that drew everyone's attention, including Evelyn and Mikel.
"Antosia," Evelyn murmured softly.
Mikel's gaze met hers briefly before returning to Antosia.
Antosia glided past them, her expression unchanged.
"The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Antosia's gaze swept over Evelyn and Mikel, her expression unreadable, but the hint of a smirk playing on her lips, before she disappeared into the crowd, leaving an unsettling silence.
"Someone grabbed Evelyn's arm from behind, pulling her away and leaving Mikel standing alone in the hallway."
"Evelyn stumbled as she was pulled away, her eyes darting back to Mikel's concerned face, before she was yanked around a corner and out of sight.
Evelyn's dark brown eyes were filled with questions. "Pristin?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Evelyn, Evelyn," Marble said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's going on?" Marble's grip on her arm tightened, her eyes darting nervously around the empty corridor before settling on Evelyn's worried face.
"N-nothing," Evelyn stammered, "I just thought I saw Pristin."
Marble's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion, let's forget that okay!!.
"Come on, slowpoke!" Marble exclaimed, playfully wrapping her arm around Evelyn's neck. "Let's get to class. I bet this university is full of mysteries, just waiting for us to solve them!" Evelyn giggled, gathering her blonde hair and playfully tossing it over her shoulder.