"Huh? Where am I? Wait… Mum? Dad? Where are you going? MUM! DAD!!!"
Suddenly, an alarm rang, and Elsher woke up in a panic. "Oh… huh? It was just a dream," he muttered as a tear rolled down his cheek.
While preparing breakfast, Elsher's phone rang. It was his aunt calling.
"Hello, Aunt Mariel. What's up?" Elsher answered.
"I can't pay your tuition this month because Kyle was admitted to the hospital, and I need to cover the medical bills," Aunt Mariel said.
"It's okay, Aunt Mariel. I'll find a way to make some money," Elsher replied.
"I'm really sorry, Elsher. I'll make it up to you as soon as Kyle gets out of the hospital," she said in a concerned voice.
On his way to school, Elsher noticed a stunning woman sitting on a bench. As the wind blew, it revealed her beautiful violet-colored hair. He couldn't help but stare. Suddenly, the woman noticed him, and he quickly looked away.
"Hey, I know you! You're Elsher from Grade 10, right?" she said.
She then introduced herself. "I'm Stella from Grade 11. Nice to meet you!"
Elsher's face turned slightly red, and Stella leaned in closer. "You're cute when you blush," she teased.
"Uh… ah… whaaat?" Elsher stammered in shock.
Just then, another girl called out to Stella. "Stella, let's go! We'll miss the bus!"
"Alright, coming!" Stella responded before leaving.
Elsher stood there for a moment before continuing on his way to school.
Upon arriving at school, Elsher saw Cassidy, his childhood best friend.
"Cassidy, it's Saturday! What are you doing here?" he asked.
Cassidy replied, "I'm here to help Ma'am Jessica prepare for the cultural event on Monday. How about you?"
"I'm here to help Sir Rayan organize some equipment for the upcoming sports event," Elsher responded.
"Oh, I see. Alright, I'll be going now. See you later!" Cassidy said with a smile.
"Alright, see you," Elsher replied.
Upon arriving at Sir Rayan's room, Elsher noticed that his teacher looked troubled.
"Sir Rayan, I'm here. By the way, is something wrong? You're staring at the board blankly," Elsher asked with concern.
Sir Rayan sighed. "Well, you see, Elsher, I have a problem at home. My son is in critical condition at the hospital, and I'm really worried."
Elsher immediately responded, "Oh, I see. How about I take care of everything here so you can go visit your son?"
Sir Rayan's face lit up. "Really?! Thank you so much, Elsher! You're the best student I've ever had! Alright, I'll go now."
With that, Sir Rayan left, and Elsher started working. As he was organizing the equipment, someone called out from behind him.
"Hey, Elsher, what are you doing?"
He turned around and saw Stella.
"W-wait, I thought you left earlier," Elsher asked, confused.
"Well, I told my friend to go ahead. I'll just catch up later. By the way, can I help you?" she asked.
"Um, sure," Elsher replied.
The two of them worked together until 1 PM.
"Hah, finally we're done!" Stella stretched. "Hey, Elsher, how about we go out for a drink?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I have a shift at the café at 2 PM, so I have to go," Elsher said.
Stella's tone dropped slightly. "Oh… I see. Alright then, bye."
"Bye," Elsher replied before leaving.
Upon arriving at the café, Elsher worked his shift until 7 PM. While walking home, he spotted a familiar face—it was Stella again.
"Oh, Stella! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Well, I like walking around at night. It's cozy and peaceful," she said. "How about you sit here for a moment? Let's talk."
Elsher sat down on the bench. "Uh, so… what are we going to talk about?"
"I don't know either," Stella admitted.
An awkward silence filled the air. In Elsher's mind, he was panicking.
"Ugh, how do I start a conversation? Why is this so hard?! I'm too introverted for this!"
Just then, Stella broke the silence.
"Hey, do you read books?"
Elsher immediately perked up. "Yes, of course!"
"What genre do you prefer?" she asked.
"Well, I like action, romance, and fantasy. How about you?"
"Same!" she said with a grin.
"Wait, what?! What's your favorite book?" Elsher asked, suddenly excited.
"The Eternal Vow by Raizen Mei," Stella answered.
Elsher's eyes widened. "No way! Same!"
The two of them enthusiastically discussed books until Stella's phone rang. Her parents were calling.
"Elsher, I have to go. My parents are calling me," she said.
Elsher hesitated for a moment before asking, "Alright… but can we meet at this bench again tomorrow night? I just want someone to talk to."
Stella smiled. "Alright, tomorrow it is! I gotta go now. Bye!"
"Bye," Elsher said as she left.
As he returned home and got ready for bed, he forgot to set his alarm. That night, he fell into a deep sleep, his mind clouded with memories.
Mom… Dad… why did you leave me? Why did you leave me all alone? Please… don't go away…