Chapter 1

*It's dark around here. As always, I can't seem to find my way around even after being here for the umpteenth time. I fumble around, trying to find something to anchor myself, a wall, a door, anything.

It's not dark enough to leave me blind but enough to still confuse me. I try to analyse the path I'm in and go in the direction of my room as I remember it from my memory.

When I'm finally in front of the door, I push it open, enter inside and reach out for the light switch to my right side of the wall.

The moment I switch it on, a soft yellow glow from the night light fills my room. I sigh as I move towards my fluffy single bed in the middle of the quaint room. Oddly enough, I find my favorite panda plushy near the headboard, exactly as I left it before going to bed.

My eyes drift to the bedside table, my black alarm clock still lying there. I look around, waiting for something, when soon I feel it*.

Him.

*I feel him before I see him, too used to his presence and the aura he carries. I take a slow deep breath, turning around cautiously.

The moment my eyes land on him, I forget to breathe, too enraptured by his person, shrouded in the darkness of my room.

His face is stolen by the traitorous darkness lurking in the corners of my own room. I can't see his features, neither do I know the feel of his voice. But I'm sure he's looking at me from the silhouette of his lean muscular frame and the outline of what I can see of his face.

He's leaning against the wall, hands folded on his chest in a manner that's too casual. He doesn't make a move to remove himself from the safety the darkness seems to provide. And that irks me.

It makes me frustrated to not be able to see the face or hear the voice of the man who's always watching me in my dreams, the man who has made me utterly captivated with himself. And he knows this too. His effect on me.

I know this is futile, but I try anyway, "Who... who are you? "

"..."

I sigh knowing that our time is over now and I failed yet again *to gather any useful information from him.

I fall back on my bed, my legs dangling and arms spread beside me. I continue to look at him, a strange longing in my heart. But also there's something I can't put my finger on.

My eyes start to feel heavy soon, begging for sleep. My mind has already drifted to a sleepy state. The last thing I see before I close them is him standing there, still watching, that's all he ever does*.

......................

I wake up to the loud ringing sound of my alarm clock and groggily turn it off, shuffling deeper into the covers as I do. I feel a strange but welcomed heat spread in my chest.

Ah, what a nice dream. I could never get tired of it.

"Lea! Are you up dear!"

I grumble as I bury myself deeper into the comfort of my pillows and blanket.

I hear the rushing steps and soon enough there's a knock on my door before it's pushed open by none other than my mother, Maya Calvert.

"Lea darling, wake up. You are going to be late."

I grumble some more at that. "I am taking a day off then."

As soon as I finish she pulls the blanket down from my face.

"Mom!"

"Seriously, get up now. Aren't you even a little bit excited for the new semesters. Plus, I'll have to leave in the afternoon. I'll do that after I make sure you have reached your school."

"I am not a kid mom, I can go by myself." I say rolling my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me young lady." She says in mock anger as she reaches my bedside and squeezes my cheek like one would to a ten year old. "And you'll always be a kid to me." She says, smiling.

I tch but don't say anything. I can feel her love for me. My mom has to travel due to work a lot. She does try to come home at any chance she can get and I love her for that, for trying to spend her free time with me even with this hectic schedule of hers.

It's been hard on her too since she has to do all the work by herself with dad out of the picture. So I don't try to make it hard for her and definitely don't show her how her leaving again affects me. It was already incomprehensible that she could spend a week with me at such a busy time.

So I get up from my bed, albeit unwilling, and make my way towards the bathroom door to freshen up.

When I am done, I make my way down stairs and take a seat at the breakfast table beside my mom while she puts some pancakes on my plate. I inhale deeply. Definitely a good way to start your mornings. We talk during the time left. She asks me if I am okay going to college here, would I like to stay with her and I strongly refuse her. Again.

I know it will be hard for her to look after me while she has a truckload of work to do. Besides I'm 19 years old and I can take care of myself. She looks a bit sad but I know she understands it too.

Then after finishing up, she gets her luggage and we move towards her car. I have my own one too but I like travelling with her. I'll probably ask Sarah to drop me home later.

When we get to university, she drops me off while I ask her to take care of her health, have enough sleep and eat properly and she smiles and nods with a "Okay mom."

I huff but I leave it at that. Before she leaves, I pull her into a tight hug and she hugs me back. We stay like that for a moment and afterwards pull away. She smiles at me and cups my cheeks, then moves towards the car and drives away.

I stand there for a second watching her car fade away and then sigh again as I move towards the gate of my university. I feel tired before I am reminded of something, or more like someone, and my fatigue gives way to something like mild excitement as I make my way forward, smiling.

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