"A very beautiful welcome to my angel," Flora heard her aunty Bellyana telling her while hugging her. She giggled before caging her back.
"How are your parents and Rican there?" Her aunty asked her after pulling back.
"Everyone is fine and they miss you and uncle Joseph a lot," she answered. Joseph was her aunt Bellyana's husband. Bellyana was her father's sister but not blood related. And despite not having blood relations, her aunty Bellyana meant to her and her parents more than a family. She had always stood by her and her family in their worst and best.
"Well now you are here. We will call them here too or else we will visit them there with you very soon," Her aunty Bellyana uttered, smiling. Flora beamed back.
"By the way, he is my friend Axle and she is Niley," she introduced her friends to her aunty. They were going to stay with her in her aunt's home here. Bellyana greeted them with open arms.
"Now let the kids freshen up, Bella. They must be tired after their long flight," her uncle Joseph uttered. He was the one who came to the airport to pick them up because her aunty had been preparing everything for them back in their home.
"Go and get freshen up, my kiddos. After that, me and your uncle will look after satisfying your tummies with tasty tasty food," Everyone chuckled, hearing Joseph.
"Come. I will show you all your rooms," Bellyana said and the three friends followed her.
……….
"Your aunty and uncle are amazing," Axle remarked, eating the apple in his hand. Flora smiled at him.
"Yeah, especially the food they both had prepared for us. I ate so much that my tummy is still tingling in happiness," Niley uttered, laying on the bed. Both Flora and Axle chuckled. They all were present inside Flora's room. Her aunty and uncle had given separate rooms to all three of them as their house was spacious enough and had a lot of rooms inside and her aunty and uncle lived in this big house all alone.
"Hey, it's my momma," Flora uttered, seeing her mother's call flashing on her phone's screen. She immediately picked it up and walked towards the window.
"Hello, momma," she stated.
"Did you reach there? Are you all fine? Your uncle aunty? Is everything alright there?" Her mother uttered in one breath.
"Let her answer first, cara mia," her father spoke from behind.
"Keep quiet, Riccardo Alfanso. I am talking to my daughter,"
"Hey! Our…why do you keep forgetting that, Aniya Alfanso?"
A smile broke out on her face, hearing her parents' adorable bickering. As far as she could remember she had always seen her parents teasing and taunting each other like this but she knew they loved each other more than anything.
"If you both are done then should I speak, Mr and Mrs Alfanso?" She spoke, making her parents chuckle.
"Is everything alright there?" This time her father asked.
"Yes, everyone and everything is alright here. We landed and reached here safely and we have just eaten so much food that Niley's tummy is still dancing in happiness," she replied, smirking at Niley who scowled at her in her response.
"Where is Rican? Didn't he fall asleep?" She asked.
"Yes, he has some early classes today," her mother replied.
"Okay, Ora. Be careful there. Don't trouble your aunt uncle and yes, take care of health and immediately call us if something happens,"
"As you wish, my beautiful lady. I will keep everything in my head," she uttered, giggling.
"Okay then, bye. Take care, you both. Love you,"
"Love you more. Take care you too,"
Hearing her parents' reply, she hung up the call.
"Our parents still worry about so much," Niley stated, laying flat on her stomach on the bed.
"And that's a blessing for us," Flora answered, grinning. She believed every parent was a blessing in their child's life because not every child was fortunate enough to have them in their life. There were countless children in the world who still craved to get the embrace of their parents. She herself had felt that emptiness in her past until her papa came into her life and completed her and her momma's lives with his existence.
"Okay now let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is the first day in our new campus, so we need to feel fresh," Axle said, looking at the wall clock. It was already 11 in the night.
"Okay then. Good night," Niley spoke and stood up on her feet.
"Good night," Flora wished back and saw her friends leaving her room.
Exhaling a heavy sigh, she walked towards the glass window. A cold blow of air hitted her face as soon as she opened the window but somehow she liked it. Closing her eyes slowly, she inhaled a long breath. It felt good.
Opening her lashes, she looked upward at the dark sky where the beautiful stars were twinkling. Flora smiled. A new phase of her life was about to start tomorrow and she was feeling really very excited about it.
With a beam, she returned back to her bed, without closing the window and without being aware of what actually had been waiting for her in the new phase of her life.
Next day, her uncle dropped all three of them on their campus. It was one of the best and most prestigious education institutions in the entire country.
"Wow, this place is actually looking amazing," Niley stated, roaming her eyes everywhere inside the campus. It was huge and had a lavishing interior. There were countless students like them there.
"Seems like it would not feel that boring to study here," Niley remarked.
"Yeah ..yeah. we will see if you would say this same exact thing when we would be sitting in our class and listening to our professors," Flora teased her, making Axle chortle and Niley roll her eyes.
"Let's wander a little more because we still have half an hour before our very first class here,"
Flora nodded her head at Niley. They all had the first class together.
"The cafeteria is amazing. I loved it," Flora stated, extremely happy, after coming out of the cafeteria.
"Yeah, who doesn't love eating food,"
Both the girls tittered at Axle's comment.
"Let's check the garden now," Niley suggested.
They all were wandering the garden of the campus when suddenly Niley spoke out.
"Hey! What's happening there?" She pointed towards a direction. Flora's gaze followed and caught a group of students who had gathered in one of the corners of the garden.
"Let's check,"
"But we would turn up late for our class, Niley," Flora said.
"We still have 10 minutes, so let's see what's happening there," Niley dragged Flora with her and Axle followed them.
They entered the crowd where some students were laughing loudly looking at something.
"Please give this back to me," hearing that voice, Flora snapped her eyes forward and her eyes widened, witnessing the scenario in front of her.
A group of students were bullying a boy by playing with his bag. That boy was trying to take his bag back but they were not handing it back to him and were making fun of his pleadings.
"Please, give me my bag," Flora saw the boy requesting and instead of helping him, other students were laughing at him and his state. Flora's palm clenched.
"Aww….you want your bag? Come on get it," another student stated and when that boy tried to take the bag, that student passed it to another group member.
"Come here and take it," another student stated, making the boy walk towards him but instead of returning his bag, he tossed it in another direction.
Stepping out of the crowd, Flora walked forward and caught that bag in her hand. Everyone turned their heads in her direction, including that boy.
Flora's hardened gaze glared at all of those students of that group and she finally saw their leader stepping forward towards her.
"Good catch," he remarked while roaming his eyes all over her from her head to her toe. Her grip tightened around that bag, witnessing it.
"You are a freshman, right?" He asked, analysing her frame.
"Why? Are you getting paid from the campus to note down the attendance of the freshmen?" She retorted back. Some students chuckled at her comment. That student before her narrowed his eyes on her. He took another step in her direction but she remained standing on her ground and completely unaffected.
"Trust me, you don't wanna get into hot water with me, sweetheart," he warned her.
"Sure. You can all alone burn your bullying ass in the hot water. I have no interest in joining you there," she snapped back. This time, everyone laughed loudly. That student gritted his teeth but then Flora found a wicked grin forming on his face.
"So would you like to join me in my bed because I would like to see if this fierceness of yours can work under me or not on my bed,"
Flora's fist ached to make his mouth bleed but she knew this place was not for losing her temper.
"So …." He took another step in her direction, invading her personal space. His eyes took another view of her body and then he lifted his hand to touch her.
"Would you like to show me your fierceness in my bed, sweetheart?" saying that he tried to grab her waist but before his hand could even touch her, Flora grabbed his wrist and spun him around.
Everyone's eyes widened when she twisted his wrist, making that student growl in pain.
"Even think about touching me without my consent, I don't know about me but you won't be able get up from your fucking bed for the rest of your life," she snarled at him, enraged, twisting his wrist more. That student yelped.
"And I will make sure about it," she shoved him away. That student stumbled. Everyone was stunned to witness that thing. Flora roamed her eyes all around.
"Enjoying bullying is more pathetic than bullying," she blurted out and every student lowered their eyes.
Flora frowned at all of them, especially at that group of bullies. After that, she trailed her eyes towards that boy finally.
Flora walked towards him and extended his bag towards him.
"Here," she said, looking into those bluish grey eyes of that boy. He passed her a small smile.
"Thank you," he said, taking his bag from her hands.
"No need. By the way, don't mind me but why don't you report them to the campus authority? I am sure they will take action against them for bullying," she told him. She saw that boy's smile fading.
"It's my first day here and I don't want to get into more trouble," he said. Flora sighed.
"Okay," she nodded at him.
"By the way, I am a freshman too," she extended her hand towards him.
"My name is Flora Alfanso," she introduced herself. She saw that boy smiling at her and then he raised his hand to shake it with hers.
"Easton Marzel," he said, colliding their palms.
Her smile widened as they both held each other's hands and shook them until her eyes fell on her wrist watch. Her gaze enlarged.
"Shit…. only two minutes left for my class," she withdrew her hand from his hold.
"Bye, Easton. See you soon," saying that she ran towards her friends and they all stormed away from there.
His piercing grey eyes continued to stare at her retracting back before he took his gaze back to his hand. Closing his fist, he placed his bag on his back and went to his very first class.
"Be grateful that we reach here on time," Flora heard Niley. They all had just reached their class and were grabbing their seats now. "Or else we would have been standing outside in our very first class," Niley uttered, frowning. "Come on. Look at the positive side. We are here on time. The teacher has not come yet," Flora replied, sitting beside Niley who was sitting between her and Axle. "Besides, we couldn't just ignore those seniors bullying that innocent boy," a scowl crept on her face as she remembered how badly those students were bullying that boy. She loathed when someone subjugated another person for ill reasons. She was still feeling like beating the shit out of those bullies for troubling that harmless boy. "Hey, the teacher is here," Axle informed, seeing the teacher entering the class. Every student stood up on their feet to greet their teacher. "Good morning, everyone. Please join your seats," the professor told everyone after getting in his place. Flora joined her
"Wow, we both have all the subjects in common, Easton," Flora uttered, checking his subjects list. They all just got done with their second class. "Were you spying on me before coming here?" She questioned him, playfully and then giggled. He beamed back. "Okay, guys. I and Axle have economics together for our next class, so we are going," Niley uttered, earning a nod from Flora. "I will call you once we get done with our class, okay?" Flora wagged her head in her response to Niley and then saw her leaving with Axle. "So what should we do now?" She asked Easton who was silently standing beside her. They both didn't have any class right now. He looked at her with his clueless expression which made her smile. He looked so troubled like she had asked him about his girlfriend. "What about stuffing something tasty inside our tummies?" She suggested with her wide eyes which were filled with excitement. "I have seen our campus cafeteria and it's very huge and hygienic. Let's go ther
"Easton…." She took his name while peering at her naked body's reflection in the mirror."So you recognised my voice?" A smile crept on her face, hearing his words. Leaving the idea of wearing her clothes, she sat on the chair in front of the dressing table."Seems like it. After all, I have spent my entire first day of campus with you, Mr Marzel," she answered, opening her bare legs a little bit and leaning her back against the chair, trying to make herself as comfortable as possible on the chair."Really, Ms. Alfanso princesa?" (Princess)Flora felt his voice turning more heavy, almost sensually husky and she didn't know why but it gave a sudden kind of vibration inside her lower abdomen. His voice was cavernous but right now, he was sounding more manly and intense, like he had gotten triggered with something.Her smile widened at that nickname he had given her. "Yes, Mr Marzel. Besides, you have quite a pretty sexy voice, so it's easy to recognise it," she tried to tease him as sh
"Easton?" Flora's eyes filled with shock as soon as that waiter turned around and she saw him. Her eyes roamed all over his frame and she saw him wearing the apron and cap of a waiter. Flora noticed him turning aghast as soon as he saw her there but then his facial features twisted into a sheepish one. Lowering his head, he walked towards their table which made Flora stand up on her feet. He stood in front of her while looking down. She could clearly sense his hesitancy. "Hey!" Flora uttered, trying to remove that awkwardness between them. "Hi…." He replied, without darting his eyes upward at her face. Flora sighed. She knew he was feeling embarrassed but she couldn't find any relevant reason which should make him feel embarrassed before her. "So you work here?" She asked him. He nodded at her slowly, still looking down. "By the way you know you're looking very hot and pretty in this fit," she uttered, trying to lighten up his mood. He finally looked upward at her face and sa
"So, momma is at home?" Flora asked her father on the video call. She was in her room. She saw her father nodding at her. "Yes, I had some meeting, so I came to the office to attend it," he answered her, sitting on the chair of his cabin in his company. Flora beamed. "Did it go well?" She asked him. He wagged his head with a smile which widened her grin. "So how's everything going there?" He asked her. "Everything is going perfectly well here, papa. In fact, better than I had expected," she answered. Riccardo caught that extreme amount of happiness gleaming in his child's eyes which filled him with content too. "Papa ….. actually I called you to ask for your permission for something,"she told him, honestly. He dipped his head in his response. "Our campus seniors are throwing a fresher's party for all the freshers of our department tonight, so can I go there?" She didn't feel hesitant because first of all she knew, her father was never going to deny her wish and even if he would
Flora's eyes enlarged in pure shock. She couldn't just believe what her eyes had just witnessed. He punched Broody, and so hard that it broke that man, Broody's teeth and even blood oozed out of his mouth. She gaped at him, completely perplexed, like the rest of the other people around her until "You bastard…." Broody recovered from that punch and charged towards him. Flora's eyes enlarged more when she saw Broody punching him on his face which made him fall on the ground. "Easton," she uttered, stunned and ran towards him. Broody grabbed his collar and punched him again roughly. His body shrugged and he was about to fall on the ground again but Flora caught him by wrapping her arms around his back. She saw the corner of his lips bleeding and that dark bruise on his cheek which made her clench her jaw. Now she had her enough and her endurance started slipping away for the worse. "So you will protect this fucker now?" Broody laughed at her, believing how she would protect him and fi
Flora turned around as soon as she heard him locking the door. She gave him a bewildered look."Why did you lock the door?" She asked him, confused. He looked at her and her breathing slightly hitched when she noticed that treacherous blankness engulfing his eyes. It felt like he was on the edge of murdering her. His feet made their way towards her and Flora didn't know why but for a split second, the way he was looking at her, she felt like he was seeing his worst enemy in front of him. She couldn't even understand what was actually happening here and especially to him.He stood in front of her, towering her tiny frame."Are you afraid?" He asked, gazing into her sea-green eyes. Flora saw something unknown evoking in his eyes at that moment but before she could even comprehend it, he walked past her."What happened to your I can protect myself, Ms. Alfanso?" He questioned. Flora shrugged her thoughts away, believing they were just her illusions. She walked towards him and stood besi
Wordlessly, her eyes were peering at the picture of that man, Broody's lifeless body. By seeing that image, she could clearly sense that the way he had been murdered, his murderer had taken out his anger and wrath at him in the cruellest possible way. His murderer wanted to shred every inch of his skin and he did it with no sympathy. She had been taught by her father this thing. "But who did this?" She asked, finally taking her eyes away from Niley's phone. Niley heaved a sigh and shook her head. "How would I know? I just woke up this morning and checked my phone and there I saw someone had shared this picture in our campus chat group," Flora heard Niley telling her which made her look towards the phone's screen again. "But who would have….." "Hey guys! Did you check the campus chat group?" Axle barged into the room, looking extremely shocked and paranoid. Both the girls looked at him and they immediately understood what he was talking about. "Yeah, I was telling about it to