ADY
"Dad, I can't see the road, and it's raining too hard!"
It rained heavily all night, and no streetlights could help people find their way. If Dad had stopped the car, we would have been stranded.
"There's no way we can go back, Ady. If we do that, there will be a landslide, and the river might overflow."
Then, a frightening-looking creature and a woman approached our car. Then everything happened quickly. I don't know what happened after Dad turned the steering wheel to the left, but the car went to the bridge and fell off. Before I knew it, water slowly got into the car, and I saw our car stuck between two giant rocks. My asthma attack is acting up, and I can't catch my breath. No, I don't want to die yet. I don't know what happened next, but someone was calling.
"Miss, wake up, Miss!"
I heard a man's voice and tried to open my eyes. I could barely see the young boy until everything got dark.
***
Present Time
'Oh, how terrible! I really can't bear Kuya's scent,' I thought.
I don't want to be insensitive, but being cooped up on a train with a disgusting odor and very little fresh air is intolerable. It seemed like I was having nausea. The person next to me was sweating a lot, and I wasn't sure if I would pass out or die in that instant of suffocation. I instinctively covered my mouth and nose with my hand. On such a busy day, many commuters were on the train. For people who have to get to work early in the morning, the LRT (Light Rail Transit) is a popular choice. It was the quickest and cheapest way to get around town. During busy times, waiting times are the longest.
I was speechless when the train stopped at the next station. I saw a bunch of commuters waiting on the platform. Everyone pushed onto the train as soon as the doors opened. The crowd was now squished together. Those outside the train had to keep going until the doors closed. They made me stand against the other side's train door.
When someone stepped on my toes, I exclaimed, "Ouch!" I reacted angrily.
At the train door, I saw someone's hands on each side of my head. Those muscular arms sandwiched me. And a scent of mysterious incense combined with the fresh sea aroma. An aromatic aquatic scent that was very familiar to me. It creates a powerful aura lingering around my nose.
'Thank God, a very manly scent. I loved Jasper's scent. The Giorgio Armani Aqua diGio scent, as he always brags,' I thought.
Suddenly, a voice with an accent and a hoarse tone asked, "Are you okay, Miss?"
I frowned. 'Unfamiliar voice. Then who is this man?' I thought.
A stranger kept the crowd from squeezing me. His unfamiliar voice made me look at him, and our eyes met. He was a handsome teenager with pinkish skin, blue eyes, and a mesmerizing and seductive voice.
'Damn, this guy is smoking hot, just like Jasper.' I thought.
Upon beholding the man, who resembled something from a dream, I could not help but be impressed. Never in a million years had I thought I'd be standing beside a handsome man in a crowded subway car with his hands on my head. Well, he has a different aura from my best friend.
'But how come he doesn't have a car?" I thought.
I ask him questions in my mind, which makes me look like a fool. My whole body tickles in a way that I can't quite describe. I felt like I'd fallen under his charm.
I felt the train door. I was leaning on it slightly, so I turned to look at it. I noticed the man had taken his hand off the train door and saw it was somewhat damaged. When the train stopped, I turned toward him. We were both in a hurry, but the guy left first. He hurriedly got off the train with the rest of the people.
'He's gone.'
"Ady!"
I turned around when my name was called. Elsa, a friend and fellow architecture student, ran up to me. This is my third year of college, and I have two more years to graduate. Thank you to the foundation for helping me finish my education.
"I've been yelling and chasing you, Ady, but you haven't even stopped!" Elsa put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. She was panting, and beads of sweat could be seen on her forehead.
"You don't need to run. Besides, that's why you have a smartphone. You should call me." I handed her the water bottle I had just bought at a store near the train station. My friend immediately opened it and drank from it. "It's good for your health. There is no need for you to go to the gym." I grinned and said, "You look like you've lost weight."
"Whoo! Yes, awesome! It's tiring chasing you, huh?" Elsa sighed a little bit before handing me the almost empty water bottle. "Why are you in such a rush? It's way too early."
I put the water bottle in my bag and said, "I need to go to the library to borrow a book."
"I don't understand why you have to go through the trouble of going to the library, finding a book, and reading it when there is something called "internet" in our generation. Do you know what you are doing? Are you reducing G****e's income? Don't you trust G****e?" We walked to the hallway together.
"I don't want to rely on G****e because I'm making the owner rich. It's good that I work hard on my design instead of copying someone else's. Besides, my brain sharpens when struggling, and my nose and eyes almost bleed from searching. It's called..." I couldn't finish what I wanted to say because Elsa had already preceded me.
"Self-torture. ." Elsa said. "Anyway, are you going to the acquaintance party on Friday?" I was about to answer, but Elsa cut me off. "The foundation said that their scholars should go to support the university, so you have to go. Because staff from the foundation will be there, we should go, you know, for extra credit." She chuckled.
I pouted. "I have nothing to wear, and it's too expensive to rent clothes."
"Gosh! That's your big problem."Elsa looked at me, puzzled, and then laughed. "I've got your back."
I took a deep breath, and we stopped beside the stairs to her classroom and the hallway to the library. "Oh, we will have to split up. Have fun in the most boring place on earth." Elsa said, giggling.
Elsa and I are in the same class but have different classes at different times. "See you later, Ady!" Elsa sprinted away from me with a big smile, waving as I went straight down the hallway.
I went to the library when I realized I had a free hour. Because it was so early, there were no students in the library.
My name, Adira, means "strong" in Hebrew. There is nothing special about my life, but I never thought today would be just the beginning.
***
DAMON
I'm Damon, and you wouldn't believe how crowded the train was when I got on earlier. I was doing this to kill time on the train. Everything seemed normal, but I was wrong. Today is the first day of a new Monday, and I couldn't be happier.
Moving was complicated with so many people on the train that morning because everyone pushed me to get on. They shoved me a few times before I could hold onto the door on the other side of the train.
I heard a woman say, "Ouch!"
When I suddenly recognized the woman before me, I was stunned and couldn't believe it. She is hers. Her height has changed a little, as has the length of her hair, but I'm sure she's the girl from the river. She had grown into a beautiful woman with a figure that any young woman would want. It surprised me how much her appearance had changed. It has been five years since everything happened, and I still can't find the words. I can't hide my interest in him because I haven't seen him in a long time. I'm sure she was the girl that night.
"Miss, are you okay?" I asked.
The woman was staring at me, but her mind seemed elsewhere. Even though I was wearing a mask, I couldn't help but smile.
'Did she recognize me?' I thought.
She stared at me for a long time. I thought she recognized me. Maybe she remembers me. But I lost my thoughts when the train stopped at the next station. There were a lot more commuters pushing each other to get in. This made us move closer to the door on the other side. Later, after the train stopped at the next station, the door opened. I rushed off the train with the other passengers as soon as it stopped. I moved away from the woman who didn't recognize me.
As I quickly walked away, I stopped and turned to her. She had already left the train. I smiled when I saw her wearing her ID lace while walking down the stairs. She goes to the same school as me, so it means only one thing: I see her almost daily.
"It's so nice to see you again, river girl," I whispered.
Thanks for reading! You can add this to your reading list if you like the story.
ADY"Dad, we're going to sink! What are we going to do? Dad!"I sat up in bed in shock, sweating and gasping for air. Since the night of the accident, I have repeatedly had that dream. Suddenly, I feel like I'm reliving that night all over again."It's just a dream.""I've missed them. I've missed you, Mom and Dad." I whispered as my tears flowed down my cheeks.***Friday night is the big bash! The first party I've ever been to with my friends is tonight. I wouldn't say I liked how my dress fit so well. My neck and shoulders have been bare since I pulled my hair back. There were clothes on me, but I didn't feel good. On that night, there were a lot of students there, and everyone seemed to be having fun—except me. Social events aren't my thing because I'm a loner.Substantial sound systems around the party's hall made a lot of noise and got people to sing and dance by mixing up the music. A large food table also has many tasty snacks and drinks.Someone from my class saw me walking to
ADY"It looks like you overslept."My grandmother was already making us breakfast in the kitchen. I haven't had much sleep since the party. I drew until late at night. It's been over a week since I pulled at the last minute, and I still haven't had a chance to unwind. I also thought about Damon, someone I met at the party who suddenly left. I haven't seen him since that night, even though Elsa says I have. I thought he was trying to avoid me.I stayed up late to tell my grandma what had been bugging me for a few days and nights. Because I didn't want her to worry more, I didn't tell her about my dream. She knew I was having a nightmare, but I stopped telling her that I was pretending that it was gone. There was no way I would say to her it came back. Grandma made me coffee and sat it beside my plate while I ate."Ady, how are you?" Granny asked. "It's been difficult to have a proper conversation since we relocated to the city, even during meals.""Sorry, granny, for being unable to spe
ADYJasper checked his wristwatch. It was rush hour. Because of this, many people will be on the train, buses, and jeepneys. Together, we went up the stairs to get to the ticket window. Though the line was long, people moved quickly through it.We chatted to pass the time. I talked to Jasper as if I were a TV talk show host."Will you be traveling overseas?"Jasper gave a confirming nod. "I'd love to explore different parts of the globe.""Huh? Maybe aviation would have been better for you than engineering.""Engineering tuition is more affordable," Jasper chuckled, scratching his head.After a bit of a wait, we finally reached the ticket window. Jasper quickly covered the expenses for both of us. We quickly made our way to the platform after getting our tickets, eager to wait for the train. Jasper faced the crowd, who patiently awaited the train's arrival."It looks like I'll have to put in some effort," Jasper remarked, playfully flexing his muscles. That made me chuckle. "Are you mo
ADY“Hey there, granny! Good morning!”After finishing my breakfast the following morning, my grandma heard a knock at the door. As I was getting ready for school and brushing my teeth, I suddenly heard Jasper’s voice coming from the living room.Jasper told Granny, “Yes, Granny, we’re both going to school.”“It’s good. Your kindness will help me worry less about my granddaughter,” said Granny.Jasper grinned and rubbed his head. “I just want to clarify, granny, that if your granddaughter were to develop feelings for me, it wouldn’t be my fault, right?”Granny laughed at what Jasper said, but I frowned.“Shhh, what are you saying? Who could fall for you?”The sight of my hair falling over my shoulder startled Jasper. I like how this hairstyle suits me. He couldn’t help but flash a mischievous smile.“Hey, are you trying to get my attention?” Jasper said it cheerfully and kept a smile on his face.I raised an eyebrow curiously. “Um, sorry to bother you, but I wondered why I should get y
ADY “Good morning!” As I entered the main building, I was surprised by a voice suddenly speaking up beside me. I was taken aback when I caught sight of Damon standing there. He had a big smile, clearly happy with how I responded. I immediately tapped him on the arm. “You’re quite annoying!” I said to Damon with frustration. Damon let out a light laugh. I couldn’t help but notice that nearly every student who walked by was giving us curious glances. We can hear a gentle humming as they discuss our being together. I exhaled. “Don’t worry about them,” Damon reassured me. “Do you believe it’s as simple as you make it sound?” I asked as I turned the T-square into a face shield. Damon let out a light laugh before reaching out and holding my hand. Once more, his voice resonated with me, and the touch of his warm skin sent a powerful shiver down my spine. He seemed to be running a temperature. He’s pretty attractive, with a great appearance and smooth skin. “No need to do that,” Damon
ADY ‘Aah, geez, I have goosebumps...’ I felt a cool breeze on my back and absentmindedly scratched my neck. I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my hair, causing me to quickly turn around in search of what was causing it. The air conditioner sprang to life as soon as we entered the room. It’s interesting to note how impeccably tidy and well-arranged that room is, giving the impression that it belongs to someone with a meticulous personality. “Waah!” I heard Elsa’s voice coming from the bathroom, causing me to look in that direction quickly. I casually dropped my backpack and made a beeline for the restroom. “Oh my goodness!” Elsa let out another scream. “Wow, just take a look at this amazing bathroom and...” I let out a small breath. I felt a sinking feeling in my chest at that moment. I never expected Elsa to be so fascinated by the bathroom. I turned away from Elsa and made my way over to a couch. ‘Why isn’t there a bed here? Isn’t he sleeping?’ I thought. I glanced at the
ADY“Good heavens!” Something warm suddenly grabbed my arm, digging into my forearm and causing me to jump back in astonishment. I quickly pulled my hand back and moved away, startled.Elsa took a step back from the man when she noticed my fear.“Sorry if I startled you.”It seems like my body temperature has returned to normal after feeling scared and having it drop unusually low. Damon stood before us. The black polo shirt he wore had a distinctive dark green collar. While he may not have the same level of muscularity as Jasper, something about his physique brings to mind the Korean idols I look up to.“I hate to rain on your parade, Ady, but the person you’re afraid of is beautiful,” Elsa remarked.I casually glanced at Elsa and then shifted my gaze to Damon. “I’m sorry, Damon; I was taken aback. Wow, your hand feels warm.”“I’m sorry you feel that way, too,” Damon replied casually, slipping his hand into his pocket.We stepped out of the car and started walking. Damon strolls along
ADY “Where on earth is he?” I kept searching for Damon, but I always returned to the Ruins. I casually hopped over the fence and entered. The ruins are shrouded in an eerie silence, with darkness enveloping everything. I heard some unusual sounds coming from above. Out of nowhere, a hand landed on my shoulder, instantly sending a wave of warmth through my body. Damon casually stood in front of me and effortlessly switched places with me. I witnessed the boulder narrowly miss Damon’s back, causing a surge of shock to course through me. The boulder shattered upon impact, yet he remained utterly composed. How did Damon manage to surprise me and enter without my knowledge? How was he supposed to anticipate the rock falling in the darkness? “Uh, h-how’d y-you do that?” I stutter. Damon glanced at the boulder, then again shifted his gaze towards me. “We should probably go before something falls on us.” Damon gently grasped my hand and suggested, “Shall we go?” He guided me to a differen