Chapter 4

Unforseen friendships have a magical way of stitching the broken pieces of our hearts back together.

-Unknown.

|A L E E Z A|

After a very adventurous night, I stood ahead of my luxurious apartment, the one my brothers bought for me when I decided to move to U.S.A. to continue my studies.

Pushing the wooden door open, I crossed the threshold entering my apartment and the delicious smell of rose filled my nostrils. My eyes were met with an expensive expanse of grace. The living room adorned in the shades of gold and ivory. Plush velvet settees warm and comfortable embrace called me. The temptation, considering the tiredness that took the hold of my body after whole day adventure was irresistible.

The walls were adorned with framed masterpieces and the pictures that held the memories of years. The floor bedecked in imported marbles.

Hearing my stomach grumble, I headed towards the kitchen to reward my empty stomach with delicious junk food that is absolutely decreasing the quality and quantity of my life, but who cares? As long as it tastes that good and satisfy my hunger, it is fine.

I heated the four pieces of pizza in the over before retuning back to my living room. Turning on the television I looked for a good web series I can binge on for tonight while I stuff my stomach with lots of unhealthy food. Placing the plate of pizza on the glass table, I rushed towards my room to change into some comfortable clothes.

After wearing a silk top with buttons and shorts, I tied my hairs up in a loose bun to avoid hair fall which returns once a year, everytime. I returned in my living room, feeling much comfortable and less tired now.

I settled down on the couch, my eyes fixed at the big screen ahead of me as a thought swirled in my head. The feeling of emptiness and loneliness settled inside me, glancing around in this huge apartment, at the end I camd up with nothing but all these materials which only holds memories, not the people.

A few months ago when I decided to continue my studies to take the freedom I always wanted, I never thought that loneliness would be the price I will be paying. It is extremely pathetic how I feel so fucking empty from inside like I left a very big part of me somewhere in my previous life, with my family and friends.

I hate how this feeling of loneliness and being lost is so new and inferior. I miss my brothers who have always kept the world in my palm without even me saying anything. They were always there, on the either side of me, ready to fight for me, ready to apologize for me. Now, it just feels lonely.

Somewhere with the feeling of loneliness and emptiness, resides a new unnecessary thought. A masked man dressed in black as of trying to match the color to his soul. His eyes, his big blank eyes and everything else about him was just that.

Black.

He has no business in occupying my head like he is right now. I remember all his movements like the back of my hand and for some reason, I do not like it. He was an arrogant, emotionless, judgemental and infuriating human being. He was a fucking stranger in the middle of a haunting forest with large trees and it's over grown branches.

He was a dangerous man. His outfit screamed like he is the devil who took a bath in good looks just to lure his victims in his trap, easily. And, his voice? Oh damn, it was as menacing as an evil human's could be. He sounded so fucking hot and danger at the same time.

"What are you thinking, Aleeza?" I scolded myself for sounding like a fangirl over a criminal like man.

"Stop thinking about him." I chided myself, my eyes focusing on the television screen to divert my mind from him. "He was just a stranger. A mysterious one." I added, softly and thoughtfully, as I munched on the delicious pizza, before the dizziness and fatigue finally took over me and I sunk into a restorative slumber.

---

Next morning, the rays of sun coming from the window in the living room casted a warm glow on my face, interrupting my sleep.

My eyes fluttered open to be greeted with the extreme brightness that ravaged my eyes, forcing me to shut them close once again. But, here, unlike my previous life, I have a time table to work according to. I can not afford missing out the lectures everyday just because I am lazy.

I groaned as the thought of what mess I have thrown myself in sunk inside my head. But it is already too late to go back on my decision. Throwing the cushions away on the marble floor, I stomped my bare foot against the hard floor before storming inside my room to freshen up and get ready for university.

After rummaging for my today's outfit in the wardrobe for almost fifteen to twenty minutes, I decided to wear a simple white crop top with thin straps pairing it with a ditsy floral ruffle hem tie front skirt and white sneakers.

Once I was ready, I took a brief look at my reflection in the mirror. My lips coated with a peach shade lip gloss, mascara helping me lift my eyelashes and the make up helped me hide the dark circles underneath my eyes because of staying up till late.

Satisfied with my look, my lips curved into a smile of their own, before I walked out of my luxurious apartment to attend the only second day of college. First one was a disaster, I got lost, then got lost again after the party and encountered with a mysterious masked man in a completely unfavourable place.

I am just hoping for a better day, today.

Driving the car, my brothers got me, towards the university, I turned on the music playing Blank Space by Taylor Swift as I passed through the busy streets of California at such early morning. The cheerful morning often lifts my mind as long as I slept for good seven hours and it does not really happen often. Still, today is different. The florist shop I passed by forced me to smile at the colorful sight of flowers.

I reached my university after exactly twenty nine minutes, yup, I counted. Parking the car in parking area, I got out of it making sure the key is with me before I enter the building.

The Royal College of California is an absolute beauty. The high sky touching buildings and the greenery surrounding it makes me awestruck. A lot of students are present here, while some are busy talking about the studies there are others too who can not be more un- serious about studies.

Walking through the corridor, I noticed people minding their own business and not even sparing me single glance. They do not look at me with the feeling of envy or fear because of the family I belong to. They are just unbothered, like I always wanted to live.

I glanced at the wrist watch tied around my wrist and realised that I am three minutes late, which means I am just going to be punished so there is no matter in hurrying up now.

But sure enough a storm from behind me came like a hurricane and crashed right into me as if with the purpose to ruin everything in its way, humans too. My balance wavered but before I could end up falling down on my butt and fave the unnecessary embarassment in the middle of college, the storm itself became my saviour as the person I am referring to storm as, circled his fingers around my wrist amd brought me back on feets.

"Fuck! Shit! Sorry." He cursed more than he apologised but it does not matter because the more you curse the more genuine you are. He sounds genuine too.

"Are you okay?" He asks me, looking guilty for almost tripping me.

I lifted my eyes to meet with his brown ones. The boy who stood in front of me looks not any older than twenty one or twenty two. He has a sharp jawline along with a clean shaven face. His arched eyebrows pinched together in concern as he waited impatiently for my answer.

Oh my god, he is so pretty.

"I am perfect." I tell him, my lips curling into a warm smile. I absolutely love how pretty this human being is, not in a romantic way, but in general.

"That you are." He responded and his face muscles relaxed, a small laugh escaping his full lips that faded fretful strain in the air, making the atmosphere friendly.

He extended his right hand towards me for a hand shake as he introduced himself, "Hey, I am Lev."

Lev.

Hmm.