5. EYES TO EYES

That meeting, sometimes can have an unexpected meaning. Like memories, or residual memories of a previous life. Not many believe in life having another life before. It was strange, but this was an unavoidable destiny.

Humans do have a chance to change destiny, but only one thing matters. Would someone be able to change his destiny, or not? When a person's previous life has bad luck, all they can do is hope for a better life, without them knowing they should be able to change everything they want to change.

A beautiful woman with shoulder-length black hair walked down the steps of her home one by one. Dressed in casual attire, she makes her way to a quiet dining table, just as she had felt earlier. Her eyes gazed at the painting, which was between the kitchen dividers and the living room. She gave a small smile.

The painting, given to her when she was 17 years old. Back then, fate changed everything, even though sometimes she was still confused was something really fate, or was it just a curse? And the painting depicts a mermaid on a rock in a cave playing with her tail.

She drank rapidly as she looked at her left hand watch and then hurried out of the house to go to the campus and began teaching.

On the other hand, Edric Winston was visibly contemplative on the way to his cousin's campus. It is different with Celine Blossom, who kept rambling on and on about something. For the day, as Levin had received an important assignment from the police station he could not deliver her for this day. It was with a heavy heart that Edric delivered the proud daughter of Immanuel's family.

"Professor Crystall so beautiful, well, she never got angry at anyone. And strangely, among other professors she the youngest as if he had never aging. I had seen her teenage pictures, and there was no difference whatsoever with her present face," says Celine.

Edric remained silent, luckily he had become accustomed to Celine's nagging. Once in a while his eyes checked the ever-congested, until they finally stopped in front of a college called the University Of Coral, London.

Celine didn't descend directly, she smiled as she saw a beautiful woman walking right in front of the edric car he was riding.

"You're not coming down?" reproof Edric.

"Look, it's professor Crystall!" Celine exclaimed excitedly, coming down and saying hello to her teacher, "Professor!"

Next to Edric's eyebrow raised, he didn't care about Celine at first. However, when his eyeballs accidentally caught the lovely face of a familiar looking woman, Edric walked out of his car.

Smiling back to Celine, still in her spot, the woman seemed to walk gracefully toward Celine. Before she almost slipped because she was wearing high heels. 

Edric noticed a strange movement of the woman and then rapidly approached her, tugging at her waist and embracing her tightly. Their faces are only a few inches apart.

While surprised onlookers immediately held her breath, she also took her lips out of her mouth. Her eyes continued to look into the man's arms hugging her so closely, this embrace felt so familiar and so warm.

When a pair of Edric eyes meet, with a pair of wide-eyed eyeballs, something like a wave takes Edric to a different place, through his memory. Edric saw clearly around him at this moment, he was standing on the sand of the beach with a gaze across the beach.

When he heard the sound of a woman's laughter, he immediately turned around. And sure enough, behind him was a woman laughing as she painted on the canvas in front of him. Strangely, the woman stared at Edric several times while laughing. Truly, everything was familiar, from her laughter, her happy gaze, even to the woman's beautiful face that looked so much like the woman in his arms right now.

 "Mr. Police, are you all right?"

The question put Edric out of control. He took a few steps back in surprise, when he saw Crystall face in front of him that looked so much like the woman in his memory.

"Professor, are you okay?" Celine asked to Crystall.

Crystall nodded as looking worried Edric, "How about you?"

Edric, who had just regained consciousness, looked intently at Crystall, "If you can't do walk in those shoes, then you shouldn't wear them!'' Then he walked away to the car leaving Crystall and also Celine. But as he sat at the wheel, he turned to Crystall face,  and then he shook his head firmly, after that he rode on the car and walked away.

"Forgive him, professor. He had that attitude, rough like the texture of a stone," says Celine.

At first Crystall was shocked by the words of Edric, who seemed worried about herself. She smiled and understood, "It's okay. Please thank him for me. Ah, now is the time for fine arts class, come on."

***

In the classroom, Crystall was known for her friendly way of teaching. That way, it dulls any student and she gives more practice than material.

A man was sitting on the third row, with a friend. They were laughing merrily, but then fell silent as Crystall entered the class and began the lesson.

"Yesterday, we had a wonderful exhibition. The happy news was that more than twenty-four paintings had been sold, and the gallery donor grew one. I'm very happy, because your appreciation for art is so overwhelming," says Crystall.

The sound of applause boomed across the room, with a perenall smile that never faded.

"Congratulations to Celine and Noel, who got the highest price on your painting," praise Crystall did not escape from her smile, she looked at celine and then Noel with her happy gaze, "Today there is no special material, I just want you to be able to work out the idea and pouring every color in your imagination."

"Excuse me, professor," Noel raised his hand, asking, "Are there no gifts for me?"

A tremendous cheer broke out, Noel was indeed flirtatious for his to Crystall. However, it was always considered a laughing matter.

"Your grade is perfect. Is it still less?" wonder Crystall.

"What about telling a story? Yesterday, I heard you tell Celine something to broaden her imagination," offer Noel.

"Woah. You meant to? You think I bribed the professor to get good grades?" Celine is annoyed.

Noel shuddered unconsciously, leaning against his chair, "It's possible."

"Well, I'll tell you a story that inspired Celine's painting," Crystall took the book out of her purse and looked one by one at her students, especially Noel, "This story is about a mermaid, and a handsome man who found her in a coral cave."