Episode 3

Episode-3 

Him and Dream.

As Stacey and I stepped into the cool night air, her excited chatter was already in full swing.

“Did you see the way he looked at you?” she squealed with little jealousy, her voice an octave higher than usual. “It was like he saw right through you, Tarini!”

I forced a smile, knowing that Stacey’s flair for the dramatic could turn a simple look into a whole love story. But there was no denying that Professor Valerian’s gaze had a weight to it like he was looking past my surface, straight into some hidden part of me I hadn’t even realized was there. And his words echoed in my mind, tugging at something deep within me.

“Come on, it was nothing,” I said lightly, trying to shake off the strange hold he had on my thoughts. “He was just… being nice, that’s all.”

“Being nice?” Stacey scoffed. “Tarini, people like Professor Valerian don’t just ‘be nice.’ That look… it was intense, almost like he’s seen you somewhere before or…” She trailed off, her eyes widening with a mischievous glint. “Or like he’s hiding something.”

“Oh, stop it,” I laughed, pushing her gently. “This isn’t one of your fantasy novels.”

But deep down, I knew Stacey’s instinct wasn’t completely off. There was something about him that felt eerily familiar, a pull that made me want to know him more, even though every instinct told me to keep my distance.

We walked in silence for a moment, but my mind was racing. Stacey had some knowledge about my plan for the recommendation letter. Harvard was my dream, and Professor Valerian’s approval could make it possible. But now, I couldn’t deny there was something else drawing me to him—something that had nothing to do with my future goals.

“So, what’s the deal with Aryan?” Stacey asked, breaking my thoughts. “I thought you were just going on a courtesy date, but it seems like a nightmare?”

I sighed. “Let’s just say my mom had grand plans for us, and I had to let him down gently. And he got… complicated and also attacked me!”

Stacey gave me a sympathetic nod, though she quickly perked up again. This bitch!!! 

“Well, good riddance, because now we can focus on Professor Valerian. Can you imagine—”

Just as she launched into another excited monologue about him, I felt a sudden shiver run down my spine. The sensation was so sharp, so vivid, that I stopped in my tracks.

“What is it?” Stacey asked, noticing my expression.

I shook my head, trying to shake off the feeling. “Nothing. Just thought I heard something.”

But it wasn’t the sound of footsteps or a shadow in the distance. No, this was something else entirely—like a whisper at the edge of my mind, calling me, pulling me back toward the dark, magnetic presence of Professor Valerian. 

Stacey raised an eyebrow. “You’re acting weird tonight, you know that?” 

I forced a laugh. “Yeah, probably just tired from all the drama.” I was desperate to get her mind off it, but as we walked on and got inside my car, I couldn’t ignore the strange pull toward the restaurant we’d just left, as though I was leaving a part of myself behind.

---

Later that night, when I was finally alone in my small apartment, the evening’s events replayed in my mind. I sat by the window, staring at the darkened skyline, but my thoughts were firmly rooted in that dimly lit parking lot, in the way Professor Valerian had appeared just when I needed him. The way his hand had felt steadying me, strong and cold yet somehow familiar, like a touch I’d known a lifetime ago.

As the clock struck midnight, I sighed, pushing the memory aside. I couldn’t afford distractions—not now. Tomorrow I would track him down, find a way to talk to him outside of class, and get that recommendation letter. That was the priority, nothing more.

But just as I settled into bed, a strange dream began to unfold.

I was walking through a dense forest, the ground shrouded in mist, and my footsteps made no sound. Ahead, through the trees, I saw a faint glow—a fire, burning low and lonely in the dark.

And there he was. Adam Valerian, standing by the fire, his back turned to me. He looked different, dressed in dark, old-fashioned clothing, his posture rigid and tense. The air around him felt heavy with age like he was a part of the forest itself, something ancient and eternal. 

“Tarini,” he whispered, without turning. The sound of my name on his lips sent a shiver down my spine. It was a voice I’d never heard before, yet it was achingly familiar, filled with longing, like he’d waited lifetimes to say it.

“Adam?” I tried to step closer, but the ground seemed to shift, pulling me back, away from him.

“I’ve waited so long,” he murmured, his voice filled with a strange sadness that made my heart ache. “So many centuries…”

“Wait!” I called, reaching out, but he began to fade, dissolving into the mist.

And then I jolted awake, my heart racing, my skin damp with sweat.

It was just a dream, I told myself, pressing a hand to my chest to calm my rapid heartbeat. But as I lay there, trying to convince myself it was just a figment of my imagination, I couldn’t ignore the feeling deep inside me, the sense that somehow, in some inexplicable way, Adam Valerian was not just a professor, but more than that. "What a weird dream?" I muttered.

Then My phone buzzed on the bedside table. It was a message from Stacey. 

Stacey: “Omg. Can you believe we saw him tonight? So hot!!! Tomorrow, let’s have coffee and discuss every single detail!” 

I stared at her message, her usual enthusiasm leaping from the screen. But instead of responding, I simply set the phone down and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would come again. Because now, more than ever, I had a feeling that nothing in my life would be simple again—not with Professor Adam Valerian in it.