MEETING ACCIDENTALLY

Soon Araxie got a thought of stepping in the water and perhaps receive the necklace from him. Maybe she could get a chance to touch him. Don't blame her, this man was attractively handsome. His eyes were so tempting!

His light skin was temptingly hot and special. He was so perfectly made to be human. The human skin was nothing compared to his. "There's something special about him!"Araxie breathed in realization.

After taking two to three steps towards him, the man quickly threw a necklace to her. It was like he didn't want her to come any closer to him. "Take care of yourself and always be careful. Never think of swimming at night ever again. Let this be your last time doing something stupid like that."

"Wait!" Araxie felt she could say something to him. Maybe she wanted to thank him for saving her life. "You have no idea what you've done for me. You've given my life back to me otherwise Mom would've killed me. I may not see you or meet you ever again but I will always be grateful to you for what you've done today. Thank you sir."she was talking to thin air. She was shedding tears of joy.

She was leaving when she felt like looking back, hoping to see that man for the last time but he wasn't there even when she looked back.

She wanted to leave but a part of her felt like staying.

Slowly, she walked away. Reaching home, she was surprised to see that Marina was still on it. The moment she saw her entering the gate, Marina rushed to find her sword from the house.

This time she was shocked to see that even her sister, Casey didn't have mercy on her at all. She had come with a dagger behind her Mom.

They were ready to shed blood - just because of a necklace.

Expecting her to walk backwards in fear, the two of them were rather surprised when Araxie continued walking towards them with a slight smile on her face. They believed she was a coward type who would beg for mercy before them but that wasn't happening.

The expressions on their faces was evident that they were confused. "Hey, stop right there. Don't take any step."Marina shouted coldly but ignoring her words, Araxie kept moving.

She wasn't scared of their threats anymore since she had the necklace with her.

"Here you go mother."she handed it over in Marina's hands.

This left the two of them shocked especially Casey who had witnessed the incident for which it fell into the river.

"How's this possible. I'm sure she's arranged for a fake one. Mother, I don't think it's your necklace because yours fell into the running water before my own eyes. I saw it myself.

She's fooling you mother."

"Casey dear, why did you lie to me. How could she have found it when it really fell into the river as you claim."Marina asked with her head tilted sideways.

"I can't believe you've fallen for her lies. I mean how can you not see that she's given you a fake one. It's impossible for her to have found the real one. I believe that by now it must've been swept up by the running water.

Why am I even explaining this to you when you've already taken it as your original one.

For the first time I'm seeing someone who doesn't know her belongings!"she was so angry because her mom couldn't get Araxie punished after her all efforts.

"Give me the earrings too."she asked politely this time which was enough for Araxie to tell that she's skipped the punishment and things were back to normal.

Standing by the window, Araxie stared at the moon and stars which were shining so bright.

"The moon is really beautiful... and the stars, they're just delightful."she was talking alone.

Still admiring the beauty of the night sky, her mind was taken aback to that handsome man she earlier saw at the Sea.

Now she remembered she didn't thank him. "Why am I thinking about him now."she hit her forehead to suppress the thought.

Maybe she still wished to stare at his charming and breathtaking face.

Perhaps she wanted to get lost in his dazzling blue sea eyes.

Oops! She had left the window open.

As she reached to close it, a white great egret scooted inside through the very same window and dropped a piece of paper before it flew away.

Araxie closed the window in a flash and then picked up the properly folded white paper

Oh heavens! It was very wet like it has been soaked in water. It seemed like something was written on it with thick blue ink.

Curiously Araxie opened it and began to read.

"Hey you,

You don't know me and I don't know you very well. But that's totally ok! I came across this poem tonight and I thought of sharing it with you. ' I happened upon you standing there so winsomely in the early morning light. You're the most beautiful exotic rose I have ever seen.

The sun cascading down glittering upon your dew-encrusted, rose petal soft cheeks. The fire of your soul reflected in the depth of your eyes captivates me and steals my heart.

Your voice is carried sweetly upon the gentle breeze caressing my cheeks with your honeyed words'

Thank you"

"Hmmm! Who could this be. Who could've sent me this letter." She wondered when she couldn't find the name of the person who sent it

Feeling strange she walked and fell on her bed before she slept.

As usual the first thing she did was to open the window and admire the morning beauty of the city.

Again the same bird showed up with a rose flower and a white wet paper in it's beak.

Araxie felt a need ask the bird about the sender but then remembered it was just a bird and it can't talk.

Maybe she had found pleasure in reading the letters because she quickly picked it up.

Before she could open it, she heard someone knocking on her door.

Hiding it under the pillow, she got the door. It was Marina."Good morning Mom."she hurried to greet.

"I thought you're still sleeping."that's all she said and turned to leave.

Araxie realized she was hiding a stick behind.

"Good morning beautiful,

I hope you had a lovely night. Actually I wanted to let you know that I have fallen for you. I wish I could take you with me to my favorite places where I have been all alone and wish to be with you there again.

I've come to know a lot about you. I know how you've been through tough times. I can see your pain and I hope I can take it away. I want to heal the wounds in your heart.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that tough times only make us stronger and they teach us to make right choices in life.

I observed you from a distance, how you silently listen to your friends and enemies. I always see how you talk and respond to them with a smile that excites me every single time.

I can imagine how a streak of hair comes on your face when you're enjoying your meals and irritates you but you just focus on your food.

I can see how you are constantly worried about your future...

I love everything about you.

Please take care of yourself for my sake."

Now Araxie was feeling extremely nervous. These letters were making her heart melt and yet the writer.....he was slowly stealing a place in her heart.

And very soon he'd steal it all!

"Awwwwn! What a feeling!" Whoever was doing all this, he was on the right track.

Araxie smiled and went outside to start a new day.

Marina could notice how blushy Araxie looked during the day. She could easily tell that something was surely going on with her. "Dear, I've noticed a sudden change about you. If I'm to remember correctly I've never seen you blushing like this. I also want to know the reason behind these blushing cheeks." Was she tricking her? Araxie hoped not to annoy that woman again.

"It's nothing mother."she lied. She knew what was happening would upset Marina, that's why.

"I'm just happy because I was able to find your necklace. I feel so good to have brought a smile back on your face. But tell me mother, why was the necklace dazzling on top of water? And...it never actually sunk into it."she was able to change the topic.

"Do I even know. Go and help Casey with the chores."she said since she didn't want to talk about it but Araxie still remembered everything Marina said last night when she was angry.

She remembered she called it magical. Maybe that could be the reason after all it belonged to a supreme witch like she said. "Oh Lord."she panicked on recalling Marina's words as she knew she wasn't safe at all.

Any slight mistake... she would be devoured!

"I shouldn't trust these people. Who knows what will happen next."she breathed heavily.

In the evening that same day, Sarah and Aurora came to check if Araxie was still at home. They had told her to run from there if things turned out to be bad because they were sure that Marina would do something terrible to her.

Though she denied the rumors, they never chose to believe her.

They were so happy to see that their friend never left the house though they were wondering what could've stopped Marina from killing her.

With their eyes scanning her body, looking for scratches and wounds due to heavy punishments, they were surprised to find none. " How come she didn't harm you?"Sarah asked.

"Yes, how did you save yourself from her this time?"Aurora couldn't believe it either.

"It's a long story."

"You know we never closed our window last night, thinking that you'd come over after slipping out of Marina's hands like you always do. Mother scolded us when she saw it open after waking up before us. She had come to wake us up but it was like she came to teach us a lesson."Aurora added.

"Thank God our mother is so understanding. She isn't evil like your Marina."it was obvious that Sarah never liked Marina even a little bit for mistreating their friend, Araxie. And every time she got an opportunity, she would bad mouth her to Araxie's face!

She always wished Araxie could be treated like a queen because she really deserved the best. She was always on good terms with everyone and never wished ill for anyone.

Sometimes she wished she could help her run away from that place. Maybe only missing her could've been a little fair than seeing her being tortured every single day.

"I'm very sorry that your mom scolded you for my sake."she looked apologetic and they could feel the sincerity in her voice.

"Hey, don't apologise to us. After all you didn't ask us to keep the window open for you."Sarah chuckled which left them with a smile

Before they knew it, they were done with jogging. They didn't realize how fast they made it since they were enjoying the story.

They now went to the bridge to see the sunset as usual.

All their eyes were up, admiring the dazzling clouds around the sun when they saw a beautiful bird coming their way.

"Wow. It's so beautiful... don't you think?"Aurora said. "At first I thought it was black but it's actually purely white. I'm sure it takes a shower ten times a day."she was very troublesome and funny.

"I love egrets. They're always clean. I guess you're right, they bath every hour."Aurora said while laughing.

Poor Araxie, her heart left the moment she saw that bird. She knew it was the same bird. Perhaps it had brought her another letter. She wondered how she would open it before her friends.

"What are you thinking dear."Sarah asked when she noticed that Araxie didn't laugh. She expected her to laugh even more than the two of them since she liked fun more than anybody else.

"Nothing, I'm just admiring its cuteness. It's..."she was still talking, struggling to catch her breath when the bird dropped a letter in front of her.

"Amazing! This is really unbelievable." Now why was Sarah so excited?

"I think it has paid her for the compliment."Aurora pointed.

Seeing a sudden worried expression on Araxie's face, her friends got worried too.

"Why do you look worried. What happened dear." "Yes dear, what's the matter."

"Actually I received a letter last night but I went to sleep. When I opened the window in the morning, this bird banged in my room with another letter and a fresh red rose. And now...."

They could see shyness in her eyes.

"Goodness! Our friend is in love! Look how she's blushing". Sarah couldn't miss a chance to tease her friend.