Chapter Nineteen: Guilty But Not Guilty

She recalled the dream she had in her therapy. Noting every detail in her diary, her doctor advised her to do it for her mind and not to forget it again. The step-by-step solution for her dream behavior that Jean prescribed her is something like she writes a fiction story about herself. She noted every dream she had lately, and the dream she had during her last therapy session.

He believes it was a memory of her as she thinks about it. But a dream is a thing that our subconscious minds speak about. However, her dream is not about her subconscious thoughts, but it’s like a memory. Well, it’s all the same. Her head is scrutinizing it again.

She closed her diary when her professor walked in the middle, nearing closer to her seat. She’s back on listening to his discussion so she does not get caught on doing other things on her desk.

Her class ends with her thoughts still occupied by her dream. She went straight to the powder room to do things a girl should do after class, retouching her face for the next period. After she restored herself, she heads outside to go for her next boring subject.

She was walking in the corridor when she heard some footsteps following her pace from her back. She immediately turned her back to catch it but she suddenly lost her balance and found herself falling into the hands of a guy she had known recently. 

Her world suddenly stopped spinning when she also found herself staring into his brown twinkling eyes. What a cliché, she thought so. It’s like she’s the damsel in distress from a rom-com series she just watched a while ago.

She immediately pulled herself up when she realized what she was thinking.

“I think you’re being paranoid, as I’ve noticed you earlier. If probably, I’m not mistaken. You should be careful about being like that when there is somebody also heading to your stride.” Vince said to her, looking serious.

“Yeah, thanks anyway.” She reacted by just accepting his statement. But inside her raging heart, she felt embarrassed. Thinking again about it made her cheeks redden as she remembers the awkward second that happened between them when she realized after that moment her paranoia is becoming intense.

“I’m also heading to our class, for your information. Reminding you, we’re in the same class.”

She felt like this guy is being blunt in front of her. “Did I offend him?” She thought, puzzled by his words.

She shrugged and continued her walk inside the class and headed to the front seat. She wants to ignore Vince and sit far from him. But she realized she went inside ahead of him. And the only empty seats left are in the front, which automatically means he could be able to sit beside her.

A minute later, her feeling is right. He went inside but then silently sat beside her. He did not talk to her until the class had begun.

……

“Your new mom and dad will be here tomorrow. I’ve already packed your things. Don’t worry, they will provide you with everything you need. We will not be your guardian anymore. We are no longer a family. From now on, you will have a new surname. But you can still use your first name if you want to. You can make new friends in your new place. Forget your friends here, especially her.” He still remembers everything that her aunt said when he was young.

He was adopted after his parents died in a car accident. He was with them when the accident happened. He can still remember his mom calling his name. And his dad, seeking help to get him out of the car.  

Her aunt couldn’t accept him as their family because his parents left them a lot of debt. That the only solution to pay for his family’s debt was him being sold to a new parent with no child.

When thinking about it again, he suddenly remembers the last words her aunt said to him. “Forget your friends here, especially her.” Who’s that friend her aunt was talking about. Is she his best friend?

He went back to their old neighborhood, thinking back about the things he wants to remember from his childhood. However, he can’t grasp a thing to remember. Until he became curious when he suddenly saw a familiar face come out from one house in this neighborhood. Cara is living here.

He asked the village security about Cara’s family. He found out that they’re living in this neighborhood from the moment she was born. It means she could be one of his childhood friends.

He followed Cara’s car from their house to their school. He waited for her first-period class to end and followed her way again to her next period, which happened to be his first-period class as well. Then he thought she noticed him he was following her. But to be honest, he was really following her. When she was aware of him following her, she turned her back immediately. But she tripped on her toes and fell backward. Thanks to his superman ability, he was fast enough to catch her.

He talked to her with his serious face to avoid her suspicion about him following her like a stalker. But the thing he said to her before they head inside the classroom, he was a fool to give her defensive reasoning.

She went inside, ahead of him. She was seated in front. She looked at him with her serious face. He actually wanted to sit at the back and avoid her ferocious eyes that he thinks have been meant for him because he followed her. Or maybe he is just being guilty about it. He looked at her again. Her eyes weren’t really like that, yet it’s like an eye of an angel staring blankly, but lovely.  

There’re no other empty seats available at the back. So, he has no choice but to sit beside her. 

"Hey, can I ask you about something important later?" He still spoke to her, close enough for him to whisper. 

"What's so important about that? You can ask me now." She answered him unaware of his personal thing.

"Do you really not remember what happened in the library?"

Her face finally becomes interested. The thing that happened in the library is the answer to his question.