"Hey guys! Sup, Faith?" I took a seat next to Claire in one of the empty chairs. When they noticed my unexpected intrusion, their conversations and laughter died away. They kept a tight eye on my every move as I crossed my arms and put on a phony smile.

The cafeteria wasn't bustling. As it was almost time for their classes, most of the freshman students had already departed. As a result, sophomores and a few freshmen with no classes, which fortunately included me as well primarily occupied the cafeteria. I had no more classes, so wasting my time enlightening them wasn't a big deal for me. Claire's table was packed with jocks and cheerleaders, as usual. I took it since they either didn't have any classes or were at soccer practice. Regardless, I was unconcerned about neither of the facts.

"If you guys don't mind, my buddy here would love to join you." Ken walked in without waiting for a response, his arms looped around Winter's shoulders, as she let out a throaty chuckle in response to something he murmured in her ears. They both sat down next to me. Claire was keeping a careful eye on them, and I couldn't take my gaze away from her. Jealousy and implicit envy blazed over her features. She was going to stride towards them when I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back so she couldn't take another step.

"Claire, darling, why don't you sit for a minute? Oh, my apologies for the last time. I was preoccupied with the chorus. By the way, thank you for the cheerleading advice. It was really beneficial for her!" I chuckled and let go of her hand. She paused for a while, bewildered, before settling down.

"What do you want to talk about?" That was the quality I admired about her. She didn't mince words. Always straight to the point. Everyone was listening in on our exchange, and I was surely aware of it.

"You sure you're a girl?"

"What kind of ridiculous question is this?"

"Geez, don't get too worked up about it; I just asked a simple question: are you a girl?"

"You realize you're talking ridiculous? "

"Ah, really? Exactly, in the same way that you were ridiculous to Winter?"

Her face's hues faded, followed by the colors of others. Faith was the one who had failed me the most, so my eyes lingered on her. She dropped her gaze and looked away.

"You, too, are a girl. You realize you suffer from the same tough times, right? Didn't you feel ashamed while mocking Winter?! Well, for the boy's part..." I shifted gaze to the jocks, who were staring at anything other than me.

"Dare to say the same things to your mother and sister." I chuckled humorlessly, "I know you won't." I remarked dryly, "because if you do, you'll find yourself in some dark, stench-filled alley with close to nothing in the next instant. You know, I loathe those males who believe they are the King while living off their dad's cash when, in reality, they are nothing more than a fumbling immature teen!"

"Now, Claire, tell me if you'd enjoy it if she did the same thing to you in front of everyone. No, of course not! Also, guess what? You could have assisted her instead of making her day more difficult, but no! You're Claire Norman, whose ego is greater than anyone's problems. Am I right?" I let out another humorless chuckle, eyeing each of them with disdain.

"Listen, Soph..." Faith attempted to interject, but I quickly shushed her. "Ah, Faith! You know, I thought you were the most sensible of the bunch, but look at how wrong I was! Anyway, thanks for putting my mind at ease! Thank you very much for disappointing me. I've had enough of you. I appreciate your patience and cooperation. I'll take my leave. I've got better things to attend to! Goodbye! "

"Hey, you!" While heading towards the club office, I heard someone yelling. It might have been anyone, so I disregarded it and continued on my way.

"Pikachu t-shirt?" That brought me to a halt. As she waved her hands at me, I whirled around on my heels.

What exactly does she want now?

"Hey! You called me? " It was more of a query, because I couldn't believe she would call me out of all the girls at university!

"Yup! Heard you and Aylwin spent a night."

Oh, so that's the reason!

"Um..." I scratched my neck awkwardly, mystified as to why she was asking me such a vague question.

Don't tell me, she also wants the details!

I had a feeling they were interpreting it in two different ways. We did indeed spend the night, but not in the manner in which they imagined or portrayed it. It was extremely different, but the dilemma was whether I should explain it to them or leave them to their own thoughts. I went with the latter option, as is customary for me. Senior Aria was infatuated with Senior Aylwin, and her actions made it even more crystal clear.

A part of me even wanted to find out what he was looking for. What would he have to say about the chaos? Would he even say anything, or would he leave it to their imaginations? And, to my disappointment, I already knew the answer. He wasn't the kind to explain things to others; instead, he preferred to let others figure things out for themselves. He was unconcerned with what others were thinking, albeit I waited for his reaction.

Her gaze shifted away from me and toward something, or perhaps someone, in the distance. As she flipped her curls, her lips morphed into a beguiling grin. It didn't take long for me to figure out who was behind me. His tantalizing cologne invaded my senses, resurrecting those goofy ticklish sensations inside me. I could feel his heat emanating from him as he got closer. I didn't bother to turn around even though he was considerably closer. My body reacted to his proximity by pushing a bolus of air down my throat. Something about him always rendered me speechless, whether it was his authoritative aura, intimidating frame, flaming stormy eyes, or his peculiar, expensive, irresistible cologne. I guess, all of them, all of him. Yes, all of him!

"Fresher?" His husky, masculine voice was tinged with weariness from the work.

"Yes?" I faced him, biting my lower lip and resisting the temptation to smile like a delirious teenager. Senior Aria's eyes were mostly concentrated on Senior Aylwin, who had his gaze fixated on me, and I was conscious of the stares I was receiving.

"Where have you kept those brochures?"

"Ah, I had set them on your table," I said, recalling doing so before going for lunch. "Anyway, come, I'll show you."

"Aylwin? Long time, no see?" We were about to walk away, but her voice stopped us.

"Been busy." He acknowledged with a nod. His face, as usual, was as hard as a glint, with no sign of emotion.

My gaze prowled wildly over his figure, imbibing in his features. He was dressed in a white collar shirt with a fitted casual navy blue blazer, and chocolate brown trousers with matching loafers. His hair was disheveled and a few strands fell over his brow. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, he made no attempt to shove them back. His biceps flexed as he checked the time on his wristwatch, before shoving his hand again. He looked oh-so-delicious to devour! In an attempt to calm my pounding heart, I immediately averted my eyes and blew the air out of my cheeks.

Jeez lord, I need some holy water urgently!

"So busy that you don't have time for your closed ones." With a lick of her lips, she enquired once again.

He faced me, "I spent a night with my closed one. Isn't that enough?" I felt blush seeping through my neck, and cheeks. All those wacky sensations that had finally crept down were crawling up on me again, making me jittery. With my flaming cheeks, I averted my gaze and exhaled shakily.

Holy shit, talk about bluntness!

"But, Aylwin, there are others who deserve your time." She drew her arms around her chest and squinted at him.

"The same goes for you... " His voice poured out smoothly and steady, void of any emotions. His statements weren't obscure, and they weren't very gratifying, as I 'd learned about him a long time ago. They were much more than that, in ways that words could not quite express. He was the person whose words never failed to ensnare me in a whirling vortex of emotions.

"What if I need a certain person's time?" She was annoyed by his lack of attention, reaction, and, more importantly, attraction. She had been with him for three years, but I wondered if he had been the same since then. Always confined, by bottling up his emotions. He resembled a rigid shell wrapped in silken, velvety fabric, capable of conquering anyone's thoughts.

"What if that certain someone need the time of a specific one?" Our gazes clashed, and I knew I was so doomed!

Yes, and here I come heaven!

The last several days had been both frantic and exhilarating. I had never thought in my wildest dreams that my life would take such a dramatic, thrilling, yet terrifying turn. My university life was certainly more than I had expected. Coming to New York was not just a means of furthering my studies and welcoming new experiences, but also a means of embracing a new feeling. But things ended out much better for me, as if it was a watershed moment in my life. And it certainly was! My only aim was to study, pursue my ambitions, and establish my identity. It was never in my plan to get into a clash with an enigmatic oceanic-eyed guy over perspectives, or to let curiosity run its course through me. Everything turned out to be rather amusing. New dramas, overwhelming sensations, and foreign feelings greeted each passing day. I was having a great time, but it also terrified me; afraid that if something went wrong, I wasn't ready for it. The old scars hadn't heal, and engraving myself with newer ones was not something I could standby.

My steps came to a standstill as I glimpsed a familiar face sitting on the stairwell near the track. The light intensity available enabled me to get an excellent picture of his side face. He was peering straight up at the sky, clouds of smoke billowing in front of him. He took another long drag from his cigar before softly, or rather sensually, puffing out. I took cautious steps towards him, studying him as the clouds of smoke slowly mingled in the air, which had already been replenished by the aroma of garden flowers, before the clouds of smoke fully faded. The moon and stars hung in the sky, and everything was eerily quiet. Our surroundings were densely forested, with tall trees laden with green leaves and flowers of all varieties, swirling and merging in each other's pleasant scent and wiggling with chilly breezes. The environment was light, relaxing, and healing, nourishing in tranquility, and floating effortlessly.

"Just gonna stand there or will give me some company?" My lips twitched with a grin as he spoke in a rough tone. I sat next to him, keeping a decent gap between us, while he continued to smoke, lost in contemplation.

"Can't sleep?" As I turned to face him, he cocked his eyebrow in anticipation. In the brilliant moonlight, his glittering silver eyes shone even brighter, making him look even more dangerous and exotic. He ran his hand through his already tousled jet black hair, further disheveling it.

"Can say the same for you." I replied, my attention fixated on the jolly dancing and bowing trees as a few fallen leaves embarked on an exuberant spree.

"Smoking is better than sleeping." As the cigar brushed across his lips once more, he shrugged.

"Good trick for permanent sleep. " I heard his deep yet faint chuckle. The smell of smoke and his woody scent pervaded the air around us. For some reason, my thoughts drifted to his heart-racing, exquisite cologne. The more I thought about it, the more I found myself drowning in his abyss of a storm.

"I don't hate my life." He murmured, but it sounded as if it had been forced out of his mouth; possibly a half-truth.

"I never said you do!" I played along, knowing very well that was my game of obtaining answers.

"I loathe my life." That wasn't what I was envisioning. His remarks startled me, prompting me to turn around and confront him, who didn't meet my eyes. I did not know he would be so confident with his words. Not a single trace of remorse, or regret flecked on his beautiful face. It was as simple as the high tides crashing on the rugged seashores on a full moon night, but the only difference was that tides never obliterate the ground whence they arose. His emotions were the internal turmoil of high tides, but he didn't realize that high tides were always destined to wreak havoc, whether they were brewing outside or within. Our conversation came to a close with both of us at a loss for words.

Ms. Sleep was on vacation for a while, so I decided to go for a night stroll to clear my head, which turned out to be a wise move. Meeting Senior Xavier there, sitting alone and smoking, was a perfect coincidence that made me reconsider all of my misgivings.

His words from our previous encounter flashed through my mind. You really like Aylwin, don't you?

"I don't like him." I felt myself uttering it, but it seemed strained and pushed far down.

"Uh-huh?"

"I don't like Senior Aylwin." He smirked, nevertheless nodded, "If you say so!"

"I'm just curious about him." I realized he wasn't aware of the latest Uni rumors, otherwise I would have had to listen to a lot more. I was aware that the ominous sensation that had lured me to him was brewing deeper with each passing day, and I feared it to depth.

"Explain this curiosity of yours." His glassy blazing silver eyes brimming with eagerness waited with bated breath as he gave his entire attention to me at that point.

I closed my eyes and relished every image he conjured up in my head. I felt myself revitalizing in them, permitting my soul to entangle, and nestle deeper in his enticing essence yet beguiling mystery.

"Curiosity is a wicked little thing that claws at your soul and feeds your wildest fantasies. It's a route that will stun you with pure, passionate, and raw feelings you didn't know ever existed. That's what I feel for him. I am highly curious to unravel the walking mystery, called as Aylwin Eldred. " I knew it wasn't just curiosity after what I'd felt in his company, although it had been at some point in the past. After all, it all started with curiosity. Certainly, it did!

"Woah, woman! That was damn deep. Man got a lucky one. Lucky bastard!" He shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Has he been like this for the past three years?" That was the question that had been bugging me for a while. Even my thoughts were continuously nagging me with a sense of impending doom.

"Yes, he has mastered the art of concealing his emotions to a high degree." Of course he did, and he did it in a very seamless and immaculate way.

"Why do you fight with him? I mean, why this whole loathing and hating?"

"Well, aren't you sleepy? It's quite a late." I was perplexed by his proximity to altering the question, which made me even more compelled to find out.

"Nice try, but no effect. Tell me." He paused for a time, contemplating before sighing.

"There's nothing to hate him, and that's the reason I loathe him." There goes their deep meaning, less understanding, and zero logic answer. I felt each of his words pierce into my brain, penetrating brutely, as I took my time soaking in the depths of truth.

He paused for a moment, frowning slightly, before resuming, "He's got it all. A family, bunch of friends, good grades, bad boy attitude, girls swooning over him, King of Tracks... " He wasn't incorrect, and neither were his arguments, but hearing him speak made me feel like I was listening to a toddler. Senior Xavier didn't seem like the person you'd want to mess with, at least that's what his aura implied. I'd be lying if I claimed he didn't have an enticing and scary aura. He definitely gave off a menacing bad boy aura, but I found it amusing rather than threatening.

"And add the never-ending outpouring of admiration and love from everyone." His tone was fluid, cool, and suave, eschewing disgust and contempt.

"A little from you too. " Grinning, I teased him.

"What if it's not the way you think?" My lighthearted tone had morphed into something far more solemn and demanding. Challenging his perspective towards him.

"And what made you think that?" I smiled amusedly at him. I stifled a laugh as I realized how delusional he was! I locked my gaze on his silver gems, and the next words that poured out of my mouth flickered a raw and heartfelt feeling into his eyes.

"You know, I'm more amused than amazed as to how you can't see right through his façade when you, yourself are the one carrying it flawlessly."