"Soph, where's your phone?" Ethel stepped into my room. That's when I realized I'd left my phone in the dorm.

"Ah, I guess I left it in the dorm."

He nodded, "Aylwin was worried sick. He's on the way. " As soon as the last words left his mouth, my neck snapped towards him. My frenzied orbs collided with his already anxious ones.

"E, he can't. No-no! He-he can't see me... Like this... Wh-why didn't you stop him? "

He rushed up to my side, holding my shoulders. "Soph, relax. Shhh! Relax.... It's okay.. calm down. It's fine. Relax... Shhhh.. " I gradually calmed down.

"He has something planned for you. So I couldn't decline. You have to face him, Soph, today or tomorrow. You have to and even you know this. Don't you think everyone has seen it up until now? The damn video is spreading like wildfire. Fuck!"

"But, E... I'm not ready for this. I'm not! " I was angry. Furious beyond limits. All of this crap was not supposed to happen. Things were going swimmingly. Senior Aylwin was opening up to me. We were improving together, mending each other, healing us. Then why all this mess? All of a sudden? The irrepressible desire to shout, scream, yell, and destroy everything wrenched my guts viciously. My fingers twitched with the need to throw everything around me.

Destroy to doom.

Shatter to pieces.

Burn to ashes...

I stared back at the glistening glassy object plastered on the wall, which mocked my existence and left no chance to hurl taunts my way. Zooming in on each of my flaws, it only served to accentuate all those facts that I was struggling to conceal. Eyes no longer possessed the caliph of coruscate.

Huh... Okay, Soph. Now, smile and nod. Just smile and nod. No tears. No anger. No remembering those things. Nothing. Just focus on yourself. Senior Aylwin will be there. You got this. Yes. I got this.

A much-needed pep talk. I twirled around, ignoring the ridiculous thesis and theories of the austere mirror, admiring the outfit Senior had got me.

It was a flowy white sleeveless one-piece that ended just above my knees. It was body-hugging up to the waist and then flowed down in curls and pleats. A beautiful golden brooch was pinned just below my collarbone, along with a matching thin belt looped around my waist.

Damn, his taste! No wonder he dresses so well himself.

I made a side braid and popped pins in between each braid. Lastly, I finished off my look with a pair of golden silhouettes. A minimal layer of makeup to conceal my puffy eyes and red nose was really, really necessary. Finally, I was ready.

One word—elegant.

I actually looked elegant, and the whole white and golden tinge gave off a very Greek vibe. Outer appearance. Mere outer appearance. However, from the inside? Even the light material felt like a burden of bogus glee bearing down on my shoulder. A part of me wanted nothing more than to rip the dress to shreds and lie down on my bed for the entire night, sobbing my heart out. On the other hand, some optimistic, vibrant part of me still implored me to stay calm and go with the flow of time.

Exhausting. The whole thing was too grueling. I had no idea what would happen next or how long I would be able to keep up this tedious game of facades.

Nevertheless, all I did was sigh and sigh and sigh.

There he sat on the sofa, talking on the phone. Ethel had his gaze fixed on the television screen. As soon as they sensed my presence, their gaze drifted and instantly fastened on mine.

Ethel flashed me a warm, comforting smile, which I reciprocated with my own timid one. Senior Aylwin stood up. His gaze ambled over my features and frame, recklessly taking its time in soaking up every inch of me. His face remained the same. The same poker face that caused the start of us. The same glint in his eyes and the angelic drizzle of his enigmatic demeanor exuded dangerously. I could feel the heat of my skin and the way the pure, raw act seemed too intimate within the four walls.

Only then did I see his entire outfit, and, suffice it to say, he yet again left no chance to leave me spellbound. He wore khaki spiral-zipped pants with a white asymmetrical shirt and finished off with matching shoes. The color combination seamlessly complemented his skin tone, along with his muscular, sculpted frame, fusing and blooming in the most tantalizing way.

There was something about him that somehow made me restless. Restless in a pure good way. Something so ethereal that it made me crave him to such an extent that I'd rather not decipher. Everything about him just engulfed me in peace and tranquility. Priceless. So goddamn priceless.

"Shall we?" He asked.

Was I expecting some sort of reaction? No. Was I expecting a compliment? No. Not really. Who was I kidding? It was Senior Aylwin we were talking about.

Another spate of nerve-wracking thoughts had already taken up residence in the downtown of my mind. Phew!

With the screeching halt of the car, followed the squawking halt of my thoughts. I had no idea what was going on. Why were we dressed so extravagantly? Why did we stop at his house? No, no idea at all.

"Fresher." Tender, calloused fingers enveloped my own with affection and oozing love. The breathtaking star-studded sky did justice to our solemn intimate moment. I could make out the faraway sparkles of fireflies bedazzling the night of the after-yellow abode. The magnificent scent of yellowish days as its successor remnants remained on the ground, ravishing every bit of the late night.

Staring into his eyes simply made matters worse. If it had been any other day, I would have cherished everything. However, at that moment, it was all about fragility and vulnerability. I couldn't come up to terms with even reflecting myself in those miraculous glasses that even seized the essence of the dark ocean. Even the night sky failed to compete with the profundity it possessed.

O god, just fuck this!

Flashing middle finger to all my thoughts, I tackled him in a bone-crushing hug in an attempt to forget all of my anguish. I held him more tightly and more fervently, snuggling into his chest, without any care of my so-called makeup or hair. They could wait. I'd got some serious shit to deal with.

He didn't say anything; he simply embraced me again with the same zeal and intensity. We remained like that for a while, revitalizing in each other's embrace with the phosphenes of Asteria witnessing our forelsket.

"Look, we've got a power couple here."

"SURPRISE!"

"Took you guys quite a while, don't ya think?"

"Sheesh man, give the poor gal space."

Our friends cheered as soon as we walked into the area. I flashed a small smile to everyone there, which included everyone of our friends—even Austin, Senior Kyla, and Senior Aria.

Austin and I were still at odds. He did apologize to me. However, we have had no further encounters since then.

"So, did ya like it?" Ivy asked, placing a tiara on my head. She was adorned in a warm golden one-piece that reached her knees. She wore matching sandals with strings that curled all the way up to her exposed knees. A little golden leaf tiara perched triumphantly on her wild frizzy bun. She looked stunning. In fact, everyone there had similar outfits to us.

"Yeah, it's amazing. But, why though? "

To be honest, it was absolutely phenomenal. The venue was well lit. From the start of the entrance corner to as far as my eyes could see, all I could see was breathtaking, opulent decoration. A perfect minimal Greek theme party.

White and gold balloon arches with eucalyptus foliage were affixed along the walls in the backyard, enhancing the overall Greek vibe. The tables were correctly set, and everyone sat across from each other, chatting and laughing. A low vase of white roses was placed in the center of the votive circle. There were wine bottles filled with frozen roses. Candles with leaves wrapped around them with ribbon were neatly set across each corner of the table, creating a picturesque and soothing ambience. A small candle floated in a champagne glass filled with green leaves and a white flower. Gilded fruits, elegantly put on a platter, along with blue and golden berries, made their presence known amid the mighty ornaments. Traditional Greek music kept playing in the background.

"Well, we have a good reason for that."

"Firstly, WELCOME HOME SOPHRONIA!!!" They all roared, which had me genuinely chuckling.

"Second, it's been so fucking long since we've actually had such a bash!"

"Thirdly, there's just three months till we graduate." Oh yeah, the seniors still had a few months to graduate. Pfft!

"Now, c'mon, let's party!"

With that, began the celebration of the night.

"Oh boy! This is delicious. Imma gonna make this more. "

"Hey, pass me some ice cubes."

"Jeez no! She was like..." All the voices talked among themselves, and I was too exhausted to give them their names. Nothing was working. No tactics. No tricks. No measures. Sitting among the crowd, wearing the crown of shame and remorse, nothing fucking worked! An overwhelming urge to flee from this damned mess was eating me alive. The petals of my optimism were wilting profusely.

Nonetheless, a part of me was relieved that no one else had mentioned the video. Not even Ivy. I still had the chance to figure things out before taking the drastic step of disclosing.

However, my scintilla of glee lived for a short time.

"Have you guys seen the latest viral video of a girl?" A highly sweet voice took away my breath. No, not in a pleasant way, but rather in the worst way imaginable. The Italian-American beauty was seated just across from me. Her ebony eyes darted across my wrenched features. The ominous glimmer dazzling and reflecting off her onyx orbs revealed her nefarious intentions.

"Holy shit, bruh! That shit is so fucking creepy as fuck!"

"Damn, I still get goosebumps recalling it."

"How can a mere kid do that?"

"Freaking psychopath."

Those words were like a gashing rope coiled around my neck. And with each word, it tightened even more, until I could feel my breath falter. My chest constricted. The hazardous seared memories of anxiousness and breathlessness pried open my senses sadistically.

"Your eyes are strikingly similar to hers." Senior Aria's second wild strike left me wounded and numb. Her gaze was securely fastened on me. Boring with so much intensity that I wondered whether she really hated me that much.

I could feel my skin prickling with everyone's piercing gaze. The atmosphere around me grew suffocating and agonizing. I was spinning around. My mind? No longer within my control. Thousands of worthless, crappy ideas created a turbulent uproar, nagging me to capitulate to my fears.

I remained silent for several minutes, unsure of what to say next. The tension persisted in deepening and became more intense with each passing second.

And then, she laughed. She fucking laughed it off as if nothing had happened. "Oh, my goodness. I was joking, guys, chillax. Mood spoilers. "

Aria fucking Romano did not just say that! The guts of that woman!? She knew something. She certainly knew something. The evil glint in her eyes said it all. The sinister aura it exuded said it all. The way they twinkled with mischief definitely said it all. She was even aware that I was deciphering her motives, and that so-called annoying smirk of hers said it all.

But what did she know? More importantly, how!? Fucking how, goddammit!? How much did she know?

I had questions, which were barely even questions in themselves.

No one said anything else. And if Senior Aria's outstanding contributions weren't enough, Senior Kyla chimed in, "Her eyes really are the same shades of hazel. So similar. "

It's all over, Soph. They'll know now. Everyone knows about it. What'll happen now?

My palpitations worsened. My breathing became erratic to the point that my mind began to spin. Everything became hazy. My stomach was in knots. I felt like throwing up. That's when I felt something warm caress my thigh. It moved slowly along the contours of my flesh, drawing curls, circles, and subtle patterns that'd be deemed mere doodling.

My eyes clashed with the pairs that were meticulously scrutinizing every move I made. Scrutinizing my features so closely and calmly that I wondered how calm he would remain knowing the truth behind the tragedy. His eyes mirrored the seeds of suspicion sown within him. The darkening of his orbs mused on the mystery of mine.

"You're implying...?" The wild gardens of blue unfurled. The zephyr breeze swept through the heavens, devouring the calla lilies. Like the wilting blue hibiscus yearning to be drenched, he patiently waited for his answers. The magnificent hues of glassy pansy and wild gentian wrought havoc on all who ventured to glance at his treasure. There was a fire, a faint spark blazing within the blossoming blue, eager to hear the motives of those who brushed against his bloom.

Senior Kyla stared dumbfounded, perhaps realizing what she had done. And, as usual, Senior Aria moaned, "Sheesh, love, why're ya so cranky all the time? She was just stating facts, that's it. No one's implying anything about our 'little one'. "

Little One

Little One

Little One

Little One

Little One

And yet again I was imprisoned.

Behind the bars of labyrinthine of wundervei,

Among the dancing tulips,

Sat the forlorn eccedentesiast.