❝ If you could read her mind

you'd be in tears❞

After my last class was over, I walked out of the room, packed with numerous more students rushing out, joyously talking about some frat party.

Finally, those heart wrenching and mind numbing assignments were done as I massaged my neck, loosening my exhausted bones and dragged myself through the hallway, tiredly.

A yawn escaped my mouth as I tried to stretch my arms a little, when a darting body bumped into me.

"I am so sorry, I was in a hurry. Didn't see you" I instantly recognized those dark locks, when Ericka apologized to me, a red tint painted her cheeks.

"It's all good, don't worry" I shrugged it off with a lazy smile and moved aside, was about to stroll away, when she spoke up "Wait! Ethan?"

I stopped midway and turned around from one side, furrowed my eyebrows, humming "What?" I asked.

She let out a nervous breath, walking up to me as I looked at her, scrutinizing. Then, showing me a big dazzling smile, she said "I wanted to ask you something"

And I have a feeling, it's not going to be good

Nodding unsure, I arched up a brow and urged her "Sure, go on."

"Yeah, well I was thinki-"

My phone started ringing quietly, vibrating against me in my pocket. Giving Erick a sheepish look, I took out my phone and saw Maria's name, shining brightly on the screen.

I looked up at her as she nodded, understanding and excusing myself, I picked up the call, pressing the phone against my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you know who it is. I want to ask, have you seen Winter anywhere?" Maria's voice asked, anxiously.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Ericka standing there, looking at me, patiently and waiting. Tiling my head to another direction, I spoke up in a hushed tone "Uh no? Isn't she supposed to be with you girls?"

"She was, dammit! But, it's been an hour and there's no trace of her anywhere near us"

That got my attention and my mind instantly began to run faster than Usain Bolt, thousands of thoughts swirling around. There was an unfamiliar panic, considering, considering what Winter is capable of.

"What do you mean, there's no trace of her?"

Maria's loud groan echoed, before she let out "I don't know, okay? She just disappeared, poof, gone and that's why, I am calling you. Her phone is switched off, so can you look for her? See, if she's at our dorm or gym or anywhere inside or near campus"

Pressing my lips together in a thin line, I replied "Sure and don't worry. She's a big girl and can perfectly handle herself."

Muttering incoherent strings of curses in return, she disconnected the call. Rolling my eyes, I shoved my phone back into the pocket and turned around to see, Ericka still there.

"I am so sorry, but I have to go. Someone needs me." Throwing a halfhearted apology at her way, I made my way out of there, marching down now a deserted hallway.

Now, what?

I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated as her voice echoed in my head, from our phone call that night, which felt like ages ago, but had been just a day.

No matter what she believed, she wasn't a mess, just hard to understand sometimes and closed off. But, she was worth it. Worth, every single second spent with her, just to take a glimpse of what she really was, behind what she was trying to pretend.

The depths she had gone just to keep things to herself is beyond my mind, but one thing was sure, there was something going on with her.

I paused, when I saw someone sitting on a bench in the courtyard, by a tree. She looked awfully familiar and that's when it hit me. Without even realizing, my feet turned towards her, looking at her intensely, I approached her.

Her eyes widened, when she noticed me coming closer, before she looked away, hiding her face behind her silver hair.

Stopping in front of her, I stared at her for a second and said "I need your help."

~~~

The door was half closed, letting the light sneak in and glow on the dark staircase, filling the spaces. I looked around, scanning the chilly silence as my feet carried me up.

Air brushed my cheeks, when I opened the door quietly, stepping out and that's when, my eyes fell on her, drank in her sight.

Far at the corner, she was sitting on the pavement, almost motionless, her knees pulled close to her chest and arms hugging them. Like a little girl, trying to hide away from whatever monsters were there, under her bed.

Removing my hand from the doorknob, I took a step forward, slowly reaching her, I bent to sit down, beside her. I knew she saw me as I noticed her ever so slightly glancing at me, but what made me happy, that she didn't mind, didn't say anything and let me be there, there for her.

The air was wild and restless, but I felt not as restless as the soul sitting beside mine.

I tilted my head to look at her and hesitantly opened my mouth to say something, to kill the silence slowly killing us, but she surprised me by saying "It just sucks, you know?"

I frowned as she spoke further "When everything is going fine, but then suddenly it all crashes again"

She wasn't looking at me, just staring ahead at nothing deep in thoughts, but I didn't mind at all and stayed silent, letting her continue, letting her know that I am there and listening, whatever she simply had to say

"But it's not the worst part. The worst part is, when you don't even feel like trying to put it all back together and just want to lay there, looking at all the mess it had created" Her voice was bitter and hard, but somewhere in between there was desperation.

"It's just so hard to stay strong and keep going, when all you want to do is disappear and leave everything behind"

I caught the vulnerability behind her words as she tried her hardest to not let it show, but oh how clear it was.

"I know, you probably don't get it and it's alright. But, it's not easy for me to explain either. I am not trying to be lazy, it's just... it's just that I am tired. So fucking tired"

- And tired she looked. That worn out, yet determined expression. and lips quivering with aggression or bitterness. But, all those things were still small as a dust particle in front of her beauty.

"The life itself is a mess and I don't know why life is happening to me"

I watched her letting out a breath and those clenched fists tightening. For a moment, I wanted to reach out for her, hold her, if she would let me, but I knew better. If I tried to do anything, she would shut down again, push everything and me away. Like always

Silence started to envelop us, before she turned to me and captured my gaze, "You scare me." She whispered.

Hypnotized, I murmured "Why?" looking in those beautiful eyes, piercing through my soul.

Who would've thought? that behind those glorious eyes laid secrets deeper and darker, than any mysterious sea.

"Because, I am telling you things, I can't even tell myself" She confessed softly and looked away.

I couldn't help, but chuckle feeling warmth radiating us, like a sunlit afternoon and said "Then, you are dangerous"

"Why?" She asked and her eyes once again, found my desperate ones.

"Because you make me believe in impossible"

I stared at her in awe as a harmonious laugh escaped her mouth, filling the empty silence and she shook her head, slowly. What a beauty she was

Conversations with her alone, could keep me awake for the entire night. She really didn't know the power she had.

"So, how did you find me, Keyes?" She raised an eyebrow at me and the brightness of those eyes was slowly returning.

I showed her a big grin, before admitting "That grey haired chick told me."

"Sieve?"

I shrugged my shoulders, muttering "Could be. I don't know her name"

Rolling her eyes, she turned away from me, looking at the sky as a gentle sigh left her plumpy lips.

I just wanted to stare at her and admire her beauty, for that she looked so breathtaking.

Not when she was all fierce and trying to push everyone away, but when she wasn't. When she was just sitting there, beside me, making silence look so gorgeous. When she wasn't trying to fool anyone and had taken down that wall she built for most people.

That's when I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

I am typing like a mad fucking woman without even caring about the bitch, I am creating, hope you don't mind.

And well this chapter was completely written on sleep deprivation, just stay with me. I know the chap was kinda short, but as I said before 'sleep deprivation' Forgive me.

Geez! Maybe I should just get this shit done and sleep like a rock. Yeah, I should definitely do that.

Well, see you all withe next update, till then. Enjoy!

Take care babes. Smile is a good reply to this dark world or should I say cruel? :)

Love, Zee..