Six months of pure bliss and then my life started falling apart….
A week into the second term, the dynamics of my college life changed dramatically; my carefree life was soon drowning with a sense of dread; every moment dripping with fear and anxiety.
This all began when Andres, a new student, joined our university.
The day he arrived at the campus, there was a different kind of vibe in the atmosphere; the chatters were louder, the laughs brighter, and the gossips more intense. It felt like someone had turned up the liveliness parameter of the campus.
However, I couldn’t resonate with their cheer. Deep down, I had this gut feeling that something bad was going to happen. A strange lump had formed in my stomach, making me jumpy.
“Miraya! What are you doing here?” Stella chirruped as she ran up to me and grabbed my hand. “We will miss the epic match if we don’t hurry.”
Oh yeah! The soccer trial matches. They chose the Official Captain of our team each year through a series of tests and matches. Cassius had already aced all the rounds. But, at the last moment, the Vice-chancellor turned a new application in.
After a lot of contemplation and protests, it was decided to hold a special match between the two players. Nobody had seen the new player yet; hence the suspense and excitement.
“I am sure Cassius will turn that prick to dust! How can he just appear one day and claim to be better than Cassius?” Stella ranted as she squeezed through the crowd, leading me to the front lines.
Cassius walked to the ground; looking as handsome as ever in his blue jersey. Hollers and cheers resounded as he spun around, waving to everyone. His gaze lingered over me for an extra moment and he blew me a kiss.
The cheers grew a notch louder; a few even started calling out my name. My face flushed, and I lowered my gaze; suddenly feeling conscious.
Stella reached over and wrapped her arms around my shoulders in support; shielding me from direct stares. I didn’t feel comfortable under such heavy scrutiny. So, I usually avoided these matches. If it wasn’t for Stella’s insistence, I would have avoided today’s game as well.
All of a sudden everything went quiet, drawing my attention back to the ground. Another man dressed in a red jersey was walking to the ground from the opposite end. His back was towards me. So, I couldn’t see his face at the first glance.
He walked up to Cassius and shook his hands; applying a little too much force. His fingers turned pale and the veins on his arms bulged a little. Cassius held his ground, squeezing back his hand. The chatters grew louder as the competitive vibe shook the atmosphere.
While still holding Cassius’s hand, the man looked back all of a sudden, straight at me. The moment those cold, bottomless eyes met mine, my heart stopped beating. A gasp left my lips and my body broke out in a cold sweat. Why was he here?
I extracted myself from Stella’s grip and left the place as fast as I could; my heart thrumming against my ribs. Running my fingers through my hair, I looked around in panic. What was I going to do now?
The washroom was the only place the boys couldn’t enter. So, I rushed to the nearest one and locked myself up. I didn’t know what I was doing; panic and fear had impaired my ability to think.
Slumping against the wall, I covered my ears with my elbows. I clenched my eyes shut and started taking deep breaths in a futile attempt to calm myself down.
Just when I had managed to get my heart to slow down, a sharp pounding on the door startled me.
“Miraya! Are you alright?” Stella’s anxious voice sounded before the pounding resumed again. “If you don’t open the door, I will call the dean!”
I wiped my clammy fingers against the fabric of my pants; wondering if I should share everything with her.
“Miraya! Please. Open. Girl! It has already been fifteen minutes since you went inside. I am getting worried now!” She called out again.
My hands were shaking so badly that it took me a few long moments to turn the knob. With a low gasp, I almost collapsed into her arms.
“What in the world happened, Miraya? Why did you come here suddenly?” She stammered in an anxious voice. She grasped my shoulders and held me a bit further so that she could see me.
Moved by the concern burning her eyes, I decided to tell her everything, “Stella…. I… It is about that new guy…. He….” My breathing became labored, and I staggered.
“Oh my God Miraya! You look so pale,” she gasped as she increased her grip on my hands. “I think I should take you to the infirmary.”
“No!” I said a bit too quickly. “I am fine… I mean physically. It is just that…. I’m.” I gulped. “I am scared, Stella… I am terrified.” Tears brimmed in my eyes and flowed down my cheeks wordlessly. She wrapped her arms around me and held me in a warm embrace; patting my back gently.
When I finally calmed down, I told her about the incident that was bothering me. “The day before the second term began, I wandered into the streets of El Duza; intending to pick something unique for Cassius.
I don’t know how, but I found myself in a desolate alley. The night had fallen, bathing the alley in darkness; the only source of light being the makeshift lanterns of scattered shops.
All of a sudden, I felt like someone was following me. I turned back quickly, but the alley was empty. My heart pounded against my ribs as I hurried out of the alley. I just needed to get out on the main road and then I could take a coach.
I was about to exit the dark alley when I was pushed against the wall by a force. My breath hitched as I looked at the man pinning me against the wall. His face seemed sculpted to perfection; his skin was smooth as marble. He was no doubt handsome but his eyes; they were bloodshot, empty, bottomless.
His icy gaze chilled my insides and rendered me speechless, Stella. I swear I have never felt so terrified before. That man; he traced his fingers along my jawline and started talking rubbish.
Quote: ‘I have been following you for a while. Your beauty is exquisite, blah… blah… blah… If you agree to be with me, I can fulfill all your desires; even the deepest and the darkest ones.”
Stella’s eyes widened, and she shook her head incredulously. “What the blood hell! No one in their right state of mind would say something like. I bet he is a psycho.”
“I know, right? He spoke in an utterly snobbish manner, almost as if he expected the entire world to follow his commands. He went as far as trying to kiss me forcibly. It was with great difficulty that I escaped from his clutches.”
“Oh my God, Miraya! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Stella pulled me into a tight embrace. “I can’t even imagine how you felt. It must have fucking traumatized you.”
She pulled away. Holding me at an arm’s length, her gaze roamed all over my body. “Are you alright? I mean physically. Did that Prick hurt you?”
“I am fine, Stella. I had even pushed all this to the back of my mind… But….”
“But?”
“Now that he is here…. I don’t know what to do?” I licked my dry lips and wrung my hands. “What if he is here for me, Stella? What will I do then?”
Stella’s eyes widened, and she gasped, “Don’t tell me it is that new guy, Andres!”
Chewing my bottom lip, I nodded slightly; too disturbed to put it into words.
Stella grabbed my hand and led me outside. “We must tell everything to Mr. Nelson right away.”
With a sigh of resignation, I nodded again. She was right. The best course of action was to tell the Dean all about it.