The second day of their second year began with the gentle light of dawn. Ariana awoke, her first instinct to reach for her phone. A smile instantly graced her lips. There it was, a message from Kian sent twenty minutes prior: "Good morning, princess." The simple words never failed to make her heart flutter. She sent back her own greeting, the day already brightened.
A glance at the clock spurred her into motion. With only an hour until her lecture, she moved to her wardrobe. Her hand settled on a dress she hadn't worn in a while;the long, layered blue frock her aunt had given her for Easter the previous year. Slipping it on, she found it still fit her perfectly, the color complementing her complexion. She quickly combed her dark curls, twisting them into a casually elegant bun, before grabbing her bag and hurrying from the dormitory, a flash of blue against the morning. 👗
Meanwhile, Kian, an early riser by habit, found himself drawn to the bench by the pond;his sanctuary. With his lectures scheduled for the evening, the morning was his to enjoy. The tranquility of the place, which he had missed during the hectic exam period, began to soothe his mind.
The peace was interrupted by the buzz of his phone. A message from an unknown number lit up his screen: "You're Kian, right? I'd like to see you too, can I make a time to meet you?" 🤔
He frowned, staring at the digits. He didn't recognize the number. A flicker of unease passed through him, but he dismissed it. 'It must be for someone else,' he reasoned, deciding it was a case of mistaken identity. He had more pleasant things to focus on.
His plan for the day was clear: he would meet Karim first, then enjoy a late brunch with Ariana after her lecture, before heading to his own classes. Satisfied, he looked up. The sky was a breathtaking, deep blue, and the distant mountain ranges stood in soft focus on the horizon. Around him, the last of the winter snow was finally receding, leaving patches of damp earth, a promise of the spring to come. Taking a final, deep breath of the crisp air, he stood from the bench and set off to find his friend, the strange message all but forgotten. 😌