The following morning offered a rare gift: a day completely free of lectures for both of them. Taking advantage of the respite, Kian and Ariana found themselves walking near the Pink Stop, a secluded nook on campus famous among couples. Though it was still late winter, and the namesake pink and purple flowers were yet to bloom, the area was peaceful, sheltered by a canopy of bare trees and furnished with swinging benches designed for two.
They claimed one of the empty benches, the quiet space feeling like a world of their own. For a while, there was only the soft creak of the swing and the sound of their shared laughter, a precious moment of unburdened freedom.
The tranquility shattered in an instant.
"Kian!" Ariana gasped, her voice a sharp whisper. Her body went rigid beside him. 😥
"Why is your face so pale?" he asked, his own smile fading as he followed her wide-eyed gaze.
"I saw... a man," she stammered, pointing a trembling finger towards a dense bush near the perimeter wall. "Tall and thin. He was hiding there, and then he suddenly ran towards the college gate." 📍
A cold knot tightened in Kian's stomach, Arif's description from the previous day flashing in his mind: Tall, slim, white hair, gray eyes. He pushed the thought down, focusing on Ariana's fright. "It's probably just someone from the college," he said, his voice deliberately calm as he pulled her into a reassuring hug. She trembled against him, and for a long moment, they stayed like that, so close he could feel the frantic beat of her heart and the soft whisper of her breath.
"Let's get out of here," Kian said finally, his tone leaving no room for argument.
They left the secluded spot without a backward glance. Hoping to dispel the unease, Kian led them on a walk down the bustling Green Path, then to a lively restaurant off-campus, and finally to a nearby shopping mall. They bought necessary stationery, the normalcy of the errand a welcome distraction. Yet, the incident at the Pink Stop lingered like a chill in the air between them, an unspoken worry that muted their usual easy banter.
They returned to campus as evening began to paint the sky. After watching the sunset in a comfortable but watchful silence, they parted ways at their dormitories before full dark could fall.
Later, in her room, Ariana's roommate, Seyda, eagerly launched into stories from her holiday in the village. Ariana listened, nodding and smiling at the right moments, but her mind was elsewhere;lost in the memory of a tall, fleeting shadow and the cold dread it had left behind. 🗞