"...Who... Are you...?" I asked, my tone bordering between dread and skepticism.
There stood in front of me, in the middle of my room, a girl with a beauty that seemed out of this world. Ethereal, gentle, her clear white hair cascading behind her as she stared at me with her eyes that seemed to glow soft red in color.
Quiet, almost calculative, and amused.
I felt my body instinctively stiffening, almost like a primal instinct of survival. The air around me felt like it was growing thick in real time. My anxiety grew as I swallowed a lump in my throat, one I never realized I had, my eyes observing every single one of her movements in case she tries something.
But prior to all this? I was honestly just excited to finally start a new, somewhere far from other people's expectations. A place where no one knew me. A new place.
-6 Hours earlier-
"Are the boxes ready? You didn't leave anything behind, did you?"
I nodded in response, carrying another box to the car, dropped it in the trunk, and turned to my mom.
"Yep, all in-clothes, snacks, the box of supplies Mom insisted on. I even double-checked my toothbrush, so don't worry." Patting the dust off my shoulder, I walked towards the car's door, with the rest of my family already inside.
"Good, then let's go." My mom replied, sliding into the car's passenger seat, while my dad turned on the engine and drove us off. My older sister seated in the backseat next to me.
It was a typical family car, or a sedan? No idea, I'm no expert in cars anyway.
And with that, our family set off to the city where my apartment was at, as well as the college where I was going to.
Ah, right, sorry for the late introduction. I'm Ruzen, Kyle Ruzen Abe. Ruzen's my given name alongside Kyle, but Kyle will still do.
Coming from a typical middle class family in a place in Asia where everywhere you look, you'd immediately see coconut trees and lush greenery, and where minors learn how to drive motorbikes as well.
Either way, I wasn't really what people thought I was.
Growing up, I was always into things like science fiction, things old people never understood, I was decent in analyzing things too- just decent though.
Unfortunately, everyone around me, especially my parents, thought this meant I was "gifted" all because I knew surface level knowledge about topics that they never really understood.
I'm not trying to brag, but I was pretty alright at explaining too, but instead, people further took that as more of a reason to think that I was what I seemed to be.
And just like any other child who was seen as specially smart, I took it seriously and actually believed that I really was what people thought I was. That I was special, a cut above the rest, those things.
I felt like I was at the top of the world that time honestly. And thinking back? I feel stupid for even feeling that way.
As expected, I worked my behind off to live up to those expectations, and before I knew it? I was at the top of my class for my whole term in highschool.
Then in senior high, things changed. Everything felt harder, more complicated. For the first time in years, I actually struggled.
Equations no longer made sense, no matter how detailed I made my notes, I still couldn't understand. It didn't matter how much I stared at our lessons, I genuinely couldn't understand how this and that worked.
And gradually, I realized- I wasn't gifted or anything, I was just hardworking.
I couldn't accept it, I refused to. Everyone told me I was gifted, that I was special. Were their words all a lie?
Slowly, I fell into a pit I couldn't get out of. I started doubting myself, resenting others for making me think that way.
But still, a part of myself still saw reason, that everyone had their own limits, that it was fine to come into terms with yourself rather than become someone else you're not.
Eventually, I came to terms with myself. I didn't need to become the image everyone had of me, that was for me to decide.
And so, I figured.
If hard work was all I have, I'd rather use it for myself and not to satisfy other people's expectations. I mean, who are they to impose on me? It's my life, so I decide how I live it.
That brings us to the present.
I wanted to start over on a clean slate, so my plan? To move away, far away. Away from the countryside and into the city, away from the people who think I should live as the version of me inside their heads.
It didn't take long before we arrived at the place, my apartment. The new place I would call my home for the upcoming 4 years of my life in college.
The car went to a complete stop in front of the building. Or house... Rather. Turns out, it wasn't an apartment but more like a house, just big enough for 1 to two people to live inside.
In fact, from the outside, it actually looked like a family sized house. Modern in design, black and white paint, clear glass windows, some tinted, and it was two stories. It looked expensive. Hella expensive.
"Here's where you'll be staying from now on, Ruzen," My mom casually mentioned as she got out of the car. My sister and I followed suit while my dad went ahead and started bringing the boxes inside. I helped as well.
The house from within looked spacious enough for even four people to live in- it felt larger inside than it looked outside.
"Your father and I bought this place back in 2016, since we assumed you might need it in the future, like when you're finally in college." My mom continued. I could hardly believe it myself.
So they already knew I was planning on going to a college away from home? Mothers really know best, after all.
And so, the four of us set the house up together. Cleaned the rooms, the living room, the kitchen.
And when we were done, we all went back outside. I watched as they all got back inside the car, waving them goodbye as they drove off.
"...." I stood there for a few seconds, completely silent as I watched the car's silhouette gradually becoming smaller before disappearing completely.
With a deep breath, I pinched my cheeks, saying: "Alrighty! First time in a few years, I'm actually living by myself." I cheered, raising my fist.
"Cheers for a new start for me!" I exclaimed, then simply retracting my hand before turning back and walking inside the house.
After closing the door behind me, I found myself staring down at the hallway, reminiscing about the days when I was still in our house. Where it was loud, full of life.
In contrast to where I was now.
But then again, this was perfect, so of course it's only natural I should get used to it.
And so I walked down the hallway, climbing up the stairs and towards my room.
Once there, I closed the door behind me.
Then it happened. The gentle rustle of the wind outside stopped, the air inside the room became stagnant, still. Yet the boxes were untouched.
I whipped my head to look out to the window, and there, I saw nothing but absolute darkness.
At first I thought it was already nighttime, but then I remembered, it wasn't even 3pm when my family left to go back home, so that wouldn't make sense.
So I turned back, but when I tried to open the door, it wouldn't let me out. Like I was locked inside. No, more like I was actually locked inside.
Panic clawed at me, my anxiety started to get the best of me, and before I knew it, I was ramming the door with my shoulder.
Then it happened.
The room fell silent, the air grew heavy, and the soft and gentle voice of a girl behind me pierced through the silence.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You'll only hurt yourself."
I immediately froze, my body stiffening. As I turned slowly, there, I saw her. A girl with unnaturally ethereal beauty and white hair that sheened as the light from my room's ceiling reflected against it. Her eyes, fluorescent red.
But most importantly, something was telling me she wasn't human. Not in the slightest.
"Who are you?" I cautiously asked, my anxiety threatening to take over me, making my body break into a cold sweat.
The girl, or whatever it was, just smiled at me instead. I didn't feel any form of hostility or animosity from her, nor did she seem to be after anything like that.
She just- stood there, her hands behind her as she smiled at me.
"I'm Anathasia. You don't mind if we become roommates, right?"
Or so she said... But what the hell? Her sudden appearance alone was already jarring enough, but her follow up question was nothing short of absurd.
"....Hah?" I stared
at her, my anxiety dissipating into disbelief.
I only really wanted to start a new beginning, that's all... But what is this?