Before Dawn

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Selene Adams

THE HARDEST THINGS are the ones that come most unexpected that time can't even help. Selene remembered chosen as the course department representative for the speech contest. It was a snap and out of the blue. Most of her batch mates favored her.

Selene didn't expect it because she considered herself as the loner and the weird kid in the room, the silent type. She has friends but not too close and it fact she just considered them acquaintances. Since she's a teen, Selene preferred to be alone and inside her room staring the nature on the window pane and watching romantic movies that made Shyan cringed. It was corny according to him.

Selene brought that characteristic even in college and until she was already employed. For once in her life, Selene wanted to believe that he blocks and batch mates make fun of her by putting her on the spot.

Without giving her choices, professors announced that she will be they're representative. Selene went to stage with a heavy heart and a curling feeling in her stomach because of nervousness. While saying her speech about gender equality, Selene glanced at her block mates and professors who were silently encouraging her so she tried her best to continue.

Not bad for a first timer, their department won second place but Selene promised herself not to allow others to put her in that spot again. Luckily, college life didn't put her in spot twice.

Now, it's the second time being start struck and she didn't know what to do or react. Ridge Chillman is in front of her, flesh and breathing.

His features remains the same except for the on his left cheek. It was noticeable but Selene mastered the art of enhancing her sight like a telescope or a nuclear vision at night. Ridge grow muscles and the two unbuttoned button on his shirt help her catch a glimpse of his abs that she regretted doesn't fully seeing it to identify if it's six or eight packs.

Ok? Are you drooling over your high school sweethearts and appreciating his appearance after years? Wow! Lucky you, Selene!

Of all people, why Ridge- the tables are full because it's still break time for office hours.

"S-Sure...uhm... I was about to leave." Selene sarcastically congratulated herself for stuttering. Great...

"In fact, I'm leaving right now...Bye!"

Selene hastily picked up her things and the thought that she still wants to order another cup of coffee for takeout brushes on her mind. She can go back later, when Ridge wasn't here anymore.

"W-Wait, Selene. It's fine if you don't want- I mean I can find another table."

"No, no! It's alright. I was really about to leave."

Before Ridge can initiate another conversation, Selene was able to get ahead of the coffee shops door and push it and she realized, she was holding her breath for too long.

The office she's working was just a walk away from the coffee shops were she ate. That place was homey and the teenage girl in her still loves to visit, eat and chill there. Even Baylis grow and change with her, the coffee shop remains the same in her memory.

Yeah... because that's where he saw Ridge for the first time after years.

Selene fined him handsome before not just on physical aspects but also in his kindness. They were classmates since seventh grades and even just once, Ridge never joined in their classmates bullying a curly and chubby girl named Grace who was always sitting on the back part. Pamela's appearance and body structure was a bit difference from the usual grade seven students. She's a chubby and her hair, although tied in ponytail, was in a mess because it was curly. She's also wearing nerdy glasses because she has astigmatism since she's a kid.