𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

A MOMENT OF DREAD

That night, after our event, I felt something warm and comforting bloom in my chest—a tiny seed of hope, growing quietly, filling me with a sense of calm. I turned on my bed, hugging my quilt tightly, and soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, I packed my bag according to our schedule: IT class first, then the applied physics lab, followed by our half-hour break at "the girls' cafeteria." It's our favorite spot—a place where the simplicity of girlhood shines through, where we chat about everything from adding boys' tea (thanks to Mia's secret stash) to debating whether shaving is better than waxing.

Sighing, I hurried as Mia called out to me, urging me to come downstairs since we were running late. Mia and I had rented a car for the semester to get us to the uni campus. Before leaving, I stole a glance at myself in the mirror. My new curtain bangs framed my face perfectly, and I gave myself a cheeky smile. Ready for the day, I headed out.

Our classes were divided into two groups: Pr1 and Pr2. Mia, being her punctual self, had arrived early and was assigned to Pr1 along with Abby. By some stroke of luck, despite my late admission, I was also placed in Pr1. Unfortunately, Abby's twin sister, Ava, who's in the same class, got placed in Pr2 with Katie. After munching on our not-so-healthy snacks, I followed my usual routine of buying orange juice before we headed to our respective classes.

"Hurry up, we're getting late. We should start heading out now," Ava said, her voice tinged with the usual panic. If Abby is the super-chilled extrovert, Ava is her polar opposite.

"Alright, ma'am, let's go," Katie teased, waving goodbye with her signature flamboyant charm. We couldn't help but laugh at their amusing interaction. That's Katie for you—always charismatic and just a little bit extra with her girlies. I took the last sip of my orange juice, savoring the tangy sweetness, and tossed the cup into the bin.

"Let's go, Teal," Mia called out to me. I picked up my bag, and the three of us headed out of the cafeteria. We were running a bit late—it was already past 2:30. The lectures had begun, leaving the campus unusually quiet. The fall sun cast a soft, golden light over everything, its warmth a pleasant contrast to the cool breeze that rustled through the trees.

As we stepped outside, the crisp air filled my lungs, and the pleasant fall weather wrapped around me like a gentle embrace. Mia suddenly stopped in her tracks, her gaze fixed on someone walking past us. "He was in my school, I think," she murmured, her voice thoughtful. I turned to see who she was talking about, and for a brief moment, our eyes met. He didn't look our age, nor did he seem to belong to Mia's school—something about him felt out of place.

Shrugging off the odd encounter, we continued our walk through "Love Alley," which was quieter than usual, missing its usual crowd of couples. We were engrossed in our conversation, so I didn't notice the guy walking closely beside me until it was too late. Startled, I jerked away, and the uneasy glances between Abby, Mia, and me said it all.

Then, he spoke, his words sending alarm bells ringing in my head, shattering the serenity of the moment.

"Can we talk for a minute?" he said, his voice sending chills down my spine. Never in my life had I *ever* talked to a boy alone, especially not like this—out of nowhere. The alarms in my head screamed at me to run, to get as far away from him as possible. But I forced myself to stay composed, determined not to let him see that I was scared.

I squared my shoulders and put on a serious face, meeting his gaze head-on. "Say whatever you want to say," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Alone," he added, his tone unsettling.

Well, no. My mind screamed that this was *not* happening—this *couldn't* be happening. I felt a surge of defiance rise within me, and without hesitation, I shook my head, denying him flatly. "No," I said firmly, holding his gaze. "I'm not going anywhere alone with you."

"Please, it won't take long," he pleads, his tone almost desperate. I keep shaking my head in denial, but he doesn't budge. He keeps repeating the same thing, over and over. As we continue walking, Mia glances behind me, noticing him still following us. She leans in, whispering, "Just hear him out."

I glance at her, then at Abby. The curiosity gnaws at me, against all my better instincts. I look back, and he stops in his tracks as if waiting for a sign. Mia and Abby stand a little distance behind him, watching cautiously. Reluctantly, I let out a sigh and, with a hint of boredom, said, "Alright, but hurry up."

My heart pounds so hard I can feel it in my throat. Everything inside me is screaming to get out of this situation, to avoid whatever is coming next. But his persistence wears me down.

Then, the next thing that comes out of his mouth makes my head go blank. In that instant, I can't even feel my heartbeat—it's like time has stopped, and the world around me disappears.

A/N: Don't go forward!!!!!! The story stops here till I update. Whatever comes next is an old story I wrote years back, updating it rn.