My Lovely Lilliac

Chapter 1

            It's so funny how your senses are connected to your memories. Just the intriguing sight of something or the very faintest scent wafting into your nose can bring you back to years ago. 

           I sat with my MacBook open in front of me, in the university's cafeteria, my books and research papers about cardiology spread out across the small circular table. I looked up from my screen and shut my eyes as I stretched out my whole body, relief tingling all over my body after spending 5 hours of looking at my screen without any breaks. The weight of the hems of my walnut brown cashmere jacket spread out across my lap comfortably. 

             I kept my eyes closed as I remained in the sprawled out position in my chair, embracing the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the university cafeteria.  I opened my eyes and stared back up at the ceiling of my university's cafeteria, it was beautifully designed with designs of what i would have imagined to be that of ball rooms in the Victorian era. I stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, listening to students chatter and chairs scrape, not particularly thinking of anything. 

             I didn't realize how tired I was until my eyelids started to droop and threatened to close all the way. This definitely was not how I thought I would have been spending the first few years of adulting. The stress and pressure from attending medical school had been accumulating ever since I got the letter saying I was accepted into the university. I looked out of the window, looking out towards the garden, soaking in the sight of the greenery, "I wonder, what it would have been like, if I just dropped out, no more exams, no more stress, just me and my favorite people." I smiled at the thought, knowing full well that I wouldn't be able to do that due to my personal obligations to finish med school and become a cardiologist. 

              "You look like a turtle that's turned over and can't get back up," my best friend, Leon, informed me as he walked over and shoved his phone in my face, taking a picture of the turtle. "Go away, the petting zoo's closed." I shoved Leons phone out of my face as i turned my head back to stare at the ceiling once again. "Exams are around the corner, Andrew, you can't be passing out from exhaustion during them," I remained silent as Leon walked towards the window, "at least open a window here, man." He opened the window with a flourish, and the chirping of the birds outside was clearer than ever. 

                  The smell of the flowers from the garden outside was also starting to waft into the room. Among the smells, was a smell that i would never be able to forget for the rest of my life. I didn't open the window to avoid getting distracted by it but I'm too tired to stop Leon now.

                   My whole body tenses up for a moment before relaxing into a calm state, as if showing hostility to the smell  before showing recognition. "Nah, I can't drop out, I can't give up now, I'm so close. I have to stay on for Isaiah," i muttered to myself slightly, as the scent of Lilliacs overwhelm my senses and I go back in my timeline by 5 years.