Ephemeral Phantoms

Chapter 1

                                 Sloane
The abrupt sound of the timer pierced through the room, amplified by the quietness. I released a sigh of relief while reaching my arms overhead. I was finally done preparing my script for the new episode of my podcast. I shoved my laptop away, relieved to give my strained eyes a rest. Rolling my chair back, I got ready to crash on my bed. However, the sight that welcomed me made me wince. Dirty clothes, half-eaten snacks, crumpled paper, used tissues, and stained sheets decorated the space that was supposed to be a bed. Mom would've killed me if she saw this. I made a mental note to tidy up later. Suddenly I felt worn out and the burnout hit. I needed to get out of here and get some fresh air. I grabbed the hoodie nearest to me and sniffed it just to be sure.

Throwing the hoodie over my head, I made my way to the exit door determined to get some glucose in my system. I'd heard impressive reviews about the cafe on campus. The on-campus cafe was one of the many perks of studying at Jeanspard, the lavish university I managed to get a scholarship. It didn't matter how many times I saw it, the grandeur of the university never failed to steal my breath. It was founded in the 18th century and the neoclassicism that emerged in that period was reflected in the architecture. The ornate details, stone archways, brick walls, and solid ceilings were potent features of the building. Despite the numerous renovations it must have gone through over the years, the aura of the place was preserved meticulously. It felt like there were always more doors to unlock here, more rooms to discover, and more secrets to unravel. That's the part I loved about Jeanspard, the awareness of something lurking never subsided. My footsteps were barely audible over the plush velvet carpets which were always suspiciously clean given that the place was occupied by a bunch of university students, I guess they have to use the ridiculously high tuition fee somewhere. 
Fresh air greeted me as soon as I stepped outside the dormitory. My watch said it was half-past 1, if I walked fast enough I'd reach the cafe in 10 minutes max. It would take about 15 minutes to place my order and get the things to go and a further 10 minutes to walk back to the dorm. If there isn't any unforeseen circumstance, I should be back to my room by 02:05 which meant I could start recording-, something suspiciously soft tickled my feet, interrupting my train of thought. Turning my attention downwards I saw the most magnificent cat I'd ever seen. The grey cat let out a soft 'meow' and circled me, its piercing blue eyes staring into mine. I bent down to its level and patted it and the cat leaned into my touch. I let out a surprised laugh, shocked by the liking it had taken to me. But I wasn't complaining.

I scooped it into my hands and looked around for a potential owner. Finding no one in my vicinity, I realized the unusual silence around me. On Sunday afternoons there were always people who were heading out. Either on dates or some other plan that involved spending money. This, however, was not what I'd seen during my month-long stay at Jeanspard. "Don't worry little guy, we'll find your owner", I said, looking towards it. The cat leapt out of my arms, startling me. It meowed again, almost like it was telling me to follow it. Intrigued, I did exactly that. From its silky smooth fur to the sway in its walk, the cat screamed expensive.

This didn't help my case because almost everyone here was the son or daughter of an aristocrat, wall street CEOs, hotshot lawyers, or celebrities. For all I know, this could belong to anyone. The cat was still walking when I noticed that we were heading in the direction of the cafe. I could brush it off as a coincidence but I didn't believe in them. Everything happens for a reason after all.

We were about 10 paces away from the cafe when a silhouette of a guy emerged. He was decked in white athleisure wear and had a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. I figured that he was on the Jeanspards tennis team, undoubtedly one of the best in the country. The tennis team was what Jeanspard was known for. It has incredibly high standards and was almost invincible. The guys on the team were practically legends in making. The guy finally came into view and I think I just forgot how to breathe. Lean muscle, dark brown hair that fell just short to his eyes, and a chiseled jawline which I swear could cut through anything. He had the most gorgeous sage green eyes which twinkled in the sun. Aside from the physical, he had this aura of power and self-awareness around him making his presence encaptivating, so much so that I couldn't get myself to look away. I snapped out of my trance when the cat ran towards him. So he was the owner of the cat. Figures. Gorgeous cats had gorgeous owners. I can't believe I just said that. It was at this precise moment that I realized I was staring like a dimwit.
                                    Sage
The moment my eyes caught the sight of Jasper he rushed towards me but before I could grab him I noticed someone behind him, it was a girl. She was wearing a hoodie, and baggy jeans along with blue converse, her hair was loosely tied and a hair strand fell across her left cheek.
Although she was completely different from the girls I knew, for some odd reason she looked...exquisite. I stood in front of what looked like a cafe and noticed that before Jasper came to me, he meowed a goodbye to the girl and nuzzled into her touch. The sight was astonishing because Jasper never welcomed anyone except me. However, he was comfortable and even familiar with the girl.
We just stared at each other, both of us refusing to back down before she broke the silence."What do you think you're doing?" Said the girl in a curt voice, eyeing me suspiciously. "Well, am I obliged to answer? Not that I mind though. You see, I don't mind responding to pretty girls" I winked at her, earning myself a cold stare. I stared at her and cleared my throat, a little embarrassed. I was about to say something else but before I got the chance, she let Jasper go and just...walked away as if she knew I was the owner, which she didn't, right?, "Hey! How could you abandon him like that? Don't you want to hand him over to his owner, just like any decent person would!" I questioned her in a frenzied voice. How heartless is she?