The Enigmatic Alchemy Of Love

Chapter 21 [Darion]

The low hum of fluorescent lights buzzes above as I bury myself in a sea of school projects. I scratch my pencil across paper, trying my best to come up with the unique ideas for my project.

As I scribble on the pages, I sense the sweet and bitter aroma of coffee from the nearby cafe.

Amidst the mundane tasks, a stray memory crashes in. My hands cease their movements, frozen in the air, as my lips part to utter a name that resonates with a surge of emotion-Julie.

I find myself drifting back to that night, the scent of her perfume lingering in my thoughts. She'd laughed, carefree, until the world around her blurred into darkness. I took charge, guiding her out of the party, navigating through the sea of faces.

But then, silence.

The weight of unfinished conversations looms large. I push back my chair, the legs scraping against the tiled floor as I replay the scenes in my head. Why didn't I follow up? A quick message, a simple 'are you okay?' could have bridged the gap.

I glance at the clock, its hands ticking away the minutes. With a sigh, I navigate through the sea of projects, trying to escape the unresolved tension in my mind. The coffee's aroma appeals to me, and I decide to have a little break.

In the cafe, the familiar barista hands me my usual cup. I stare at the swirling patterns in the latte, lost in thought. The chatter around me becomes a distant hum, and my mind drifts back to Julie.

I'm feeling stiff as I ponder over the absence of Julie, the unmet expectations lingering since my return from Brazil.

I never met her nor struck any real face to face conversation. Why did I do that? What made me so occupied? I could have at least said hello or had a coffee. I could have...

I take out my phone, click on my Instagram. She's often there. I slide into the inbox chat, hesitating, fingers hovering over the keyboard, drafting and redrafting messages in my mind. A sea of what-ifs crashes against the shores of reality.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself against the anxiety. The cursor blinks on the blank screen, awaiting the message that could mend the disconnect. I can't think of anything to say.

Just as the yearning becomes too much, my phone erupts with her name, and I snatch it up eagerly.

There's no voice. Why she's silent?

"Julie? You there?" I ask away.

Still no answer.

"Julie? What happen? Why you mute?"

Still no answer. What now? She's acting weird. Is it a prank or she might be...

"Julie? You're worrying me. What's going on?" Hastily, I inquire, my heart skipping a beat at the mere contemplation of danger.

"Darion, help me." I hear her finally.

She must have done something problematic. She used to be mischievous always.

I laugh while asking her, "What did you do this time?"

"They ruined my clothes. My bag... it's not here. I think I-I... can't breathe..."

My eyes widen in a mix of surprise and alarm. Who dares to cause her misery?

"Give me the names." I demand the names of perpetrators behind the distress haunting my prince.

Her voice is stuttering and I can't hear her properly. My signals are bad. I cut the call.

I tap my fingers on the phone, tryna locate her. I'll find her in no time. There's a small tracker in her phone. I put that two years ago when she placed an order for a new phone.