Whispers of heart

Chapter :- 9 "Concerns and Companionship

                         __________

Mia woke up unusually early one day, feeling an inexplicable urge to get to the university library ahead of her usual time. The library was quiet, with only a few early birds scattered around. Mia settled in a corner, burying her nose in her books. As the morning sun gently streamed through the windows, Mia's eyelids grew heavy, and she succumbed to the temptation of a short nap.

Unbeknownst to Mia, she had dozed off for more than two hours. When she finally opened her eyes, she found Ethan sitting across from her, his gaze fixed on her, concern etched on his face. She rubbed her eyes and inquired, her voice still laced with sleep, "What are you doing here?"

Ethan replied softly, "You shouldn't sleep in public places, Mia. It's not safe."

Chuckling, Mia retorted, "Who would do anything to me here?"

Ethan explained, "I saw some boys planning to play a prank on you, intending to throw water at you. I stopped them in time."

Grateful, Mia said, "Really? Who were they? By the way, thank you, Ethan."

He smiled warmly, "You're welcome."

Curiosity piqued, Mia asked, "Why were you staring at me while I was sleeping?"

Blushing slightly, Ethan stammered, "I wasn't staring; I was about to wake you up since you were sleeping for so long."

Mia, incredulous, retorted, "Long? I just closed my eyes for 5 minutes!" Checking her phone, she gasped, realizing it had been over two hours. "Oh man, I didn't realize. Let's go; class must have already started." She hastily packed her things, but Ethan gently grabbed her hand, advising her, "Even if we go now, Professor Thomson won't allow us in. Let's not go."

Concerned, Mia pondered, "You're right; he doesn't like it when students arrive late. But what should we do?"

Ethan suggested, "Did you eat something?"

Mia admitted, "No, I didn't."

"Okay then, let's go," Ethan decided, leading her towards the exit.

Perplexed, Mia questioned, "But where are we going?" She tried to catch up with him, but her foot slipped, and she nearly fell. Ethan swiftly caught both her hands, their faces inches apart. After a brief moment, Mia pulled back, flustered, saying, "Th-thank you, Ethan."

"Why are you so clumsy? You could've fallen. You should walk carefully," he scolded gently.

Jokingly, Mia responded, "Okay, fine, I will, Mister Ethan." He smirked and ruffled her hair.

They continued walking, eventually arriving at a restaurant near the university. As they sat down, Mia and Ethan perused the menu. Ethan decided on noodles and dumplings, and Mia, after scanning the prices, commented, "Don't you think everything here is more expensive than at regular restaurants?"

Ethan shrugged, "I don't think so. Just order whatever you want."

Deciding to follow his lead, Mia ordered the same as him. The waiter took their order, and soon their food arrived. They engaged in conversation as they ate, discussing everything from academics to personal interests.

When the meal concluded, Mia insisted on paying, but Ethan refused. As they left the restaurant, Mia noticed a nearby café and suggested, "Hey, let's go there. Let me at least buy you a drink since you didn't let me pay."

"Okay, fine, let's go," Ethan agreed.

In the café, Mia asked Ethan what he wanted, and he requested coffee. She also ordered a  coffee for herself. They enjoyed their drinks, chatting and laughing, and eventually made their way back to the university.

Mia turned to Ethan with a warm smile, saying, "I had a great time with you. Let's do this again sometime, have a meal together."

Ethan blushed slightly, touched by her generosity, and replied, "Sure, I'd like that. But for now, let's head to class." They walked to their class, lily asked mia that why she wasn't in first two lectures.

Mia, feeling a bit flustered, explained to Lily that she had accidentally slept in the library, and Ethan had ensured her safety. Lily teased her about being on a "date" with Ethan, but Mia clarified they were just friends.

Mia looked around a bit and asked lily " hey where is alex?"lily said that she didn't see him from morning too.

Mia turned to Lily, her expression filled with concern. "Lily, I'm really worried about Alex. This isn't like him at all to miss classes without any notice. He's never done this before."

Lily frowned, sharing Mia's concern. "I know, it's strange. Maybe we should go to his dorm after classes and check up on him. He might be sick or something."

"Yeah, you're right. We should make sure he's okay," Mia agreed, appreciating Lily's support.

As the day progressed, Mia found it hard to focus on her studies, her mind constantly drifting back to Alex's unexplained absence. The worry weighed on her, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else.