Poison Rose

CH-42 - Grand Stage Being Set

Seeing Nova in her class, Liora sat on the edge. Every second felt like a mystery to her. 'Was Nova here to scold me in front of everyone? Or perhaps to pull me for a private confrontation? Why was he here?'

Each step of his unknown intentions toward the professor started to torment her. Liora pondered nervously, dabbing a soft tissue paper on her sweaty forehead and around her quivering nose. His presence made her anxious.

"Professor, one of your students left this pen pouch behind while running away. I came here to return it. I thought she might need it."

Donovan spotted Liora among the crowd.

"Do you know whose is it?" The professor asked.

Donovan pointed a finger in Liora's direction. "Hers," he said.

Liora jumped up in surprise. "I'm so sorry for losing my pen pouch," she said nervously, glancing over at Nova with a silent plea to handle the situation elsewhere. She did not have the stomach to stand, and her legs felt like jelly; if she stood, she might fall on him, given their past.

Donovan found out which class Liora was in through Kai. He had come to ensure she didn't escape another chat after any brief collision in the future with him.

Nova nodded slightly, just enough for Liora to understand. He understood what she wanted to say as if he could read her eyes.

Donovan approached Liora's desk, his eyes never leaving hers, creating an intimidating atmosphere for her.

Liora kept her gaze down. He did not need to stare at her. Liora thought. His strong presence was enough to intimidate her. 

He softly placed her pen pouch in front of her and then left the room without a word.

After classes, Liora hurried to meet Daran, who was waiting outside the campus. She walked briskly, carefully watching her surroundings to avoid another run-in with Nova.

She didn't want to be labeled incorrectly as someone obsessed with him, especially after witnessing how other girls behaved around the trio at her previous school. She must maintain a safe distance.

Daran stood leaning against the wall outside the campus. He was watching the passersby.

"Daran!"

Liora jumped in joy when she saw him after a day apart. She called out his name again, "Daran!" His face lit up at the sound of familiarity before he met her eyes.

They both agreed to make their way to the nearby food street, a vibrant spot well-loved by students for its wide range of pocket-friendly dishes from around the world—American, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, Italian, and French. You name the country, and it's there!

The place was full of students with lively discussions.

Liora had been craving churros, so they chose a Spanish café. The café was colourful, with the sound of sizzling food and cheerful music in the background. They picked a corner table, ensuring they could speak comfortably without worrying about being overheard.

As they settled in, the warm atmosphere of the café welcomed them. The walls were adorned with murals reflecting Spanish culture, and the air was filled with the scent of cinnamon and fried dough.

"So, how was your day?" Daran asked, leaning back in his chair, genuinely interested in knowing about it.

"Eventful, to say the least. I ran into Nova, that psycho bear, again—quite literally," Liora sighed, her mind still reeling from the earlier encounter with him in the class.