BLEEDING SILVER

Chapter 6

Casablanca Lily. Tall oriental white flowers known for its extravagant bloom. Its sweet aroma persistently lingers as it gives off an enthralling odor.

Alina just noticed it now—the same smell from the scarf.

"Hey, watch it," Atlas snaps his fingers in front of Alina who quietly sits beside him.

Alina twitched at the sudden interruption of the flow of her thoughts. "Oh. Where—" She noticed that the block they are passing by is already unfamiliar to her. Just this morning, as she was on the road, it is as if destiny pulled them again once more to where they first met. With Atlas's tenacious plea to give him his ride, Alina knew that he could not be left alone that easily.

"Make a turn here to keep us on track," Atlas suggested while pointing on their left.

Then silence.

Atlas pryingly stares at Alina, suspicious of her behavior. Instinctively, his left hand flew on Alina's forehead, attempting to check her temperature. Alina slightly jerked by his gesture. This made Atlas retrieve his hand.

"What's wrong with you?" Alina asked, whilst side-glancing, with a hesitant tone.

"I should be asking you that, you know," Atlas replied with a raised brow.

With haunting thoughts anent to the familiarity which Alina senses at the moment, she did not dare speak of any word. Hence, stillness remains on the air until they reached the school grounds. Occasionally, she stares at her phone on dashboard, something which 'he' returned to her in exchange for the muffler he lent her last night.

On the parking lot, Atlas was about to open his door when Alina spoke, "Hey, Atlas."

The guy switched his direction towards Alina. "Yes?"

"Where were you last night?" Alina's eyes darted on the floor.

Just as her statement began, a car's honk from two people quarreling near the back about who has to park where completely deafened Atlas. "Sorry, what?"

"Nothing," Alina shrugged as she exits the car. "Have a nice day."

"Yeah, you as well," Atlas smiled as he is about to drift off but stops. "Ah, you are invited to my party on Friday night this week, at my place. If you're available, I'd really appreciate your attendance."

Alina just nodded in response. Hesitant, she murmurs instead, "I do not exactly know where you live though."

On point, Atlas heard what she said with the remark, "Well, you can drop me off after classes, I guess?" Atlas winks at her as he continues before finally leaving, "5:00 here alright?"

"Quite demanding for a male."

Alina's day went as usual—for her anyway. Her classmates cannot help to notice that Lucian started eating meals with her, as if making their partnership as to their project as an excuse to do so. Meanwhile, Chand seem to like the company of the two as he sticks with them regardless of Lucian's disagreement. Occasionally, Atlas checks on Alina as he still puts up his pretense around his female fans. The week went with this unusual course—Alina never bothered by any of it aside from her curiosity as to who really was the guy behind the scarf.