Chapter 17: Lingering feelings

She was shining brightly when she told him to give her his phone for the contacts, she was glowing as her hair brushed past her face leaving that dewy glow as the aftermath. She was smiling brightly...not like some pretentious person but was genuinely happy.

Her eyes were smiling from the heart. He took his phone out and passed it to her. Her fingers brushed past her palm gently, leaving the warm sensation behind...he felt his heartbeat racing once again not trying to calm it down as she was there before him.

She immediately scanned the messenger app and returned the phone to him. " I will call you later, remember to pick up my call. See you later ", She made her way from there leaving him be on his own.

Enzo touched the place where Sofia had touched him earlier, now it was exclusive.

He touched his head as his finger just brushed his hair and took his hand down. He doesn't know why to feel right now, his calm heart was indicating something which he was failing to understand right now.

" Hey! Calm down! What's the deal with you? Don't be noisy ".

Sofia returned to the class and attended all the lectures she was supposed to. As told by Mary before, she faked herself to be Mary and presented her to the professors. She did this to the whole three lectures she attended. And there was still no news from Mary as to what the emergency was.

While she was in the middle of the classes, her mind was always disturbed and seemed to be somewhere else.

After classes, she went back to the dorms and changed her clothes. Meanwhile, she was waiting for Mary, so she decided to wash Enzo's jacket.

" It was our third encounter. Whenever I meet new people and most guys, I feel uncomfortable. This time around...it wasn't the case and I was also able to smile. What's going on? When was I so open with guys? ". Talked to herself while washing his jacket.

Her hands gently moved around as the small soap bubbles formed on the jacket she was washing right now. Her hands have always been soft despite the fact she works hard and that too in the area where her manpower and hand labor are required.

While washing his jacket, she was super gentle as to not damage the cloth and was being extra careful. Even right now when she was busy with something, she was still thinking about him.

One thing she didn't notice was a major turnover. For the last five years, she was having the same dream and it would always leave that lingering feeling around ominous and something unforgettable.

Even though she would never remember what she had dreamed of and would never even remember the face of the man in her dreams or the woman. It would still haunt her regardless...

In the past, due to this, her mood would always be a disaster even though she was awake. But right now...it seems to have changed slightly. She was lively, more energetic, and was able to smile the whole day without any problem.

She didn't notice all the slight changes in her life but it was for the better. And right now...she was humming a song and doing his laundry.

Even though her day started with bad luck, the whole day was going smoothly.

Until.....

She came out of the bathroom holding the wet jacket which was dropping the year of water down wetting the whole floor and humming that unknown song, she saw her phone glowing.

Sofia put the wet jacket on the wooden chair close to her and picked up the phone from the bed. It was her younger sister Rose who was calling her at this time.

Sofia picked up the call without any serious thought in her mind. " Hello! Little Sweety ".

" Sister! Where are you? Did you eat something? ", Rose asked in her sweet like voice.

" I am in my dorm and I am already. Why did you call? If I remember correctly, you should be in your bed with a warm blanket over your light body...what are you doing? Playing games? ".

Sofia's voice was already softened when heard the sweet voice of her younger sister.

Usually....around this time, Rose takes a short nap in her cosy room without the care of anyone. Since she is always sick, she is privileged.

Rose went silent after Sofia finished talking. It seems like she was wanting to say something but doesn't know how to say this...

After a short break, she finally spoke. " Sister! I want to eat spicy noodles. I am strongly craving spicy noodles, can you bring me some on your way back? ", Rose's voice went low as she continued to request.

Sofia went silent this time as she looked at the block hanging high on the wall of her room and she was pondering about something else as well. " I have decided to not return home today. But Rose wants to eat spicy noodles. It's the first time she has asked me to bring her something to eat, I can't break her heart ", Sofia was in deep thought for a moment but then snapped out.

As Rose was a patient, she can't just feed her anything. " Little Sweety! I can bring anything you want to eat. But have you asked the doctor? Did he allow you to eat spicy food? ".

Rose's mood dropped as she heard about the doctor and became gloomy. But she really wants to eat spicy noodles. Her craving right now was very strong that she would care for anything and..." Yes, I asked him. He said I can eat spicy food ".

She lied after giving up on her temptation toward delicious food.

Sofia was sensing something was fishy, but Rose would never lie to her and she knows that she trusts her. " Alright, Little Sweety. Wait for me, I will be home in two hours. See you soon. I am hanging up now. And...don't stay up reading those overly cheesy novels, get some sleep. Bye ".

Sofia hung up after scolding her little sister tenderly.

Sofia slopped down on the bed and then lay back down as she started staring at the ceiling. " I want to leave that family. But...I am scared. I am tied up and the eldest daughter. Everyone thinks I am lucky and privileged. Hah! I can't even tell anyone how loved I am in the family and what's my worth...".

Her left hand moved in the air and then fell gently on her forehead....she covered her eyes with her hand and took a long sigh.

She wants to stay away from them, and break every connection that ties her to that family. But... it's not easy. More like it's impossible.

After laying still there on the bed for five minutes, she got up and hung the jacket in a high place so it could dry.

After it was done, she picked up the hat from the wall butcher and made her way out of the dorms.

She promised Enzo about his recruitment to her club. So she needs to talk to her seniors about this.

The reading club is what every weeb can dream of.

It had everything...

A good place with a peaceful, clean environment, distant from the outside world, always ready to find different and unique activities for the people who love to read aside from the club members. Having deep conversations with those who love to read and want to explore more, advising those who want to be a writer and artists in the new future.

People might think there's no future in the reading club. But the members of this club were sparing no chance of letting them know the benefits and advantages...

The Reading Club was built inside the liberally which is considered to be the most inclusive place for everyone.

Yeah! This club exists inside the library and permission was given by the university dean.

Sofia walked inside the Library and walls straight towards the next door...

As she entered the club, everything went silent for a moment before it resumed to be like before again.

Everyone was quiet and then started doing their stuff.

" Look! It's that year again...what should we do? We already have enough people in our club, there are no more people needed now. Can you talk to the principal and tell him to not do this to us? ".

" I know okay? I wanna tell him the same. But I don't think he will listen to me. You know how stubborn he is ".

They were discussing the requirement process and how they were reluctant to welcome new members. Well...it wasn't like this before. This club used to be totally invisible in the past...a year ago.

But now it was bustling with people and everything was because of Sofia.

" Umm! Isn't it great if we have more people in the club? It was our motto back in the past...right? ".