Chapter 20: Friend or Enemy

Third Person's POV

"Sorry to offend you but do I know you? You talk to me as if we knew each other," Out of curiosity, she finally asked, which made Max's mood change quickly.

"What?" Max's confusion was evident in his furrowed brows as he gazed at Astra with a serious expression, trying to comprehend her words.

"Sorry, I don't know you, so it's weird acting like we're friends," Astra replied, her tone chilly, hoping to discourage any further interaction with someone she didn't recognize.

Despite Max's persistent efforts to engage her in conversation, Astra couldn't recall ever meeting him before.

"What? Are you for real?" Max's disbelief was evident as he replied, his eyebrows arching in surprise.

Astra nodded solemnly, her expression unyielding as she maintained her stance.

Max was taken aback by Astra's response. Before he could clarify, their professor entered the room, signaling the start of class.

Max's incredulity lingered, his gaze flickering between Astra and their surroundings, searching for any indication that this was some kind of joke or misunderstanding.

As the lesson commenced, Max couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He wondered if Astra truly didn't remember him, so he lingered close to her side, observing her discreetly throughout the lecture.

After class, Astra hurriedly left to avoid Max. Carrying a book, she first tried the cafeteria, but it was too crowded and noisy. Then she attempted the rooftop, but it was also full. Feeling disheartened, she headed to the library on the ground floor of the nearby building, hoping for a quieter environment.

Upon arrival, she found only a few students there. Most of her classmates were in the cafeteria to buy some food and kill some time, so the library was relatively empty. With no friends in school, Astra didn't bother trying to buy from the cafeteria—it was always the same. Eating alone while being stared at wasn't appealing to her.

There were ten sets of tables and chairs inside, each good for ten people, so Astra knew she might not be alone at her chosen spot. Opting for the end seat, she faced the glass window where sunlight streamed in beautifully.

She settled her belongings on the table and found a comfortable position before reopening her duplicated book. As she began reading, confusion set in. With the book unfinished and some parts missing, she struggled to piece together the information.

All she had were the book from her aunt and her childhood notebook. By the time her next class arrived, she still hadn't grasped anything. Despite her confusion, she reluctantly attended her next class.

Only a few hours had passed, and the class came to an end. With her classes over for the day, she left school to head home. Noticing that it was still bright outside, she decided to walk. Lost in thought, she didn't realize it was gradually getting darker and darker. The streets were still bustling with people, so she continued to walk. As she neared their house, she spotted a man standing across the street, dressed in black. Unable to recognize him in the dim light, Astra paused to observe. Suddenly, the man walked away as if nothing had happened.

Astra entered the house feeling confused and saw her aunt Morph, sitting on the sofa.

"Oh! You're here already. How was class?" her aunt greeted happily, standing to give her a hug.

"It was okay. By the way, there's a man standing across the street looking at our house just now," she said pointing outside where she saw the man standing early.

"Really? What if he's a thief scouting our house?" her worried aunt remarked and glanced out the window to see if the man was still there, but no one was there. "Oh, he might be a bad person, Astra. Make sure to close the window in your room before you sleep, okay? It's better to be safe," she added, feeling uneasy for their safety.

Astra just nodded and bid farewell. "I'll go upstairs now," she said.

"Sure thing, I'll give you a shout once everything's cooked up and ready to go," her aunt replied cheerfully, flashing a warm smile as she busied herself in the kitchen, the savory aroma of spices wafting through the air.

Astra made her way to her room and changed clothes. Upon leaving her room, she decided to sit in front of her computer to rest and check the news.

While scrolling, Astra came across a video about a woman who predicted the future. According to the video, the predictor released her prediction 5 years ago, and now it has come true. Many viewers had divided opinions. Some said it wasn't true, while others believed it because of the date mentioned when the statement was released.

But aside from these comments, one comment caught Astra's attention. It was a comment from someone named B.Copper. According to him, this might not be unlikely true and it's a Dark Aislings.

Because of this, Astra quickly grabbed the book and looked at the page where she read the words Dark Aislings, and her suspicion was correct, it was in the book.

"Dark Aisling, a unique variant of Alviva, characterized by vivid nightmares and a penchant for utilizing their abilities in darker ways. They possess an extraordinary gift for seeing visions that often portend impending disasters or profound losses. Unlike other Dreamers, Dark Aislings primarily experience a bleak and haunting future, intertwined with a haunting past. Unfortunately, many Dark Aislings always choose the same path and end up dieing early. They are often called as fortune-tellers and skilled in interpreting the ominous signs revealed by their visions," Astra read out loud.

Filled with a spark of hope, Astra eagerly clicked on his profile, hoping to uncover some clues. With each scroll, she found pictures of the sky, stretching wide and endless. The blues and whites danced across her screen, but there was nothing more to see about the person behind them.

Despite the lack of answers, Astra felt drawn to the calmness of the pictures. They seemed to whisper promises of understanding, even though they held no secrets. As she stared at them, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to discover, something hidden beyond the clouds.

Since she couldn't find any information online, she gathered the courage to add and message the person to ask. She waited for a few minutes, hoping he would respond immediately, but instead there was a knock on her door.

"Astra? Are you still awake?" Aunt Morph asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes," Astra replied, opening the door.

"Good, I thought you had fallen asleep from exhaustion," she commented, gently stroking Astra's hair. "Come, dinner is ready downstairs," she added softly.

Astra immediately followed her, leaving her computer open.

*ping* The sound of the computer indicated that Astra had received a notification.

Astra followed Aunt Morph downstairs to the dining area, where the table was set with their evening meal. As they ate, Aunt Morph brought up the topic of the binder Astra had taken last night.

"You know, dear, I couldn't help but notice that you seem quiet, is it because of the binder," Aunt Morph said, her tone gentle.

Astra hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. "Um, yes, I'm sorry Aunt Morph. I was just curious about some things, that's all," she replied, trying to keep her tone casual.

Aunt Morph nodded understandingly. "I understand, dear. Curiosity is natural, especially when it comes to matters of the mind and dreams but please do ask ok?," she said kindly, reaching out to pat Astra's hand.

Feeling a sense of relief at Aunt Morph's understanding, Astra nodded gratefully. "Okay, I'm sorry again," she admitted, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.

"It's okay, dear. Don't think about it anymore," Aunt Morph reassured her, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "Anyway, how was your day?" she asked, changing the subject with a warm smile.

Astra smiled back, appreciating the shift in focus. "It was alright, just a bit tiring even though I only have two classes," she replied, relaxing into the conversation.

As they chatted about their individual days, Astra couldn't shake the anticipation of her lying to her Aunt but she couldn't let her know what she was thinking because she was really eager to know the truth about herself.

After dinner, Aunt Morph insisted on clearing the table and washing the dishes herself, leaving Astra to rest early. As Astra made her way upstairs to her room, she was surprised to find her computer open. The sight sparked hope in her heart – perhaps the stranger she had messaged had replied.

With a rush of anticipation coursing through her veins, Astra sank into her chair, heart pounding with eagerness, and eagerly opened the message, hoping for a response. A jumble of emotions, a blend of excitement and nervous energy, danced within her as she clicked on the message. Yet, to her dismay, all she encountered were three animated dots, teasingly hinting at a forthcoming reply from the other end.

~ To be Continued ~