“Still the liar…”
She placed the box back on the table, her eyes lingered on it for a moment longer.
Then she leaned back, as she closed her eyes, “…Some mysteries.”
A calm, unreadable expression settles on her face, “Are best to left untouched.”
Meanwhile, Dean headed straight to Uwaley’s.
The clothing store was brightly lit and packed with people.
A few students from his university were also there, checking the collections.
Joey was already waiting at the entrance, along with June and Ray.
“There he is!” Ray pointed dramatically, “For whom we have to free our schedule for the night.”
Dean rolled his eyes, “I told you guys already, I don’t need a new collection.”
Ray looked at him from head to toe, while June nodded seriously, “No offence, but you really don’t have a thing for the Freshers’ Night Event.”
Dean sighed, while Joey wrapped an arm around his shoulder and dragged him inside.
For the next twenty minutes, Dean became their personal mannequin.
“This one!”
“No, absolutely not!”
“Try the white shirt!”
“He is not going for an interview.”
“What about a leather jacket?”
“He’ll faint.”
Dean sat on a nearby couch, utterly exhausted, “I hate all of you, for using me like this.”
The others ignored him and continued searching through racks of clothes.
While waiting, Dean stood up and absentmindedly started looking around the store.
When someone walked past him.
A black shirt slipped from their hand, and landed at his feet.
Dean instinctively bent down and picked it up, “Excuse me, you dropped—”
He turned, but before he could see the person, they disappeared.
Dean blinked.
That was fast.
He looked at the shirt in his hand.
A black Henley.
It looked simple yet strangely elegant to him.
Somehow it felt like he could give a try to this piece.
After staring at it for a second, Dean almost put it back, but for some reason, he walked toward the fitting room instead.
A few minutes later, he stepped out of the fitting room.
Joey’s jaw slowly dropped, while Ray blinked twice and June was rubbing his eyes dramatically.
Dean frowned, “What?”
Ray pointed at him.
“You…”
June finished the sentence, “…Actually looks cool.”
Dean scoffed, “It’s just a shirt.”
Joey marched toward him and grabbed his shoulders, “YOU MADE US SEARCH THE ENTIRE STORE… And then casually find the best outfit yourself.”
“I didn’t find it.”
“Then who did? The cloth didn’t come walking on its feet to you, like master please wear me?”
Joey took the black Hanley shirt from Dean, added it to their shopping pile.
“I didn’t mean that.”
Ray immediately joined in, “That’s why we need to quickly set you up with someone, before you go crazy.”
“And make us crazy…” June gasped.
Dean scrunched his nose, “You all seriously need a hobby.”
“We do,” Joey replied proudly, “And currently, our hobby is your love life.”
“Don’t worry, we are working on it, Dean.”
Dean groaned.
After paying, the four of them stepped out of Uwaley’s.
The evening air was cool.
Ray stretched lazily, “I’m starving now.”
“You’re always starving,” June said.
“But you eat more than me, fatty fat.”
“So what? Then too my fat is less than you!”
The two immediately started arguing.
Dean rubbed his temples, “Can both of you shut up for a second?”
The two immediately printed at each other.
“He started it!”
“No, you started it.”
Dean sighed, “There is a new cafe across the street. Let’s eat there before I lose my sanity.”
Joey laughed.
A few minutes later, the four of them settled into a booth near the window.
Ray was busy stealing fries from June’s plate.
While June was threatening him with his eyes.
Joey was recording both of them, and Dean quietly stirred his drink.
Then suddenly, Ray stopped moving.
His eyes widened.
June followed his gaze.
He almost choked on his drink.
“No way.”
“What?” Joey frowned.
Ray lowered his voice dramatically, “The Music Department Girl is sitting there.”
Dean didn’t even bother looking back, “You guys are unbelievable.”
Ray nudged, “Let’s say hello to her.”
Near another window, the Music Department girl sat.
From where she sat, only Dean’s and Joey’s back were visible.
June joined in, “Emily and Mia are also there, let’s join them.”
Joey burst out laughing, “The campus news-setters are with her, you both need to be careful.”
Dean stood up, “I’m leaving before all of you embarrass me further.”
Ray looked horrified, “I was kidding dude, don’t abandon us.”
“I have to help in closing the shop today.”
“You always tell things at a worse timing.”
As Dean walked away from the table, that girl’s eyes slowly followed him.
Dean stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked away from the cafe.
The sounds of the people talking, slowly start to fade behind him.
Suddenly the streets which were a little crowded earlier, became quieter.
Too quiet.
He stopped for a second.
The laughter, the traffic and the music from the nearby stores.
Everything had disappeared, only sounds of his footprints remained.
A cold breeze brushed past him.
Dean slowly turned around.
Not a single soul was around.
A strange uneasiness crawled up his spine.
Dean took another step.
And the streetlight behind him flickered.
Then it went out.
Dean froze.
Another one.
Another.
One by one, the streetlights behind him began shutting down, as if the darkness itself was swallowing the road he had crossed.
Dean’s heartbeat quickened.
What’s happening?
The only thing he could hear now was his own breathing.
And then, a loud horn pierced the silence.
Dean’s eyes widened, as the bright headlights exploded in front of him.
A car was speeding straight toward him.
The light was bright, his mind went blank.
And suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist.
A soft fragrance brushed past him, it was similar to the scent in his dreams.
The world spun around him.
His vision started blurring out, with the same melody rising around him.
“D-Drea—”