CHAPTER THREE
703 Words
"How was it?" Kaelith's voice cut through my spiralling thoughts.
I blinked at him. "What?"
"Meeting your parents."
"Oh. Fine, I guess?" I wrapped my arms around myself. "Strange. I need time to process everything."
"You're medically cleared." His tone shifted to a more businesslike one. "You should be ready to resume classes in a week or two."
"Classes?" I echoed.
"Your parents didn't mention it?" His eyebrow lifted slightly. "You were in college when the accident happened."
"They mentioned it." I frowned. "I just didn't expect you to push for me to go back so quickly."
"The semester is almost over. Exams start soon." He leaned against the doorframe. "I've already spoken to your professors. You can take last semester's exams with this semester's, so you won't fall behind."
He paused, then added, "Routine helps. It grounds you."
"Okay." The word came out smaller than I intended.
One week later, I was dropped off at Collegia.
The driver let me out near my department before going to park. The butler had given me a compiled brochure with school details and my course outline. Apparently, I studied Temporal and Historical Research, a cross-disciplinary program mixing magical history, biology, and political theory.
I entered the classroom for Foundation in Mythic Study and immediately felt the weight of dozens of stares.
Finding an empty seat near the middle, I sat down as quietly as possible.
The whispers started immediately.
Is that her?
Arwenna?
I didn't think she'd come back.
The wolf-less hybrid?
I heard she lost her mind. She has gone completely crazy.
Idiot, she only lost her memories.
I scanned the room, trying to identify the speakers. Instead, I met various stares, some pitying, others hostile. One girl with auburn hair watched me with particular intensity, though I couldn't read the expression on her face.
I turned forward, determined to ignore them all. See no evil, hear no evil, know no evil.
I pulled out my AirPods, notebook, and pen. Connected the AirPods to my phone and slipped them into my ears. Class wouldn't start for another ten minutes. Better to keep busy until then.
I started doodling in the notebook, losing myself in random patterns and shapes.
A shadow fell across my desk.
I looked up to find the auburn-haired girl standing over me, arms crossed, one eyebrow arched.
I removed my AirPods. "Yes? Can I help you?"
"Arwenna?" She said my name like a question. Like she was testing me.
"That's me. And you are?"
She made me uncomfortable in a way I couldn't articulate. Especially since I couldn't see through her thoughts.
Her eyes narrowed, studying me like she was trying to catch me in a lie. "I heard you lost your memories. The professors told the whole department. I couldn't believe it was true."
"Okay." I kept my tone flat. Bored. "And?"
"I'm Liriel." She waited for a reaction. When I gave her nothing, she added, "I can't believe you don't remember me."
"I don't remember anyone. Not even my parents."
Liriel looked taken aback for a moment. Then something sharp glinted in her eyes. "I was your friend before the accident. We became friends on the first day of college. I'm so happy you're back on your feet."
I studied her face, sceptical.
"I was terrified when your accident happened." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I couldn't sleep. I was so worried."
Her face had gone pale as paper. The fear in her expression looked genuine.
"Let's continue being friends, okay?"
I needed someone who knew my past. Someone to help me navigate this strange new world. "Alright."
After class, Liriel linked her arm through mine like we'd been doing this for years.
After classes, we walked down the school pathway together.
Someone came sprinting around the corner, nearly colliding with us.
Liriel reacted instantly, pushing me toward the bend.
Another person appeared from that direction, reaching out to catch me. Their hands connected with my shoulders and shoved.
This motion hit me with a sense of deja vu.
Then I fell hard.
The moment I hit the ground, my mind exploded with images.
One thought crystallised with absolute certainty: my accident had been an attempted murder!
- Writer
