When Two Worlds Collide

I stood in front of my workspace listening to Professor Aizal give out instructions. I was in college, culinary college to be exact. I had gotten accepted on a scholarship and was excited. I knew how to cook. My entire life I grew up learning to cook from my parents and relatives. I’d say I was pretty good. But going to culinary school? It gave me a chance to learn the science and math behind it. Not that I particularly enjoyed math in school. I hated it. But cooking was an all time passion for me. So I sucked it up. Currently, Professor Aizal was teaching us how to prepare certain meats and at what temperature. He was a tall man, about 50-60 years old and Arabic. But he had to be my favorite out of my professors. His class was always upbeat and lively, some Arabic song on low in the background while he teached. The class was winding down as we put away our cooking utensils and cleaned up accordingly. It was always drilled into our heads that cleaning after cooking and whatnot was of utmost importance. Though I knew that already. The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. I grabbed my bag and stuffed my notebook in it, slinging it over my shoulder. The halls were crowded as I left the building and going over to my motorcycle. Before I got close enough, I felt someone rush up and throw their arms around me I knew it was Ariel instantly. My best friend of over 10 years. She was 20 and absolutely gorgeous. White long hair, clear blue eyes and a body that had girls jealous and guys drooling. I guess I was pretty too. I had dark brown hair down to just below my shoulder and bright green eyes. Though the only thing I hated was the scar across my right eye. It was about 4 inches and very prominent. Some incident when I was 15. I had been walking through the woods late at night. I know, big mistake by itself. But I loved the woods right outside the city. It was nice and quiet. I had come face to face with a wolf. And well, safe to say I sort of lost and won that fight. I pulled away from Ariel after a second and grinned at her. She was a college student too. Studying Arts and Literature. She was damn smart too. That coupled with the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous, she was a complete package. And yet she was single. I never understood why. But it was her choice. “Hey b***h” she greets me, wiggling her fingers at me. Her long manicured nails waved in my face I laughed “Hey Slut” I replied, doing the same back to her. We’d know each other since I was in 9th grade and she was in 8th. Met at a beach out in California. It was totally a coincidence that we both happen to live in Maine and were both on vacation at the time. I wasn’t originally from Maine. I had moved up here for the college. Originally, I came from Louisiana. The good ole south. I loved it. My childhood and all my memories resided there. But after my parent’s death at 17, I moved. It was pretty painful. I was told it was a car accident. Classic right? But something else told me it wasn’t a car accident. Something much more deep and disturbing. But of course, at 17, no one took me seriously. They kept telling me I was just emotional because of their deaths. Which was true, I guess. It was pretty traumatic to hear about them dying. I loved them with all my heart. But still, to this day at 21, I can feel a burning and nagging feeling that it wasn’t a car accident. Ariel was tugging on my arm, pulling me to my motorcycle. A 2023 Yamaha R3. I had it wrapped in an emerald green. My favorite color and birthstone. “I am starving. Let’s go eat” she whined, pulling me along with her. I laughed and let her. “Alright fine. I’ve been craving Thai food anyway” I concede, grabbing my helmet as I mounted my bike. She went over to her own vehicle, a black BMW. In some way, it matched with my motorcycle. I had a F-250 truck as well, but my motorcycle was my daily and I kept it up like it was my own child. I started up my bike and pulled the helmet on and secured it into place. I glanced over at Ariel and nodded, silently telling her I was ready to go. We pulled out of the student parking lot and onto the interstate, keeping pace with each other. It was a game we liked to play. Going in front of each other just for the other to do the same. Another 20 minutes of this, and we arrived at Thai Palace. My favorite restaurant since moving here. I parked my bike and got off, handing my helmet to Ariel so it wouldn’t get stolen or something. She tossed it into her car and we went inside. The waitress took us to a table in the corner of the restaurant and we sat, giving her our orders. I ordered chicken pad Thai, spicy. My usual. Ariel ordered a grilled chicken salad. Her usual When the waitress disappeared to put out orders in, I turned to her, grinning “So. Tell me. No boyfriend yet?” I ask her, eyeing her for a reaction. For being gorgeous and smart, she sure got flustered easily. As expected, she blushed hard and swatted at my face, which I dodged. “No, you nosy bitch.” She replied, trying to hide her embarrassment. But she failed miserably I laughed at her and shook my head. “I still don’t understand how you’re single. I mean, you’re gorgeous and hella smart. Any guy would be so lucky to have you” I tell her, leaning against the table with my forearms She only rolled her eyes, sipping at her tea. “I’m just waiting for the right person.” She tells me I nodded. She’d only had one boyfriend in her life. And it wasn’t that serious considering it was a middle school thing. In fact, from what she’s told me, she was a virgin still. I, on the other hand, was not. I’d had my handfuls of boyfriends and flings. But nothing ever lasted long. None of it felt right. Like I was waiting for some bigger and deeper connection. I’d always had this dull voice in the back of my mind. The words were barely audible or made any sense. I had chalked it up to manipulative daydreams. But something told me it was much more than that. Like there was something or someone else in my mind. It had started happening when I turned 18. And only gotten stronger as I got older. The waitress coming back with our food broke me out of my thoughts. She set our food down and I thanked her as she left. I immediately started eating. I was definitely hungry. Ariel done the same. About 5 minutes into my meal, I had the burning sensation that someone or someones were staring at me. And hard. I glanced up and subtly swept my eyes across the restaurant. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until my eyes landed on a table across the restaurant. I froze, sparks of electricity shooting through my body. Two men. One had brown hair and was dressed in casual jeans and a red t-shirt. The other looked similar to him. But with blonde hair and was dressed in casual jeans as well but with a black t-shirt. They were both staring at me as well. I broke the contact a few seconds later and stared at my plate as if it was the most interesting thing in the world I had no idea what in the world was going on with me or why I was suddenly interested in two strangesrs