My phone started to buzz just before I drove out and I eagerly picked up as I saw that it was Austin, 'Anything on Claudia?', I asked.

'Miss Walter is busy today but she is free tomorrow and will be at her family home'

Well, that was no good. I had hoped to finish everything by today so I could return before Salome decided I was a waste of her time.

'I see. Thank you anyways'

'Are you returning, sir or..?', 'Well, I do need to check on my ward...', I smiled and I could already imagine Austin rolling his eyes.

'Very well, sir', he replied and hung up.

I guess today was the day I met Salome's best friend.

As I entered the famous university, I couldn't help but wonder what my life would have been like if I had just accepted the offer instead of turning it into a scholarship seat.

'That's Ethan Pharaoh'

'I heard he was in Canada'

'What is he doing here?'

I paused in my tracks and looked around to find groups of students watching me which immediately sent me back to my university days.

I had grown so used to the animosity I received at M.G, that the sudden attention made me feel like a circus animal.

To my right, I saw a group of girls eagerly eyeing me and I sighed as I realized that it was going to be a long day and groaned remembering that I had no clue where Sumithra was.

A giggle and flash of a phone camera caught my eye. It was the same group of girls and before I knew it, an idea crossed my mind.

Why not make use of this attention?

'Hello'. I had walked up to them and with each step, I noticed that they were getting even more excited.

'You're Ethan Pharaoh right?', asked one.

'Yes, that's me', I smiled and they squealed.

'What are you doing here?'

'I'm here to meet a friend of mine and I could use some help because I have no idea where they could be', I said adding a small frown for effect.

'Oh we know everyone here!', they chimed.

'Really? Oh, that's brilliant! Her name is Sumithra, do you know her?', I asked and watched as their faces fell bitterly.

Well, this was starting to become a pattern.

'Yes', came the gingerly reply.

'Wonderful. If you could just point me to her direction-', but I was cut off by two of them locking their arms in mine.

'Come with us!', and I was lead straight to the university hall.

'Do you know her well?'. I tried to wriggle myself out of their iron grip but it was pointless so I gave up midway.

'Who doesn't know her', scowled one

'She's everywhere'

'She's not even that pretty to be popular'

'I don't know why everyone likes her'

I guess no matter who you are, the world is going to be cruel to you if you're better than them. My ears were already starting to bleed from their whining but I had no choice but to follow silently if I wanted to find her.

We finally reached the hall and with a gentle tug, I was free of their grasp. I could hear foreign music coming from inside causing me to peer in. There were a few students wandering about the hall while some were on stage.

'There she is. Why is she always front and center in everything?'. At that exact moment, my eyes fell upon the main dancer who was spinning with immense body control and pausing each time to stomp her foot at the beat as her arms spun out along with her. There was a constant smile along with equally happy eyes but any professional dancer would know that it was actually intense concentration going on behind them.

I knew how hard it was to perfect spins without tilting from the dizzying speed and seeing her perform them without flaw put me in a state of awe.

'Show off', interrupted the girls and I had finally had enough. I spun on my heel and faced them,

' For the love of God would you all shut up?! You're clearly jealous of her because she's brilliant and hearing you whine about her just makes you look pathetic'. I resumed my original pose and  walked into the hall leaving the group of self-absorbed girls gwaking to themselves.

The music had stopped once I reached the front row and I noticed that students were already staring at me.

The dancers on the stage had noticed me as well and I noticed Sumithra's eyes squint as if she was confused so I took off my glasses and watched in amusement as her confusion turned into a scowl, 

'Oh god not you'.

'Hello Sumithra', I waved but she shook her head and turned away.

I quickly followed her before she could run off and succeeded in cutting her off at the stage's steps.

'Not so fast',

'Move before I kick you', she smiled.

'Is that any way to treat your benefactor?', I asked with a fake frown but she scoffed.

'What? It took you two years to figure that out?'

'I was just letting you have your space. It's not like you're in a bad place. You're the star employee at the office and Pierce Pharaoh has your cactus on his table. Good choice by the way. I would have gifted him that too', but she simply dove beneath my arm and continued to walk away from me.

'Oh come on! I came all this way to meet you!', I exclaimed causing her to stop in her tracks.

'Why?', she spun around to face me with her piercing gaze. Was it just me or do best friends end up having similar traits?

'I- Well, I have to talk to you', I said unable to find the right words. The woman was already scary, how would she react if she knew I had hurt her best friend.

'You moved to Canada leaving everything behind and you never once asked about how I was doing. Why now?- You know what? Forget it. Let's just pretend we met, had a chat, and go back to what we were', she smiled.

'That being?'

'You filling up my bank account and I ignoring you'

This was not going the way I had planned but it did make me understand why she had so many haters.

She didn't take shit from anyone and didn't care either, she minded her own business and did what she had to do, perfectly. You don't see many people like that in a world where everyone is busy kissing other people's behinds.

'Sumithra, I am sorry for being rude to you. I wasn't in a good place back then and I know it is not an excuse but I am sincerely asking for you to forgive me and I would like to be friends'

Sumithra looked like she had been hit by a truck. I guess she didn't expect that from me and I wouldn't either if I had met my past self.

'Okay. Let's say that I do forgive you your rudeness but why now?', she folded her arms and tilted her head daring me to use the right words.

'I believe we have a mutual friend', I replied and dug my hands into my pockets as I rocked back and forth on my heels anticipating her reaction.

She laughed, 'Yeah right, which of my friends would be stupid enough to-', but paused midway because she had been hit by another truck.

Sumithra seemed to be frozen in time but then slowly raised her arm and pointed at me while tilting her head, 'You're not, THAT Ethan...Are you?'

'It depends on what THAT means-' 'Shut up. Omi's Ethan, the one she doesn't shut up about'

Salome talks about me that much?

But before I could answer, her phone started to produce notification sounds as if its life depended on it. Sumithra groaned and took out her phone. She shook her head with an amused smile only to suddenly freeze and then did a double-take at me and the phone.

'You can't possibly be the reason why my gallery is being bombarded with a Korean man named Kookie, can you?', she asked shooting one eyebrow up her forehead. I gulped and unknowingly took a step back.

'Ah, I miss the days when I could at least understand the language of her obsessions', she groaned as she put her phone back into her jean pocket and then looked at me as if I were prey.