Elina

"You're joking right?" exclaimed Gary. "You want to study Astrology?"

"I am repeating for the millionth time now, it's ASTRONOMY," I slapped his face playfully.

"That's why you're always staring at the sky blankly?" Gary said putting his hand on his forehead.

"You know, I feel strange these days. I feel being watched and at night everything appears to be a mystery to me," I let out a long sigh. I knew he would never understand, not that I was trying to explain him either.

I saw him pacing around the rooftop, surely he was debating whether to believe in my stupid theories or not. "Have you been feeling insecure about anything lately?" he asked.

"No... I am just feeling disturbed. I get weird dreams of people screaming, sometimes I see a couple amidst a crowdy place....all those dreams are always hazy. Nothing is clear."

"I believe you and if you're passionate about your space study, then go for it. I am not stopping you," he pulled me into a tight hug.

"You're suffocating me, punk," I freed myself out of his arms. As much as I loved getting affection, I hated all sorts of physical gestures.

"Oops sorry! Can't help when you are being all adorable and determined," he snickered.

AFTER 10 YEARS

"What are you upto girl?" Gary asked as he pulled a chair beside me in the library. "Solving an equation?"

"Yes... an unsolved one," I said trying the complete The Beal Conjecture. I knew it was not worthy of my time because I had my Astrophysics assignments still pending, but what's harm in trying.

He let out a nervous laugh and rolled up his sleeves, putting his glasses on. "I-I, anyways," he cleared his throat. "You know Valentine's day is coming?"

"Are you perhaps asking me out?"

"No, just wandering if you have got a hand candy to tag along."

"No funny love business in my life, Gary."

"Sure Miss Anti-romantic. I hope you die single with your casual situationship," he said quickly texting someone.

"Looks like you have already got someone," I said lazily drawing one more cut line on a mistake.

"No. I would better spend my day reading Percy Jackson," Gary said walking to the fiction corner of the University library, quickly pulling up his favourite book The Last Olympian. I honestly didn't know what silly demigods he was obsessed with. Anyways, Percy is hot.

I walked up to him and started peeping into his book. "Thought you weren't interested in demigods," he shrugged. 

"Percy is hot," I remarked removing his bangs from his forehead. "Aren't they troublesome creatures?"

"You mean the bangs? They are not creatures and I wanted to look good," he smiled.

"You look nerdy," I replied. "Hey, wanna have a bet? The winner gets whatever he or she wants," I challenged, my eyes glinting with fire.

"And what that might be?"

"Spend valentines day with a person of your opposite sex. If I win, you're buying me a house."

"Always up for luxury aren't you?" he shrugged.

"And you for books," I fired back.

AFTER 5 YEARS

"Elina, that's enough!" I was drinking in a club, enjoying the success of my promotion when suddenly my best friend snatched away my drink.

"That's damn expensive!" I murmured.

Dressed up in a red jacked with a white undershirt and black jeans, he came to be my Prince Charming, but he forgot that Mulan doesn't need any prince. "It's dangerous for you to be drinking alone especially after what you have dressed like. You look like a succubus now. I'm not letting you stay here a single second more," he growled, pulling me.

"You can't control me like that Gary," I snapped back. "You cannot tell me what to wear and what to do."

"Of course I can when you have forgotten every bit of modesty. You're a public figure now. The society respects you, children look up at you. You cannot be wasting your life like this," he said, concern etched in his voice.

"Don't you dare comment on my dress!" I growled.

"Why shouldn't I? You're drunk and you are literally... everything can be seen. Your dress is transparent," he quickly covered me with his jacket and pulled me out of the club into his car.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To your home," he said starting the car.

"But I have my man waiting in the private lounge. He is the most expensive item."

"Fuck it, you are wasting yourself and I cannot let you do that." he pulled on the gears and started driving.

"You're being too ahead of yourself," I said and removed his hands from the steering.

The car went off the road and was about to hit a tree when Gary pushed me away from the car. I fell on the ground and the car crashed into the tree, catching fire in an instant.

*****

"Where am I?" I tossed and turned on a white bed.

"At the Charing Cross hospital, miss," a man dressed in a white doctor's suit gown replied writing something in the clipboard.

"What happened to me?"

"You and your friend got into an accident... you were saved but him....," the doctor couldn't finish his words.

"What happened to him?" I questioned back, fearing the worst.

"Miss, you have to stay strong... we all tried, he too but life has different plans. We couldn't save him," said the doctor, pulling out his gloves.

"GARY!" I yelled, non-stop tears flowing from my eyes. "It's all because of me," my voice came out shaky. I was the one who couldn't control my drunk self and exploded on him. But now I couldn't turn back the time no matter what happened. I lost the most important person in my life. Even the fires of hell can't burn my bad deeds, it was an utter crime.

"Are you responsible for it ma'am?"

"No, but he went to save me."

"We are sorry. Take rest please," the doctor left and I screamed in grief and guilt.