this story will have multiple POVs so before the POV start, I'll notify you if it seemed confusing.
                
                            🎵Mood music

____________♧ZIA POV♧____________
-

"Zia!" Iris ran to her friend in a hurry.

On the other hand, Zia pretended not to hear her friend's calls and proceeded running quickly through the hunting air that she adored running in even if it was too cold for her own good.

Iris was never a good runner and that she knew but Zia always managed to make fun of her laziness even as being younger than her. Iris didn't mind for she viewed Zia as her younger sister that she couldn't have.

"Z-Zia....." her breath was so loud for running a long-distance "please...stop!"

Zia chucked loudly teasing her but stopped, in the end, catching her breath too. "W-why are y-you so slow!" She barely managed to catch her nagging breath while feeling her fast hearing heart.

The distance was still long for Iris to catch on with Zia but Iris managed to go over, catching Zia in a deep hug that stumbled them both into the mud.

Zia looked at their gross-looking clothes and started to laugh hysterically at their awful positions.

"My leg!!!!!" Shouted Iris painfully trying to remove the pressure of Zia's body on her legs but couldn't for she was also laughing as well as crying painfully, it was a mess.

Zia finally nodded with tears in her eyes from the constant laughing "Ok- ok!" She said while catching her breath.

"Ow! Be careful! That's my precious leg!" Nagged iris threateningly trying to look as upset as possible but failing miserably.

Rolling her beautiful sapphire-blue eyes, Zia stood up from the mess they were tangled in. "So why were you following me?" She asked suspiciously knowing too well her friend never liked to go on runs in the early morning.

Avoiding her eyes, Iris didn't know how to start "Oh"

"Yeah oh,"

Crossing her hands in a questioning manner, Zia stood looking at her friend deeply.

"See, your aunt told me to"

"I knew!"

Standing up too, Iris started tidying up her clothes in a hurrying manner wanting too bad to go home and sleep.

"So why do you sneak out if you know too well your aunt will get suspicious?"

"Because-" she started twisting her hair in a nervous way.

"Hm?"

"I just- i- I LIKE TO!" she finally shouted.

"But you know too well your aunt prevented you from going out did you?"

"I know but-"

"But what? See, I know you want to explore the world like you claim to. I also know it's weird how protective your aunt is about you! But you're dragging me into this! And I just want to sleep peacefully!" Iris whined covering her ears from the cold stomping her feet angrily.

"I know.....I'm sorry" Zia looked defeated lowering her head showing apology.

"No no....don't be sorry for me! I didn't mean to snap on you but its 21st December and early morning so I'm dying from the cold! But for real....I don't understand why she's so protective but obey her okay? She knows better." 

"Alright...." the words were hard to utter for she didn't have an idea to why she was never allowed outside. When she was young she simply thought it was because her aunt didn't want her to be harmed in any way but now she's 16! For God's sake, she understood too well not to go with old men with shiny things! She also knew to where was her limit of walking. She thought her aunt would at least let her nearby to the market but her aunt was always persistent to never letting her out. Her limits were to Iris's house. Zia wanted answers at least to her questions but her aunt always avoided talking about that day.

That day was the day she started living with her aunt officially. That day was when she lost her mother. Zia was eight but still remembered each detail from that ugly day.

Every day, Her guilt increased. Growing up, Zia finally knew the truth although many memory pieces were not clear for her she was sure her mom was being followed and killed that day. She swore to herself to find the right truth when she grows up, but little did she know her aunt will keep her inside forever.

She never hated her overprotective aunt, for she knew that there was a secret uncovered that led her to be like that. She just wished she understood her mind and how much she longed for freedom but Zia was willing to wait until things get better.

-

Walking home was always boring for she moved the same path she had grown to know but with Iris, the boring path seemed better. Her only friend she had formed from that day. Zia was always grateful for her loyal friend, iris had many other friends but she always came to Zia as her closest friend. Zia felt sad a lot of times seeing her friend always beside her rejecting the freedom she could have outside but instead staying with Zia's lonely life. Iris comforted her friend numerous times as to why she never felt bored in her home, for she always preferred simple life so she never felt bored with her best friend.

"I'm sorry" muttered Zia quietly as the sound of the wind was the only loud noise to be heard at that moment.

"Stop!" Said Iris angrily.

Zia seemed confused as to why she has stopped her when they were about to reach.

"W-what?"

"I said stop!"

Zia was beyond confused, she was apologising then her friend stopped her. She looked hopefully at her friend's closed eyes that shouted anger!!!. Zia knew her friend had a bad temper that scared her sometimes but she was willing to wait for her friend to calm down.

"Zia-" Iris suddenly started tearing up.

"Oh- Oh my God!! I'm so sorry stop crying!"

"Zia please-"

"Nooo I'm sorry!" Zia was straight on panicking because Iris never cried that easily and when she did, it was a serious matter.

"STOP SAYING SORRY YOU DUMMY!"

Oh! Oh!

"Oh my God I'm sorry- no I mean! I'm- nooo don't laugh at me!!"

They both started laughing and crying at the same time. Zia couldn't stop her friend from crying so she cried with her.

"Oh my God! Why are we both cry babies!" Iris muttered choking on her tears.

"For real though.....why were you crying?" Zia looked at her friend's coal-black eyes that were shiny red with tears.

"I'm- I'm angry, no so angry!"

"Why?" The sun started to welcome the new day to shine its rays.

"You are always apologising! I don't even know what to do! You make me feel guilty even when we both did nothing! I know I might get angry on you easily but I promise its not you!!!!! Ok? So stop saying sorry! It makes you vulnerable!"

"Oh" was all Zia said after her friend's ranting. She honestly couldn't form words, she thought that apologising made her guiltiness less but it seemed her friend was the one feeling more guilty because of her.

"I just-" Iris sighed threading her fingers between her blonde locks "I don't want you to be sorry again ever ok? It pains me hearing you apologising to me constantly when you did nothing! I love you and never want to hear those 3 words again hm?"

"Ok" Zia sighed and hugged her friend feeling warmth slowly like a butterfly spreading through her insides. Zhe can't promise to stop being sorry for she couldn't help it when wanting to be better for her friend. Iris was the only one for her that ever loved her as a friend and mostly as a long found sister. She lacked the sisterly love and she found it with Iris so she never wanted to let her down again.

The dusk period ended, the sun became evident in the clear winter's sky reminding folks of the 21st December night.

-

Zia tried hard not to let a sound echo through the walls of the cottage. Her aunt was currently sitting on the chair beside the window by the fireplace finding warmth in the coldness of December.

Zia knew her aunt was an early bird so she wasn't surprised to see her at nearly 8 am morning but she knew she was getting scolded for going out again.

Zia accidentally let out a sigh that notified her aunt of her existence, she scolded herself for being so dumb like that but her aunt broke her inner wars.

"Good morning dear"

"Good morning auntie" she smiled feeling awkward all of a sudden.

"Went out ha?" Her aunt spoke those words in a questioning manner still not looking at her.

Zia knew at that moment she was doomed.
"Aunt let me explain-"

"No need" her aunt was surprisingly calm drinking her hot tea.

"Oh-" Zia scratched her black locks confused. "I- em- I'm sorry- I mean- for- going out? But I swear I just took a long walk no! I mean a short one but-"

"Calm down sweetie I didn't want clarification I already sent Iris so I know you were safe either way"

"Auntie please stop using Iris to look for me! It's embarrassing" Zia covered her ears in a habit to avoid embarrassment.

"Fair enough, but I trust her to look for you"

"But I am not a young kid like I used to be!"

"You will always be dear" her aunt concluded still not looking at her which provoked Zia.

"Aunt!!!" She started whining pitifully "I want to go out!"

"Aren't you already doing it?"

"No, I want to go more far away! We've never left the windmill since I was 8 years old!"

Her aunt sighed finally putting the cup of tea away, looking carefully at her niece that looked too much like her sister.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you.....please understand," She asked hopefully although she knew little Zia could never understand.

Zia also sighed finally losing hope in persuading her before she bowed respectfully and went to her room shutting the door loud enough to cause her aunt a frown.

-

Today was the 21st, the day Zia last saw her mom, the day her mom also last sang for her that song. She found it ironic how her mom passed away the same day she used to sing in every year.

Every year for the last 6 years on 21st December, she went to the forest nearby. It was weird how the forest reminded her of her mom. She found herself going after midnight to avoid her auntie knowing and to avoid anyone's presence there. It was like her little hideout every year that made her remember her dear mom. And this year it wasn't different no, after midnight, she found herself taking her long cloak that could hide her features and running through the window to the forest.

-

The idea of her running away from home was inviting, Zia considered it a lot but she loved her aunt and didn't want to disappoint her. If she had to leave, it will be with her aunt's knowledge. She was also afraid of going nowhere....the idea of leaving a safe place was scary, she liked challenges but that was a huge risk she considered taking a lot.

The moonlight was not clear today, as if it yearned to its strength as she did. Quickly, she found her favourite spot which was the crimson tree that reminded her too much of her mom. That time too, the crimson tree was the safe place she ran too. With its leaves too large to cover her and make her feel safe. Now it wasn't much different, she was still small but a little taller than her eight years old self. Ironic enough, the leaves still covered her slender body that she grew to dislike for the lack of fat that could've protected her from the cold.

Sitting under the tree, she began to wonder about her current life and how it was hard for her to convey her inner desires to anyone for they simply couldn't understand what she wanted. Even her dear friend wouldn't get what she's been thinking about. Zia was always the black duck in a pond of yellow ordinary ducks. She always knew she was different when Zia was little, the difference wasn't too evident but as she is growing up, she could see the difference between her and the people she's met. Even if the differences aren't physically visible, she feels it. It's weirder to talk about it because those differences can't be described by words but rather felt and Oh how she felt them.

Looking at the sky, she wondered how can a simple vision be so powerful and so beautiful yet so lonely that had the ability to make folks speechless. Her mother once told her that everyone is fated to meet their soulmates or rather someone who could understand them better than others, it doesn't matter if it wasn't a lover, it could be a dear friend or even a parent. Zia thought her mother was her soulmate, but she died and soulmates are supposed to be beside you forever. Then she realised it might be Iris, her beautiful best friend that was always there for her. She still thinks Iris was or is maybe her soulmate, but what if there was someone else there in the world that is destined to be her soulmate? What if someone else might be the one who could understand her without even the need to utter a word. The thought made her feel goosebumps...

And like a wild wind, her thoughts were cut off by a tune she knew too well. She gasped, unaware of someone near to her. Zia then gained some courage and decided to look around her for the source.

She was surprised when she saw a shadow of a body sitting behind her, the moonlight was dimmer but it still provided a shadow of a body. Zia looked carefully and realised it was a human body, and on that, it was a boy's one. She covered her mouth in a shock but decided to stay quiet.

After some seconds, the boy didn't stop whistling those familiar notes she yearned for. It was the notes of a song someone dear used to sing for her every 21st December. And ironically enough, today was 21st December. She found herself subconsciously completing the lyrics of the tune. After realising he must've heard her, she was quick to stop herself from completing.

"Oh....my...God!" The same voice of the boy suddenly screamed through the air.

Zia couldn't help but feel pity, the boy sounded so scared "Finally noticed?" She then decided to speak in order to calm him down.

But the poor boy was more frightened and began shaking more with pleas of nos. It was almost cute so Zia couldn't help but chuckle.

"Are you an angel?"

Zia couldn't help but feel embarrassed "too bold aren't we?" She raised her eyebrows in amusement.

The boy then started rambling pissing Zia off "No for real! Are you an angel? did I die? Oh my God but what about my sister!!!! And my cat! Lucas has no one to feed! Oh my lord! But what if my father thinks I escaped? Will he kill my sister??? Nooo-"

"Oh my God! Stop rambling my ears will fall off!" She was starting to think that the boy was dumb or something.

"Ok, Mrs angel" the boldness came out of nowhere that she was shocked. Zia decided then to appear for he seemed to be harmless.

Upon turning, Zia finally put a look to the unknown the voice she's been hearing for a while now.

The boy looked the same age as her, with jet-black hair and chocolate-brown eyes that were looking at her deeply that she felt chills running through her.

She felt her cheeks Blush when she heard him utter something so weird "wow...."

Zia felt weird and rather new sensations inside her but decided to ignore it for now "I heard that!" exclaiming Zia accusing him.

"I know sorry....." he looked surprisingly apologetic so she felt rather bad.

"Don't be.....I know I'm beautiful!" She herself was surprised by the confidence that went through her. Iris had always remained her of the beauty she had though she always thought she looked more unique instead of 'beautiful'.

"Ok Mrs angel, who are you?"

Zia was honestly ready to reveal her name for she realised that boy looked innocent and harmless enough, even though Iris always told her not to judge a book by its cover, Zia couldn't help but feel a strange feeling of easiness around him.

"Aunt said to never let strangers know my name" Zia honestly wanted to keep talking to him.

"I'll keep calling you angel then" the nickname angel made her insides tingle, she felt her heart flutter and cheeks starting to get hotter but decided to cover it by her long hair.

Zia then remembered him whistling the notes of the song she loved "I will say I was surprised you knew that song" she looked suspiciously.

The unknown boy sighed "I heard the tune somewhere, what about you?" He questioned pointedly.

"Mom.....Mom used to sing it to me" Zia then thought of her dear mother singing that song on every year's December and sighed before she could've started crying right then and there.

"Wow- that's beautiful"

"Yeah" they both then went quiet for a minute before she broke the silence.

"Do you come here a lot?

"Sometimes"

"What about you?" He asked looking at the nearby sky that was void of any stars tonight.

Zia sighed then "every 21st of December"

He seemed to get her before continuing "Do you know that this is my place?"

Zia raised her eyebrow "As I know, that's a free forest, no one owns anything here"

"But that's-" he proceeded to motion at the crimson tree they were both sitting at before continuing "my place"

Zia decided that he was stubborn "alright, but I'll have to borrow it every year if you don't mind?"

"Well you're cool so I'll let you!"

"Thank-"

"For one condition" he then said challengingly.

"What is?"

"You tell me your name" he looked at her eyes deeply making her feel obligated to tell.

"Alright...Zia" Zia finally said her name to the unknown boy that then she realised she actually never knew his name.

"What about you?" Zia shouted at him.

"Come tomorrow and I'll tell you" and then he ran off to the direction he perhaps had come from.

Zia felt a little bit betrayed for she couldn't take his name but he did. She found herself smiling stupidly at the image of the boy's excitement at knowing her name.

She sighed once again deciding that it was too late and she needed to head back to the cottage to avoid her auntie's suspicions.

And then all that was heard was the hearts of two souls that were tangled with the excitement of finding each other finally.

 
I promise that I will always be here for my loved ones, 

-

After this chapter, there will be no more flashbacks and things will accelerate according to the present times!

Hope you had a good read <3

Note// From now on I'll update maximum two times a week at Tuesdays and Fridays sometimes Wednesdays according to my schedule! Thx:) //