...𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉
𝒯𝑜 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇...

↳ ᶰᶤᵃ ↴

Nothing was working.

Her freshman courses could only take up so much time, and Nia was left with ample hours to write, but words betrayed her.

Every time she sat down she'd think of him.

Cerulean eyes that told of treasures hidden in the deep. Of a jaw line set in a precise angle yet softened by welcoming lips, and the tone of voice that echoed in places she had long forgotten. It was as if he could reach in and dismantle her without even trying.

It was a damn curse.

She couldn't stop his irritating yet enigmatic charisma from seeping into her stories, no matter what she tried. Eventually she caved and tried to write him as some back-street villain, but the words wouldn't come out right.

Frustrated and conflicted about what to do next, Nia closed out her document and powered down the laptop, making a face in the black screen. Half of her features were blurred in shadow, but the red of her hair made a stunning impression against the dorm's white walls.

One day she wanted to be as bold as color suggested, though she hadn't been very good at it. Maybe when she no longer felt bound by her old environment, the one she ran away from by leaving for college, then confidence would come easier.

Pulling her hair back, a hint of blonde emerged from the roots. Time to venture out and find a salon. In the back of her mind she crossed her fingers, hoping the curse would hold up—and maybe she'd run into Caspian.

From a safe distance, of course.

Since he wouldn't leave her mind, then she'd see where it went. People-watching had been a longtime hobby and character ideas flowed freely when she observed others, some of which she wanted to adapt into her own life.

She would do nothing more than spy on him from afar, and at all costs avoid another annoying conversation. Not only did he now know her name, but he had also caught her staring into his eyes. That was far too much ammunition for him to try and shoot his cupid's arrow. After putting on some decent clothes and stuffing her debit card into her pocket, Nia strolled towards town.

She hadn't bothered to look up a salon, having heard Serena mention one last weekend and knowing the general direction. The leisurely walk was enjoyable, and she took note of unique places that would make good story material.

Her favorites were an abandoned gift shop, boarded up yet still marked with a sign painted in bright colors. A cute corner park reminded her of childhood innocence, while a few blocks down a wall of graffiti was covered in cryptic messages. A movie reel began in her head, playing out a spy scene with an anonymous cloaked figure.

At last she spotted the salon and walked in. Luckily an appointment had fallen through, so they were able to fit her in the schedule. Her stylist, Adrian, was young and friendly, but not overbearing. She was glad she had found someone decent on her first try, and as a bonus he wasn't nearly as flirtatious as Caspian.

Nia watched him through the mirror as he started to separate her hair with the end of a paintbrush. Stubble along his jaw balanced a soft, flawless cut of auburn hair that flowed down to his shoulders, the ends colored a pale pink.

Whether logical or not, she found stylists more trustworthy when they dyed their hair as well.

"This is always a busy time of year, we're constantly booked," Adrian said, making small talk.

"Yeah, makes sense with all the new students," she agreed.

"Mind me asking if you fit into that category?"

"Mhm, I am." She began to nod, but stopped when it shifted her hair.

"Then enjoy the new experience. My only advice is don't get wrapped up in the excitement too much. A bad GPA in your first semester can really drag you down." He parted a section of her hair and dabbed crimson dye at her roots.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm not a very social person anyways," she replied.

Adrian nodded. "Okay, now just let this sit for about 25 minutes, and I'll be back to wash it out when it's ready."

Nia pulled out her phone, distracting herself while the color set in. Recalling some neat places she noticed on the way here, namely an abandoned gift shop, a cute corner park, and a wall of graffiti, she began to write down an idea for a new story. Soon her time to write ran out and Adrian came back to give her hair a quick rinse.

This was always the best part, and the reason she went to a salon instead of dying her hair herself. The feeling of warm water on her scalp was heavenly. Her mind relaxed and floated to a steamy shower scene.

Palms slid over hot, wet skin. Their bodies pressed against the cold tiles. Exposed skin was too enticing, too sensitive to every touch and kiss. Black hair plastered to the side of his pristine face, droplets of water intensified the lust in his eyes and...

...Wait.

There it was again, she pictured Caspian for no reason. Drawn out of her thoughts, she stared at the ceiling until Adrian was done, a frown creasing her lips. He blow-dried her hair and within minutes it was finished. Reaching up to touch a rejuvenated lock of hair, she marveled at the soft and smooth texture.

"Do you like it? I think the color matched up perfectly," Adrian said, standing behind her.

"Yes, it looks great!" she confirmed, genuine in her satisfaction. "Thank you, I'll be sure to ask for you again the next time I come."

Adrian chuckled as he walked her over to the check-out counter, "I'm flattered, but any of our stylists would do just as good of a job."

She quickly paid and headed home, wanting to take another look over a few spots on her way back. If she couldn't find a project to distract her from writing about Caspian, she might be stuck with writers block forever.

ღ

"Yeah, I'm sure," Nia spoke into the cell phone, trying not to be too amused at the stereotypical conversation as she leaned the chair back on two legs. "Mom, I checked, the washing machines and dryers function properly. I'm okay, really." She stretched out her free hand, tracing designs in the white ceiling.

"Oh, good... and I know, honey. I'm so glad you're growing up to be an independent woman but I'll always worry, it's my job," her mom spoke from the other end of the line, her tone soft but her concern as firm as ever.

Nia's lips gave in and turned up in a smile. Though being away from home was one of her biggest blessings, a mother's voice and caring words would always warm her heart. "Thanks."

"And..." A sigh came from the other end of the line. "I know you're trying to be a good student, but do try to make some friends. I'm not just talking about boys—find someone who you can have fun with every now and then."

"If I find someone whose version of "fun" matches mine, I'll let you know." An inner voice silently mocked her words. The girls she had gone out with today were more likely to be out partying on a weekend, not inside reading a book.

"You know—" her mother began to reply, but was interrupted by a booming voice in the background. An involuntary shudder ran through Nia and she dropped the chair back on all fours.

"Ah, your step-dad woke up, he was up late and well... you know how it goes."

"Yeah, it's alright." No more needed to be said on the matter; some things were better off left between the lines. "I'll talk to you later, mom. Love you."

"Love you bunches!" her mom said, and hung up.

For a brief moment Nia closed her eyes, banning negative thoughts and pushing out the sour memories associated with home. She was miles away. This was her space, and she could fill it with peace.

The cookie cutter dorm was plain—a rather unremarkable and blank space, but it was hers alone. With one additional loan, she had secured a spot in a single-occupant room, and it was worth every penny, plus interest. Much like her preference for empty lecture halls, at night she opted to be alone rather than sleep next to a complete stranger.

Most of the people she knew looked forward to roommates, but the last thing she wanted was to walk in and find someone entertaining guests—or otherwise engaged—when she needed to sleep or study. Granted, the walls were so thin she had already noticed her neighbor participating in some extracurricular activities, but with any luck she'd learn to tune it out.

Nia set the phone down on the desk and pressed a finger to the mouse pad of her beloved laptop. The screen awoke from the gentle prod and revealed the document she had been typing when her mom called. Getting resituated in her desk, she went through the notes she'd jotted in her journal from earlier. Finding a character that hadn't yet received a name, she scrolled through the contacts in her phone for inspiration.

Her eyes landed on the one name she had been avoiding. Then stuck to it like superglue. How the heck did his contact end up in her phone?

Heart racing faster, she tried to remember when he could have gotten his hands on her phone. Or... she recalled something... when Ivory had taken her phone, had she put in Caspian's contact info as well?

Clicking on the edit option, her thumb hovered over the red button, intending to delete it immediately, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

If that was the case, and Ivory had given her Caspian's contact information, then he didn't know she had his number... and he didn't know hers, and furthermore she had an area code he'd never recognize. This was the perfect opportunity to get the information she needed to write him as a character and get him out of her mind for good!

Before she made any hasty moves, she had to make sure he really didn't know anything about this. So she sent a quick text to Ivory.

N 》You put Caspian's contact into my phone?!?

I 》XP maybe, I plead the fifth.

N 》He doesn't have my number right? If he does I swear I'll murder you. He better not know anything about this...

I 》He doesn't know, don't worry.

N 》Ok. Don't tell him anything about me. There will be consequences if you do.

I 》Ok ok! Relax, my lips are sealed. What happens now is up to you two.

N 》Whatever.

N 》One more thing...can you give me a random name?

I 》Caspian ;)

Nia put her phone down in exasperation. That wasn't a random name at all!

But it was the one she needed.

Picking the phone back up, she started typing a message to "Caspian<3", the way Ivory had saved his contact.

The bright phone screen illuminated her expectant face. Of course, she had no idea how fast he'd reply to some chick he didn't care about. Still, all she could do now was wait around for a response, heart beating heavily in her chest. ­­­­­­­­­

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the sample. The full book is now on Amazon in both both physical and ebook formats. Links can be found on my website (beacons.ai/siberia).

💘 Siberia