Aidan's Point of View

I leaned against my car, my feet aching from exhaustion and my head felt like it would explode any time as the scorching sun tortured me. I had not eaten since yesterday because of all the meetings, and then I had to wake up early to pick up my father and his friend from the airport.

That cruel man didn't even let me take a breath and he ordered me to pick up his friend's daughter. I knew she had been in L City for three years and I had been for five years. But we never met. When she shifted here for her studies, Uncle William didn't bother me because, at that time, the two friends were not on speaking terms.

My eyes lingered to search for the fat, arrogant and rude girl. Before you can judge me, it was exactly how her father described her. However, a bunch of female students cheered from behind, trying to grab my attention, but I could not lose focus. Male students appeared to be kind of envious for some reason. 

But one of them walked up to me and asked, "Hey, buddy, looking for your girlfriend?" I had no answer for his nonsense, so I just nodded and continued to search for her. 

"It seems like you are blocked." He laughed sympathetically. 

He pulled out a sheet of paper and a marker and handed me, "Write her name; once she knows you are here like this, she will run here." 

This was kind of a good idea, but how many people would know her? How long will it take for the news to reach her? I had no other way, either. They didn't give me her number. 

As soon as I uncapped the pen and pointed it at the blank sheet of paper, a certain issue frustrated me further. Her name. I don't remember her name. 

Suddenly, I remembered that my eldest sister used to be her friend; she must remember her name. I wasted no time and called her. 

"What do you want?" She answered in her usual tone. 

"What is Uncle William's daughter's name?" I cut to the chase, knowing she had no time for me ever since she got married and moved to another country. 

"Raven Rain." She said and just then her toddler started yelling. She stopped her and asked, "Why are you asking?" She sounded suspicious; why wouldn't she be? She didn't know that the two friends had reconciled. 

"I will explain later." I hung up; I could not hear her kid yelling anymore. 

I wrote in capitals and stood there again with the name sign this time. For some reason, strange memories flooded my mind. 

I don't drink tea. 

Will you teach me how to drive?

It's better to keep my mouth shut; the more I speak, the more they will hate me. 

A good cup of tea for the mister here. 

I dare not watch horror movies; I will die of fear. 

Oh, you will watch with me? Promise? Then I will try.

The blanket of moonlight gives me warmth; this cold breeze feels like nothing. 

You can help me once, but I have to help myself forever; it's better that I carry these. 

I could not remember the face, but the voice was clear to me. It resonated in my ears as if I were listening to a recording from the past. Her voice wasn't sweet, but rather hoarse and deep. It wasn't pleasant, but surprisingly, it sounded soothing for some reason. 

As I blinked into reality, I found a strange, short girl wearing a blue gown and a scarf wrapped around her neck. Her tote bag looked so heavy that it appeared it would tear anytime soon. Her big black specs and ragged shoes made her look like a poor teenager. 

"You are looking for Raven Rain?" She asked, straightening her back and fixing her specs. 

"Hmph…" I nodded and looked away, looking for the person who should have come running, as the young student said. 

"What is your relationship with her?" She folded her arms and asked. 

"He is her boyfriend!" The young lad from earlier yelled as he grabbed his soda and left the store nearby, where a bunch of students had gathered. 

"Boyfriend?" Her eyes widened from surprise; she looked like one of those girls who perhaps mocked Raven for being overweight. 

"I am her husband; why do you care?" I spoke sharply, not paying attention to her.

She appeared to be struck by lightning, but before she could speak, the same group of people gathered by the store called her, "Master, hurry up; we have our classes." 

The shorty gave me a disgusted look and walked away. Indeed, she belongs to that bunch of bullies. What a bad day it is! Why is this Raven Rain taking so long?

Meanwhile, I was waiting; I could not help but overhear the conversation between Shorty and her friends, not because I wanted to, but because they were being too loud. 

She began to hand out files to the students who were at the first table and said, "You guys have potential. I have edited it and this time, the professor will surely accept your play." 

Then, she proceeded to a girl and said, "Blunder, a huge blunder; were you sleeping when you wrote the essay? Or did you want me to write the whole thing?" 

"You know I am not very good." The girl pursed her lips and said,.

"50$" Shorty placed her hand forward; the girl chuckled, placed the cash and left. 

Shorty slipped the notes in the pockets of her tote bag and turned to another girl. "Yours was comparatively better; I didn't have to make many changes. Good job." She handed her another file. 

"Hey, Rav, what have you done?" A girl with blond hair rushed to her and asked, throwing a bound bunch of papers, "Professor Sara..." She mumbled, holding her breath, and together with her, the other students held air. 

"What? Professor Sara…?" Shorty asked, raising her eyes, placing her hand on her waist and casually leaning against the table. 

"Yeah, she cried. What heartbreaking stuff did you write?" She asked, and a tiny smile appeared on her face; however, Shorty's bright smile vanished, and she turned to the table, facing it only an inch away. 

"Read it and you will know." She straightened her back and began to walk away. She appeared to be serious but the students going through their files and chatting with their friends didn't notice. 

However, before she could leave, a fresher blocked her way and asked, showing her a piece of paper, "What do you think of this poem?" It seems they knew each other well, unlike her friends from before. 

"Hmph, it's good. I will talk to Richard and get you on the list of writers for this month's anthology." She said this, appearing to be impressed. Seeing her face change so quickly, I concluded that she was good at pretending. 

"Richard? I heard he is the coldest of all editors. Will he accept something from the science department?" He asked. Before she could speak, the blond girl jumped into the conversation and said, "Don't you know, Raven is Richard's melting point. He can even publish your book under his publishing company only if she asks." 

It seems like Richard is her boyfriend. For some reason, I felt a kind of disappointment. I don't know why I expected her to be single. I must have gone crazy from starvation. 

"Don't exaggerate. And you... don't say this. I am from Business department, yet I hold a good position in the club. Our club is fair to everyone." She said. 

"Raven, what do you think of my first chapter?" Another lad approached her. 

She began to scan the document. Wait…did he? I flipped the sheet and read the name 'Raven Rain'. He called her.

I walked up to her, and meanwhile, she was engrossed in the content along with her friends. I stood behind her and cleared my throat. 

"Raven Rain…" I called her name. 

"Wait a minute." As soon as she said, my anger reached the peak of the mountains. Not because she ignored me, but because this Shorty was the person for whom I had been waiting for the past few hours. She saw her name, but unlike the young lad who gave me the idea, she didn't run to me. 

Besides, so many of her acquaintances passed by and yet none of them told me that she was standing right there. How odd are the kids these days. 

"Raven, how is it?" The guy was eager to know her opinion. "Masterpiece! Keep it up, and you can get there." She encouraged him and stepped forward to leave after handing him the papers back. 

"Raven Rain!" I growled. She spoke, "I am busy this weekend; is it an essay?" She turned and asked, but then her eyes froze upon seeing me, crumbling the paper of her name. 

"You all go ahead." She turned to her friends and said it in a nice tone. "Are you okay?" The blond girl asked, worried as if I would eat her friend. 

"I am completely fine." She said it, giggling. 

"Do you know this person? Should I call Richard?" The annoying blonde girl questioned. 

"Selena. Leave." Her voice was straight and clear. Reluctantly, the three people left her. I glanced behind my back and noticed that the other students had already left for their classes. 

I breathed in relief; I could talk normally and directly with her. She turned to me and asked, "What's your problem?" 

"Is your college illiterate? Can't they even read your name here? I have been standing for so long." I began to complain. 

"You wrote in Mandarin." She folded her arms and threw her words like a bowling ball. 

"Um..I…thought…" I couldn't explain myself. Why in the world would I do that? I must have lost my mind for real this time. I should stop my classes. 

"Your father is in the city, and he wants me to pick you up." I regained my composure, seeing no response from her and informed her. 

"You could have said that. Why make a fuss?" She said as she headed to the car and sat in the front passenger seat. She was so weird. I still feel like I got the wrong person. Uncle William is one of the most well-known wealthy investors. How could his daughter be dressed like that? Why is she doing work to earn petty cash?