A tree, a tall tree with sturdy brown trunk that splits into several branches. Its dense, vibrant green foliage is bushy and full, looking lush and healthy , and a bird's nest neatly woven, made with twigs and branches, sitting on a sturdy tree branch.
Two small birds with black white and yellow feathers are standing on the edge of the nest, feeding their two small chicks. One looks fully healthy and the other one is a little smaller than the other one, looks a little sick and not that energetic.
This is a lovely and calm scene. Mia lips turns into a faint smile while looking at this sight, she said in joking manner -
"Ohh... What a lovely family, but I didn't think that a person who acts like "I don't care" is always looking at something like this"
Paul replied, a little irritated, "Get away from me, now that you've seen it."
Mia lifted her hand from Paul's chair and desk, taking a few steps back she slightly staggered on the bench and said-
"Ok ok you don't have to be so cold about it, I'm very good at keeping secrets you know? I won't tell anyone about this, but.. I have a condition."
Paul didn't reply and stood up from his seat and started walking to buy lunch from the cafeteria. Completely ignoring her and the words she just said. As he was walking he noticed that classroom is fully empty there's no person in his sight, also hallway is silent too, as he reached the door to exist the classroom, he stopped.. and turned back feeling little irritated and said, "Why the fuck.. are you following now for..?"
Mia replied faintly with a little troubled expression on her face, trying not to look into Paul's eyes, "We..ll... didn't I... said that.. I have a... condition.."
As she looked up she met with Paul's cold eyes, she turned her face down again looking at her shoes, and Paul turned back and walked outside the classroom then he again heard the voice of Mia again, "I forgot money at home today, and I'm feeling really hungry, you know…?"
Paul stopped and continued listening, not knowing why?
"I woke up late an.. and haven't eaten a breakfast too... and also I'll pay back the money tomorrow."
After listening Paul started walking, and he heard the last faint voice but it sounded very clear to him.
"I'll be waiting at the usual spot."
As Paul reached the cafeteria he saw the place was full as always, with students chatting about their life, which new movie came out etc. etc. Paul ignored them and walked near the counter, there's a man taking orders from students. He is wearing a light-blue shirt, folded and black colored pants, and a light brown color apron to not get himself dirty while serving food. He looked around his mid 20s, medium sized black hair little curly, clean shaved, his face always looks bright and energetic, and his facial features are well enough that Paul always have heard slight whisper from girls about asking this man out, while entering and exiting the cafeteria, but all in all, Paul couldn't care less, but...
As he reached the counter the man noticed him and walked to his side, since there's no other person nearby the counter, with a faint smile on his lips like greeting, he said, "One orange juice and two veg sandwiches."
But this is the person Paul has talked to the most after he started coming to this jail.. No, maybe he is in second place now after Paul's talk with Mia, combining yesterday and today.
Paul glanced at the man, didn't care if this man remembered what he always orders and said calmly, "Make it double."
The man nodded lightly and bent down slightly and took out the sandwiches. To his left was the refrigerator, he opened the door and took out two orange juice, and put everything inside a small plastic bag, and placed it in front of Paul while saying, "not eating alone today, are ya? "
Paul scanned the QR code with his phone and paid for the food. While grabbing the plastic bag he replied, "Something like that."
The man smiled faintly and Paul exited the cafeteria, holding the plastic bag in his right hand and walking in the hallways towards his usual place, where he eats his lunch normally, thinking "Why did I buy it..? Shiii.. she is clearly lying." He looked up slightly "you're seeing this too, aren't you..? Don't have anything to say about this.. Tch.. just gonna see what I'll do, but what if..."
But what if she wasn't lying and telling the truth? What if she really hasn't eaten her breakfast today?Although Paul doesn't want to admit it to himself, that he also has this side of him, why? He himself doesn't know.
He always acts like "I don't care" and a short tampered type but those who are close to him… he really cares for them, but…. Why her?
He doesn't know her, does he? He has only talked to her a few times, he can count that in one hand, and she was asking him to buy lunch? Isn't this too absurd...? This could only happen in imaginations or dreams.
Paul has also noticed one thing about her, whenever he hears her voice or sees her or when she is around him, he feels something different. He couldn't explain that feeling into words alone.. He reminds himself again that, "she is dangerous."
But what he feels isn't danger but "FEAR" which is also not regular fear but something different.
As Paul was pondering these thoughts, he arrived near the metal bench and saw Mia sitting alone, looking towards the front. The playground, where most of the students were chatting with their friends. Paul silently took the seat beside her, clearly making the distance and took out one orange juice and a sandwich from a plastic bag and placed the remaining in the center of both. As he took a bite of the sandwich, he slightly glanced sideways to his left, towards Mia. He saw that she was still looking at the playground like she was lost in some endless sea of thoughts, Paul doesn't know what she was thinking, he said lightly,
"Hey."
Mia came back from her endless sea of thoughts, little startled by Paul's sudden voice , "Huh..! What..?"
"Here" ,said Paul, taking another bite of sandwich, looking at the playground.
Mia looked beside her and saw a plastic bag with little anticipation as she checked what was inside, with a smile on her face she took out one fruit juice and a sandwich and said, "I didn't thought, you'd really buy it for me."
Paul, eating his sandwich, replied, still looking at the playground, "I'm taking back my money though."
Mia also took a bite and said "Yeh yeh , I'll give it back, don't ya worry."
As both eating their lunch , there's a sweet silent followed around them, the sun shines bright but it doesn't feels hot, the few trees behind them dancing slowly in the slow wind, faint sound reaching them from playground, it's just per... but Paul soon broke it while sipping the orange juice, "You live alone?"
Mia while eating replied - "Ya?"
"Where?"
"Verta."
"Verta?" Paul thought slightly, he is sure he heard this name before, he asked his voice sounds a little confused - "Verta?"
"Yeah..."
She seemed pretty clear, but when she looked at Paul, she added, "Uh... you might not know, it's Drayden... Drayden streets? Verta is like his second name or something. My mom mentioned that when I was little. Only a few people call it though."
"What about your parents? Like your father or mother?" Paul asked again casually.
Mia turned her head towards Paul, while sipping the juice, "They both live overseas, but why you asking?"
Paul didn't reply back and finished his lunch, and stood up ready to leave, to walk towards his class.
Seeing him get up and about to leave, Mia quickly finished her last sip of juice, and asked, "Why was Varsha staring at you in class?" She has been wondering about that from the start.
"That's none of your matter." And he left for the classroom.
________
Few hours back - 9 :00 AM
Almost two kilometres away from Liam's rental house in some small cafe.
Simon sat in white colored wooden chair sipping his black tea , taking his time while looking outside the big glass windows, like he was searching or observing someone. Outside the cafe on the streets there are many people going for their jobs, some students going to their universities, still the streets don't look very crowded. He could see opposite the streets, shopkeepers opening the shutters of their stores, and some are already opened, small restaurant for eating your morning breakfasts and a big metal gate, light grey in color which clearly looks like it's fading his luster because old age, some scratch and rusty marks are clearly visible, inside was few houses for bachelor.
All in all nothing seems out of the place.