Chapter 3 THE MEMORIES
Liana kicked her door shut with her heel, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she danced her way inside. A soft pop song blasted from her phone speaker, something upbeat and sugary, the type of music that made her sway her hips without thinking.
She dropped her designer purse on the bed and hummed along, pulling open the wardrobe. One by one, she arranged her clothes: color-coded tops, neatly folded skirts, coats hung with military precision.
"Perfect" she said, stepping back to admire her work.
She swayed again, humming into a hairbrush like it was a microphone. The chandelier lights reflected off her bracelets as she moved, completely in her world.
Then the door clicked.
Liana paused mid-spin.
A girl walked in quietly, wearing an oversized hoodie and black jeans. Headphones covered her ears, and her gaze was glued to the floor. She closed the door gently behind her, almost too gently, like she was trying not to disturb the air.
When she finally looked up, she froze.
Liana grinned instantly. "My roomie is finally here! I’m Liana"
The girl blinked, slowly pulling off her headphones. She didn’t smile nor frown. She simply stared like she was unsure whether to stay or run.
Then she gave a small nod and walked to the bed on the right side of the room.
Liana tilted her head. "What’s your name?"
The girl sat down, fingers gripping the edge of her hoodie sleeve. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.
"Raina"
Liana’s smile widened. "Raina. Cute name"
Raina muttered something that sounded like "Thanks" and started removing her books from her backpack, placing them neatly on her desk without looking up again.
Liana watched her for a moment, hands on her hips.
Opposites. Total opposites.
Loud and quiet.
Sunshine and shadow.
But Liana’s grin only grew brighter.
This was going to be interesting.
•••
Anya unpacked slowly, placing her folded clothes on the small shelf beside her bed. Every sound in the room made her flinch a little.
Katya and the other two girls, Olga and Daria, sat huddled together on Katya’s bed, their faces lit by the glow of a tablet screen.
Soft moans drifted through the room.
Olga giggled loudly. "Oh my God, look at how he is grabbing her"
Daria fanned herself dramatically. "This part always kills me. He is so rough"
Katya smirked. "Please. I’ve had better"
Olga looked over her shoulder at Anya. "Wanna join?"
Anya quickly shook her head. "No... I’m fine"
Katya rolled her eyes. "Boring"
The room erupted in laughter again, none of them paying attention to her anymore.
Anya tried to continue arranging her toiletries, but the explicit sounds made her hands shake. She kept her eyes on her drawer, trying to block everything out.
Then the door opened.
A tall guy stepped inside like he belonged there. Hoodie, ripped jeans, messy hair. Katya immediately perked up.
"Babe!" she squealed, jumping off the bed and wrapping her arms around him. She kissed him intensely, right in front of everyone.
Olga and Daria giggled.
Anya froze. Her fingers tightened around the small bottle of lotion she was holding.
A man in the room, this close.
Her throat tightened painfully.
The guy’s gaze slid lazily across the room… and landed on her.
He didn’t even look away. His eyes dragged over her figure slowly, like he was assessing something.
Anya’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her lungs felt too tight. Her palms grew damp.
Her vision blurred at the edges and she couldn’t breathe.
She stepped back from her bed, then again, then again. Her chest was rising too fast, her breaths too shallow.
Katya detached from her boyfriend long enough to give Anya an annoyed look. "Relax. It’s just Mikhail"
Just.
Just a man in a woman's hostel room.
Anya couldn’t hear anything else.
She grabbed her phone with trembling hands and slipped out of the room without a word. The hallway felt too narrow and the walls felt too close. Her breathing came in quick, sharp gasps as she pushed past a group of laughing girls and stumbled out of the building entirely.
Cold air hit her face like a slap.
She didn’t stop until she reached a small, quiet garden tucked behind one of the academic buildings. It was empty, shaded by tall pines and dotted with stone benches.
She sat down.
Her hands were still shaking.
She curled forward, elbows on her knees, trying to steady her breath. The rustling leaves and distant campus chatter felt muffled, as if she were underwater.
She closed her eyes tightly.
'Just breathe.
Just breathe.
You are safe.
No one is touching you.
No one is looking at you.
You are safe'
But the trembling wouldn’t stop.
And she hated that her past still owned her body like this.
She wiped her face with the back of her hand, still trying to steady her breathing.
Then she noticed it.
A pair of glowing yellow eyes watching her from behind a cluster of bushes.
A black cat.
Small and beautiful… and staring at her with an almost human curiosity.
Her chest loosened.
She crouched slowly. "Hi there" she whispered.
The cat stepped out, tail high, as if it had been waiting for her.
Anya’s heart softened immediately. She had always loved cats.
She reached out her hands, and to her surprise, the cat walked right into them. She scooped him up carefully, holding him against her chest.
He meowed softly, nuzzling her fingers.
"Cute little cat," she murmured, smiling a little. "Where’s your owner?"
She looked around.
The garden was empty.
Or… she thought it was.
Because in the space of a blink, the warmth in her arms disappeared.
A strong hand snatched the cat from her grip so fast she gasped. She stumbled back, her heart leaping into her throat. Her gaze rose slowly, tracing the solid shape in front of her.
A broad chest.
A black hoodie stretched over a hard, imposing build.
Dark hair falling over a sharply defined forehead.
His eyes dark, piercing and merciless.
He looked like someone carved from night itself.
The coldness in his expression made her stomach drop.
He held the cat protectively against him and looked down at it.
"Did she hurt you?" he asked, voice low, dangerous.
The cat made a tiny sound, and his jaw tightened. He shifted his glare to Anya, hatred flickering so vividly she froze in place.
"I… I didn’t…" she whispered. "I wasn’t hurting him. I just…"
She didn’t finish.
He grabbed her wrist.
His grip was iron, unmovable. Pain shot up her arm so violently she cried out.
"Stop… please… you’re hurting—"
He twisted it.
Anya screamed, her knees nearly buckling. His expression didn’t soften. If anything, he looked fascinated amused. Like he enjoyed the sound of her pain.
"No one touches shadow except me" he said.
He shoved her hard and Anya hit the ground, her ankle twisting beneath her. A sharp bolt of agony shot through her leg. She tried to move but the pain only grew worse.
"Please…" Her voice trembled. "I didn’t know… please… stop…"
He took a slow step toward her.
"Stay away!" she cried, scooting back on the grass, her palms scraping the rough ground.
He kept coming.
Step by step.
Her vision blurred, she didn’t see him anymore.
She saw her uncle instead.
His face, his hand, his evil smile.
Her breaths became erratic. The world spun. Every memory slammed into her all at once.
"No… no… don’t…" she screamed.
Her body couldn’t handle it.
Darkness swallowed her whole.
And she passed out on the cold grass.