I stepped out onto the terrace, my fingers curling around the cold barricade as I glanced down at the hard ground far below. Then I looked up — the roof above was just a sheet of iron, rusted and punctured with tiny holes I hadn't noticed the last time I was here. Soft rays of light streamed through them like little fragments of hope.
"It's strange how the mind works," I thought. "Not long ago, I felt like I was becoming something dark… something I couldn't even understand. A monster. But now, here in this silence, I feel calm. Cool. Almost… safe."
"It's like you enjoy being alone, watching the wind dance through the air," a deep, calm voice said from behind me. I turned slowly to see who it was.
"It's him..." I whispered under my breath, quickly looking away as my mind scrambled for what to do next.
"I was just about to leave," I said, trying to walk past him.
"Do I scare you?" Liam asked, his voice low and steady.
I glanced at him, then dropped my gaze again. "I... Ye—yes... I mean, no. I should really go," I stammered, stepping forward—
But he reached out and held my hand.
Suddenly, my whole body froze. His touch sent a cool wave through me, like a breeze that silenced every thought. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I just stood there, eyes locked on his.
"You know… you have the prettiest eyes," he said softly.
"Rea—lly?" I replied, caught off guard. As soon as the word left my mouth, I snapped myself back to reality and quickly pulled my hand from his.
"Chill, Mia… I just want to talk," he said, his voice calm.
"You know my name?" I asked, surprised. "I mean… of course you would, I must have—" I paused. I didn't even know what I was trying to say. The moment was awkward, confusing.
"Since the day you arrived, I don't know… I just felt like I've seen you before. But I can't quite place where," he said.
"Yeah... I feel the same," I admitted. "Your hair, your eyes… your pink lips… your—" I stopped myself, flustered. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have—"
"It's fine," he said, smiling. A smile that somehow sent chills racing down my spine.
"Maybe we have a connection," he added.
"What kind of connection?" I asked, cautiously.
"I don't know… What do you think?" he replied, his gaze fixed on me.
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. His eyes were too intense, too knowing—like he was searching for something hidden deep inside me.
"I… I don't know. It just feels familiar, like we've lived this moment before," I whispered.
He took a small step closer. "Maybe we have. Maybe it's not our first time meeting… just the first time remembering."
His words echoed in my mind like a riddle. "Are you saying we've met in another life?"
He shrugged slightly, but his gaze never left mine. "Stranger things have happened, Mia. And sometimes, the soul remembers what the mind forgets."
A cold breeze swept past us, brushing my hair over my shoulder. I shivered—not just from the wind, but from the strange feeling rising in my chest.
"Who are you, really?" I asked.
Liam gave a faint smirk. "Let's just say... I'm someone who's been waiting a long time to find you."
My breath caught. I couldn't tell if I was afraid—or drawn to him even more. Either way, I knew this was only the beginning.
"What do you mean by that... I—"
"Sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable... I didn't mean to," he said, his voice softer now.
"No, Liam... it's okay," I replied. Saying his name out loud sent a flutter through my chest.
He stepped closer and gently took my hands in his. A shiver ran through me the moment our skin touched. We stood there, locked in each other's gaze, silence thick between us, yet saying more than words could.
"The other night… I saw you," he began, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Mia!!" Cecilia's voice suddenly cut through the moment like a blade.
She came rushing up to us, her eyes wide with concern. Liam quickly let go of my hands, stepping back.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you," Cecilia said, grabbing my arm. She glanced between the two of us, clearly sensing the tension.
"I was just... talking to Liam," I murmured.
Cecilia's eyes narrowed slightly, then she forced a smile. "Well, you can talk later. We really need to go."
As she pulled me away, I looked back at Liam. He was still watching me, that same mysterious look in his eyes… like he knew something I didn't. Like he wasn't done with me yet.
"Girl… what was that all about?" Cecilia asked, pulling me down the stairs with a playful smirk.
"Nothing much… I—"
"You better take things slow. You're fast," she teased, nudging me. "Hope Jennie doesn't get a whiff of this."
"It was just a simple conversation," I said, brushing it off, though my heart was still racing.
"Well, that 'simple conversation' might not be over anytime soon," she said, tightening her grip on my arm. "Because Mr. Johnny just announced the new groupings—you, Liam, and Josephine are together."
"What? Seriously?" I exclaimed, stopping for a second.
"Yeah, lucky you," she replied with a half-jealous grin. "Guess who I got stuck with? Jennie."
"Oof," I muttered.
"Anyway, the project details come out tomorrow. Be ready," she said as we continued walking. The sky was starting to dim, casting a soft orange hue over the compound.
My mind wasn't on the project, though. It was replaying Liam's gaze, his words… and now Josephine? What was this group going to bring?
"Liam… Josephine… and me," I whispered under my breath, a strange feeling creeping into my chest as we headed toward the quarters.