My Darling I am no More

chapter 18 Facing the Past again

Eliza emerged from the train and searched for Alice. After a while, she called her, and they met outside the station to avoid the crowd. Alice was overjoyed to see Eliza and hugged her tightly. Alice was excited about their reunion and the possibility of becoming in-laws because of Mary (Alice's older sister) and Adam (Eliza's older brother).

Eliza, however, was eager to get to the university and relax. She was tired and had to settle into her dorm room. Four girls shared a room, so everyone had to be mindful of keeping things organized to avoid clutter and complaints. Even though Alice mentioned that Mary and her parents wanted to see Eliza, Eliza declined. Classes started tomorrow, and staying at their house would make her late. After class, she had to unpack, which would be tiring in itself. Alice understood her situation and didn't pressure her further.

Alice's family was wealthy, and she drove aunique sports car. While she didn't like to show off, she couldn't resist nice cars. Her parents and sister always spoiled her with new cars for her birthday. Today, she arrived in another unique sports car. They reached the university, and Alice helped Eliza with her things. Together, they filled out the necessary forms and headed to Eliza's assigned room. Since Alice was female and helping Eliza, they were allowed to have a family member or helper accompany the new student.

When Eliza and Alice entered the room,the door was already open. Inside, three girls were already there. Greetings were exchanged, and Eliza found her bed. Eliza and Alice began unpacking Eliza's belongings. Each student had a cabinet to store their things. All of Eliza's roommates seemed decent but wealthier than her. One girl, Daisy, had a tomboyish vibe. Another, Clara, seemed lost in her books. The last one, Emily, came across as arrogant and princess-like. None of them were bad; they just preferred their own company. In her past life, Eliza had the same roommates, and they never bothered each other;everyone was preoccupied with their own world.

After unpacking, Alice suggested getting lunch. Eliza also invited her roommates, wanting to make new friends and enjoy her youth this time around, something she missed in her past life. Lunch helped Eliza bond with her roommates. After a while, Alice left. Eliza and her roommates finished unpacking, helping each other along the way. In the evening, they went to dinner together. Eliza discovered that Clara, like her, was a law student. Eliza then remembered seeing Clara in class in her past life, though they never spoke much. Clara eventually left the university,and since they weren't close, Eliza never learned the reason. The other roommates were surprised to learn Eliza was a law student. Her cool and stylish clothes, influenced by Hazel and her past experiences, made her seem more like an art student. They were genuinely surprised at how easy it was for Eliza to make friends. Eliza couldn't believe it either. Why hadn't she tried this in her past life? She realized how much she had neglected herself.

The next morning, Eliza woke up early for a jog. When she returned, Daisy and Emily were still asleep. Clara, however, was reading. They decided to go to the canteen together for breakfast and bring back food for Daisy and Emily, asking them their preferences. With the early hour, the canteen wasn't crowded. They got their breakfast and ordered for their roommates. On their way back to the dorm, Eliza thought she saw Maria. Maybe she was mistaken, but she couldn't forget Maria at all. Regardless, she knew she would see Maria and her ex-crush, or fiancé, you could say.

Back in the room, Daisy and Emily were ready. Emily suggested visiting the beautiful university pond. Clara declined, worried about being late for class. She packed her things and asked Eliza to join her. With the knowledge from her past life, Eliza wasn't too worried about missing some studies. She told Clara she'd go to class a little later. Clara then headed to class, and Eliza, Daisy, and Emily went to see the pond.

The pond was indeed beautiful, surrounded by tall, green willow trees that hung over the water's surface. Green lily pads dotted the surface, and ducks and geese swam nearby. It was a peaceful and scenic spot, perfect for relaxation, if not for the crowd. After a while, Eliza noticed it getting late. She said goodbye to her friends and headed towards her department. As she approached the classroom, she saw the professor entering and greeted him before following him inside.

Upon entering the classroom, her heart started to race. It had been calm moments ago. Slowly, Eliza's gaze lifted, and there he was, sitting in the last seat – the handsome Arthur Morales, her ex-fiancé from her past life. Arthur had a clean-cut appearance, with barely any facial hair. His light skin gave him a unique and striking look. His gentlepink lips contrasted softly against his pale complexion. Overall, he looked polished and undeniably attractive. His sharp, narrow eyes gave off a serious vibe, their deep green color adding to his air of mystery. His dark hair was styled in a messy way, tousled locks framing his face and forehead, contributing to his cool and stylish persona. He appeared younger than Eliza remembered from her past life.

However, this time around, Eliza wasn't fazed by his looks. She simply chuckled to herself, remembering her naivety in her past life.  She looked down and walked towards the empty seat in the back, the one next to Arthur. He remained oblivious, not even looking up. Unlike her past life, Eliza decided against greeting him.