How to read between the lines

Chapter 1. When two worlds meet

They say life happens when you're busy making other things. But what they do not tell you is that when you do face your weaknesses rising above them, you don't just get on the top of your game in the blink of an eye. And fighting through against all odds can be challenging at times, which is how Christina was feeling right now. She didn't know what to do.

Everything was all over the place. Since she was given the opportunity to go abroad to her dream school, she just couldn't shake this feeling. She should be happy, shouldn't she? But truth be told, she had never felt this lonely. Despite not having any reason to, she still did so. Hence why she had come to the only place that reminded her of home, of who she really was.

It was an unspoilt, tranquil spot that nearly seemed as though it was desolate, as a result of the peaceful feeling that was conquering there. An enormous, corpulent tree was towering over her, the bottom of which she was sitting at. She had always been mesmerized by this picturesque scenery in front of her. It was the mixture of houses lying far away with bustling noises of people going about their day and the serenity of nature that made you go back so you could fall in love with it all over again.

It was surreal, really. Time stood still in our constantly moving world, taking an ephemeral moment to be present before life could go on. A place hidden from prying eyes, only for the observant to be found, as it wasn't on any map.

It had a soft spot in her heart as it was a far cry from ubiquitous, more precisely was one sole point of stability, the hiraeth of her childhood. She used to come here with her sister when they got into a fight with their mother. If only she could rewind time...

No sooner had she heard herself screaming from the abrupt interruption than her mind caught up and took in the "intruder".

"Gosh, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry, it wasn't my intention," he apologized. At the same time, Christina looked at him, stunned. His outfit was... interesting, to say the least. He was wearing a white baseball cap, paired with oval-shaped sunglasses exposing only half of his face. It was something you would only wear if you were some Hollywood star being ready to greet their fans, or rather the opposite: to hide from them. However it may be, it had her smiling a little to herself.

"I didn't know that anyone knew about this place," he said after a while.

She scooted over so he could sit down beside her.

"It's actually my spot. I come here often when I don't feel like living in the real world," she stated, letting the nostalgic feeling wash over her.

"A thinking spot, huh? I know the feeling. The world just gets too loud sometimes."

She couldn't hold back the following question, "Is that why you're dressed like this?" It made him smile a quirky smile that made Christina pretty sure he was handsome underneath that masquerade.

"Well, I can assure you I have my reasons." That wasn't the answer she was expecting but whatever, it was none of her business after all. "And how about you? What has you coming here?" he asked inquisitively.

"Have you ever felt like you were playing a cat and mouse game with fate, and whatever you did you couldn't escape it?" The question burst out of her mouse as if it had only been waiting for an opportunity to do so.

"That's what my life is all about." That statement held more exasperation than his voice let on, although somehow Christina could relate to it.

"Ok, so we're both fed up with something. Cool. How about we talk about something else?" requested Christina.

"Like what?"

Before the girl could have answered, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Without even looking at it in advance, she knew what she would be faced with. The irritation got the best of her immediately.