It was already around three in the afternoon when I was done with the assignment. I got the hang of it after a while. I even helped Laura with her handout. I got to admit, I felt superior. Also, I will never stop saying this but… Take that, Professor Owens! Take that, this specific part of calculus that I surprisingly found easy! Isabella Sinclair is superior! Let me have this victory, dear readers.

I put the finished handout back into my file case and placed it back into my bag. I walked to the window and drew back the curtain. It started raining again only a few minutes ago.

“I wish I can have coffee again,” I sighed and pouted, “I can’t have more than one cup. Otherwise, I’d feel guilty.”

My phone vibrated, indicating a message. My eyes widened when I realized Kaiden had already texted me so many times. I quickly opened his messages and scanned every message.

'Hey, are you okay?'

'I’m sorry, I was just making Professor Owens’ assignment.' I replied.

'I thought something bad happened again. I sensed something unusual earlier today.'

'When? I mean, nothing happened. Nothing bad, anyway.'

'It was a presence. Did you meet anyone before lunch?'

I furrowed my eyebrows. 'Not really… I mean, apart from Professor Owens’ assistant.'

'The woman you saw yesterday? Isabella, I have to tell you something. Would it be okay if we meet?'

I looked up from my phone, staring at nothing. I fought the urge to smile. 'Sure. I’ll meet you at the park.'

'Oh, I’m, uh…actually already here.'

'What?!'

I could feel my heart start to beat faster and stronger against my chest. I swear, it’s not my caffeine problem that’s going to kill me, it’s my social anxiety. I quickly grabbed my umbrella then dashed out the door.

The rain died down a little. I didn’t really have much time to walk when it rains. Usually, the rain would stop when class is over. For the duration of time I walked to the park, my anxiety was eased. Which was good because any more of that and I might faint again.

I saw Kaiden waiting for me at the shed I stayed in earlier today, typing with his phone in one hand and holding his umbrella in the other. I rushed to him, thinking he probably waited long.

“Isabella!” he smiled when he saw me enter the shed, stuffing his phone into his jeans pocket. “Tell me what transpired between you and Ester.”

“You… know Professor Owens’ assistant?”

He walked out of the shed and offered we talk while we walked. It was still raining a bit so we opened both our umbrellas and we walked as I told him what happened between me and Ester. He listened intently, nodding and laughing when I told him about how uncomfortable I was about the surprise visit.

“Can I look at the pouch she gave you?” he asked.

I shook my head lightly. “I didn’t bring it with me. But I will bring it to school on Monday so I can show it to Miss Sirius, I guess.”

“Okay, but does it have a stone inside?”

“I think it does.”

He stopped walking, making me stop as well. I looked back to him and he looked like he was thinking.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I muttered as I grinned.

He looked up and met my eyes. Seeing the grin on my face made him smile. “Do you really have to do that?” he resumed walking. “You do have to know… Professor Owens never had an assistant.”

“H-huh? But… if that wasn’t… what?!” I said, confused. “But I clearly saw her. She even saw me. Even you saw her!”

“That’s because I can see ghosts.”

My eyes widened and I grabbed his arm, making us pause once more. “What do you mean ghost?” I asked.

“A… spiritual entity?” he replied, amused.

I turned to him and squeezed his shoulder as I looked up at him. “You’re telling me I saw a ghost?!”

The fear that came from the realization that I might have seen a ghost was certainly visible in my eyes. Kaiden must have seen this and he smiled even wider. When he nodded, I let go of him and stood in place, staring at the empty corner up ahead. He burst out laughing and threw his arm around my shoulders, snapping me back from my thoughts.

“Don’t worry” he said, still laughing. “She’s not malevolent. She just seems to tail Professor Owens a lot recently, I just don’t know why. The Professor doesn’t see her. If he does, perhaps he simply doesn’t acknowledge her presence.”

“I saw him writing something she was pointing at the other day.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Then, I guess he can see her, too.”

I tilted my head, puzzled. “How do you know her, anyway? Did she ever speak to you as well?”

“She gave me a pouch with a stone in it and told me to give it to Angeline Sirius,” I noticed he started to get a little excited, as if he always wanted to tell the story to anyone but couldn’t until now, “Miss Sirius told me I was a human after she looked at the stone.”

“Well, aren’t you?” I said, chuckling.

He chuckled as well. “I have to tell you, she looked very disappointed. Then I thought: ‘are there other beings present aside from humans?’”

“I guess that kind of implies she’s looking for something else.”

“Yes, exactly!” he exclaimed, giddy, “And you’re probably one of them!”

I rolled my eyes and smiled. “I already know what you’re about to ask.”

He reached for my shoulder and made me face him. He leaned closer to me until our faces were only inches apart. His warm, hazel eyes were sparkling. They were the most beautiful eyes I’ve seen; so expressive, so warm, and so passionate. I always saw his eyes sparkle with delight whenever we discussed anything, or whenever he taught me something new about everything he loved. I found myself holding my breath and I exhaled lightly. When I breathed in, I caught a whiff of his scent. His smell was so nostalgic. It made me think of chocolate, walking by the beach... and sipping coffee in the rain. It gave me comfort.

The sparkle in his eyes faded and he pulled away, averting his gaze. I turned the other way, my hand on my chest, feeling my heart beat so fast.

“S-sorry about that,” he muttered.

“I-It’s fine” I replied. “I-I’ll just tell you what the result will be.”

“O-okay. Thanks.”

After a really long moment of silence, he told me he’d take me home and I agreed. The walk home was really silent but neither of us wanted to break the tension. When we reached the apartment, he apologized for what happened again, averted his gaze, and then waved goodbye, almost running away as he did so.