I was in the bus travelling to college when I received the text massage from Zen which made me anxious and fright. The more we have to hide, the more we have to fright….. I knew it perfectly.

The girl who goes to the same college as mine was standing in front row of the bus. My eyes caught her beautiful figure with her fancy clothes. The short red sleeveless blouse which has revealed her navel a bit with the tight black short skirt revealing the creamy legs attracting the male eyes of the bus were actually magical. Even in the eyes of woman she was beautiful…what else to say from man’s point of view!!!

Then I looked at my clothes. A pair of nylon ash jean with a baggy white long T-shirt gave me a pathetic feeling secretly within me. I looked away from the window.

I sighed…

These clothes were my selections and live without fashion was my choice after all. I sighed. The desires of being so attractive and girlish have been already abandoned by me because I didn’t want to get highlighted among people. I always wanted to hide myself and not get popular among anyone.

‘Passing massage: Bring your swimming clothes’

I stared at the text massage again and I sighed. In fact, I didn’t have a kit of swimming with me because I never went for swimming revealing my body. I have seen how the girls at my age wearing skinny bikinis and floating in water but I didn’t have any choice to select what I like because I had things to hide in my body. Truthfully, I didn’t know how to swim.

‘Beep……….beep………..beep……….’

I wondered with the ringing. It was Dr. Dean in this early morning.

“Jina! Can I see you today?” I heard her voice from the other end.

“I am sorry doctor. I am on the way to college. Today we have a camping outing” I said politely refusing her words.

“Oh! I see!”

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” I asked when I felt that she wanted to tell me something.

“Yes, of course”

“Please go ahead. I am in the bus and it’s comfortable to listen to you” I heard she was sighing to the phone once which made me bit nervous

“Jina! Throughout the last weeks, I spent my time for investigations with various books and in the internet regarding your matter. There was no single case like this unfortunately to get an idea. But………” she stopped

“But?”

“In fact, you might laugh at me if I say so”

“No, I will not” I assured.

“I found something like this in a fairytale book” I straightened myself in the seat again.

“What is it?”

“It’s a very old book which has been written twenty years ago. The writer named as Ande Nezler. I looked everywhere and asked with so many publishers regarding the author. They said it was the only book he wrote. And specially, he has never revealed his face. He has used to wear a mask when he came to meet them. They said he was a mysterious writer. This book has sold more than five times of publishing in those days like hot foods. The name of the book is ‘The Birthmark”

“The birthmark?” I repeated.

“Yes. I got the book since the name is related to our matter and for my surprise it amazed me revealing some facts. I just turned few pages and need to read the rest as soon as possible but I am so busy these days, so I couldn’t.”

She made me curious at this time. I got the details from where she bought it and decided to buy the book and read it by myself.

“I am not good for story telling darling. Sorry…” When I asked her to narrate the story to me she responded like that.

“It’s alright doctor. I will buy the book. The camping will be held near to the place which you said. After reading the book I will see you” I said confidently.

“Jina!”

“Yes”

“Just remember, it’s a fairy-tale book”

“That’s what makes sense to me” I disconnected the line answering her like that. I wonder what kind of book was that. Things which were happening in my life were not anything else but a fairy-tale….

……………………………………….

“Jina! Are you avoiding me?”

Throughout the journey towards the camping site, I was alone at the college bus. In fact, Zen came late and I have already sat next to another girl in our class. But as usual, I was silent. While travelling to the rest house with our small baggage, I heard his voice behind me. I stopped and turned back to him. Letting other students to pass ourselves, he remained in silent.

“I am not” I said shortly. Truthfully, after I met Mira I got this strange feeling. Noticing their couple necklaces and the way they behave as so close have made me to think that I should keep a distance with him without creating issues between them because of me.

“Even you didn’t reply my text massage” he said looking at me.

“I am sorry, I got a phone call at that time and then I forgot to reply. In fact, I have not bought a swimming kit Zen because I can’t swim” he remained looking at me blankly.

“Let’s walk to the rest room” he said finally sighing to the air. We both stepped towards the rest house slowly. I felt that he was in deep thoughts while walking.

“I met Mira last week” I said trying to break the silence.

“I know” Oh!!! She must have told it to her boyfriend.

“How do you know? Did she tell you?”

“Yes”

“Both of you are a good match” I said without looking at him while entering to the rest house. I sensed that I was feeling bit down when I said so but I didn’t know the back reason for these thoughts then. He stopped his feet.

“What makes you think like that?” he asked again with blank expressions. I just noticed that he was not looking so good. His face was bit pale and tired.

“Zen, you don’t look well” without answering his question I murmured.

“Do you think Mira and me a couple?” Without considering my words he asked again with the same blank expressions.

“Are you alright? Are you sick somewhere?” Just like him, without considering his words I continued my topic.

“Jina!”

I stunned at once. Did he yell at me? Truly did he yell at me? I remained staring at him shockingly. This was the first time he yelled at me. My eyes caught his fingers. The same habit of him was there. He was rubbing his Index finger with the thumb. I just realized he was excited or nervous for some reason noticing his continuous rub in fingers. After all he was my friend. He was the only person who spread the hand of friendship to me after all these years. Hurting him for no reason was not good thing to do.

I spread my hand towards him and caught his hand and crossed my fingers through those warm nervous fingers of him. He stared at me surprisingly. Hurriedly he touched his spectacles and adjusted them again in his eyes and then caught his crystal necklace while I was holding his hand.

I knew he was nervous. A cool feeling passed through me seeing a boy got nervous in front of me like that. His warmth in the hand was passing to my fingers bit by bit.

“Zen!” He stared at my eyes.

“Listen to me first” he said stopping me from continuous speaking. I nodded my head.

“Mira has someone she likes” I remained looking at him.

“Mira and I are close friends. We are not a couple. If you are trying to avoid me thinking something like that, don’t be. I don’t want to lose my friends just because of a misunderstanding”

He slowly took away his hands which were under my custody. Something moved in my inner thoughts at once. I smiled to him next. I didn’t know what to tell him.

“Alright. I too don’t want to lose my friend”

I said with the same smile. He smiled back to me. His smile reminded me Rean most of the time. Even though the outlook, the body temperature, eye colour and the way they behave were change from each other, the smile of them were so similar and dazzling. I have not seen Rean’s smile mostly but the moment I saw it has already carved in my heart forever.

“It’s beautiful. I have not seen you wear fancy items like this” Passing my concentration towards the eye sight of him which was on my hand, I looked at my ring.

“Thank you. I got this as a present” I said with a smile touching the blue gem in it.

“Oh really! Was it your dad?” my smile must have been disappeared. How can I tell him the way I got the ring?

“No, someone else” I murmured.

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