CHAPTER 46: BACK TO THE HALLS

A black luxury car moved through the busy streets of Necron city as it made it way towards the prestigious Solar Trinity College.

"Hmph!" Anna sat in the back seat of the car with a pout.

"Why does he want me to attend college on the first day I return? Humph!" Anna grumbled to herself.

Hearing her grumbling, Jack, who was driving the car, shook his head. A few moments later, he called out to her.

"Miss Anna."

Anna, being called out, moved her head and looked at Jack.

"Uncle Jack?" she questioned.

"Are you fine, Miss Anna?" Jack questioned with a worried look.

"What do you- Oh!" Anna wanted to question, but stopped midway as she finally remembered.

"I mean... the last time I saw you was after your accident," Jack said as he looked at Anna via the rear-view mirror.

Hearing that, Anna nodded as she spoke.

"I am all fine and better now." A bright smile adorned her face as she said that.

Jack too smiled as he looked at Anna’s smile.

The car soon stopped at the gates of Solar Trinity College. Anna walked out of the car and looked at the college building standing before her with a smile as she reminisced about her friends.

Anna waved goodbye to Jack and walked through the college’s gates. This time, however, she didn’t find her friends there. Anna continued walking and soon reached her classroom.

Her eyes fell on Hanna, Elise and Zora, who sat together as they chatted. Well, Elise and Zora were the ones doing the chatter, and Hanna just looked at them with a smile, which appeared forced.

Anna furrowed her brows as she looked at Hanna. Soon, she just shook her head as she thought.

’I am looking too much into it.’

Elise who had faced towards the door saw Anna but Anna had already placed a finger on her lips, signalling Elise to not to say anything, Anna moved behind a ninteen year old girl with medium build of five feet and six inches tall, she had pink curvy hair, brown eyes, slightly tanned skin and a youthful face which made her look like a doll and hugged her.

Surprised by the sudden events, Zora quickly turned around, and her eyes beamed as she saw Anna.

"Anna!" Zora called out in an excited tone.

Hanna, too, showed a slight smile as she looked at Anna.

Anna, however, didn’t answer and just showed a bright smile.

A few moments later, Zora worriedly looked at Anna as she asked.

"How are you?"

"I am fine, much better now," Anna answered as she let go of Zora and blossomed a bright smile.

Anna then turned towards Hanna, who had dark circles under her eyes and looked drained.

"What happened?" Anna questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Hanna didn’t answer. A few moments later, she spoke.

"Just busy with work," Hanna said with a forced smile.

Anna, however, didn’t catch the smile and nodded. She moved forward and hugged Hanna.

"I am happy that you are fine, Hanna."

Tears welled up in Hanna’s eyes as she recuperated with a real smile.

"I am happy too, Anna."

Anna let go of Hanna and looked at Elise with a frown as she questioned.

"Where is Amaya?"

"She isn’t coming," Elise replied, letting out a weary sigh.

"Why?"

"She got sick about a month ago. I go to her home now and then, though. She is fine." Elise answered with a deadpan look.

"Tch... Tch... She came back after a month and began acting like this." Elise mumbled to herself, clearly annoyed by Anna.

A vein popped out on Anna’s head as she heard that. She turned towards Elise and questioned with narrowed eyes.

"What was that?" Anna asked in an annoyed tone.

"Nothing, nothing." Elise, however, just shook her head.

Seeing both of them acting like that, Hanna and Zora began to chuckle.

After a few moments, the professor entered the class, and the round of passing knowledge to the younger ones began once again.

Anna looked at all of this with a reminiscing look. As a reminder, the past month for others was longer than a year or even a decade, for Anna as she roamed the Spirit realm with The Guide.

Everything she saw and felt today was a nostalgia for her. Here with her friends, she felt very free and happy even when she was in Azor. However, there was still a lingering flame for mysteries in her heart. But, to move forward, she has to extinguish that flame forever, or so she thought, but only time could tell what lay ahead of her.

After all the classes ended, Anna walked towards the gates as she chatted with Elise and Zora. Hanna looked at the departing back of Anna with complicated emotions. She wanted to talk to Anna about the strange things that had happened to her after the accident, but she didn’t know how to say it.

’Should I?’

’She will think that I am going mad...’ Hanna thought as she lowered her head.

’And I don’t want to put her in trouble.’ Hanna finally decided to keep the things buried and shook her head.

’I must’ve gone dumb when I even thought to pull Anna into my troubles,’ she condemned herself as she followed the three of them.

"Hanna," Anna called out to her with a worried look.

Hanna lifted her head as she spoke.

"What is it, Anna?"

"Is something troubling you?"

"No? Why would you think that?" Hanna answered with a forced chuckle.

"You just seemed down."

"I am fine." A genuine smile appeared on her lips as she said that.

"Just let me know if something’s troubling you, okay?" Anna smiled too and asked out of reassurance.

"I will, you don’t have to worry."

Anna soon left the college through the gates and walked towards Jack, who was already there to pick her up.

Hanna stared at Anna’s back with clenched fists.

’Someday...’