42 The day with difference (2/2)

”Trust me.....go!!!”, she urged.

Iven didn't question anymore. She is a student, she'll know better than him. He took up the pace before the others could catch up soon.As soon as he turned around the corner, a path opened up which was narrow enough for dogs to pass. He had to move sideways to get through it. The girl was right behind him and wasn't much worried about the way.

As soon it came to an end, a huge space opened up on a higher platform with all kinds of potted plants surrounding an area. It was beautiful, clean, open and seemed totally beyond reach of mass. It had a swing and a chair too. In all, it was obviously created by someone and kept in secrecy. May be for hanging out in peace.

”Beautiful right?”, the girl behind said.

Iven turned around and finally got to see her face. She seemed familiar. He has met her before.

”Oh you're her best friend...”,Iven remembered.He tried recalling the name,”Er....Eric...am I right?”.

Erica sighed,”I swear, she's really need to stop that. It's Erica for real”.

”I pointed that out when she mentioned your name, she cut me off”, Iven let her know.

”Forbid her from her boyish accents please”, she chuckled.

”I can't”, Iven shook his head jokingly”She's stubborn enough, you know it too”.

They both started laughing.

”If I'm not wrong...”, Iven started off,”...you both built this amazing hangout place right?”.

”Honestly, it was Seb who discovered this place right at first...”, Erica said,”...but she so determined that she kept dragging me out each night to sneak in here and built it the way it is now for a whole week. I'm glad I didn't refuse her that time even though I was way mad. It's like our own secret place”.

”Is it okay for me to be here?”, Iven staggered.

”I don't think she would mind”, Erica assured,”Anyways what are you doing here? You've gotten really popular here you know, since that day”.

”I guessed”, Iven shyly laughed and confessed,” I got a scholarship here you see”.

”Really, from that game?”, Erica eyes lit up,”So you'e gonna study here from now?”. Iven nodded once and rubbed the back of his head embarrassed.

Then he dropped down to his mission,” By the way, where did Be....Sybelle ran off to? I just met her and she left me on my own”.

”Wow!!!”, Erica exclaimed,”It's strange to see you calling her by her full name. She's known by Seb here. Sybelle won't even be recognized much.”.

”Well I prefer that” Iven avoided calling her 'Belle', lest it would trigger the suspicion of their relationship. Seb wasn't indeed lying, she's really popular with name 'Seb' in here,” Where did she go so fast?”.

Erica smiled,” She won't be in range until classes are over. Once she appears in college, she disappears for the whole day, totally busy in her practices and chores. Once in a blue moon you might catch her, but otherwise no. She even barely attains lectures too”.

”Isn't she just in sports department?”, that seemed totally different from what Seb fed him.

”No”, Erica firmly denied,” Seb is like the college model. She does knows a thing or two about every thing so everyone needs her. She has football practice now. Then she'll rush to the literary department, she's the editor there. Nowadays she's even preparing for her Taekwondo tournament. That's an additional apart from other days. Her Volleyball meets are occasional too. Last minutes she'll spend either in the Library, or sleeping out here”.

”That many clubs?”, Iven was thrown from the sky.

”These are just main ones”, Erica counted her fingers,” Even the art, comic or music club hires here occasionally for part timing. Seb doesn't mind it for some extra spending. She's got the energy of a demon I'll say”.

”Don't you think it's too much?”, Iven clears his throat.

”I've known for years now”, Erica wasn't much worried. She must have gotten used to it,” I try to help her often when she has completely tired herself out”.

”You're a loyal friend then”, Iven complimented carelessly.

Erica looked at him, flustered,”...you think so?”.

Iven couldn't hear that because her voice was too timid.

He turned around with sparkly eyes,”Hey, since Sybelle is not here, do you mind showing around?”.

Erica's own face lit up like a diamond,”Really....you mean it?”

-Uh....I'm sure you have classes....

-No,no...they're not an issue...I've full attendance anyways.

-Whoa...you seem like an elite scholar...

Erica laughed embarrassed,”Let's go...”.