Back to the Halls

"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 gates of the college. 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 however 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 tell the others, Anna moved behind a 19 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 looked at Anna with worried eyes 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 as she blew air out of her lips.

"Why?"

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

"Tch… Tch… She came back after a month and started 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 started to chuckle.

After a few moments the professor entered the class and the round of parting knowledge to the young ones started once again.

Anna looked at all of this with a reminiscing look. To remind you, the past month for others was longer than a year or a decade even 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 much 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.

'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 a secret and shook her head.

'I must've gone dumb when I even thought to pull Anna in my troubles.' 

"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 as a forced chuckle let her mouth.

"You just seemed down."

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

"Just let me know if something's troubling you, okay?" Anna smiled too and asked as a reassurance.

"I will, don't worry."

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