The first thing that I heard in the morning was the sound of the bushes shaking. This alerted me immediately and woke up hurriedly to check out what it was. I was ready to fight with anything with a knife held in my hand and my mouth, ready to use any sort of defence as well as attack spells that I had learned secretly. When I put out the barrier and approached the bushes, I was thrown aback by something or someone who had  stumbled on top of me.

I touched my head which was ringing q bit along with my back which was now against the ground, hurt. I was groaning a bit when the person above me immediately stood up with the support of the ground. I opened my eyes slowly which were under attack by a heavy bundle of hair, it seemed, and then ai saw her, a beautiful young girl. She appeared to be younger than me, I presumed and she looked a bit startled.

When I gestured for her help to get up, she seemed baffled for a bit but then she held my hand and helped to stand up. She was looking at me with curious eyes while I too was quite curious as not only was she alone in the woods but she was also wearing some extremely old-fashioned dress. I mean like the ones worn during the time periods of when kingdoms existed.

After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, I kinda cleared my throat to catch her attention and then asked her.

Um... So, who are you? And like, why are you in the woods alone? It's really dangerous for a young girl or rather a lady as dignified like you to be travelling alone.

I tried my hardest to not sound rude but I guess I did sound rude as she didn't respond. So, I just left her to stand in the earlier area and went inside the cave to pack up my necessities. While packing, I noticed that my water was almost gone soI needed to search for a water source at first. Then after that I needed to cross the forest today, no matter what.

When I went out, I saw the girl again but then I thought that it was best to just ignore her as I also needed to search for Lizzie. But as soon as I started to walk to another direction, she also started to follow me behind. When I stopped and told her to go away, she didn't listen to it and just followed me. Without finding any alternatives to get rid of her, I just sighed and let her be. I mean, she didn't seem dangerous to me at all.

It seemed I had been walking for a long time as the sun was now bright in the sky and I was covered with sweat and all. It felt disgusting, but I didn't have the time to waste. When after resting for a bit I started to walk again, I felt something pulling my jacket, and when I turned around, I saw that the girl was holding my jacket and pointing towards a particular direction.

At first, I found it wierd but then as I followed her index finger pointing towards a direction, I could hear the trickle of water and as suspected, I found it. A water fall and a clean stream to bathe amd refill my energy. I hurriedly ran towards it and opened my clothes to wash myself, after filling my bottle with water. A water flowing was chilling and felt amazingly fresh.

As I enjoying my bath in the stream I heard a sigh. And then I heard her voice for the first time.

Um.... My name is Agnes Laurier. Since the moment I woke up, I have been in the forest.

After hearing her answer, I just nodded without turning back and then she continued.

I originate from a place that is too far away from here and you are the first person that I have encountered in the forest. And so, to this, I would like to ask you, can you see me?

At first, I thought she was just jocking to lighten the mood and so I was just about to laugh it off but when I turned around to see her face, she seemed to be dead serious. So, even though I found her question wierd and confusing, I just replied assertively and to that, she smiled in the most genuine manner. And somehow, I felt relief and content.

After the short break near the water fall, we again resumed our journey. Since the small conversation we had with each other, we stuck to each other and became each other travel companion. Once again, time passed and the night approached. The days went on and on and I was finding it irritating that I couldn't find the escape of the forest yet.
But still, due to the presence of Agnes, it was not boring, atleast.

Moreover, the confusing fact was that I couldn't find my way back to the spot where I had agreed to meet up later on after our expedition. My food supplies had also exhausted and so I had to consume anything that I could find in the wilderness. One more fascinating thing was that Agnes could always pinpoint the direction of water, but I didn't know how she did that.

Anyways, after spending approximately three days in the woods, my mind was going blank. I had started to think of what if I could never escape and suddenly, on the fourth day, I started to run, I don't know what got into me, but I ran like hell. My reactions were frantic and it seemed as if I had lost it and then I started to cry out loud, I mean it might sound as if I was weak for crying, but what could I have done, I was that lost.

But after a couple of minutes, I calmed myself as I didn't have time to waste, I still needed to search for Lizzie and that it was important for me to go back and find my way back to my friends. So, I slapped my cheeks with both hands and was about to stand up, but it seemed my legs were not working so I sat down for a bit to recollect my strength.

When I finally stood up, I cleaned my pants and jacket by removing the dirt with the help of my hands, and when I turned around to again restart my search for the path back to the others, I was startled by Agnes, who had been standing behind me but I couldn't even sense her presence. I let out a sigh of relief after seeing that it was just her and not some animal or something, but when I tried to walk past her and to ask her to follow behind me, she pulled my jacket sleeves to stop me.

I just smiled at her to assure her that there was nothing to worry about as I thought she was scared. But to my surprise she pulled me towards her and before I could even realise what was happening, both of us were hugging each other and then she started to speak.

Lucas, you're a brave boy, who never gives up and so I believe you can be the one to finally free me.

After saying this, she pulled back and then we both put our foreheads together and smiled, and then whispered.

Thank you. See you soon.

I was kinda confused as to what had happened but before I could reply to her,  I heard an extremely familiar voice shouting.

Lucas!!

I turned around to look who it was and to my surprise and relief, it was none other than, Lizzie, she came screaming and running towards me followed by the others. And then they hugged me tight, they were crying and sobbing, even the professors had come and I was kinda surprised to see him, Leo, as well. After a couple of minutes of hugging, Prof. Dorian instructed the others to take me back inside the cabin. Before returning, when I turned around to check in the woods, she was nowhere. Agnes had vanished.

Hope put a shawl on me and then they all escorted me inside. The professors told us that we would be heading back to the school. When I smiled and told the others not to worry, Lizzie and Jo, suddenly started to refute and exclaimed that how they could not worry. I was really grateful to have such great friends, who would worry about me, but the fact was that I was really fine but everyone just refused to believe me.

In my absence, something must have happened and I was also curious about why Leo was there. But first, I needed to freshen up so I excused myself first and went to hit the showers, after returning back to the school. After coming out the washroom, I was startled by Lucifer,  who was seating on the bed, waiting for me, it seemed. So, I hurriedly dressed up and with a faint smile I sat in front of him and as soon as I did that, he hugged me tightly and started to cry, I patted on his back to calm him down, and after an hour or so, he fell asleep. Inspire of being twins, he definitely was cuter, I kissed on his forehead and went out the room.

Then I was greeted by my sister, who too hugged me and told me that she was relieved and then went away. We both were never the type to show our vulnerable selves to each other. So, this was probably the first time when she looked so weak. After that moment, the reality was finally seeping in, I had really worried everyone.

After walking through the hall, I saw him, Leo, sitting near the fire place. With all the things that I had to go through in the woods, my jealousy or anger against him felt too petty, so after mustering up my courage, I sat near him and greeted him with a Hey. He, too, greeted me back but his voice was deep and weaker. It seemed as if I had worried him as well, but maybe that was my arrogance to think like that, or so I thought. Because as soon as I sat beside him, he pulled my arm and to my surprise, hugged me. At first, I was about to break free, but he was trembling. For me, it was hard to believe because among all the people I knew, he was the strongest and that was what I liked about him. But this vulnerable side of him was also something that I didn't mind. In fact, I liked it as now, he seemed more humane.

After calming down, he let go of me slowly, and just faintly smiled and he started to speak.

You know, I've never been this scared my whole life.

After saying this, he looked at me for a bit and then continued.

When the professors called the dean regarding how you were missing, my heart sank. When the dean asked for volunteers to help in the search, I raised my hand first. It was as if I would lose you forever if I let go now.

After this, he started to sob a bit and so, I hugged him tight and smiled and assured him that I was really fine, nothing had gone wrong and they had found me. I had many more questions to ask but this was not the right time to ask, so I just pulled out, kissed his forehead, and about to leave to rest when, he held my hand and spoke the words that I had never thought I would hear from him.

Will you sleep with me?

I was baffled for a minute but after that, I just nodded foolishly to his request.

As if I could ever reject you, thought Lucas.