Evelyn shuddered in her position as the tragedy from twelve years ago came rolling inside her head. The darkness was her biggest nightmares and has been haunting her for ages. The trauma was too much to take. 

"Please don't touch me, please don't hurt me," She cried and pleaded, sensing movement around her. 

The boys became completely concerned about her but they were helpless in the dark as well. And the worst scenario, they had left their phones inside their respective rooms.

"Evelyn, we're here, you are not alone," Nathan said softly blinking in the dark and carefully moving his arms in the air trying to reach her through the dark. But the moment his hand touch a slender shoulder, Evelyn let out a scream and shoved away from him.

"Please don't touch me," She cried in agony.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm not touching you, I'm sorry," Nathan said in a most delicate tone like he was actually saying it to a baby.

"Fuck, what is wrong with this light?" Adrian cursed in the dark and as if his cursed has as affect on the lights, the light was back and everything was bright again. Then immediately they all turned their heads towards Evelyn and looked at her in concern.

Evelyn has folded herself small and was shuddering visibly. 

"Evelyn," Nathan softly called her out.

"Please don't hurt me," she cried and shrank deeper into her small frame.

"Evelyn, it's me, Nathan," Nathan said as he carefully curved down beside her. "You are saved now, no one will hurt you, you can lift your head and see the lights," He said softly.

Evelyn gradually stopped shuddering and carefully lifted her head up with her eyes filled with tears. 

"Nathan," She said weakly and looked heavily at him. She could feel herself going dizzy and numb. Her trauma got her. "I can't feel-" 

Evelyn words died midway as unconsciousness took over her. Nathan quickly held her before she could fall on the floor. He rested her head over his chest and looked down at her in concern. 

"I'm taking her to her room," Nathan said, glancing up to his friends before picking Evelyn on his arms. 

Nathan got inside her room and placed her gently over the bed. Then he pulled up the cover over her and looked at her in a deep frown. Somehow, he understood that Evelyn has a phobia of darkness but he wonders what actually happened to her that made her looked very vulnerable to the extreme extent. 

*

Evelyn woke up in the middle of the night with a dry throat. She gently shuffled up in her position and noticed Nathan beside her. He was seated beside the bed and was asleep by the edge of the mattress. A small smile escaped her lips as she softly stared at him. Then her mind took her to the scene that happened earlier. Nathan has carried her in the room and has been there with her the whole time.

"Thank you for bringing me here," She whispered softly with a genuine smile. Her heart felt warm and she couldn't stopped smiling staring at him.

*

Adrian made his way towards the roof and leaned against the parapet, staring at the dark night. He let out a sigh as the flash from earlier replays inside his head. He went to check on Evelyn some minutes ago but the sight of her staring lovingly at Nathan somehow hurt him. He didn't realise until now that he was actually falling for her. 

He took out a packet of cigarette from his pocket and placed a piece of it between his lips. And as he was about to light up his cigarettes, his eyes caught on Mark who was making his way towards him.

"I knew I'd find you here," Mark said amusedly before reaching him and leaning against the parapet beside him. "You're hurt. Wanna talk about it?" He said gazing up at the dark sky. 

"I'm not hurt," Adrian said lazily and denied.

"We grew up together, Adrian. I know you better than any of our friends." Mark said quietly and smiled at him. "Is it about Evelyn?" He asked boldly. Adrian glanced at him before pulling the unlighted cigarettes from his lips. Then he tilted his head up and silently stared at the dark night again.

"I know you are falling for her, Adrian. But I just want to tell you not to fall too deep or you won't be able to get back to your feet again." Mark said glancing at him while Adrian silently listened to him. "I don't want to see you broken again." He added feeling sad for his best friend.

"I know, Mark," Adrian said quietly and smiled at him. 

*

 The following morning, they got to the orphanage just in time and attended the program and also helped in volunteering works. 

Evelyn sat at one corner with some children and showed them the pictures taken from yesterday and today. The children giggled and laughed at the funny faces of them that were caught on the camera when they were unaware of it.

"Cupcake," Evelyn tilted her head up and saw Adrian making his way towards her. "I realize that we didn't take even a single picture together," He said with an amused smile.

"Doesn't matter," Evelyn rolled her eyes amusedly.

"Let me click the both of you," Linda, one of the children and the eldest among them said cheerfully taking the camera from Evelyn. "C'mon, move away," She shooshed the younger ones so that Adrian can sit beside Evelyn for the picture.

Adrian chuckled softly before going and sitting beside Evelyn. The children came behind Linda as she focused on the lens and clicked their photos. 

"I was worried about you last night," Adrian said softly before turning to look at her. Evelyn creased her brows slightly and turned to face him. They stared at each other for a moment before Evelyn looked away and broke the stare.

"Sorry for making you worry," Evelyn jested under her sarcastic tone. Adrian looked away from her and let out a sigh before masking his emotion. Evelyn wasn't taking his words seriously but he couldn't blame her as he has always been teasing her.

"You're forgiven, Cupcake," He jested.

Evelyn and the boys spend some hours with the children before exchanging their goodbyes with them. By the time they reached the college, it was already dark.

As soon as Evelyn got out of the bus, she was embraced immediately by her one and only best friend, Brian, who was waiting for her arrival for the past twenty minutes outside the common hall entrance.

"I was worried about you," Brian said under his sigh before pulling away.

"You always worry for nothing," Evelyn said rolling her eyes over. 

"Hey Brian, miss me?" Russell jested as he walked out from the bus. 

"Not really," Brian jested and did a bro-hug at him. Evelyn jerked an eyebrow and looked at them in amused plus confused expression. "We're roommates," Brian said making her nod in realization. 

*

Genesis, Keisha and Sharon were seated at the living room of the common hall and were busy scrolling down their phones. Sharon looked up from her phone and glanced towards the entrance only to see the boys and Evelyn making an entrance.

"Looks like they're getting quite along," Sharon snickered before looking at Genesis. "You have to do something before Evelyn take your man away," She added.

Genesis looked up from her phone and glared at Evelyn who was now parting ways with the boys and making her way to the girls' dormitory. "I won't let any other girl come between us." She said under her gritted teeth.

"As a best friend, let me advise you, Genesis, just forget about him and move on. He is never seeing you in the way he did to your sister. Until you move on, you'll keep getting hurt seeing him with another woman," Keisha said quietly.

"Yeah- one-sided love really is painful." Sharon agreed with Keisha and nodded at her.

"I'll just have to make sure that no women come near him then," Genesis said with an uncanny smile before looking at her friends. Keisha sighed in disapproval and stood up from her seat.

"You're going psycho for him," Keisha said in displeased before walking away from the living room. Genesis glared at her back before angrily standing up from her seat, making Sharon startled at her sudden movement.

"I need some fresh air," Genesis scowled before walking towards the entrance.

Genesis walked by the sidewalk with a visible frown plastered on her face. After some minutes of walking, she sat down beside the side bench and rested there. Then suddenly she became sad, consumed in her thought.

"What will I do to make you fall in love with me?" She sighed sadly staring down and slumped her shoulders tiredly. 

"You cannot make someone fall in love, you just can't," Genesis tilted her head up and saw Kevin walking past by her.

"But I can," Genesis said boldly and crossed her arms over her chest. Kevin stopped at his track and turned back to look at her.

"Love has turned you into a devil, Genesis." Kevin taunted before turning and continued to walk away.

"I was born to be a devil," Genesis seethed glaring at his back before standing up and storming up from the place. She was already in a foul mood and Kevin has made it worse.

*

Evelyn walked out of the shower and caught her friends giving her an amused smile. She rolled her eyes before striding towards them.

"How was your weekend, Eve?" Cornelia asked slyly.

"Fine, I guess," Evelyn answered in a shrug.

"Mmmhh- interesting," Cornelia nodded her head amusedly, "I see you are slowly getting along with them," she added slyly.

"I think it's good news then since you're going to spend a year as a group." Aaleyah chirped in a matter of fact tone. 

"C'mon, Eve, sit down and tell us something about you," Cornelia said excitedly and gestured her to sit on the bed. "You never share any secret to us. We are the only ones sharing," She added in a pout.

"Did I ask you all to share it with me?" Evelyn pointed out amusedly and shrugged off.

"You are such a bitch!" Cornelia grumbled and threw a pillow at her. Evelyn grabbed the pillow in her hands and let out a chuckle. Cornelia crossed her arms over her chest and sulkily looked away from her.

"Just kidding, bitch. I don't share because I don't have anything to share." Evelyn drawled and plonked on her bed. She shuffled into a comfortable position and looked at her friends who were already giving her a pointed look. "Alright, ask away and I'll tell you everything but I can't guarantee to be honest," She said with a cheeky look.

"Ever been in a relationship?" 

"No,"

"Did you ever feel like masturbating?"

"Fuck, no," Evelyn shrieked in a disgusted face.

"Do you have any crush on someone from our college?" Emilia asked innocently and looked at her expectantly. Evelyn tilted her head upwards and gave a thought about it. Her first thought that came to her mind was Nathan but she quickly shook it off.

"Nope," She lied convincingly, shaking her head. 

"What was our first impression on you?" Cornelia asked in curious. "Be honest," She added in a stern voice.

Evelyn turned her head to look at her with a cheeky smile. "Are you sure you want me to be honest about it?" She asked giving them her mysterious smile. The three of them nodded at her and embraced themselves to listen to what was to come. 

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!" Evelyn jested as she pointed her finger at each of them. The three of them pouted at her before grabbing the pillows and attacking her at once. Evelyn quickly grabbed her own pillow and started to attack back at them. They screamed and laughed as they continued to hit at each other with the pillows.

After some moments, they stopped playing and rested on the bed staring at each other before bursting out into laughter. 

*

Evelyn excused herself and got outside to talk with her brother over the call. After some good forty minutes of talking with Aaron, she wished him goodnight before hanging up the call. And as she turned around to head back towards the hostel, her eyes caught on Kevin who was now making his way towards her with a wide grin plastered on his face. Evelyn frowned and narrowed her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest and waited for him.

"Hey, Evelyn, the virgin," Kevin said out loud in his drunken state. Evelyn huffed in annoyance at his words, but she let it slide regarding his state right now. She also noticed his busted lips and painted bruises over his face. "You are one fucking gorgeous girl. I was shocked when you told us that you have never had sex, any guy would die to have a taste of you." He continued to speak blatantly.

"But you are also one tough girl. I like how you fought with those bastards. You and I should combat one day," Kevin said, prodding his finger towards her and moved closer to her. 

"He's quite talkative when he's drunk," Evelyn muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes over.

"You are—" Kevin leaned closer and tiredly looked into her eyes. Evelyn scowled at him and just when she thought that he was about to kiss her, she fisted her hand and was all ready to punch him on his face. Fortunately, Kevin fell half-unconscious over her small frame.

Evelyn cursed under her breath before helping him laid on the resting bench beside the road with much struggle. Kevin let out a groan when she carelessly placed him on the bench making his head bumped over the armrest.

"Sorry, not sorry," She huffed looking down at him. She then took out her phone from her pocket and gave a call to William letting him know about Kevin's condition. 

After waiting for some minutes, Evelyn saw William running towards her. William let out a sad sigh and shook his head looking down at Kevin's state. 

"He got him badly this time," William said unsmilingly.

"Who?" Evelyn creased her brows and asked casually.

"His father,"

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