Haven't We Met Before? (COMPLETED)

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿

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And we found each other again—in the same place, in the same time, in the same way and with the same feeling.

— nusranathry

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Elias

She looked familiar to me. Too familiar for my own liking.

Her chocolate brown hair which was tied in a messy bun—indicating she'd been working for late hours, her tired honey brown eyes were searching for something to rest upon and she looked like she'd space out anytime soon if she had something to rest her head on.

Her short figure was covered up by a two piece long-sleeve dress and a light sweater on top of it— which clearly wasn't helping her at all. None of her outfits were helping her with this chilly weather.

"Forget and ignore what I just said," I shook my head, getting out of the park as she followed me with a nod but I was sure she didn't get any of the things I said as she was too busy shivering.

We were walking side by side as the silence between us grew and grew. A while ago she was the most talkative person I had ever encountered with and now she was too quiet. Is the cold troubling her that much?

I turned my head and saw her warming up herself with her palms, the top of her head being covered by snowflakes along with her shoulders and she didn't care to brush them away and looking at her knees, I noticed how they were shaking in cold.

"Is your home too far away? Should I get you a cab?" I went closer to her and tucked my hair behind my ear while leaning towards her so I could hear her properly.

"I can't waste my money like that. That too just because I forgot to wear warm clothes," her loud voice was now quiet.

She isn't being serious, is she?

"You're freezing to death here," I pointed out. "Is money more important than your health?"

"It is," was her curt answer.

Unbelievable.

I scoffed as she glared at me with her exhausted eyes. "You work here, right?" I was confirmed when she nodded.

"Then I think we'll be seeing each other often," I really wasn't expecting to do what I was about to do next.

I stopped walking and she did too. I gestured her to take my cat as she looked at me confusingly with her big doe eyes. I stretched my hands toward her as she finally understood what I meant.

Stupid.

"So, that's why...." I began to take off my trench coat and walked closer to her. Her eyebrows shot up as I placed my coat on her shoulders.

After placing the trench coat on her shoulders, my eyes landed on her name tag which was placed below her right shoulder. It said: Elain Aelia with no last name.

"Aelia? Lia seems better to me," I mumbled as she looked at me more confusingly.

"Hmm?" She titled her head as I said: "Nothing. You should take this," I finished, pointing to my trench coat which she was wearing as I noticed how perfectly (Note the sarcasm) it fitted her.

I could barely see her tiny body in my trench coat and it literally reached her feet. After handing my cat to me, she shoved her hands in its sleeves as I noticed how the sleeves were flapping and her hands hardly visible. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, at least it'll keep you warm," I shrugged, pressing my lips together as she let out a small chuckle.

"Thank you...for this," She struggled to talk and I knew it was because of the extreme cold which was engulfing her but I hoped my coat was warm enough to defeat the cold.

"It's warm—so warm that I never knew this type of warmness existed," She enhaled deeply, closing her eyes as I watched her but shook my head after a few moments.

"Make sure to return it tomorrow. I'll be here," I said curtly and walked away, my cat in my lap.

"Hey!" She shouted as I stopped in my tracks. Looking behind, I saw how far she was already. "Can I do something for you in return?"

I sighed, not knowing what to say. I wasn't the type of guy who'd just share his clothes with a stranger. Hell, I didn't even do it with my close friends and doing it for a stranger just made me realise that maybe I don't know myself that much. That maybe there are some things about myself that I've yet to know.

The reason why I didn't hesitate to help her was still unknown. Did I do it out of sympathy? Did I do it because if I didn't, I'd feel bad later? Did I do it because seeing someone suffering was unbearable for me? But then again, I've seen people suffering more than this and I didn't help them back then.

I thought for a while—I really didn't want anything in return but I still said I wanted as I didn't want her to feel bad for favoring her. "Yes, you can." I answered.

"You can spend your precious money on dry-cleaning my coat." Seriously? That's what I came up with?

She looked at me for a while, probably trying to register what I just said and when she did, she smiled at me. Even her dimpled smile was familiar to me. "I won't mind doing that."

I nodded, turning around and finally going to my home but I stopped when she yelled again. "Also!" I turned around again, clenching my fist and giving her tight lipped smile.

"Yes, Lia?"

Dumbass, dumbass, dumbass! Lia? Lia!? I really had to say aloud?! Idiot, idiot, idiot!

I'm such a nincompoop.

Kill me, someone.

She tilted her head, clearly unexpected by this sudden nickname given by me. I couldn't hold my embarrassment—so I did something more imbecile—I ran away.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" She shouted as she ran after me. "I want to know your name!" She yelled as she grabbed my back—stopping me from dashing away.

"Elias Aiden Carter, bye." I tried to get away from her grip but couldn't as she was literally leaning against my back—breathing heavily and getting away could make her fall.

"I didn't ask for you government name," she chuckled as I cursed myself for being such a dolt.

"Also, what's with the sudden nickna-"

"I've to go, bye." I cut her off as she let go off my back but gripped it tightly when she realized I was planning to run off again.

"First tell me why did you give a nickname to someone you just met. Do you do that always?" She faced me, her bright eyes searching for answers in mine as I backed away.

"I honestly don't know," I answered truthfully as she tilted her head.

"You don't know?" She sighed, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "I'll see you tomorrow then. With your coat." She pulled the trench coat closer to her body, buttoning it as I nodded and she walked away before giving me a smile which I found familiar yet again.

As we parted our ways under the never-ending snow falling upon ourselves, I couldn't shake the feeling of her being once precious to me.