Translucent

Epilogue

OXFORD, ENGLAND
Four Years Later

"Bollocks!" Jane grumbled, holding a philosophy book tight. "A C for my essay. What kind of appreciation was that?"

"At least you didn't fail. I heard Professor Harding is the hardest faculty of the program" Sophie replied.

"Or you might lack of research." I raised my eyebrows at my old friend. That was why I suggested her to reread the book about topic of philosophy she worked for the essay.

The air conditioner of the library in Oxford University struck my skin. It'd been two years since I started enrolling in English Language. Lorelai, Alan, Ruby, and Ray were now enrolled in other universities. However, now I got Jane, who was pretty much Lorelai, Alan, Ruby, and Ray combined. That's how she and I got close immediately, other than the fact we shared a flat.

Greg took Computer Science, while Sophie took Psychology. Coincidentally, I got to reunite with some of my old friends in London and of course, they were very surprised to see me coming back here.

One fine morning at the beginning of the spring, I found myself, Sophie, Greg, and Jane in this one of many libraries in this university. The place was huge, pretty quiet with some people around, and quite peaceful as well. Sophie and Greg held hands. They had hit it since graduation and I couldn't help but think they were adorable.

"Essay structure? Research? But I got them all checked..." And Jane babbled on and on quickly, defending what she had worked. I could no longer catch what she was saying.

"You are coming with us, Lis?" Sophie suddenly said, when she suddenly was heading towards the library exit, leaving me slightly behind.

"Um...what?" I asked absentmindedly.

"For lunch of course, it's twelve already." she pointed the direction of the canteen, where most people headed to at this hour.

"Oh, err...no, later. I still want to find some more materials for the publication." I said. "I've got editorial meeting tonight."

"Sure, future editor-in-chief." Greg winked as the group started to leave the library.

I scoffed and took off to second floor of the library, squeezing through a good amount of crowd going against my direction. At this time, students managed to make their way out of the library for lunch. I might have been one of a few who decided to stay in the library, which was good. Nothing than a less-crowded library could provide a better environment for me to dig deep into researching for my editorial meetings of The OxStu–The Oxford Student–a campus journal I'd been a part of since first year. The editor-in-chief, Todd, wanted to steer away from the usual lifestyle and cultural topics we presented every Friday and wanted to go 'old-school'–that means looking into analog materials for a surprise. Maybe we could stumble into a Rousseau book and connect it with today's political scenes. Something like that. A step closer for me to becoming a real journalist.

As I was jostling all my way through the crowd, my shoulder inadvertently bumped into someone else who was going against my direction.

"Sorry." I muttered, barely noticing him. The person ignored me and kept moving on.

I decided to brush it off...not until I noticed something shiny flying off his bag. It landed on the library floor. Before someone could step on it, my hand instinctively picked it up. What laid before me as I drew the object closer to my eyes, was enough to make my heart nearly stopped beating.

My fingers traced the pocket watch's slightly rusty gold surface, feeling its familiar texture under my skin. It couldn't be. The features were too similar to even pose as a twin. As I turned it over, I gasped–the needles still ticked and indicated the current time: 15.13. The pocket watch felt solid in my hand. I could swear this watch was the one that he handed to me, the one that I threw into the loch four years ago. Suddenly, all images projected into my mind, and the memories rolled by. The lochs, the meadow, the snowcapped glen, the breathtaking view of the highlands–it was as if I could see them all through the ticking needles.

I swear I was not imagining things. Time moved, except for my surrounding. The needles' ticks were the only thing that filled the space around me, echoing immensely.

The memories rushed through. His intense gaze, his cold touch, even his smell– everything returned in just a brief sight of this object. Four years of trying to forget washed away in a split second, at this very moment.

"Now, let this be a reminder of yours, Elisabeth. I may not have much to give you but let me give you something that was precious to me that you can cherish. Now that, part of me belongs to you."

I shook my head to get rid of the image. It was too much. I couldn't bear to think about him again. He was gone. It couldn't be. Now the presence of the object laying on my palm seemed to prove that he might still...

No, there's no way.

Before I got lost further in my thoughts, I raised my head. My eyes frantically searched for the clock's owner through the crowd. Just as I thought, the owner was still in sight, only he was further now, making his way to the exit. Before he disappeared in a much bigger crowd, my feet took off. I shoved through the people on their way out of the exit just to get to him.

"Excuse me."

I called him, just when I was about two meters away from him. I was standing just at the exit as the time froze, letting me ignore the passing crowd around me.

He stopped with his back still facing me.

"I believe this is...y-yours." my voice trembled, so did my hand.

I stared nervously at my hand without even having the gut to look straight to the stranger's face.

He didn't say a word and simply turned around. His face was above my level. The long fingers reached the object laying on my hand and took it off my sight. At this point, my mind must have been compromised. My perception of reality might have been distorted. I slowly turned around to walk away.

"Thanks." the stranger called from behind.

My steps froze. "No problem." I muttered.

"I owe you. What's your name?"

"Lis, uh, Lisa." I flustered, still not facing him.

"Lisa huh? Mind if I call you Elisabeth? It's a rather bonnie name."

End of Book 1