I slept in. Again.

I curse as I wake up, glancing at the clock. It's already late, so I don't bother rushing myself. There's no real urgency, no deadlines. Still, the sun's been up for hours, and I kinda hate that. I drag myself out of bed, the sheets tangled around my legs. rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

This happens more than I'd like to admit—staying up too late, oversleeping, and waking up with a strange heaviness in my chest. Something always feels off. Then I remember why.

It's that same damn dream, night after night. There's always that bird, and the ear deafening sound. And for some reason, I can never shake it. It's always lingering at the back of my head.

I shake my head, trying to snap out of it. "Just a dream, Heliar. Get a grip," I mutter to myself.

Getting dressed, I head downstairs. The house is quiet—no one's home today. Mom and Dad are off on a trip. I make breakfast and, of course, coffee. You cannot live without it.

Finishing my meal, I head out of the house. "Another lovely day," I think to myself as I head towards a nearby park. It's spring, the weather is perfect; the kind that that makes you want to be anywhere but inside. The flowers lining the path are in full bloom too, the breeze cool and refreshing against my skin. The world feels alive, even if I don't.

I don't really have plans for today—just wander around and try to relax. That dream keeps haunting me, lingering in the back of my mind like a shadow I can't escape. I tell myself it's nothing. Just another weird dream. Definitely.

The park is quiet when I arrive. A few kids are running around and their laughter fill the air. Parents sit on the benches watching their children. I give a small wave to an old lady I always see sitting in the same spot. She nods back, smiling.

I head to my usual bench. It's a good spot—peaceful, with just enough distance from everyone else. I sit down, plug in my headphones, and let the music drown out everything else. Now this is the kind of quiet I need. I close my eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the sun seep into my skin. Today will be peaceful, I think.

But just then, I feel someone sit down beside me.

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Opening my eyes, I glance to my right. A girl has taken a seat on the bench. She's shorter than me, dressed in black clothes with white shoes, simple yet effortlessly put together. There's something about her that I can't quite put into words. She doesn't look at me, just sitting there as if this bench was always hers.

I take out my headphones, unsure if I should say something or not. She doesn't seem to notice me looking, or maybe she's just good at pretending.

After a moment, she breaks the silence.

"Hey."

Her voice is soft but steady, and it catches me off guard. I don't respond right away, taking a moment to collect myself.

"Um, hey," I finally manage to say, feeling a bit awkward.

She turns her head slightly, offering a small smile. "You always sit here?"

It's a simple question, but somehow the way she asks makes it feel like it means more. I nod. "Yeah. It's a good spot.

She gives a nod of approval. "I figured. You looked pretty settled in."

Her tone is light, but there's something else beneath it, something that makes me feel like we've met before, even though I'm certain we haven't.

"I just moved here two days ago. I was getting bored, so I came here," she says.

"Ah, yes, I remember hearing about someone moving in recently," I reply, smiling.

"I'm Stella, by the way," she says, extending her hand.

"Heliar," I reply, shaking her hand.

She leans back and asks, "Do you read much?"

I blink, surprised by the question. "Uh, yeah. Quite often actually. Why?"

She shrugs, "Well. I've been searching for something new to read. You seem like you would have some ideas."

I smile at that. "Well, what do you usually read?"

"Mostly fiction," she says with a slight laugh. "Something with a good story, you see? A little mystery doesn't hurt either."

"I might have something in mind" I say. "Have you heard of The Night Circus?"

Her eyes light up just a bit, as if I've hit a mark. "Yeah, I've heard of it. Haven't gotten around to it yet though."

"You gotta try. It's one of those books which sticks with you."

She considers. "I'll keep that in mind."

After that we fall into a comfortable silence, neither feeling the need to fill the gap with small talk. There's something easy about sitting here with her, and honestly, I like that.

Eventually, she stands up, brushing off her hands. "Thanks for the suggestion, Heliar," she says with a smile. "Gotta get home now." Her eyes sparkle. "Say, how about we meet again tomorrow? Same time."

I stand, willing to take the offer. "Oh certainly. Tomorrow it is then. See you around Stella."

"Bye!" she says with a soft voice as she turns around to leave.

"Bye, see you around" I say in reply as I watch her walk away, disappearing into the crowd of the park.

Sitting there with my thoughts for a while, I stand up and head home. On the way back, out of the corner of my eye I see a figure disappear into an alley. He's wearing a suit, and has a hat.

Weird, I think. For someone to roam around in formals this late in the day.

Without giving it much thought, I head home.