Moonlit Vengeance

Zara Elara hurried down the sidewalk, her backpack bouncing against her back as she rushed to class. It was another typical morning in the small town of Treeview - the grasses were wet with the morning dew making everywhere so cool, and Zara was running late, as usual. "Ugh, why do I always do this to myself?" Zara muttered under her breath as she picked up her pace, making her way between other students who were strolling leisurely to class. She rounded the corner and heaved a sigh of relief as Treeview university came into view.

Zara was a 22 year old junior, studying environmental science at the small, local university. Treeview was the only home she'd ever known- she had grown up in the cozy town with her adoptive parents, Francis and Nora Elara. They had found Zara abandoned as a baby and had taken her in, raising her as their own. Though Zara always wondered sometimes about her biological parents and why she'd been abandoned as a child , she was grateful for the home her adoptive parents had provided. They doted on her and supported her in every aspect of life . Zara couldn't imagine her life turning out any differently. As she hurried up the stairs of the science building , Zara glanced down at her phone relieved to see that she still had a few minutes before her environmental biology lecture started. She slowed down her furious steps, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. " Okay Zara, you've got this, Just get to class take some notes and then you can go home to rest " she quietly encouraged herself Once inside the lecture hall, Zara quickly found her seat at the back and settled in, bringing out her notebook and pen. She scanned the room, nodding and smiling at a few familiar faces. Though she was generally on the shy side, Zara had managed to make a few friends during her time at Treeview University Just as the professor began his teaching, the door burst open and a tall, broad-shouldered young man hurried inside, apologising profusely for his lateness. Zara felt her cheeks flush as the man- Calvin, one of the most popular and attractive guys on campus- made his way around the chairs and sat down in the empty seat next to her. "Hey Zara, sorry about that," he whispered under his breath. "My alarm failed me this morning". Zara simply nodded, not sure of what to say. She'd had a crush on Calvin since their freshman year, but he seemed completely unaware of her existence. After all, why would a guy like him ever notice a quiet, reserved girl like her? Forcing her to focus on the lecture, busying herself with taking detailed notes. But try as she might, she couldn't help but be painfully aware of Calvin's presence next to her. His arm occasionally brushed against hers, sending shivers down her spine, and the faint scent of his cologne was utterly distracting. When the class finally ended, Zara hurried to pack up her things, hoping to slip out before Calvin could try to make conversation. But just as she was shouldering her backpack, he reached out and lightly touched her arm. "Hey Zara, wait a sec", he said. " I was wondering if you'd like to grab coffee with me sometime? Maybe this weekend?" Zara's eyes widened with shock, and for a moment she thought she was sure to have misheard him. "Me?" she asked, hating the way her voice trembled. Calvin chuckled. "Yeah you. Unless there's another Zara Elara I don't know about. He flashed her a warm smile. " So what do you say?" "I.....um....yes, I'd love to, " Zara stammered , her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't believe this was actually happening "Great, How about Saturday afternoon? There's a new cafe in town that's I've been wanting to try " "Sounds perfect," Zara replied, barely containing her excitement. As Calvin gave her the details and headed off to his next class, Zara stood there, stunned. She couldn't believe her luck- Calvin, the guy she'd been secretly pining for, had actually asked her out. She had to resist the urge to do a little victory dance right there in the middle of the hallway. Grinning from ear to ear, Zara made her way back to her house, her usual post class fatigue replaced with this newfound energy. Her parents were out of town for a couple of days now. She couldn't wait to tell her best friend, Ariel, all about it. Ariel was the only friend she had been close with for years, they grew up almost together and went to the same school for years till their freshman year in University where they were separated. Evening came, Zara's phone buzzed with a text from her best friend, Ariel. "Omg, Zara ! Calvin asked you out? That's amazing! We have to go shopping this weekend to find you the perfect outfit " Zara laughed and quickly typed out a response. " I know, I still can't believe it! And yes , definitely. I don't know what to wear ." After finishing her meal, Zara settled onto the couch, turning on the TV, but she found it impossible to focus. Her mind kept drifting back to Calvin and their upcoming date. What if she said the wrong thing or spilled coffee all over herself? What if he realised she wasn't interesting as she looks and decided it's all a mistake? Letting out a frustrated sigh, Zara shook her head. "No , I can't think like that. I just need to be chill and be natural, if he likes me , cool. If not, it's his loss" Feeling a little bit encouraged, Zara decided to sleep early , hoping a good night's rest would calm her nerves. As she lay in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, a sudden movement outside her bedroom window caught her eye. Sitting up, Zara peered out into the dark, trying to make out what had caused the disturbance. For a moment, she thought she saw a large, shadowy figure darting between the trees, but then it was gone, swallowed by the night. Troubled, Zara quickly closed the curtains, her heart pounding. She must be more tired than she thought, she told her herself. Discarding the strange sighting, she snuggled back under the covers and slowly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a certain dark-eyed boy and the date they had planned for the weekend