The morning sun streamed through the blinds of Bibxy's dorm window, warm and uninvited. Her head still echoed with the voice from the library — "You are closer to it now." She tried to shake it off, moving slowly as she dressed for the day.
Soya knocked on her door right on time, her hair in two bouncing curls and her usual energetic smile in place.
"Hey babe!" Soya beamed. "Ready for the walk?"
Bibxy nodded, still groggy. As they walked toward their first lecture, Bibxy kept her eyes down, thoughts tangled in last night's strange experience.
"You're too quiet," Soya said, nudging her. "Still thinking about the spooky library stuff?"
"Kind of," Bibxy admitted.
"Well, I've got the perfect fix. There's a party tonight — a chill night rave just off campus. Music, lights, no drama. Let's go. You need it."
Bibxy hesitated. A party? Her world already felt like a spinning carousel.
"Come on," Soya added, looping her arm through Bibxy's. "Let's stop letting the weirdness win. One night. Dance, laugh, forget. What do you say?"
Bibxy managed a small smile. "Alright. I'll come."
After lectures ended, Bibxy went back to her dorm, tossed her bag on the bed, and collapsed onto the sheets. The day had drained her, but her thoughts still whirled. The library, the voice, Josh's reaction… none of it made sense. Maybe Soya was right. A distraction wouldn't hurt.
Night fell with pulsing music already echoing from the small off-campus building where the party was held. Bibxy dressed in a sleek black crop top and ripped jeans, her hair curled softly around her shoulders. For once, she looked like someone ready to dance her worries away.
The venue throbbed with music and lights. Students filled the space with laughter and swaying bodies. Bibxy and Soya pushed through the crowd, finding their rhythm in the chaos.
Bibxy reached for a red plastic cup someone handed her. She didn't ask what was inside. She just drank.
The night blurred.
The lights became rivers of color. The music became the heartbeat in her ears. Her body felt light — her thoughts finally quiet.
And then… he was there.
Josh.
Leaning against the wall near the drinks table, his dark eyes catching the strobe lights. He was dressed in a clean black hoodie, silver chain glinting at his neck. His gaze met hers and lingered.
"Josh?" she said, her voice unsteady — half from the alcohol, half from surprise.
He looked equally surprised. "Bibxy? What are you doing here?"
She smiled, her legs a little wobbly. "Dancing away ghosts."
Josh laughed. "Looks like you had a bit too much fun."
She stumbled slightly, and Josh caught her by the waist. Their eyes met — something electric passed between them.
"I feel dizzy," she murmured.
"I've got you," he said gently.
In the neon haze, without meaning to, their faces drew close. Her hand brushed his cheek, and before either of them could second-guess it, their lips met — slow, intense, confusing.
Suddenly, the world shifted.
Bibxy's vision blurred — and then exploded into a vivid flashback.
She was somewhere else. A place cloaked in twilight, filled with golden light and shadows entwined. She saw herself — not as the shy student she was now, but a fierce, radiant woman clad in flowing robes, standing beside Josh, who wore a crown of stars and wielded a sword of light.
They laughed, fought, and promised to protect each other forever.
And then, a terrible rupture — a dark force tearing them apart, and her own face twisting in anguish as she watched him fade away.
The vision shattered.
Back in the party, Bibxy gasped, pulling away from Josh.
His eyes searched hers, concern deepening. "Bibxy? Are you okay?"
She blinked, struggling to steady her breath. "I… I just saw something. A memory. Us. From another time."
Josh's jaw tightened. "You're starting to remember."
Before she could say more, a sharp noise broke the moment.
Soya stood at the edge of the crowd, eyes wide and glistening, her cup slipping from her hand and shattering on the floor.
Her gaze locked onto Bibxy and Josh with a mix of betrayal and pain.
Without a word, Soya turned and stormed out into the night, leaving a silence that echoed louder than the music.
Bibxy watched her go, heart pounding — caught between past and present, between the mystery of what she was and the life she thought she knew.