Chapter 4: Stroke of Luck

JADE:

“Why are you up at this hour, Jade? Is there something wrong?”

Liam, my classmate and secret crush, was looking at me with a face full of concern. Am I not dreaming? Was this for real?

I was finally able to control my stupid mouth which was hanging open a few seconds ago as I said, “umm, yeah. I just moved this weekend. I didn’t know you were from around here…”

I smiled nervously, trying to make up with how awkward I looked like earlier. “I thought I heard something, so I went to look outside… But when I opened the door, all I found is my shoes on the hallway.”

A look of utmost concern came into his face once more. “Why did you go out by yourself? It’s dangerous to go out at this hour. You never knew what could happen.”

He looked from left to right before speaking again. “These hallways are not safe. The logical thing to do would be to scream or call the security guard through the phone in your room. Don’t go walking outside alone again next time…”

I could feel my face heating up from what he just said. I was utterly touched. Why was he so concerned about me? I wanted to wallow in my overflowing admiration of him.

I tried to ease the tension between us by laughing off at my stupid mistake. “Ha ha, yes. I must admit that I never thought of doing those things… All I thought of were these shoes.”

His face finally lightened up when he saw me smile back. “I guess that could happen to a lot of people… Good thing you found your shoes. Let me walk you to your door,” he offered.

I controlled my free hand’s compulsion to tuck the hair at my ears when we started to walk towards my room. I barely mumbled amidst my nervousness. ”T-Thanks a lot, Liam.”

“So you just moved in this weekend, huh? Didn’t you used to commute to and from the university,” he asked.

My heart palpitated. I think I mentioned this in front of him once in the past, but how come he remembered? Was he paying special attention to small things like these?

I shook my head. It was a stupid thought… How can he be interested in someone like me?...

“Yeah, it’s been a while. Traffic nowadays is terrible and I really tiring,” I said.

“Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I’ve been in this dormitory longer, so I know this neighborhood quite well. I could show you all the nice places and restaurants around here if you’ve got time,” he said.

I must be looking like a fool in front of his eyes now. I can’t stop smiling as he opened up the prospect of spending time together after school.

“Okay, let’s do that some time then,” I said after recovering briefly from my internal screaming.

“I’ll look forward to it then,” he said.

At this point, we have reached the door of my room. I wanted to stretch the time I have with him, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Good night, Jade. It was really unexpected to see you here at this hour, but it’s still nice to meet you like this,” he said before he turned around.

“Good night, and thank you, Liam,” I said breathlessly.

I walked into the room and almost collapsed by the door as soon as I closed it from utter happiness.

That’s right. Meeting him here and like this was truly unexpected but still nice, and all of these things happened tonight because of the red shoes. They must really be some lucky shoes!

Brushing the voices earlier as a product of my overly active imagination and completely forgetting my horrible dream, I went to bed and this time, I was able to dream a good dream.

The next day, I felt so full of energy that I was even singing in my shower and while I cooked a quick breakfast.

I got ready early that day, so I had time to pick up outfits to pair with my new shoes. That day, I picked a dark violet long-sleeved shirt and a light blue skirt. I felt great as I looked at my dress and shoe combination for the day.

I fretted a little that morning since I forgot to ask Liam what time he usually goes to school. I figured I should have asked him, so I could get a chance to walk with him together to and from school and maybe get to know him a bit more.

I sighed. Since I forgot, I would just pray hard that I end up seeing him on my way there.

As luck would have it, the exact moment I opened my dorm room was the exact moment that Liam happened to shut his own door.

“Oh, hi, Jade,” he greeted. Under the morning sun, his handsome face was even more radiant that I felt myself blushing.

“Hi,” I said back, trying to act as normally as I could although my heart was pounding.

“The stupid me forgot to ask what time you go to school last night. I thought it’d be nice to walk to and from school together, don’t you think,” he said.

I wanted to jump in ecstasy. I can’t believe he was thinking of the exact same thing!

“Yeah, that’ll be really helpful,” I mumbled. I wanted to say something wittier, but before I could open my mouth, an arm had already hooked at my blind side.

“Jadey,” a familiar voice called.

I didn’t need to look. I knew right away that Ally and my other friend, Nina, had joined us. This was the junction they always took as a route going to and from our school.

“Oh, sorry, are we interrupting something,” Nina, who was walking next to Ally said. She looked back and forth from me to Liam.

“What are you saying guys,” I exclaimed, mortified. I gave them the don’t-you-dare-make-it obvious-that-I-like-Liam kind of look, which they quickly picked up, but it was Liam who answered back like a perfect gentleman.

“Jade and I just discovered that we’re dorm mates yesterday!” The grin on his face was wide. Did he like the idea of being dorm mates as much as I did?

“Wow, lucky you,” Ally said, “now you don’t have to walk alone nor commute for a long time.”

“Yeah, the traffic is getting more and more terrible by the day,” I agreed.

We walked for about a minute more before Nina had started to squeal.

“Oh my gosh, Jadey! You got the shoes!”

I smiled when I remembered. “Oh yes. I was lucky I guess.”

“Wow, the way they fit you is really nice,” Ally said, surveying my outfit.

“Where did you get them? I thought they had already been sold out,” Nina pouted. All of us were victims of that fateful online mishap that day.

“Thanks. Well, they kind of were like a present,” I said. I seriously didn’t know how to explain how I got my shoes in simpler terms to them. I proceeded to tell them how I ended up with these red shoes in my hands.

“Wow, I wish someone would give me something like that too,” Ally said in astonishment. “Did someone special give it to you, like your boyfriend perhaps?”

Ally gave me a playful nudge on the ribs. I didn’t dare look at Liam’s face as I answered. My heart was already beating wildly enough as it is.

“You guys, it’s nothing like that.”

“Well, that’s what you call luck! Give us some of that luck for the exam too,” Nina quipped in, stroking my arms like I was some sort of statue that can transfer luck through rubbing.

“Well, if you think of it that way, then I must really be lucky.” If walking to school with my most favorite people in the world isn’t luck, then I don’t know what is.

I was still in on cloud nine as we neared the school gate where students have already lined up, waiting for their turn for the guard’s inspections. A few of them were busy chatting about, and that’s when I heard that bit of news.

“By the way, did you hear? Another student has gone missing…”