Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 166  The Girl With Brightness

[Ashlyn's POV]

I have always liked the spring season.

It's the only season without any flaws—no overbearing heat, no bitter cold.

A time of year when nothing feels restrictive.

You can just roam around freely.

It's when flowers bloom the most, and everything feels so good, almost to the point of being artificial.

A sweet and fresh season where you can live with your heart's content.

Truly the best season.

"What are you thinking?" My eyes glanced to my side as I heard a loud voice.

There she stood, wearing the academic uniform, with orchid-colored hair and eyes looking at me with annoyance.

"Nothing," I replied, giving her a gentle smile. "Just thinking about the season."

"Yeah, it's comfortable right now," she replied, and I nodded my head.

'She's still the same,' I thought, removing my gaze away from her.

Since the day I've known her, she's been the same girl—calm but always annoyed, rude but straightforward, irritating at times but still lovable.

'I never thought I would become close friends with her.' My lips curled up in a small smile as I thought about her.

When I first met her, she was being rude to Az without any reason.

That alone was enough to make me dislike her.

But when she said she was doing it for my own good, it made me even more suspicious.

And it remained that way, until I was sure enough that she just really wanted to be my friend.

'She's a good girl and friend, just a little too straightforward.' But then again, being straightforward isn't a bad thing.

My eyes squinted subconsciously as the morning light fell on them.

Placing my hand to shade them, I walked out of the dormitory building.

"Summer is almost here," Miley grumbled, looking up at the sun.

"True," I replied, nodding my head as my eyes adjusted to the light. "Time sure flies fast when you want to enjoy it."

"That's true." She nodded with a light chuckle.

Walking toward the class, I kept looking around the place.

The garden in between had lots of flowers that weren't there when I first saw them.

It looked more beautiful than ever.

"Hmm, is that Oliver and Aaliyah?" I whispered softly, squinting my eyes to look at them.

...They were walking toward the class, their hands intertwined.

"Yeah, it's them," Miley replied, looking at them as well. "Those guys are lovey-dovey all the time."

"They sure are," I nodded in agreement.

"Let's catch up with them," Miley said, quickening her steps.

"Let them be," I quickly grabbed her hand. "You don't want to be a third wheel, right?"

"...Yeah," she replied awkwardly, nodding her head.

I smiled, watching them walk in front of us toward the first-year building.

They looked cute together, holding hands and bickering over something... living their lives.

'Come to think of it, isn't youth just like spring?' I couldn't help but compare them.

It's what we're all dealing with—the most turbulent period of our lives that we'll always remember.

The time when we mature a little, but still remain naive about the bigger world out there.

Like spring, it's the best time of our lives.

We cry, we laugh, we fight, and we make up as well.

...We're all living in spring.

A happy season to live in.

A time of year where I want to live forever.

"Professor Lauryn will take our first class, right?" Miley asked, making me look at her.

"Yeah, she'll be the one," I replied, nodding. "Did you do what she asked?"

She froze mid-step, her eyes slowly looking up at me. "...What did she ask?"

I shook my head with a sigh. "To research aquatic animals that eat everything on an island."

She facepalmed herself, grumbling softly, "I completely forgot about that."

"Yeah, I thought you would," I replied, shaking my head. "You can copy mine; we still have enough time."

"Thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed, her expression brightening up as she shook my hands. "You're the best."

"I know. Let's go to class first," I replied, smiling at her.

"Yeah, let's go," she whispered, moving faster and dragging me with her.

We quickly walked inside the class.

Miley took her seat in front, taking my notebook, while I moved toward the back.

'He isn't here yet,' I thought, looking at the seat beside me.

The seat where only Az sits... but he's not here yet.

'I should wait for a while,' I thought, looking at the door, waiting for him.

It didn't take long for him to come.

But...

He wasn't alone—senior Christina was with him.

'...'

They talked for a while at the gate before she left, and he walked toward me.

"You're early today," he said, taking his seat beside me.

"You're the one who came late," I replied, and surprisingly, I felt annoyance in my voice.

"I did?"

"Yeah, you did," I replied, looking away from him.

'When did it start?' I wondered, stealing glances at him.

When did I start feeling annoyed by their relationship?

"Does your back still hurt?" I asked softly, watching him stretch his back.

"Yeah, sometimes, but not always," he replied, gently hitting his shoulder with his fist.

"Want me to do it for you?" I offered, to which he quickly showed me his back.

"Please do," he requested.

"Sure."

'Sometimes I have those moments.'

The moments where I can't lie to myself, even if I want to.

...And I hate when those moments barge in for me.

"Does it feel better?" I asked softly.

"A little bit lower," he replied, and I gently massaged his lower back.

'Seriously, when did it start?'

When I first met him, I was full of doubt and wariness.

Then it turned into curiosity when he helped me with everything I needed.

And what followed was discomfort.

...Discomfort from knowing he was trying to get close to me while he was already engaged.

And before I could confront that discomfort... he was already too close to me.

His smile was something I looked forward to seeing.

Him saving my sister's life was the turning point.

That made me realize what that discomfort was, and his smile began to leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

And with that came my bad temper.

"Argh!" he groaned, making me flinch. "Take it easy."

"Sorry," I replied quietly, removing my hands.

"It's fine," he replied, turning around.

And...

...Smiling again.

'...I don't like it.'

That smile makes me have negative thoughts.

Thoughts that conflict me.

Thoughts that make me want him not to do well with senior Christina.

And whenever I see them together, it's hard to control.

...Hard not to lash out at them.

'I wish my feelings could have ended with curiosity.'

...I truly wish that.

At least then I wouldn't have thoughts of being around him more—.

Slap!

I slapped myself softly.

Az gave me a weird look, but I ignored him.

'What am I thinking?' I wondered, shaking my head.

I still haven't found Noah.

He's still out there.

He should be my priority, not any other boy.

He's the one who was there for me and my sister when no one else was.

.....Everyone has their own version of spring.

I may be the one who keep on reminiscing, stuck in past....

....Rejecting the new spring altogether.

'I should seriously start searching for him more,' I thought to myself as I looked at the door, from where a lady walked in.

"Is everyone here?" Lauryn asked, looking around the class. "Looks like it."

Then she took out the textbook before asking, "I'm assuming all of you have done what I asked, right?"

"Yes," I replied, along with a few others.

"Good, I will check them in a while," she replied, nodding.

"We had to do something?" Az whispered, leaning toward me, confusion filling his voice.

"Yes, and you did it, right?" I asked, smiling at him.

He shook his head before asking, "Can you help m—?"

"Nope, I can't," I replied, smiling brightly at him.

"Why?"

"I don't want to."

He grimaced, turning away, as he looked at Oliver sitting beside him.

Hmm?

I looked at my bag as I felt it vibrating. Sliding my hand in, I took out my phone.

"Tiffany?" I whispered softly.

Leaning toward the desk, I hid my body before picking up the phone. "Hello?"

"Sister?" Tiffany whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Are you alright, Tiffy?" I asked with concern.

It didn't feel right, her calling right now when she knows I'm in class.

"I don't feel alright, sister," she whispered again, her voice brittle and soon turning into sobbing.

"Hey, what happened!?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

Az noticed, tapping my shoulder to ask.

I shook my head as I waited for Tiffy to reply.

She finally whispered again, "I don't feel good."

"Tell me what happened," I asked, my voice now pleading.

I have always liked the spring season.

"How did mother die?"

But that doesn't mean the harsh summer will never come.