Lucas was deep into his punishment push-ups, sweat dripping from his brow as he struggled to complete yet another round for being late to training. The discipline felt endless, but it was nothing compared to the unexpected call he received.
It was from the head instructor of the training center, his voice sharp with urgency. "Lucas, there's a girl here to see you. She says it's an emergency."
Confusion washed over him. He didn't have any female cousins, and the thought of an unexpected visitor was more of a joke than anything serious. Still, the instructor insisted. "She's waiting at the gate. She says she must leave soon."
Lucas muttered to himself as he stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "What kind of joke is this? There aren't even any female ghosts here."
He shook his head, running to the back gate of the training institute, a mix of skepticism and curiosity building up inside him. Just as he reached the gate, a voice called out.
"Excuse me? Senior Lucas?"
He turned to see a figure dressed in an oversized tee, cargo pants, a cap, and a bandana tied around her face. Her sunglasses shielded her eyes, but something about her seemed oddly familiar.
"You?" Lucas asked, his confusion turning to surprise.
She took off her sunglasses, and the recognition hit him like a bolt of lightning. "Lia?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Lia's smile widened. "Oh, you recognized me!" she said, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and relief.
"Of course," Lucas replied. "You haven't changed at all." His eyes briefly lingered on her face, memories flooding back. How could I ever forget those eyes?
Lucas raised an eyebrow, still trying to process the situation. "You told them you're my cousin, and they believed you? Why?"
Lia hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "You told me if I was ever in trouble, I could find you. So, I did. At first, they didn't believe me, but then I told them your full name, your dad's, your mom's, your brothers'... even your rank, where you studied. Then they believed me."
Lucas stared at her in disbelief. "You know all that about me?"
Lia nodded sheepishly. "Yeah... Janifer liked you, so she made me stalk you a lot."
Lucas chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Oh, ho. But why are you here, of all places?"
Lia sighed, her eyes looking tired. "I was on a trip with some friends, but I got lost. I lost my wallet, too, it fell off the bus. I need to get home, but I can't find any way to do it. My phone died, and I couldn't trust anyone. Then I remembered you told me you were at this army camp and I could visit anytime." She paused. "So, um... can you lend me three grand? I'll pay you back as soon as I get home."
Lucas' expression softened, but he was still cautious. "I suppose I can, but are you sure you can manage on your own? You should call your dad."
Lia lowered her gaze. "I guess you don't know... my mom and dad separated. My dad doesn't care about me anymore, and my mom might have a heart attack if I called her. Please, Lucas. I can handle this. I'm twenty now."
Lucas frowned, his heart heavy with concern. "You still look seventeen to me," he muttered. "We haven't talked in two years... and now so much has happened to you. Sorry. But... may I ask why you stopped talking to me?"
Lia bit her lip, her gaze drifting. "I'll tell you later. But right now, please... if I don't get home soon, everyone will start worrying."
Lucas hesitated but finally nodded. "Alright, come in. I'll grab the money."
Lia shook her head. "I'll wait outside. Please hurry, I'm going to be late."
Lucas ran to his dorm to grab his wallet and took out the money, his thoughts consumed with how beautiful Lia looked. When he returned, he saw her standing by the gate, her cap now off, her short hair dancing in the breeze. She looked so... different. So grown-up.
He handed her the money.
Lia's eyes widened. "Wait, this is five grand! That's too much."
"It's fine," Lucas replied. "Be safe. Take an Uber, and text me when you get home."
Lia hesitated. "Give me your bank account details. I'll send it back."
Lucas smiled softly, shaking his head. "No need. Just be safe, babygirl."
Lia blushed, stepping back slightly. "I can't take it like this, Lucas."
He smirked. "Then how about meeting me on vacation and treating me?"
Lia looked conflicted, but she couldn't refuse. "Okay. Thanks a lot, senior. Really."
"My pleasure," Lucas replied, watching her walk away. "Be safe, okay?"
She nodded and disappeared into the distance, leaving Lucas standing in the fading light, lost in thought.
As he made his way back to his class, the image of Lia—her eyes, her hair, her smile—kept replaying in his mind. He couldn't help but remember the first time they had met.
---
Five Years Ago
Lucas sat in class, his senior year coming to an end. His friend leaned over, whispering excitedly. "Hey, there's a girl who just walked in. Seventh grader. She's so cute—got these doe eyes. So youthful."
"Don't you ever say anything without mentioning a girl?" Lucas said, rolling his eyes. "She's just a junior. Have some shame."
His friend laughed. "I'm just saying, she's a cute little thing."
"Whatever, let's get back to class. We've got experiments to finish."
As they walked up the stairs, Lucas saw her for the first time. She was running downstairs, laughing with her friends. Her short hair bounced as she moved, and Lucas felt like the world stopped in that moment. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
She accidentally bumped into him, looking up with those wide, doe eyes. "Sorry, senior. I wasn't looking."
"It's okay, Lia," his friend said, smiling at her.
Lucas couldn't speak. She was too beautiful, too captivating. And she smelled like jasmine.
That was the first time he had seen Lia.
Over time, he began noticing her more. She spent most of her breaks in the library, sitting by the window, reading. He learned she was intelligent, excelling in science fairs with impressive projects. But things took a turn when she was betrayed by her teachers. Her hard work, her dedication—all stolen by a rich kid who bought the project.
The sight of her crying was the first time they spoke. "I wish I could just destroy it," she said between sobs, her tears glistening as she looked up at him.
Lucas felt a pang in his chest. That night, he destroyed the project, burning it to the ground.
After graduation, they lost touch. Lucas went off to college in another city, then the military academy. When he returned, he learned that Lia and her family had left the city. He tried reaching out, found her social media account, andfollowed her , she used to text him when he was at home for vacation . But he couldn't bring himself to reply her all the time . He would get busy. One day, he realized she had removed him from her account, stopped following him.
The silence between them stretched for years, until, finally, today—when he saw her again.
Lucas lay on his bed, the events of the day swirling in his mind, when the call came again from the head instructor.
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