Chapter Six: Paradise in City

"Where are we going, Mister?" Cara asked, her curiosity piqued by the odd, meandering path they were walking down.

"So, you’ve decided to call me Mister, huh?" He smiled, his tone light, but he ignored her question altogether, as if recalling the last time she’d given him a nickname.

"Nope! Answer my question first," she insisted, her voice firm. "Where are we going?"

"I’m calling you Mister because you’re too mysterious to have a proper nickname. Why bother?" She explained herself, though the words felt unsatisfying, overshadowed by his hypnotizing charm.

He didn’t respond to her words directly. "We’re here," he said instead, flashing her a sweet smile. Without warning, he stopped walking. Cara, still holding his hand, looked around and was immediately struck by the stunning beauty of the place.

This was no ordinary place. It was like a paradise. At first, she hadn’t noticed, too focused on the man beside her. But now, as she let her eyes wander, she realized just how magical it was.

"Where are we?" she murmured to herself, her voice filled with curiosity.

She explored the area, looking for any clues to explain where they were. However, before she could make any sense of it, she suddenly woke up.

---

Cara blinked as she snapped back to reality, but the dream lingered in her mind. She was certain she had been in a secret garden in the heart of a city, surrounded by skyscrapers. It was so real.

“A secret garden? In the city?” She whispered to herself, trying to piece it all together. "It’s strange, but why does it feel so familiar?"

She grabbed her notepad and jotted down everything she could remember. The place felt like something she’d seen before, but she couldn’t quite place it.

Pulling out her phone, she dialed Jean’s number, desperate for more answers.

“Jean, do you know of any secret gardens hidden within a city?” Cara asked, her voice full of urgency.

“I don’t think so, but I’ll look into it,” Jean replied, clearly unsure.

Cara hung up, feeling more determined than ever. She typed in the keywords related to the clues she had gathered, praying that something would pop up.

“Gotcha!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening. “There is a place like this in reality... and it’s actually near me!” She hadn’t realized it, but the garden from her dream was just around the corner from where she lived. She had passed it numerous times on her way to university.

Curious and a bit uneasy, Cara decided to visit the garden. She had never noticed it before, but the location was oddly familiar, as if her subconscious had recognized it from her dream.

When she arrived, she looked around, half-expecting the mysterious man from her dream to appear. But the place was full of people—tourists, couples, families, and groups of teenagers, all enjoying the peaceful ambiance of the garden.

She wandered through the garden, but it didn’t feel quite the same. The serenity she remembered was gone. In her dream, the only two people present had been her and the mysterious man. Here, she was surrounded by strangers, and it felt like just another public space.

But of course... this is reality, she reminded herself. Dreams and reality don’t mix.

Still, the natural beauty of the garden was eerily similar to the one from her dream. The only difference was the noise and the crowds, making it feel far more alive and chaotic.

---

After spending some time in the garden, Cara returned home, still lost in thought. She knew she needed to refocus. It was time to be a student again, to get back into the rhythm of university life.

She quickly prepared for her classes, grabbing her car keys and hurrying to school. She arrived just in time—ten minutes before class. Enough time to stop by her locker.

As she opened her locker, her eyes fell on a white envelope resting on top of her books. She assumed it was just another love letter from some random admirer. But then, she noticed something odd: the handwriting on the envelope was familiar. It was her name, written in elegant, almost perfect script.

Her curiosity piqued, Cara slipped the envelope into her bag, deciding to read it later. The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and students began filing into the classroom.

She took a seat in the only available chair at the back of the room. Next to her on the left, a couple flirted openly, while on her right, a loner sat, wearing a cap that obscured his face. His ripped jeans and grungy look added to his mystery.

As the professor droned on, Cara began to feel drowsy. The loner guy, noticing her tiredness, offered her his cap to shield her face and nap.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she muttered, declining the gesture. But as he removed his cap, she caught a glimpse of his face—a face that looked strangely familiar. Before she could fully process it, he quickly pulled the cap back down, hiding his features once more.

The class ended, and as students filed out, Cara made her way to the door, hoping to talk to the loner. But by the time she reached the hallway, he had disappeared.

---

Back at home, Cara collapsed onto her bed, exhausted from the long day. She tried to rest but couldn’t shake the thoughts swirling in her mind. The letter in her bag was still there, and she couldn't resist any longer.

She quickly grabbed it and opened it, unfolding the note inside.

---

Dear Cara,

Hello there! How are you? I’ll see you today in your class. Hope to meet you again soon.

Lovingly Yours,

Mr. Smith

---

Cara’s breath caught in her throat. Mr. Smith? The letter was unsettling. Who was this person, and how did they know so much about her? She suddenly felt very exposed, as if someone had been watching her all along. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. And who was this mysterious Mr. Smith?

Her mind raced as she wondered if her dreams, the letter, and the strange encounters at school were all somehow connected. What was the truth behind all of this?