"That guy looks cute"- I said, sipping the coffee.

"Which one?"- Helena asked.

"That one, over there... he doesn't look like a patient, neither a student."- I replied.

"Oh! Matt... yeah! maybe he looks cute..." - it was a neutral tone.

"You know him?"- I asked.

"If you were here a month before, you would have surely knew him..."

"Who is he?"

"He's a student... don't think he's not..."

"But he looks... somewhat.... kinda..."

"Peculiar... I know... we all know... he's like that, so we let him go that way..."

"Doesn't he have friends?"

"As far as I know, no one... he likes to stay alone... I think..."

She replied like a robot giving instructions. I looked at him. Eventhough he was drinking, his mind was elsewhere... he wasn't aware of anything around him, or he might have noticed a random guy staring at him... his eyes wandered as if looking at an unknown realm. 

"He has no friends or he doesn't like to make friends?"

"Either way... who knows!"- her voice was low... "Yaa! Why you keep on asking about him..? You wanna make friends with him?"

"N...no....no..... he seemed strange... thats why...!"

"Good then, but if you ever try to make friends with him, lemme give a critical hint... it won't go smooth..."

"No friendships go smooth..."

"And this would be a nightmare..."- she replied.

"I think you've enough experience..."- I said.

"Well, I've seen pretty much things, and this is all I could conclude..."

"He's strange..."- I said, staring at those hazel eyes, searching something deep in the dark shadows...

"Some people are not too good to get involved with..."- she said, looking at the coffee cup.

"SOME PEOPLE... TO GET INVOLVED..."- I said myself.

As a fresher in the medical school and a foreign student, all the things were new to me... Helena was kind of a guide,who took me to places and showed me things. I always felt strange whence I walked alone.  It was like existing in a parallel world where you can't figure out what's revolving... but I loved the late evening walks... I went to random places near my apartment whenever I felt bored. It seemed nice and reviving...

I was afraid of dark and isolated places. I was brought up in such a way that ghosts and creatures in my wild imagination were residents of darkness and isolated areas. But after coming here, I started to walk alone in night. So I thought it would be nice to take a little walk.

It was a bit dark and the streets seemed somewhat isolated. It was chilling cold and the whole place looked as of draped in a white coat.

I love misty evenings...

The streetlights shed pale yellow light on the deserted road as if burning the mist. The high wall on one side and the bushy land on the other side have it some kinda creepy look. A cat was licking its paws, sitting on a road side bench. I went and sat there. It made a quick glance at me and continued to lick its paws. "Even a little cat isn't afraid of me!.."- I thought. I sat there, looking at that little creature, as if it's something strange...

The sky was clear and pitch black. Stars shine here and there, the cold wind was rather refreshing than giving a creepy mood... the cat started to sleep. It looked so calm and composed, that the rhythmic breath was the only sign which proved it's alive. I touched it's head. It purred but didn't try to get away.

"Can I take you with me?"

There was no answer.

"How long should I stay alone?..."- I asked myself.

Another cold breeze passed though the oak woods...

Any peddler would have misinterpreted me and the cat as a homeless kid and his pet.

I didn't want to go back to my apartment. I sat there, looking at the bushes and trees hidden by the shadows in strange dimensions. I don't know where I looked, my eyes wandered like a distorted spirit, to cling onto something. My mind was blank. Some sort of dense depressing feeling suddenly hit me... I didn't know where I came from. Suddenly I remembered about him... his hazel, bright eyes, and the depth behind it...

"Some people are not too good to be mingled with..."- I remembered the words she said. But something inside me kept on saying that I need to know more about him. All I knew was his name. ‘MATT’ it echoed in that hollow darkness.

“Are you busy?”

“Not really... why did you call in this late night?”

“I just wanna know a bit more about that guy... that’s why...”

“Who? Matt?”

“Well... yeah! Could you please...”

“did you ever listen to me?  I've already told you... he's not a good topic to be messed with...”

“is he having any social media accounts?”

“so you are sure about it...”

“That guy... he's strange...”

“well... I'll send you the user ID. Look yourself... don't think it was a bad decision...”

“why do you keep on discouraging me?  Is he that much dangerous?”

“if he was dangerous, it could have been dealt...”

“Then what's the problem?”

“ADDICTIVE”

THE VOICE WAS NOT THE SAME...