My Past Life Haunts Me!

Your Not Alone!

Ashlyn walked outside of the library and down the stairs. Dean ran after her with his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey Ashlyn, wait up," he said, grabbing her arm and turning around, "Ashlyn, I saw the text message. What's going on?"

Ashlyn looked around, wondering if someone saw them. "Dean, we can't talk here, not now. It's about...Korn and Marie," she says, looking at him.

Dean pursed his lips together. "Ok, let's talk at your apartment," he said to her softly.

Ashlyn looked and then nodded to him. "It's ok, I'm right here," he said to her as he moved his hand down, taking her hand gently.

Ashlyn smiled at him softly. "Dean, I'm not scared, honestly," she says smiling, "A little more curious now 'cause I know someone is trying to stop me."

Dean looked at her.

"Whoever this is should be scared of me. When I'm made mad, they better run," she says, placing a hand softly on his cheek.

Dean smiled and nodded to her. "I just worry, ok? Marie and Korn told me specifically to protect you," Dean said to her.

Ashlyn nodded in understanding. "I know, and I appreciate it. But I need to do this alone, too," she replied, reassuringly squeezing his hand.

         Dean smiled at her. "I know you can handle yourself, Ashlyn. But this isn't just about you. Korn is a part of me. He's my past life too. You are not alone in this. And I don't want anything to happen to you," he said, his eyes filled with concern.

         Ashlyn smiled back at him, feeling grateful for his care and support. "Don't worry, Dean. I'll be careful," she replied before they continued walking to her apartment, deep in thought about the mysterious text message and the secrets hidden in the university.

         The next day, Ashlyn approached the Criminal Justice building. She knew she had promised Dean to wait for him, but she had a hunch that she wanted to check on him first.

         Ashlyn entered a classroom with a hushed presence, her gaze sweeping across the room. The door clicked softly as it closed behind her, and she moved gracefully towards the windows, drawing the blinds to shroud the space in a dim, mysterious light.

         Her eyes wandered to a series of filing cabinets standing sentinel along the wall. She approached them, her fingers gliding along the cold metal surfaces before selecting a cabinet with a swift, practiced motion. A file emerged in her hand with a deft pull, and a wry smile tugged at her lips.

'Criminology class, of course,' she whispered to herself, the words barely audible in the quiet room. Ashlyn looked at the door as it turned a little. Just as she tucked the file into her bag, her attention snapped to the door, which was beginning to turn. She acted swiftly, securing the file and readying herself for whatever might come next.

Ashlyn ran to the door and panicked while trying to find a hiding spot. She turned around as the door opened.

The professor quietly looked at her. "What are you doing in here," the older man said to her.

She looked around. "Oh um....um....," she says

"How did you get in here? The door was locked," he says, looking at the knob.

         "No sir, it wasn't. I'm sorry, I was looking for information for my English report. I used to be a big true crime buff in America, and I wanted my essay to be...around that," she says nervously, "I just don't know the laws here in Thailand as much as I know about forensics in America."

         The professor looked at her funny. "Well, you'll have to come back during office hours. I have a class starting real soon," he told her as he adjusted his glasses.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm still adjusting to the rules," she says, "I'll come back on a better day."

Ashlyn ran out of the classroom quickly as she ran out of building before anyone could ask.

She then looked into her bag at the file. "This should be what police have. Well, roughly," she said before heading to class.

         Ashlyn walked into her apartment quietly, and Dean followed behind her. They both stopped at the entrance taking off their shoes. She grabbed a hair tie putting her hair up in a bun. She then walked over to her cd player and turned on some rock music.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're the quiet type," Dean asked her as he sat his backpack down in a chair.

Ashlyn turned to him. "What do you mean," she asked him.

Dean looked at her. "Well, rock music, you know how to fight," he says to her.

She looked at him and then the cd player. "Oh Well, I like a variety of music. If it has a good beat, I like it," she says, looking back at him, "You can say it's the pianist in me."

He smiled quietly. "You know how to play the piano," Dean said softly.

Ashlyn looked and then nodded. "Well, that and I played flute in middle and high school," she says to him, "Nothing fancy really, just like Beethoven and Bach stuff."

Dean nodded, moving closer to her. "Tell me again why no one has snatched you up," he says softly, taking her hand.

Ashlyn looked away and thought for a moment. "Well, because I"m a nerd who doesn't know the meaning of acting like a lady sometimes," she says softly.

Dean chuckled softly as Ashlyn smiled quietly as he brushed some hair out of her face.

Ashlyn turned to her bag letting go of his hand. "I have something to show you," she says softly, pulling out the file and news article and showing it to Dean.

Dean's expression turned serious as he read through the article. "This is about Korn and Marie's murder," he said, looking up at Ashlyn.

         Ashlyn nodded. "When I was walking to the library, I had this vision about Marie and Korn in the courtyard at that bench we pass by all the time, and this boy walked over to them. He seemed angry. I saw him move towards me, and he said something not nice," she says, "That's when I realized the student building has records of all the students who went to the university. I managed to slip in and found these on top of the cabinets."

Dean nodded as he read through the article again. "So you think this boy in your vision is responsible for their murder?" he asked.

Ashlyn nodded. "It's just a feeling I have," she said, "I know it sounds crazy, but ever since I started having these visions, they've always come true in some way or another."

Dean looked at her, his expression softening. "I believe you," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "We need to find out who this boy is and his connection to Korn and Marie."

"Well, in the library in the faculty area, the one closed off to students, there was a big picture of former students. I saw Marie and Korn's picture. If I can," she says

"Oh no, you're not doing anything else by yourself, Ashlyn," Dean said, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Ashlyn looked into his eyes deeply. "Right, because Marie and Korn told you to protect me," she says, looking away.

"It's more than that, Ashlyn," Dean told her.

         Ashlyn looked at him softly. "Ashlyn, my heart quivered the day I saw you in the registration line. I couldn't figure out why my heart felt it. I couldn't get you out of my mind since that day. I found out your name, learned more about you, and felt this drawing and connection towards you. It got to a point where I couldn't be away from you for even a second; I want to protect you in any way I can because I like you," Dean says to her softly.

Ashlyn looked at him as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Dean," she says to him.

He wiped the tears away from her cheek and slowly lowered his head till his lips covered hers.

Dean looked at Ashlyn, his heart racing as he held her close. "Ashlyn, I know we just met, but I feel like I've known you forever," he said, his voice low and sincere.

Ashlyn looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears. "I feel the same way, Dean," she said softly.

"I don't want to rush things, but I can't imagine being without you," Dean said, taking a deep breath, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Ashlyn's heart skipped a beat as she looked up at him. "Yes, Dean," she said, smiling through tears, "I would love to be your girlfriend."

Dean smiled back at her, relief flooding through him. He leaned in to kiss her again, their lips meeting in a sweet, gentle kiss. As they pulled away, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Ashlyn smiled up at him happily. He then lowered down to her. "Now, if you want a better photo for your background on your phone, I have a much better one than me sleeping," Dean said in a low voice, smiling.

Ashlyn gasped and looked up at him quietly. "H-how did you find out," she said to him in surprise.

Dean chuckled softly. "You left your phone unlocked in the library, and I couldn't help but notice it," he said, smiling.

Ashlyn looked away and smiled softly, blushing. "I-i like that photo. You looked sweet and handsome," she says to him, smiling.

Dean smiled at her softly. He then placed a finger under her chin, drawing her face up, and softly kissed her again.

Ashlyn drew back when she saw a flash. Dean smiled at her as she saw him holding his phone up. "Now I have a cute picture of you," he says, smiling.

Ashlyn smiled up to him and lightly hit him on the chest. "Dean," she says, smiling.

         Ashlyn sat down at the outside table of the cafe with her book. She pushed some hair out of her face as she opened her book and began to read. She then looked up, feeling an odd sense of being watched. She looked across the street at a boy who looked about her age stood watching her. She sat up and looked at him funny as she sat down her book and stood up.

She walked closer to the boy until a bus drove by. She looked back across the street and saw that the boy was gone. "What," she says to herself, looking. Ashlyn shrugged off the feeling and sat back down.

Pharm walked quietly out of the cafe with an Americano. Ashlyn turned around and looked at Pharm.

"Oh, Pharm," she said, smiling.

Pharm smiled, looking at her. "Hey, Ashlyn," he said. Ashlyn sat down at the table.

"Join me, Pharm. We can hang out," she says, smiling.

Pharm nodded and sat down with her across the table. "Oh, the cooking club says they want you to come and show them some Southern American dishes," he said, smiling.

Ashlyn smiled. "really? I can't wait. Oh, why don't we go check out that shop together today? Maybe I can get an idea and practice it tonight. Dean can be the test subject," she says to him.

"Oh? Dean, the test subject in your apartment," Pharm said jokingly.

Ashlyn bit her lower lip and looked down, smiling. Pharm leaned forward. "No. You are obsessed," he says, smiling.

Ashlyn smiled again. "He asked me out," she says softly.

Pharm gasped. "Really," he said, smiling and tapping her hand, "When I need the details."

         Ashlyn bit her lip again, trying to figure out how to respond, knowing she couldn't tell him that she and Dean were trying to solve something odd-year-old murder case because their reincarnated lovers were murdered, and that's what drew them close. "W-well, it just happened," she says, smiling at him. "L-last night"

Pharm smiled at her softly. "I knew he liked you when he would steal glances your way," he said to her, "I'm so happy for you."

Ashlyn smiled again. "Thank you, Pharm. Oh hey, I heard you were getting close with that actor guy," she says to him softly.

Pharm smiled, looking down shyly. "Well, we met at the festival the school had last month," he said to her softly. Ashlyn looked at him, impressed.

They looked off in the distance and heard Team whining as Win dragged him to the coffee shop. "Hia, I'm not ready to order English drinks," the Team said to Win.

"You have to do it sometime," Win said to him, smiling softly, "I buy you snacks, tutor you, and now I'm expected to buy you coffee as well. Your such a needy boyfriend."

Ashlyn and Pharm looked at each other and laughed silently so they could watch more.

Team sighed and looked away. He then looked back to Win. "Fine, tell it to me slow," he said. Win smiled at him, feeling satisfaction in winning the argument.

Ashlyn looked again at Pharm. She grabbed Pharm's hand and said, "I buy you snacks, tutor you, and now you want me to buy you coffee. You're such a bad boyfriend."

Pharm looked, taking her other hand. "You make a point, Ashlyn. I need to be a better boyfriend and get my boyfriend a drink as well," he says, laughing as Team and Win turn to Ashlyn and Pharm, who are laughing.

"Kiss me, Team," she says, thrusting out her arms as they laugh.

The Team made a tsk sound as Win smiled. "What are you guys doing here," Win said, walking over to the table.

Ashlyn looked to Pharm. "Well, I originally came here to read and relax and just happened to run into Pharm, and now you two," she says softly.

"Oh, Dean is going to be jealous of this," Win said as he pulled out his phone. He wrapped an arm around Ashlyn, pulled her back in her chair against him, and took a picture. He smiled and let her go.

         Ashlyn looked up to Win in shock as he walked back to Team smiling. He then looked to Team. "Caramel frappucino with light cream coconut milk," Win said to Team. Team looked to the board softly and then walked into the cafe, repeating his order to himself.

         Dean sat quietly at the breakfast table with his brother and sister. He took a bite of the soup his sister had made. He then sat the spoon down and picked up his phone. He saw the picture of Ashlyn and Win and stood up, walking out of the room. Dean's brother and sister watched him leave, looking at each other nervously.

Ashlyn sat at the table chatting with Pharm as Win pulled up a chair sitting down. He laughed as he saw Dean's number pop up on his phone. "I figured he would call," Win said, laughing.

Dean sat in his car, driving around the traffic. "Where are you," Dean said.

Win looked around. "I'm at the cafe 6 miles from the university," Win said.

Dean smiled and hung up the phone. Ashlyn looked to Win as he lowered the phone softly. "What did he say? Was he mad," Ashlyn said, a little nervous.

Win smiled at him. "No, I believe he's on his way," Win said, laughing, "I figured that would draw him out."

Team walked out with their drinks. "Acai lemonade with extra sugar," he says, teasing Win.

Win looked to him unamused as Team pulled out the frappucino smiling. Win shook his head as Team sat next to him.

Ashlyn looked as Dean's car pulled up. "Dean," she says softly. She watched him as he exited the vehicle and walked towards them.

"If I knew there was going to be a party, I would have come sooner," Dean said as he sat beside Ashlyn. He looked to Win, taking Ashlyn's hand. "My girlfriend isn't a play toy," Dean said, looking at him.

Win laughed as Team spits out his drink. "Boyfriend? When did this happen," Team said, looking to Ashlyn. She bit her lower lip and looked at Dean.

"Well, last night, actually," she says softly. She then looked to Team. "When did you and Win start dating," Ashlyn said, firing back with the same question.

Team looked to Win. "We've been dating for a while now," Win said, sitting down his drink. Ashlyn looked, nodding to them.

Dean placed a hand on the small of Ashlyn's back, smiling. Ashlyn looked at Dean and smiled. "I-i'll go get you a drink," Ashlyn said quickly, getting up. She then ran inside, grabbing his cup of coffee.

Ashlyn stood in the line looking around and lowered her head, smiling, putting a finger to her lips.

         Ashlyn looked behind her at a table and noticed a man pointing a finger angrily at a scared young woman. She tilted her head as she watched him hit her in the head. Ashlyn started to move towards them and looked away, stopping herself. She ordered Dean's drink and turned back, watching the man more as she waited for Dean's drink. Ashlyn grabbed Dean's drink and walked back out. She sat it down on the table with force and looked angry.

"Hey, what's wrong," Dean said, looking at her with concern.

"Nothing, just keeping to my promise of staying out of trouble," she growls.

"What do you mean," Dean asked her.

         She looked as she watched the couple walk outside. She looked at the bruise on the woman's cheek. "Just that in today's society, even in Thailand, some men need a good beating," she says, looking at the man as they walk away. She then looked to Dean. "You remember how I told you I don't like to be mad and that when the wrong button is pushed, I see red," she says to him.

Dean looked. "Yeah," he said to her.

"Yeah, well, a button was pushed, and I'm beating myself up for not breaking the finger that broke it," Ashlyn said, "That couple that just walked out, I watched that guy hit her 2 or 3 times."

         Dean rubbed her back softly as the others watched her. She then gave him a look. "Thank you for keeping your promise," he said softly, rubbing her head. She looked over, saw a police officer, and then got up and walked over to him. She whispered in the officer's ear and pointed in the couple's way. She walked back over and sat down quietly.

"Now I feel better," she says, folding her arms and watching the police officer approach the couple. Dean watched and then smiled at her.

"Good girl. I'll reward you later," he said, rubbing the top of her head again with a smile. Ashlyn smiled at him happily, and then they all started chatting again.

~Riley