Strangers▪ Matei Covaci imagine

Twenty Two

I've been at this school for over a month and only this morning I noticed a girls bathroom tucked away at the end of a corridor. Today I have decided to make it my new sanctuary, a place to be a lone wolf, for a few minutes a day.

I gaze into the mirror, my eyes lingering on my slightly chapped lips. The memories from last night are so clear in my mind it's like I can still feel his lips on mine. If I shut my eyes I can even recall his heartbeat...

According to Hannah, no one ever comes is here, and I liked the sound of that. I can see why; the paint is peeling off the walls, the mirrors are far from clean, and I'm not even considering using the toilets. Still, it's empty, it's quiet, or at least I thought it was  until I hear the door swing open.

I spin around and see Emilia standing in the doorway. She looks just as shocked as I am to see another person here. I get an overwhelming sense of deja vu from when she saw me and Matei  in the street last night. I wonder how much she knows about us.

I don't want to expose anything Matei hasn't told her yet, so I decide to play it casual.

"How's it going, firewalker?" I ask with a smirk, turning back to face the mirror.

I see her reflection shift uneasily.

"...you ok?" 

She sniffles. "I'm fine."

Examining her reflection closer, I notice tears in the corner of her eyes. "Are you sure?" I ask, more tenderly.

"It's the stares," she replies quietly, "people chatting behind my back...sometimes I just need to get away from it all. "

It's enough to make my heart melt. I turn back around and pull her in for a tight hug. "Hey..." I say softly, "remember what I told you. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Firewalkers are heroes among wolfbloods, as well as humans. They just don't know it."

"But how can I stand up to them when they can't know who I am?" Emilia asks with a loud sniff. 

"If you have that belief in your heart, then eventually they'll realise they can't hurt you anymore. Humans provoke others because they want a reaction, so don't give it to them."

I pull away and search for a smile on the young wolfblood's face. What I see isn't exactly a smile, it's more of a forlorn pout.

The sound of the bell makes us both jump. I roll my eyes when I realise I've got two minutes to navigate the busy corridors to the other side of the school. I throw all my stuff into my handbag and sling it over my shoulder, but I can still see Emilia watching me in the mirror.

"I saw you last night. With Matei." She pipes up.

I spin round again and this time I'm the one who's lost for words. "...What did he say?"

She shrugs, a little smile finally emerging. "I tried to probe him but he wouldn't say anything."

"Oh.."

"Don't be offended," Emilia adds, "that's just typical Matei. When it comes to things he cares about, he tends to clam up. I guess it's his way of protecting the things that make him happy."

I feel a beam spread across my face, and Emilia returns it. Walking towards the door, I feel a little lighter knowing how I make Matei feel. I make him happy. And that makes me more than happy. Actually, I'm fucking ecstatic. As I put my hand on the door, I suddenly remember what I promised Emilia about a month ago.

"Hey, I'm sorry I haven't started teaching you eolas yet. I know you really want to learn, so..."

"Actually," Emilia replies, "I don't think I want to learn eolas anymore..."