Broken Hearts, Broken Blades

Chapter 1: Genesis

Simon:

I laid on the grass, staring up at the sky. There weren't many clouds out there today--just some faint wisps of white against the blue. I held up a hand and started tracing shapes in the air. I envied those clouds.

There was a shuffle from somewhere behind, and a shadow fell over me. I looked up and smirked. "Shouldn't you be in class?" I asked.

Kait stared back at me. "I could ask you the same thing. What're you doing out here, Simon?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much. Just...daydreaming, I guess." I watched a few small birds fly by. "But you didn't answer my question, Kaitie. Why aren't you in class?"

She leaned over, giving me that harsh look. "Because Dave knows you're not sick, and he knows you're still on campus. And professors don't really like it when you cut their class like that."

I couldn't help but smile. "Well, I have better things to do than sit in a class talking about 'evil'. You shouldn't be chewing me out--you should be taking my advice."

She sat down next to me, the ruby-red streak in her hair catching the light. "And what advice is that? Be a loafing vegetable who just looks at the clouds all day?"

I laughed and sat up. "Not exactly. It's about being in the moment, not always being tied to those little chores of the day. Just being there, relaxing, y'know?"

"Has anyone told you that you talk like an old man?"

"Plenty of times. And you make up most of them."

She flashed me a smirk. "Then maybe that's a sign."

"Sign of what?"

"That you're really an old man who looks like he's in his twenties."

I shrugged. "Feels like I am, sometimes."

Her smile faded. "Oh, c'mon. Just because you've got back problems and act like a geriatric, doesn't mean you can get all mopey." She grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Now, I'm pretty sure Dave is gonna be mad at both of us. So the sooner we get back, the less annoyed he'll be."

I looked around and let out a sigh. "Oh, alright. Get going. I wanna grab something to eat from Adams."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. She'd been one of my best friends for a few years now--always looking out for me. "Seriously? You had lunch like two hours ago!"

I shrugged. "What can I say? Dining hall food always leaves me wanting more."

She flashed me a grin and started toward one of the newer buildings: RJ Blair Hall. "Alright, fine. I'll tell Dave what you're doing, though, so make sure you bring something for him."

I shrugged. "I'll see what I can do. Just take some notes on whatever I miss."

She broke into a run and vanished around the corner. I stood there for a moment, watching her leave. She'd always been a good friend of mine, and I owed her a lot already. I turned and crossed the street toward Adams Hall. I grabbed the door handle and looked where Kait was going. She was already gone.

I let go of the door handle and circled to the other side of Adams, around the back, toward my dorm. I jogged across the street and pulled the door open, slipping inside. I hurried up the stairs and unlocked my door.

My foot brushed against something, and I looked down. I had left some things on the floor, but the letter at my feet wasn't one of them. It was in a plain, white envelope. I picked it up and flipped it over--there weren't any markings or addresses on it--just a wax seal on the back. In blue wax. I popped it open and pulled the letter out.