Pendulum || TAENNIE FF

⚔Chapter 44: Listen to what you can't hear

A U T H O R

"Madness!" Heather shouted across the room. "Does he expect me to solve a darn riddle in the middle of our crunch time?!" She sat on the bed and looked at Maya. "I was more than ready to act like a mature lady but he suddenly opened his mouth about seeing me as a friend! Moreover, he hinted that he was only doing it in secret. He could've just told me then it would've been a lot easier, don't you think?"

Maya stopped working on a new song and paid attention to her. "Heather, Firo's not the type of guy who would tell you what he did. He wants you to notice and realize not to hear and read. Trust me, Chase and I had a hard time understanding him but that's just how he is. He won't tell anyone he's not feeling well then one day, you'll just find him ill on his bed."

"He didn't even make it clear to me. Maya, did he really think of me as a friend or not? What if he's only giving me false hopes?"

"He doesn't give anyone false hopes. He does everything out of sincerity. If he told you that he sometimes sees you as a friend then he's not lying. I wasn't supposed to tell you this but," Heather furrowed her brows and sat beside her. "Remember those books under your bed? The ones you read for Hinker?"

"Of course... Don't tell me he was the one who got them."

"He was the one who got them," Maya said despite what Heather told her. "He was also the one who took you here when you fell asleep in the library.  He just didn't want to admit, thinking it might create a bond with you."

"I honestly had a feeling that it was him." She sighed and brushed her hair back. "Exactly what does he want? He wouldn't talk to me about it for no reason. He clearly didn't want me to ignore him. But if I talk to him, he would be all mean he'd bring up the 'responsibility' topic again."

"He's a puzzle I can't solve so don't ask me. And it's getting late. Chase and I need to finish working on our new song for the upcoming trip which Jadis still hasn't officially announced. She just asked our band to work on something new."

"You have a band? You can sing?!" Heather asked with a shocked expression. "Why haven't you mentioned it to me? I would've asked you to sing me lullabies whenever I couldn't sleep." Maya glared at her and pushed her off the bed. 

"There's no way I'm doing that for you. Good night!" She said with a playful smile and covered herself with a blanket.

"As if." Heather climbed her bed and prepared to go to sleep. "I should focus on Ink Fictions first then I'll clear things up with Firo. Yep. That's what I should do." She fixed the pillow underneath her head and closed her eyes to sleep.

"What is this?" Flake asked while walking towards her. He placed one of Heather's drafts on her personal desk and raised a brow. "Is being a step behind me bothering you?"

"What-- Why would being second affect my performance here? I know you want to brag and shove it into my face but let's take the competition outside this workspace...please. Anyway, what do you want me to change?"

He took the paper and shook his head. "Nothing actually." He let out a small chuckle and returned to his chair.

"So he just came here to brag... Tsk. I'll do better next time. He had his wonderful sources yet he only scored a point higher than me. Whatever he has that I don't is completely useless." She rolled her eyes and continued finishing her work.

"Lunchtime!" One of the members said and gathered the rest of the team with her. "Heather?" She called the other who showed no plans of eating lunch. "Come on. Those pens and papers can wait."

"I'll pass Athena. I'm rather sleepy." The girl nodded and left their workplace with the others. Flake heard their conversation especially the part where she said she's sleepy. He noticed her secretly glancing at him from time to time. Seems like she's waiting for him to leave so she could sleep.

Flake cleared his throat and put down his pen. Heather once again spared him a glance and found him clearing his desk. He slowly placed his arms on the surface and rested the side of his head on them as if he's going to take a nap.

Heather quietly cleared her desk too and grabbed that chance to take a nap as well. Flake lifted his head and looked at her. "She's overworking herself for what?" He stood up and picked up one of the scattered books on the floor. He opened it and made it stand in front of her face to block the ray of false sunlight. 

He returned to his seat and continued working on his own. He's the chief editor. He might have concern for his members but he doesn't have concern for himself. That's what the others don't see in him. Most creatures see vampires as selfish, arrogant, and cruel creatures. Fortunately, Heather believed what Wail Karren wrote in her book In Ruins-- Vampires are just too desperate to protect their secret. 

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"You led them right here? But...I trusted you!! You said I could trust you!"

"I didn't--"

The magfiers carried the helpless boy and took him away against his will. His tears slowly streamed down his face as they take him away. 

He wasn't able to do anything for his friend. That's when he realized how powerless he was, just like what the others told him.  

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Accckk I hope it wasn't boring or whatsoever🙈 I added another ✨flashback✨ right here to hint about the past and to understand their present😊 Thanks for reading everyone!! I'll be back again with another💚