OVERLOOKED ㅤkotlc

069

I find myself at the healing dome.

I didn't think Melia would be here, but she is, organizing her herbs and elixirs like everything's okay.

I came because this is one of the first places I was shown, but now she's here and I crumble a little bit. Her fingers are nimble. The glass bottles clink against each other as she puts them in a sink.

"Are you just gonna watch?"

Everything feels hazy, so I'm somehow unsurprised that she knew I was here.

"Would you like me to help?"

"This place is a little messy," she says. "I can use an extra pair of hands."

"Okay." I get to work and make the cots' sheets.

We work in silence, but we work together. It's a sort of peaceful feeling. I wonder if she's allowed to be talking with me right now.

"Won't Gisela be suspicious?" I ask abruptly. "If me and Rosaleen just disappear?"

Melia shakes her head. She shelves glass opaque containers, each one a different color. "We said we're giving you a mission, and when you don't come back, we'll say you ran away." She puts them in rainbow order.

"Won't you get in trouble?"

"Maybe a little bit." She doesn't seem bothered by this. She just seems like... Melia, albeit less cheerful. I'm glad she's still somewhat the same.

I press on, "Are you mad at me?"

"At you?" Melia hums. "No."

"But I ruined everything."

"No, you didn't."

She doesn't say more, so I join her at the counter and match containers to their lids. I slide them to her, and she puts them away. We work quietly.

And then she says, "It wasn't your fault. The Neverseen and the Black Swan, we've always been on separate sides. It was only a matter of time before you guys caught up to us."

"It's because of Rosaleen," I say, despite my better judgement. "She's really smart."

Melia smiles. "Mhm," she says. "I know that. I'm sure she's refreshing."

There's something about her agreement that cracks me open. "Is he mad?" I ask quietly.

We both know who I'm talking about. "He is," Melia says.

"Oh."

"He'll get over it," she says. "He's just mad because he's hurt and worried. We really liked you and Rosaleen, you know."

"I know." I stare at the counter. I try not to cry. "Sorry."

I can tell she smiles, because the atmosphere warms. "No, it's okay. It's not your fault, Dex. You're just a kid."

That gets me. I start crying. Melia doesn't hug me, but she's right next to me, and she keeps talking.

"I'm sorry it had to end this way, but then again, not everything's ended. There's still a chance for both sides to be happy."

I don't think there is, but I don't tell her this. "You can join us," I say, trying not to sound so sniffly. "The Black Swan, I mean."

"I wish it was that simple," Melia says, with another smile of hers. "But I'm in the Neverseen because I believe in parts of their cause."

She's loyal, is what she's trying to say. And she would put the Neverseen before her safety. I can't say I don't understand, because look at where I am now.

"Okay. That's okay. I hope it turns out alright."

"I hope so, too." I hand her the last container. She puts it away. "Could you start washing the ones in the sink?"

"Sure."

I move to the sink and squeeze dish soap onto the sponge. I start washing the bottles, glad that there's something for my hands to do.

Melia sighs a little. "I'm sorry this is so complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"This whole rebel group thing. I do agree that the Neverseen's morals can be messed up."

I turn to look at her. She looks... regretful, but the moment she catches me looking, it disappears. I wonder if I imagined it.

"Because you're just sixteen," she continues. "And you've dealt with a lot of bad things. I apologize on behalf of society for that."

I laugh weakly. "Eloquent," I say, to mask the fact that I wish I'd gotten the same apology from every adult that gifted us nightmares.

"Thank you," she says, and also laughs. It's a soft one. I feel like there's something important I'm missing. "If we win, I promise I'll try to fix everything."

I look at her curiously. "And how would you do that?"

"I don't know. It'd be a good first step, though, wouldn't it?"

"It would." Very idealistic, but it would.

"Maybe if you win, you could try, too."

"Maybe," I say. Not because I don't want it, too, but because what if no one listens?

"Rosaleen could help, too. The two of you are good together."

That makes me smile sadly. "We got into an argument. I said really bad things."

She only laughs. "Don't we all?" she says.

"I guess."

"There we go. Now once you're finished, could you help me put these away?"

I don't look to see what she's talking about. I say, "Sure."

"Thank you."

"No problem."