Confused she lifted her head completely off the table and stared right into the brown, almost reddish eyes of Keegan, one of the elemental twins, who had walked into her on her first day at Monster School.
‘I apologise if my incollent little brother has made you feel any discomfort.’ someone said in a familiar sparkling voice on her other side. When she looked she saw the icy blue eyes, slightly covered by his light blond bangs. The other elemental twin took the open chair that was still at the table.
‘I’d also like to apologise to you again for bumping into you the other day.’ He said, grabbing one of Caera’s hands from her lap and clenching it between his. ‘I haven’t slept a single night, distraught by the unjust I did such a beautiful lady as yourself.’
Caera rolled her eyes, making Keegan laugh out loud. ‘You can’t fool her, brother, she sees right through you.’
Wiley let go of her hand and leaned back in the chair, folding his hands behind his head.
‘Smart looks and brains. You don’t come across that often.’ he sighed.
Keegan pulled a chair from another table, still laughing. It took Caera a few minutes before she realised Tyler and Kyiana weren’t there anymore. She pointed to the empty chairs where she had last seen her friends. ‘Where did they go?’ she asked.
Keegan shrugged. ‘Said they were hungry and asked us to keep an eye on you.’
Caera sighed. Kyiana had been trusting her to a lot of strangers lately. It wasn’t like her to do that without a reason. Caera decided that when they had their talk, she would also ask her what she knew that Caera didn’t.
Now she was stuck with two people sitting on either side of her, who she didn’t want to be with at a party she didn’t want to be at.
Stop being so gloomy! Faolan suddenly shouted in her head, making her jump up from her chair. The twins looked at her surprised by the sudden movement.
‘I want a drink.’ she said quickly, rushing towards the table with drinks. Tyler and Kyiana were nowhere to be found. Caera sighed. She looked at all the weird looking drinks displayed on the table. A bowl with a purple fluid in it, probably punch, had all kinds of funny looking fruits floating in it. Caera decided not to risk it and walked on to the next bowl. It was filled with a thick, red substance.
I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.
Caera turned around and scanned the room for the owner of the voice. Faolan appeared from the crowd and stepped towards her, holding a glass of water.
‘Here.’ he said, putting the glass in her hand. ‘This is the only human drink you’ll find here.’
Caera walked with him to the hallway. She needed a break from the noisy crowd. The room was quite large, but to her it felt very cramped. A little further in the hallway Faolan stopped and Caera placed herself on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the silence for a little while.
‘How come water is the only human drink found here? Aren’t there more monsters with human nature?’ she asked as she lifted the waterglass she had put next to her, to her lips and took a sip. Faolan sighed, running his fingers through his hair and leaning his back against the wall next to Caera.
‘True, but the drinks on the table are for the monsters that are physically here.’ he explained. ‘Our bodies are in the Human World. If we get thirsty, we have to wake up, drink something and then project ourselves back here. Eating or drinking isn’t any use for us now.’
Caera nodded. ‘I see.’ she said, followed by a silence. Realisation hit her. ‘Then why did you bring me a glass of water?’ She felt a little mixture of emotions by the act. Frustrated and hurt if he had tried to make fun of her, happy and touched if he had done it as a friendly gesture, confused, amused,... Caera didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh at him, so she decided to wait for his answer before judging.
Faolan shrugged and slit down to sit next to her. ‘I just acted without thinking about it, I guess.’
Caera laughed, letting her head rest on his shoulder and putting a hand gently on his arm.
‘That’s so cute.’ she said, feeling a mischievous grin spread on her face. Faolan looked away from her, but she noticed the red on his cheeks.
Awww, so cute!!
‘Stop saying that!’ Faolan shouted, pulling his arm from under her hand. Caera lifted her head of his shoulder.
‘I didn’t say anything.’
Faolan shot her an angry glare, making Caera lift her hands in defense. His cheeks were still colored a bright red, but his eyes remained their soothing amber.
‘I can’t help it that I thought it.’ she said. ‘I don’t have control over it yet.’
I can’t help thinking that you’re being cute.
Immediately after the thought came in her head she regretted it very much and apologetically looked at him, just in time to see his eyes flick to bright yellow. Caera jumped up and stepped away from him.
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please don’t lose your temper over this.’ she pleaded. It made her scared to see him so angry like the first time they met. She hadn’t shown it then, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide it now.
Feeling her fear for him Faolan forced himself to calm down. The warm amber didn’t come back completely, but the yellow became less eminent. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair again.
‘I’m sorry.’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.’ He patted the floor next to him. ‘Come, sit back down.’
Caera hesitated. She liked being close to him, but if he was going to lose his temper anytime soon, she prefered to stay far away from him. Faolan was still staring her and she saw the hurt in his eyes her hesitation had caused. He stood up from the wall and started walking away. Without thinking Caera ran to him, holding the back of his shirt in her fist. Faolan stopped. When she realised what she had done, she let go and took a step back, staring at the floor. Feelings were making her stomach churn and thoughts made her head feel light. It was so confusing. Her mind was screaming to her that he shouldn’t leave. He had to stay with her.
Why? she asked her mind.
‘Why what?’ Faolan asked as the thought had reached him too. He hadn’t heard all the other thought roaming through her mind. He turned around to face her, but she couldn’t bring herself to look up at him. When she didn’t answer, he pulled his shirt from her hand and started to walk away again.
Don’t let him leave! Caera’s mind screamed to her. As a reflex she flew to Faolan wrapping her arms around his waist and hiding her face in his back. ‘Don’t leave me!’ she pleaded.
