Our Last Dance

Chapter 10

Staring out of the bus window on my way to college, my mind kept circling back to the dream I had earlier today. The guy in the dream had a build quite similar to Elijah's, though he was a bit more muscular, yet strikingly similar. I found myself wondering if he was someone from my past, because it didn't feel like just a regular dream - more like a memory struggling to resurface.

I knew there was more to what happened a year ago than just the panic attack I had. My parents and Es had been hiding something, and I was determined to figure it out. The guy in the dream, though, he remained a puzzle. I couldn't recall his face clearly, no matter how hard I tried. It was like my brain hit a wall every time I attempted to focus on it.

Turning my attention away, I noticed the kid sitting next to me, dozing off without a care in the world. Honestly, I was just a tad jealous of his superpower to fall asleep instantly. My eyes happened to land on his hand as he absentmindedly scratched the back of his ear, and there was a barely noticeable scar.

Shit! wait a minute, it was the same kind of scar I remembered from the guy's face in my dream. Hold up, how did I not connect the dots before? That scar was the only thing that stood out besides his build and hair. It felt like I had just cracked some kind of cosmic riddle while sitting on a morning bus.

The whole Newton's apple thing flashed in my mind, and I almost giggled like a mad scientist, but let's be real - it wasn't exactly a Nobel Prize moment. But the scar on the kid's hand felt like a secret handshake from the universe.

As the bus pulled up to the college building, I snapped out of my reverie. Gathering my things, I stepped off the bus and headed towards the entrance.

Entering the corridor, I spotted Elijah and Es sharing a laugh. Wait a minute, when had they patched things up? Wasn't Es really mad at him just two days ago? My brow furrowed as I watched them chat like old friends.

As I walked towards them, Elijah did this weird sideways contortion, aimed his gaze dramatically at me, and then broke into a grin big enough to power a small city, all while waving his arms like a windmill on caffeine. I snickered. Es, noticed him looking my way, turned and promptly flashed a smile that could've melted ice.

"So you guys made up?" I asked, my skepticism barely contained as I closed in on them.

"Is there anybody who could resist my charm?" Elijah's smirk could've given the Mona Lisa a run for her money. I shook my head. Classic Elijah.

Es turned to Elijah and said with a sly smile, "He almost begged me to forgive him." Elijah raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Begged? Come on, that's a bit of an exaggeration," he scoffed, shaking his head.

"Alright, not begged in the traditional sense, but it was close." Es laughed, her eyes twinkling.

Elijah crossed his arms, a small smile on his face, "I have my pride, you know."

Their banter elicited a chuckle from me. It was unexpected. When did they become close enough to poke fun at each other like this? It was like witnessing a totally different side of their relationship, one that I hadn't seen coming.

"Good, I wasn't in the mood to play referee for you guys. I'm terrible at that, you know," I sighed, relieved.

"When are you ever in the mood for anything that doesn't involve your precious textbooks?" Elijah shrugged, still smiling, and gave me his famous grin with that dimple in full effect.

I narrowed my eyes at him, giving my best dramatic sigh. "Oh come on, Elijah. I've been known to venture out into the wild world beyond the pages of textbooks."