Probing Visions 1

Chapter 5 (Part 5)

     Opening his eyes, Jean resumes reading. His eyebrows knit tighter into his nose as he carefully studies every paragraph on the page, word by word. Though the darkness slithers from every direction, almost straining Jean's eyes as he reads, he persists. As he examines every term, he wishes for light to summon so that he can read smoothly, and within a second, his wish comes true.

     A creaking noise breaks the silence, followed closely by a groan. Then, light from the hallway spills inside the dorm. Surprised, Jean's eyes widen, and he quickly closes the tome and glances at the door.

     On the door, Kevin and Gabriel stand. With smiles that extend from ear to ear, they cross the threshold. As Gabriel skips towards Jean, Kevin turns and pushes the door close.

"Jean! Look at the spell we learned!" Gabriel winked. Looking at the wooden chandelier above, he clapped twice and chanted, "Lutderum Vi Xeelus!"

     As if driven by magic, the wicks on the candles on the wooden chandelier on the ceiling burst with flames. Then, the darkness inside the dorm is extinguished, replaced by warm, linen light. The darkness that once shrouded every corner melts, and the shimmering light spreads throughout. 

"Wow. That's interesting," Jean thought, gazing at the chandelier above them.

Seeing three beds inside the dorm, Gabriel couldn't help but feel his curiosity rising and churning. "Wait, is this your dorm?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah," Jean answered with a modest smile. "This is also Kevin's dorm. We'll be sharing it throughout the school year," he pointed out.

"Oh! Great! We're all sharing this dorm, then. And what a relief to know that!" Gabriel revealed as he bounced on the floor.

Trying to keep his swirling thoughts from earlier at bay, Jean grinned. "Yeah, what a relief to know that." He placed a hand on his head and scratched his hair.

"Say, what're ya reading?" Gabriel wondered aloud, pointing at the book resting on the desk.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just... uh, a book from last year," Jean replied, attempting to shroud his intentions with mystery.

Beaming a smile, Kevin approached his friends and interjected, "And I thought you're supposed to rest throughout the afternoon."

"Well... I suppose I'm just so ambitious that I cannot let the day come to waste," Jean responded, trying to giggle off his thoughts.

As Kevin stood beside Jean on the desk, he crossed his arms and leaned on the desk's surface. "By the way, Mrs Brownspotts told us something," said Kevin.

"Oh? What is it?" Jean questioned curiously.

Kevin and Gabriel exchanged knowing glances, their smirks deepening as they crossed their arms.

"Guess," Gabriel teased, squeezing his eyes.

Kevin closed his eyes and pointed a palm at Gabriel, choosing to reveal the question directly rather than to let Jean guess. "I'll say it," Kevin said. "There'll be an acquaintance ball, and everyone must be prepared for the upcoming event."

Upon hearing the news, Jean recalled his vision from earlier, the image of the festive ballroom flashing in his mind, causing his eyes to widen. "An... acquaintance ball?"

"You heard that right!" Gabriel bobbed his head up and down.

"...Where is it taking place?" Jean inquired.

"In the Gilded Chamber," Kevin replied.

     The news struck Jean like a lightning bolt, his mind recalling every moment in his vision. He remembered everything in his dream, and the image of the embellished chamber flashed before his eyes. Losing control of his body, Jean's mouth fell open, and his pupils contracted.

     Regaining his focus, Jean took a deep breath through his mouth and glanced at the thick tome on the desk. His delicate gaze turned into a fierce glare as a pout formed on his lips. The puzzle pieces were being connected, and everything was slowly making sense, although confusion still blanketed his mind about why he had a vision of the upcoming Acquaintance Ball.

Noticing Jean's face, Kevin asked, "You okay, Jean?"

"I am..." Jean nodded, his head moving slowly.

"If that's the case, I shall head to my bed and rest," Kevin smiled. "Now, if you two excuse me!"

As Kevin left Jean with Gabriel, Jean stood up and inclined his head towards Gabriel. "Hey, Gabriel?" he whispered aloud.

"Yes?" Gabriel whispered back, raising a curious brow.

"Hey, I know this is weird all in all... but... if the acquaintance ball were to take place, are you- like... going to confess to a girl or something...?" Jean asked, his hand fidgeting.

Shocked, Gabriel gasped, almost catching Kevin's attention. "How'd you know??" Gabriel questioned Jean, leaning closer.

Trying to look innocent, Jean shrugged and created a falsified claim. "I don't know. It just seems like you're giving too many clues," he said.

"Heh, well, you got me," Gabriel giggled, brushing his elbow. "I will confess to a girl in the acquaintance ball. Her name is Violet. I first saw her during my first year here on campus. And she... she is just, you know? Pretty. And I was thinking of asking her out."

     Finally, the puzzle pieces have been connected. As Jean understood Gabriel's words, his comprehension of his vision deepened. All he could do was nod, his eyes lowering to the floor.

"Well... well then. I wish you good luck," Jean smiled, giving Gabriel an assuring pat on the shoulder.