Sunsets

˗ˏˋ Chapter Six 'ˎ˗

When Elaine woke up again, she was lying in her bed, her limbs felt heavy and she still felt dizzy. She was confused and didn't know what had happened. Jules noticed that she woke up. As Elaine tried to get up, Jules stopped her.

"You just fainted, don't stand up yet, rest," Jules said, feeling Elaine's forehead and preventing her from getting up.

Elaine groaned but listened to her friend, she felt her eyes falling heavy and her body begging her to sleep. In the end, Elaine caved and fell asleep. It was seven in the evening and she slept through the night. Her body needed the rest, and so did her mind. The next day, she took the morning slow, taking a shower and putting on comfortable clothes, and went down to the cafe to buy breakfast and coffee. She didn't notice how much she missed food until she ate. She walked to her first class, she tried to focus. It was easy, her first class of the day was French literature, nothing special. It was probably the class that Elaine had the best grade in. She had been a huge reader ever since she learnt how to read at four years old. Throughout the day she had math and physics. Elaine disliked both of those subjects, she just couldn't understand them completely, there was always something she didn't get.

After the classes, she had a lunch break. Jules and Louis kept her company as usual. Elaine ate and organized her notes until it was time for her next class. The class was history, she was relaxed and confident. She answered questions, took notes, and intently listened to the lecture. If you asked Elaine about her favorite subject, she would answer history. Ever since she was little, she loved reading and learning about historical figures and events. The class passed by. To Elaine's annoyance, all of the classes she had were with Camille, which meant they were filled with tension and competition; on her part, at least. That day, Elaine also had French, Spanish, and biology. She loved English, was indifferent to Spanish, and didn't like biology at all. The day was long but not tiring. After the classes ended, Elaine went to the beach to stretch her legs and clear her head. As Elaine was sitting on the beach when she saw that black-haired girl, the one who seemed to be dating Camille. The girl was with some friends, drinking, it seemed like. Why would she be drinking on a school night? Elaine couldn't help but ponder. Camille and her girlfriend never seemed to spend time together either, the only time she'd seen the two together was when they were kissing at the party. The group was loud and Camille's girlfriend seemed completely wasted and out of it, she was holding a cigarette and walked over to Elaine.

"Hey, do you have a light?" The girl slurred.
"I don't, sorry. What's your name?" Elaine asked, she needed to know more about this girl.

"Ines." The girl replied and walked back to her friends, her black hair flowing freely down her back.

Elaine was paying attention to the group, they seemed to be drinking but she also noticed something else. Was it drugs? Elaine was no expert in that alley. She decided to go back to her dorm and make dinner. She ended up making herself a portion of spaghetti. After eating her dinner, Elaine went to organize the notes she had taken throughout the day and did some of her homework assignments. She did that until she heard yelling down the stairs. Elaine got up, put on her shoes, and went to inspect. She walked down the stairs to the lower floor of the girl's dorms and saw Camille and Ines fighting. Ines was seemingly trying to enter Camille's dorm while Camille was trying to say something. Suddenly, Ines started yelling something, it was pretty incoherent, Elaine could only make out the words "controlling", "come in", and "annoying". Camille was trying to calm Ines down but it looked hopeless and Camille just let the screaming girl in. Elaine decided to go back up to her dorm. The two girls sure seemed to fight a lot. Elaine read for about two hours until she went to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Elaine woke up because of a nightmare. She felt sweaty, but as she tried to think back, she immediately forgot the bad dream. Yet, her heart was pounding loudly in her chest. She got up and drank a glass of cold water to ground herself. She got back into bed and laid there, unable to sleep. After a while, her eyelids started drooping. Elaine cuddled up under the blankets.

The next day, Camille was late to class, which she never normally was. The blonde seemed tired and sad. Elaine felt a sense of sympathy, which was weird. Come on, why was she feeling sympathy for Camille? The smell of the blonde's usual perfume was absent, the only thing Elaine could smell were cigarettes. She was acting differently than the behavior Elaine was used to seeing in her. No notes, no paying attention, no raising her hand. Camille's eyes were teary and tired. Did something happen to Camille and Ines last night? Elaine could only wonder. The day was short, and after her classes, Elaine went to the cafe, only to find Camille smoking outside. Elaine ignored her and walked into the cafe, Jules was already standing at the counter, she had an afternoon shift.

"Do you know what's going on with her?" Elaine whispered to Jules.

"No idea," Jules whispered back and made Elaine an espresso.

Elaine sat down and drank her coffee. Camille walked in shortly after and ordered a latte. Elaine couldn't help but stare, her hair and clothes were so perfect despite the fact something was wrong. Elaine turned away to drink her coffee. She was quietly talking to Jules, who was wiping the counter at the moment. A group of teenage boys walked into the cafe. Jules was ready to take an order. The guys weren't necessarily rude or annoying, just loud. Elaine saw Camille with a very annoyed expression, directed at the guys. One of the guys seemed pretty similar to her, or maybe Elaine was imagining stuff. Then, the blonde guy leaned down to talk to Camille, they were without a doubt related. The group of guys left. Camille finished her coffee shortly after and left too.

"Who was that blonde guy?" Elaine asked.

"Vincent, Camille's brother," Jules replied, rolling her eyes, "He used to hit on me before,"

"Oh," Elaine tried to suppress a small laugh, "Sorry, it's a bit funny"

Jules chuckled too, "I guess it is"

Elaine walked to her dorm, she needed to do some homework and wash her hair today. She was trying to read but she couldn't stop wondering what was up with Camille. Elaine's brain was running in circles, the same thought relaying over and over again. She decided to put on some music to mute her thoughts and accidentally fell asleep.

Words: 1189