SOUL DORM

15

Sunday Monday happy days

Tuesday Wednesday happy days

Thursday Friday happy days

Saturday what a day

Rockin' all week for you

***

CHAPTER 15:

FIRST WEEK

Tarben was a strange one. Then again, who at the Dorm wasn't? Oddly enough, his weirdness felt comforting. He wasn't chatty - calm, with soft movements, and not the type to poke his nose into other people's business. We spent the whole day lounging under different trees, hoping to spot birds, and the most personal thing he asked me was my name. When lunchtime came, we ate in silence. Then we watched birds in silence. Then we took notes in silence.

Despite my ridiculous outfit, I had to admit that being outside, not rushing, and enjoying the quiet felt good. By the time our angel instructor thanked us and collected the notebooks, my morning panic had dissipated, and my worries had lessened. What spiritual benefit this class had on my journey was anyone's guess, but I'd still count it as a win.

Everyone was now returning their equipment. They just shrugged off their ponchos and vests and tossed them on the table. Easy for them. I, on the other hand, had to wriggle out of my chicken costume. After struggling inside the jumpsuit for a minute or two, Tarben came to my rescue, unzipping it with a laugh.

"Nice meeting you, Olive. Maybe we'll see each other in another class."

I almost said, "I hope so," but instead, I smiled and replied, "Maybe..."

Without dragging it out, he tipped his hat to me and headed toward the mansion. I watched him until Lark and Helene found me. The girls probably thought I was waiting for them, but I was lost in thoughts about the strange day I'd just had, trying to make sense of my feelings. On the way back to the Dorm, I stayed silent, continuing to ponder my experience. With Helene and Lark being such chatterboxes, this wasn't hard to do.

When I reached my room, I still couldn't name the feeling inside me. I took a hot shower, had a wardrobe battle, and headed back to the cafeteria for dinner. That's when it hit me—what was different about me. My tension had lessened, I wasn't scanning for Mars with angry eyes, and most importantly, I no longer felt like a failure everyone was mocking.

I smiled to myself. Tarben's words, actions, and especially his presence had affected me more than I thought. Until I met him this morning, I thought I was the only anomaly at the Dorm. Even though I tried to convince myself otherwise, deep down, I believed I was cursed and out of luck. I was angry. I was resentful. But now... I knew I wasn't alone. I knew there was someone else sharing my fate. And that someone had shown me there could be a different path.

The sense of lightness that came with this realization was truly remarkable. I found myself willingly sitting next to Lark, opting to dine with others rather than seeking solitude, and even agreeing to join them in the common room after dinner. While there were still occasional glances in my direction, along with irritating whispers and unpleasant giggles, the overall attention on me had undeniably diminished. If things here worked like in real life, these adolescents would soon find a new gossip to chew on and forget about me. Who knows, maybe in time, even a soul without a mate like me could have a normal life here.

In the following days, I tried to keep Tarben's words like a guiding light in my mind. This is my path. What happens in the end is up to me. With or without them, I'll go where I need to go when the time comes. I even inscribed these sentiments in my notebook, a constant anchor to the truth. While repetition proved to be somewhat comforting, its efficacy seemed to wane with each passing day. Seeing Tarben once more and refreshing those wise words would make things much easier. Unfortunately, the Dorm never paired us in the same class again. And just like that, the theoretical knowledge I thought I had learned began slipping through my fingers due to practical inadequacies.