Crowns & Crystals

Party Time

After the restless night I had, my mind was a foggy maze, making it nearly impossible to concentrate. Thankfully, today was the shortest day of the week at Uni, a small mercy.

French Grammar loomed on the horizon, a class I normally excelled in. My grades were stellar, but today, Madame Robefroid's explanation of French grammar felt like nails on a chalkboard.

"Voyez-vous, avec le plus-que-parfait, le verbe Être doit être conjugué de cette manière," she droned on, her voice a relentless buzz. The sheer complexity and rigidity of it all made me want to scream. Whoever invented this convoluted mess deserved to go to THE STAKE. It was sheer torture.

Kiaran had dropped me off an hour ago, and already, exhaustion and boredom gnawed at me. Without Leya, who was still away, I felt a void. Normally, we'd meet at the Crystal Bar tonight, our unofficial headquarters, where Kiaran, Leya, and I would finally have a night out. Just the three of us.

I checked the clock. Another hour until 3 pm. It felt like a lifetime. Each tick of the clock was a hammer to my skull, the monotony crushing. I needed this class to end.

Finally, the end-of-class bell rang, a sound of liberation that sent a jolt through me. I hurriedly packed my things, desperate to escape. My phone beeped, a welcome distraction.

From Kiaran: A. I'm done at 4.30 pm.
Wait for me by the portal.
Got my bag to sleep at your house already in my trunk. See ya!

Pyjama parties with Kiaran were a childhood tradition, one of the few things that could lift my spirits. He was my only true friend, the only one who could handle the force of nature that was Dalya. She wasn't mean, but her intensity was overwhelming. Compared to her, Putin seemed like a mild-mannered kitten.

Needing a break from the world, I headed to my sanctuary: a small, hidden garden on campus. I followed the familiar path, the weight of the day slowly lifting with each step. Reaching my favourite bench, I sat down, feeling the cool wood beneath me. I pulled out my phone, set the music to a low hum, and retrieved my sketchbook.

As my pencil moved across the page, black flowers began to take shape, each petal a release of the darkness clouding my mind. The garden's vibrant hues seemed to fade, the flowers in my sketch absorbing all the light and color around me. Lost in the flow of creation, the world outside ceased to exist, if only for a moment.

I don't feel sorry for myself

Care if your hands touch somebody else

Wouldn't get jealous if you're happy

It's OK if you forget me

I don't feel empty now that you're gone

Does that mean it didn't mean nothing at all?

But I'll tell you what the worst is

It's the way it doesn't hurt when I wish it did

- Astrid S – It's Ok If You forget me

"I almost forgot how good your voice was," Kiaran's voice came from behind me, breaking the spell of my sketching.

I smiled and lifted my head from the sketchbook, the weariness of the day momentarily forgotten. "Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend," I replied with a smirk.

Kiaran plopped down beside me, his curiosity evident. "Whatcha drawing this time?"

I glanced at my sketchbook, realizing my doodles had transformed into the vivid garden from my dream last night. The dream had etched itself into my mind, haunting and beautiful. I handed the sketchbook to Kiaran.