Darkness Vs. Light - A Zodiac Story

Chapter 3

Cancer Pov:

As the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day, I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion wash over me. Working as a social worker at an elementary school could be rewarding, but it also drained me emotionally. The kids' problems often felt like my own, weighing heavy on my heart long after I left the building. I discreetly made my way through the bustling hallways, hoping to slip out unnoticed. The last thing I needed was to get caught in a conversation with the principal or any of the teachers.

Unfortunately, just as I reached the door, I heard the familiar voice of Mrs. Anderson, the school secretary. "Cancer! Just the person I wanted to see."

I paused, forcing a smile as I turned to face her. "Hi, Mrs. Anderson. What can I do for you?"

She approached with a kind smile, holding a stack of papers. "I just wanted to remind you about the meeting tomorrow morning. Mr. Granger wanted to discuss the new student support initiatives. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

I mentally groaned. The meeting had completely slipped my mind. "Of course, I remember. I'll be there."

"Great," she said, handing me the papers. "And don't forget to look over these before the meeting. It's important we're all on the same page."

I nodded, accepting the papers. "Thanks, Mrs. Anderson. I'll make sure to go through them tonight."

She gave me a knowing look. "Don't work too hard, Cancer. You need to take care of yourself too, you know."

"Yeah, I know," I replied with a weak smile. "Thanks for the reminder."

As soon as she walked away, I quickened my pace, finally making it out of the building. Glancing at my watch, I realized I was running late. Pisces, or Pie as I liked to call her, had invited me to dinner at a little restaurant near campus. She had just moved to the city to start college, majoring in art, and I hadn't seen her in a while. We were childhood friends, and the thought of catching up with her lifted my spirits.

I hurried to the restaurant, my mind racing. Pisces had always been there for me, even when I was at my lowest. She was one of the few people who knew about my powers, my struggles, and my fears. She understood me in a way that no one else did.

When I finally arrived, slightly out of breath, I spotted her sitting at a corner table, her long hair cascading over her shoulders as she stared intently at a sketchpad. She looked up as I approached, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

"Cancer! You made it," she said, standing up to give me a hug.

"Sorry I'm late," I apologized, returning the hug. "Got held up at work."

"No worries," she replied, sitting back down. "I was just passing the time with some sketches."

I sat across from her, glancing at the sketchpad. "Anything interesting?"

She turned the pad around to show me a beautiful, flowing drawing of a seascape, the water seeming almost alive on the page. "Just something that came to mind," she said with a shrug. "I've been thinking a lot about home lately."

"It's beautiful," I said sincerely. "You've always had a talent for capturing emotion in your art."

She blushed slightly. "Thanks, Cancer. I've missed our talks. It's been weird adjusting to college life without you around."

"I've missed you too," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for not keeping in touch as much as I should have. "But I'm glad you're here now. How's everything going with your classes?"