SOUL DORM

59

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting...

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CHAPTER 59:

FLYING BOTTLE

I spent the entire night wrestling in my dreams, first with Dav, then with Mars, but when I woke up the next morning, I felt much better. The first thing I saw was Tarben's smile, and I couldn't help but smile back, allowing the shadows of my nightmares to disperse quickly. Then, the rest of my friends visited me before breakfast, doubling my joy. Since they unanimously decided I should rest another day, I had no arguments left. When they headed to the cafeteria, Tarben volunteered to escort me back to my room. I didn't object—after all, if I was ever going to give this a chance, now was the time to start, right?

"What are you going to do today?" I asked as we reached the door.

"I think I'll catch some Z's," he replied, then his eyes narrowed playfully. "Unless you have a more enticing suggestion?"

I giggled. "You've been up all night because of me. Go get some rest."

"Fair enough," he said; though his voice held a hint of disappointment, his smile stayed put. As he turned to leave, I called out to him.

"Maybe we could watch a movie tonight."

The way Tarben spun around almost made me bite my lip to suppress my grin. The childlike excitement on his face was unmistakable. It warmed my heart.

"A movie sounds great," he said.

"Let's meet up for dinner then."

He couldn't stop smiling. He nodded, kept his eyes on me for a moment, then walked backward for a bit before finally turning around. As he left, I entered my room. Trouble, my cat, was unusually affectionate this morning. I guessed he missed me. He wriggled, rolled over, and exposed his belly for scratches. His display of affection lasted until he got bored and retreated to his corner.

I spent the rest of the day doing nothing. According to my schedule, I should have been in Life Sciences class. I was glad I wasn't. At least my teacher knew why I was missing. But what about Mars? Had he gone to class? Since he was the one who took me to the infirmary, he probably wasn't surprised by my absence.

Imagining him struggling alone in the field made me smirk. Then, another thought struck me, freezing my smile. Mars might have decided not to attend any classes at all, using my illness as a perfect excuse. He was probably lounging in his room with his girlfriend. I was sure I hadn't crossed his mind once.

Annoyed at how much this bothered me, I jumped into the shower. I tried to focus not on him, but on the life I was taking control of and the new possibilities unfolding. As dinner time approached, I stood before my closet, searching for the right outfit. I wanted to look good. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to matter.

The Dorm seemed to understand, suggesting a cute mini skirt and a matching jacket. I tucked the bandage on my forehead under my bangs and applied makeup. Pleased with my reflection, my heart was pounding as I left my room. It wasn't my first time meeting Tarben, but tonight felt different. At least, it did to me.

Whether it is evident to everyone or Ursa was just experienced, she knew something was up the moment she saw me. She grilled me until Tarben joined us at dinner, her smile reaching her ears when he mentioned our movie plans. Diego was keen to tag along, but Ursa quickly nixed that idea with a discreet kick under the table—a kick I felt, too.

Maybe if Tarben hadn't looked at me that way, hadn't been so eager to help, hadn't fussed over me so much, I could have pretended everything was normal. But after tonight, convincing not just Ursa but everyone else to the contrary was impossible. As we left the dining hall to head to the movie, all my friends were grinning ear to ear. I left the cafeteria with my cheeks burning red. I felt like flames were shooting from my skin. The jacket was a bad choice. As I fanned myself, Tarben turned to me.