Everything Starts

CH: 12, TRAVELS

I woke Sunday morning as tired as I was the night prior. Talking to Emaline the previous night had given me the idea to take my friends to Amberbell with me. I woke up before my alarm had gone off so I messaged my friends and told them to meet me in the cafeteria.

I was walking through the halls when a soft warm hand grabbed my arm and yanked me into a nearby supply closet.

"Hello."

"Adrian you've got to stop pulling me into random rooms."

"Then how else am I supposed to contact you? You've made it clear that you do not like when I appear out of nowhere."

"I don't know. When I'm outside and alone, maybe."

"I'll remember that for next time."

"Good."

During a passing moment of silence, I became aware his hand was still wrapped around my arm, and exactly how close we were standing to each other. My cheeks burned with an emotion I could not ascertain.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh right," he started dropping his hand. "Have you decided on whether or not you will come to Amberbell?

"Not yet. I still need to think about it. I am on my way to talk to my friends about it right now."

"You aren't going to let them make a decision that will ultimately affect your life are you?"

"What, no. I was thinking they could come with me."

"Why?"

"Because they are my friends and I want them to. Is that possible?"

"I suppose that could be arranged. How much time do you think you will need to decide?"

"I don't know, two or three days. I've only had a few hours so far and the majority of those I was asleep."

"Okay. That is doable."

I sighed.

"I understand how difficult this must be for you."

"You do?"

"Of course. You have lived your entire life believing you are an ordinary girl and now you are being told you have to save a whole different world. If it makes you feel any better, there is probably a way we could do this without you but it will be much more difficult and in my opinion, you are what Amberbell needs. You, Alora, are what is going to save us."

"Thank you, Adrian. You have no idea how much I needed that."

"You're welcome. I understand you need more time so I will give you that. I will be close by when you make your decision," As he finished he pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist. He smelled like cinnamon and a balsam fir tree. His grasp was tight but not uncomfortable like most people's hugs. His warmth was soothing. It hadn't occurred to me how close we were until he let go and took a step back. Coldness returned to my body after he released my waist.

Moments after he let go he disappeared, leaving me in the supply closet alone.

Once I made it to the cafeteria I found my friends and sat down at the table. I did not want to tell them about the morning's event so we instead discussed the weather. After a quick bowl of cereal on my part, we decided to get a jumpstart on the next week's schoolwork, so we made our way outside and sat at our usual picnic table.

A few hours had passed and I was concentrating so hard that I didn't realize when Adrian appeared behind me.

"Hey."