Faolan’s eyes grew wide from surprise and his cheeks got a little red. The expression on his face became a loving one and his eyes got their warm amber color back. Gently he unwrapped Caera’s arms from him so he could turn around to face. With his finger he lifted her chin to make her meet his eyes. Caera, unable to do so, tried her best to keep looking away and eventually just closed her eyes. She was starting to panic. If he was going to ask her ‘why’ she wouldn’t be able to give him a satisfying answer as she didn’t know herself. It seemed weird to tell him that her mind told her to stop him from leaving. Who would believe that? Then again... She was in a Monster School... Faolan let go of her chin and gave her a big hug instead. He had felt her confusion and distraught.
‘I’m sorry.’ he said, holding her tight. Caera relaxed a little and when he let her go, she saw the soothing, warm amber in his eyes. A little smile showed on her face after being reassured he was in control of his anger again.
‘You should go back, before your friends start to worry.’ he said.
‘Won’t you come with me?’
Faolan shook his head. ‘I need to be alone for a bit. I think I’ll go for a run.’
Caera looked him in the eye again and searched his head to assure herself that everything was okay and when she couldn’t find anything indicating otherwise, she nodded.
Faolan smiled and gave her a quick hug, then turned and starting running away. Before Caera lost sight of him she saw him change to his wolf form. Feeling a little lost she just stood there for a while.
Suddenly Kyiana and Tyler appeared out of nowhere, startling her. Kyiana flew around her neck.
‘Are you alright?’ she asked.
Caera was still a little confused about what had just happened, but nodded.
‘I don’t know what just happened, but I think it’s okay now.’ she said.
Kyiana held her friend at arm's length.
‘I might have an idea about what that was.’ she said, raising one eyebrow in uncertainty.
Caera looked at her with curiosity. ‘Do tell.’ she said, trying to seem nonchalant.
‘Well, I’ve been your only friend since kindergarten. You’ve never let anyone else get close to you and you’ve never tried to befriend anyone else. But now, you have Faolan, who’s become really close in little time. I’d say you’re just afraid that the bond you have created with him, isn’t as strong as the one you have with me. In my opinion, you’re just very scared of losing him.’
‘But then why wouldn’t I have that with Tyler?’ Caera asked pointing at Tyler, who was still standing a little to the side.
‘Maybe you do, but maybe there hasn’t been a situation yet where you’d feel that way.’ Kyiana answered.
Caera thought a bit it. Then all of a sudden she started hearing a voice in her head. It wasn’t Faolan and it wasn’t her own.
‘They’ll leave you. Just like Faolan did. They’ll all leave you.’ Caera tried to shake the voice out of her head, but it wouldn’t leave. Truth be told, this wasn’t the first time she’d heard this voice. Plenty of times it had told her to kill herself. That the world would be better off without her. No one needed her anyway. Kyiana would find a new best friend, she had other friends anyway. Not like Caera. Caera was on her own. She didn’t have anyone besides Kyiana and now Tyler and Faolan. But they’d be fine without her, they probably wouldn’t even notice it if she’d disappear.
Just like that, the voice in her head had become her own. Caera ran away. She kept running through hallway after hallway, flew up staircase after staircase. Until she was standing on the roof of the school. She walked to the edge.
‘Go ahead. It’s not like anyone will miss you. They won’t even notice if you’re gone. Jump!’
Caera placed herself on the edge, toes just over it. She didn’t look down. She stared into the sky, she saw the forest on the border of the school grounds. She got lost in thought, her eyes blank. Not a sound, touch or visual from her surroundings came through to her.
‘Why hadn’t I done this before again? Everyone would have been so much better off without me. Aodhan and Nessa would have more money to spend on the other kids. The other kids won’t miss me either. They’ll forget about me soon enough. Kyiana has enough other friends to comfort her and eventually she’ll forget about me too. Tyler won’t have as much trouble forgetting about me. We don’t know each other for that long. And Faolan... he’ll have his head back to himself again, so it will only be better for him too if I just...’
‘JUMP!’
‘Yeah,... it’s for the best...’
‘JUMP!’
Caera took a step forward slowly. With one more hesitation she jumped off the edge and fell down to oblivion. Darkness started to swallow her. She felt it cover her, like a peaceful breeze.
When the darkness had almost taken over a little light appeared.
Save me!
