Tell No One

Chapter 3

"KEERIE!!! You're back!!!" Alana ran up to Kiera, excited to see her friend after a whole month. She wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting Kiera's feet off the ground as she twirled her around.

"OH! Jeez Alana, calm down!" Kiera was set back down with a shaky breath.

"Oh Kerie, are you alright? You haven't been returning ANY of my calls, I was just so worried like I considered visiting but then I thought well if she wasn't answering my calls but-" Pulling back, Alana stared at Kiera's face. " Oh you look so well!! The time off must have been the BEST thing for you, I'm so glad you're back!"

Kiera smiled shyly. " Thanks."
Looking in the mirror that morning, even she could see a clear difference in her face.
Her eyes before had looked despondent, dead even. The toll of the sleepless nights, the tearful awakenings that come with losing someone, had come to show on her face, most telling in her eyes.

 But now, when she peered into them, they looked alive. The previous mundane brown did not stand out at all. Now, they seemed to pull her in, an electric magnitude when she looked at them.

Even her hair looked different; it looked stronger, shinier, better. The brown hue she often thought dull radiated with life, with vitality. She felt powerful.

"But Kiera, if you DO ever need to talk to anyone, I am always here." Alana gave Kiera what she supposed to be a comforting smile. Kiera smiled back. She suspected she wouldn't be needing anyone for a while though.

The day passed rather uneventfully, in a blur of lectures, pitying smiled from other students until finally, lunch arrived. Walking back from the food hall with Alana, she finally met up with the rest of her friends. Taking a seat, the rest of the group acknowledged her.
"Hey Kiera."  Chris was the first to say hi. He hung around in their group a lot but was more of a surface friend.  
"Kiera good to see you back." Shelia she could believe to be genuinely happy to see her. 
"Welcome back." And lastly, to complete their group, was Darren. Straight A student, but honestly, not a lot else. Kiera didn't believe he did anything else than work and studying.
The lunch passed by in a haze of banter and general polite conversation. Alana tried a few times to get Kiera to join in, but honestly, she just didn't feel it. It's not that she didn't like her friends, or felt she was above them, but just- she felt detached. She felt a barrier, a split between them.  Kiera couldn't concentrate on what was being said and found her mind wandering, going in circles. The robbers. Dying. Mera. Was she human anymore? Or were they some crazy hallucination? Kiera just wanted to go home.

"So what do you think Kiera?" Kiera turned, realising that Alana was talking to her. Kiera paused a moment, before noticing the question on her face.
"Oh. Oh um... yes?" Kiera had no idea what they were on about.
"Great! I'll pick you up at about 7 then?" Alana's face was smug. She knew Kiera wasn't listening. Bitch. Kiera glared at her
"Wait, what?" Oh jeez.

"Wear a nice dress. We're going out clubbing Saturday night." With a wink, Alana got up and left, taking her tray with her. Kiera watched her leave, sauntering as she deposited her tray and left the hall. The rest of the table stared at Kiera, hiding smiles. Kiera's heart flopped. A night out full of sweaty bodies and small spaces. Great.