In My Hands, Know Suffering

5: Warm December Nights

Months after their nonsensical little adventure, after the day Sirius left and Kerxis finally proposed to Flarion, it was already December. Certain lives went back to normal, and as time quickly flew by, they were about to enter their final semester on the upcoming year.

Genon topped his class for having a perfect score on almost all the exams thrown at them. He acted like a complete numbskull most of the time. In his parallel universe, he was completely unruffled in the head.

Blaze was still chasing Lyté hoping to get a chance with her. Every moment was the effort to sweep her off her feet. In the end, it would seem like their relationship had been going constant and nothing special really happened. Yet. The longer he chased her around, it was in a way, lame.

Sirius had been catching up with them whenever he got the chance. He called once, telling them what had been going on. He told them he was to stay in Clawde for university, and about how loud his sister and her husband was whenever they did something vigorous on occasional nights when they thought the darkness was romantic. At least something happened in each of their accounts. Someone else starved for eternal peace.

Castellone had his mind and hands busy with their research. It appeared like he was the only one busy with it. His friends kept their schedule busy with something else in life even though they knew it was their ticket to graduation. Of course, he chose not to care much about what they did. There was distinction in every page of their story. He just wanted it to end.

For the time being, he found himself in the library, researching for references. He was too stressed to even think about cooking dinner or trying his best to make sure their house was neat and welcoming for visitors. Kerxis brought Flarion home sometimes ever since their engagement. It was so that she'd adjust to their lifestyle and get to know her future in-law better. Gods help him, he didn't want that much attention or closeness, it was painful to get to know people even for him.

He knew better. The reason for his suffering was because life wanted him to witness death. To witness loss, to experience demise, to hope for naught, and to be the executioner. That was the irony of it.

While he stood on one of the shelves that day, he pulled a prominent book and scanned its contents. Out of the library's silence, a girl stood beside him and pulled a book from the same aisle. He didn't bother looking at who it was. He was just about to leave by then, his back was already facing her.

"I know what you did." He heard the girl say in a soft tone, at least that's what he thought she said. Her voice was filled with the blues of uncertainty somehow.

Castellone stopped in his tracks and immediately looked behind to meet the girl who had the most unusual golden eyes he's ever seen. He realized that he knew her by face but never once spoken to her or even knew her name.

One thing though, she had the most uncanny peaceful features, like it would be a disgrace to not trample someone like her. There was a kind of serenity in her eyes when he looked at them, he wanted to poke them out. She was small, her height was at the level of his chest. Her head was tilted back while staring up at him.

"I'm sorry, were you talking to me? I'm not sure we've been introduced before." Castellone asked while squinting at the girl like he was offended by something she said. To be honest he didn't know her name. Heck, he didn't know any of his teammates' names. The only exception to that was the lifeless Bayoe who always put the weight of the work on him.

The girl slid the book back to the shelf. "No wonder you don't call us by our names. I'm Abrielle."

"And what was it you know that I did exactly?"