Superior

CHAPTER EIGHT: Aisa

The moon was shining in the pitch black sky, stars twinkling feebly next to it. The tall buildings of the Superiot cast haunting shadows on the practically spotless sidewalk, and the biting wind shook the trees as if they were string puppets. I glanced at my watch, impatiently shoving the stray strands of my blonde hair behind my ear as I walked. It was almost eleven. It was past the third years curfew, most definitely past my curfew. If someone caught me outside, I would surely be in trouble. But some things just couldn't wait until morning. For example, forgetting to retrieve your ID card from where you accidentally left it in the school cafeteria would lead to extreme humiliation and difficulty before class tomorrow, not to mention being made fun of by him.

I sighed. Forgetting things was becoming a major part of my personality these days. It used to be small things, like tying one shoelace but forgetting to tie the other, or mixing up foundation with concealer. But as the days passed my frequency to forget increased. The burden of the Superiot was really taking a toll on my mind.

I had been here for almost one week now. Zander, and surprisingly, Raiker, had been a huge help to me, assisting me whenever I needed. I didn't expect the son of my Father's enemy to give me even the time of day, but honestly, I didn't mind his company. He didn't seem to care about our Father's political standings, so there was no reason for me to judge him on them either. But besides them, there was practically no one I could talk to. All of the girls in my classes would only give me the required, formal welcome, and then, unless told otherwise, would continue to ignore me throughout our classes. Not even a single Inferior girl was in any of my classes, and there were barely any Medians. I was always the last to find a partner, no matter what the task was, whether it was a team quiz or a makeup challenge. Zander kept asking me about my classes, and there was only so long I could pretend in front of him. He would wheedle the truth out of me soon enough. I wasn't exactly sure why I wasn't telling him though. Maybe because he would force people to be friends with me. He has that power. I could tell by the reverence people look at him with. I pondered upon Raiker's comment the other day- about how he was very... popular with the girls of the Superiot. He didn't seem to be lying when he said that... And Raiker, on the other hand, would probably tease me, or make some snide remark about Superior girls, his stunning hazel eyes brightening with a mix of humor and satisfaction. A small smile tugged at my lips as I remembered the message he had sent me on the Receiver just a couple of nights before. I was surprised to even get a reply from him, much less one that was almost five minutes long. It made me strangely... happy when I listened to it. The wall had lit up with a projection of his angelic face, beautiful even in the darkness, his tousled brown hair even messier at night, while his eyes twinkled despite the tiredness that wore on them. Shockingly, I was the one who hadn't responded again. I didn't know how to reply to his message, or even what to make of it.

It's impossible to forget you.

The words sparked something inside me. Not the words as they were, but... him. A glimmer of longing rose to the surface, but instead of squashing it down, I let it linger for a while. I let it burst into warmth in my chest and a blush on my face, before I let reality bring me back down again- the safe, safe anchor that made sure I didn't fall out of the clouds when the rain made them dwindle.

They crossed my mind every time I was in the presence of him. Was it really the same boy who had said those words? The same boy who made me believe a single white pillar was important just for the fun of it? He had made no mention of them, and I hadn't brought it up either. It didn't matter. He probably didn't even remember he said that anymore. He probably didn't even mean them the way I took them. Why would he care about me anyway? I hardly ever do anything right. I almost didn't even make it here.

Lost in my thoughts, I had hardly noticed where I was walking. It finally hit me that I was supposed to be walking towards the cafeteria, and that it doesn't take twenty minutes to get to the cafeteria. Finally coming out of my stupor, I looked around and realized that I had, somehow, managed to walk to the back of the third years' building. I was about to retrace my steps to find the cafeteria when a voice caused me to stop in my tracks. The same voice I had been hearing in my mind over and over again for the past two days. Raiker's.

Whirling around, I ducked behind the edge of the building's whitewashed walls, peeking out from behind it only after I was certain he hadn't noticed me. Two silhouettes stood only a few feet away from me, backs hunched, faces covered with jackets and scarves. One silhouette was at least a head taller than the other, who was almost hidden from sight.. But I could make out enough (Long dark hair flying in the wind, the barest glimpse of the curves of her body)to tell that she was a girl. That meant the other was most definitely Raiker. Who else would have those wonderfully mussed up light brown curls? But what was he doing with her so late in the night? Overcome by curiosity, I scooted even closer. Raiker bent down closer to the girl, his normal, casual body language clearly gone. He said something to her, so quiet I wouldn't know he had even said anything if it weren't for the cold mist that escaped their moving lips. Upon hearing this, the girl smiled slightly, her expression suddenly relieved, and started to respond to him. nodding as if she were agreeing with him about something. That's when Raiker finally turned, so that I could see part of his face. A look of satisfaction was evident in his grin. And I had a pretty good idea from what that satisfaction was from.

Tears pricked my eyes as the truth settled in. I couldn't believe how stupid I had been, to think that I actually had a chance. Out of all the girls in the school, I should have known he wouldn't pick me. I simply wasn't good enough.

For girls like me, it was better to stay rooted. Independent. Single, until my parents chose a match. If I hadn't let myself hope, just this one time, hope that his teasing words meant something more, hope that his half-smiles were meant for only me, I nevero would have gotten hurt.

Completely forgetting my search for my ID card, I turned and raced back towards my dorm, the scene still nagging at the back of my mind. I felt so stupid, obsessing over a couple of words as if they meant the world. Was this what people did with people they liked?

And then the word registered. Liked.

Did I...like Raiker Denlow?