The Flame

CHAPTER 16

"You are late" the receptionist's sharp voice rang around the small room pointing at the large LED screen above his head.

"Shit", swore Merlin and Clarke together. Sonya was still wearing her I-told-you face. Alicia was almost on tears and Katy? Katy was staring at the display with her undivided attention.

"No, you are wrong" replied Katy calmly, and I swear I just saw a smile spread across her face as she stared at the display. "We entered when it was 9.59, still a second before the curfew", she continued, still keeping that smile on her face. Wohooo! That's my girl.

The receptionist looked upset that he couldn't stop us from leaving without reporting us.

We reached our dorm floor, and I was immediately pulled into a group hug along with others, of course, Sonya didn't join us. She gave a cold look at us and walked off leaving us all puzzled. We clearly didn't understand her sudden change of attitude towards us.

"Oh, leave her, we will worry about her later, but I think we should go down for dinner, I'm starving", Merlin said breaking into a fit of laughter again. I should say I really enjoyed this day, felt so unreal but I knew it was real.

Merlin and Alicia dropped off their bags and returned back without Sonya. I thought she wouldn't skip dinner at least just because she was pissed off at us. I felt an urge of walking off to her room and talking to her, but then immediately dismissed the idea as it would only create more problems.

We all reached the dining hall still lighthearted from today's events; Katy was especially looking confident and happy after days...maybe it was the wine, which was doing its magic.

There was no one in the dining hall when we arrived, but those usual robots came swarming across the hall as we entered and started placing food on the tables. My stomach welcomed some food after all those drinks and I didn't stop from literally gobbling everything I saw on the table. After filling our stomachs we started to leave. After a few steps, I had to stop, to tie my shoelace off. They all started to stop for me.

"No go ahead, I'll catch up with you'll", I told them, and so they started walking again. I bend forward to tie my shoelace, to see a pair of shoes approaching me. I had a feeling that it would be Sonya and so I rose up, getting ready to face her, but instead, it wasn't Sonya, someone else but still a familiar face.

"So?" I said folding my hands towards my chest "Not going to run away again, are you?" I asked. It was the guy I met earlier today near the flower bed. He was no longer in his brown pantsuit but wore a normal T-shirt and jeans, and believe me he looked breathtaking even in his normal clothes.

"Already, missing me huh?" he said smirking; somehow I found his dark humour even hotter.

"You know what? a heads up next time would be better", I added rolling my eyes.

"Why?" he laughed...Oh god! His laugh was even more cuter "Why would you want to run away from the Headmistress? You are not the one supposed to be attending classes, remember?" he said winking an eye at me.

"Hmm... no real reason, let's just say I am not that fond of her company"

"Of course you don't", he replied back still beaming.

By now I tied up my shoelace and started walking towards the hallway, and naturally, he walked beside me.

"By the way what are you doing down here at this time?"

"Nothing just wanted to grab some candies", he added coolly.

"Candies? Are you serious Ha-ha" I laughed so loudly that the sound started to echo back in the empty hallway.