Dark Side

Striking surprise

As I approach the lake, the boy notices my presence and directs his attention which makes me see how beautiful his face is, even more beautiful than at first sight. Interesting eyes, peculiar for a somewhat rare aspect, heterochromic, one eye of different color from the other, and even more surprising, one of them is violet and the other blue so crystalline and icy, similar to cold sea water. The hair is as black and obscure as coal and yet shiny as a rough stone. The angular face of a straight, perfect nose, and beautiful, reddish lips.  I lost myself deeply in analyzing it, looking like a suspicious stalker. When I noticed his proximity I thought clearly again until I heard his beautiful voice:  -Hello. You okay? My name is Gael. Do you need some help?  I spent a long minute in shock at the boy's closeness and surprise at his kind voice dressed so rebelliously when I finally decided to go over the whirlwind that was going on in my head and answer it, if possible, without stammering so much.  -Hey... uumm, no, I'm fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I guess I'll be going... I was just surprised to see anyone else around here, it's usually just me. - What am I saying? I just handed over my secret stash to a complete stranger with a lovely smile... damn beauty!  -There is, now I understand your reaction. Oh! Forgive me, I didn't realize this space was reserved.  -He's not reserved! I just...  -Do you like to be alone for a while?  I looked at him for a moment and wondered why we were still talking if obviously I was about to be teased... even though his face hides any goal such as making me look like a complete idiot.  -I understand you. Sometimes I need some time alone, too. Lie for, I spend a lot of time alone, it's comfortable, you know?  Right... that's weird! The most catty and detached human being I've ever seen in my life is saying he likes to be alone, for someone like me. The day is getting weirder and weirder! I realize that sooner or later he'll hear the rumors about me at school, assuming he's a student, so it's okay to at least have a decent conversation with the newbie before everything goes down the drain.  -Well, I thought I was the only one who knew about this little corner, pardon for the reaction. I'll have to agree with what you said about being alone, it's really comforting.  -There's no need to be so formal. Oh. What's your name again?

  -I'm not being formal, I just hate how the word "sorry" sounds... -Oh, well it's Elphen.

  -You're really peculiar, Elphen, just like your name. What's the meaning?  -My name isn't the only one different, Gael is what !? Irish ? - I don't really like the meaning of my own name, not because it's something bad, but it doesn't seem to suit me. Elphen means a gift from the gods...  -On the fly ! That's where I was born, in beautiful Ireland. Now Elphen really suits you.

  -If you were born in such a beautiful place, what are you doing here? - When the words ran between my lips I noticed I might be being indelicate and rude after all, it's none of my business.

  -Well, I was chosen for this institution, so I had to come.  -Choose? It's just a school full of unbearable teenagers like any other high school institution.  -There is an interesting point of view when you call them "unbearable teenagers" when you are one, that seems a bit contradictory, isn't it?!  -No... a little, he he. Don't get me wrong, I've suffered enough with the cruelties that this race and age has to offer.  -Wow! I don't know if I'm surprised anymore by being bullied being so beautiful or by the way you described a teenager! - I blushed to the ears, as if I never have been praised by anyone in my life.  -And-and I didn't -I took a deep breath not to swallow my own tongue -Thank you, but I'm not at all exceptional and if one day by any chance we talk again and it's in public, please don't praise me... the walls have cruel ears and mouths.

  -By any chance ? There is, let's talk again Elphen and it will be intentional on my part! I don't care what you talk about, but if it bothers you, I'll save my compliments for when we're alone.

  I swallowed it dry, disbeliever! What did he mean by "alone"?! And why would someone like Gael want to talk to me again? I looked into his eyes trying to identify any sign of a joke or sarcasm, but there was nothing there, just a soft glow with a happy and kind feeling.  -Hey, you don't have to examine me so suspiciously, I was referring to when we met at your hiding place, or ours now that I found it.  Vixi, I think the blood has gone to my head or I've been wearing my headphones a lot! "Our" ?! It's too cliché to think that when a guy talks about our hiding place he's being romantic, but I almost let myself go that way.  -There is, I hope that when we meet tomorrow we can talk more mutually, with the two of us talking alternately instead of just reading expressions, although yours clearly deliver what you are thinking.  -I've been told that... wait, did you mean tomorrow?- I didn't say which building I'll be having classes in, not even the classroom and cafeteria.  -You'll understand tomorrow, Elphen. I'll see you tomorrow.  Great! Now I'm gonna go and dwell on something stupid like where our next date will be when I wasn't really interested in relationships minutes before I met someone who would make me not only lose my breath but feel comfortable... When I thought about it I really touched myself as I watched Gael go out among the leaves, I wasn't shaking or anxious and I haven't felt this way since we started talking. Curious and a little nervous with some comments, but no game-legged or shortness of breath. WOW!  Plunged in my own thoughts I took my own path as the sun was already setting staining the orange and pink sky with some clouds pushed away by a stronger and cooler wind characteristic of the arrival of the night. It didn't seem like long and yet I arrived in the dorm with the sun in its last rays of the day, clearing just enough so that the poles weren't lit until the dining hall opened for dinner.  I climbed a few pairs of stairs until I reached the top floor and the bedroom lights were already on as I could see through the doorway. I was afraid I might not get along with the other two colleagues with whom I would share the space for the rest of the year. If we didn't get along, the least we could do to survive each other, would be hell including the fact that they both go to the same room and dining hall as me, after all they are wealthy and second year students.  I opened the door slowly and entered hoping to meet two girls with an air of superiority and disgust stamped on their faces when they saw me there, however, I was shocked to find a fluorescent pink-haired Otome stuck in two tall pompoms, mint green eyes stained with reddish brown, wearing a cozy looking teddy bear pajamas and another girl with black and shiny skin like the darkest wood, medium and naturally wavy hair, red glowing black and amber eyes as penetrating as those of a predator cat, wearing long black pajamas printed with several moons.  They looked at me with enthusiasm and curiosity and soon addressed me with bright, beautiful smiles like those seen in toothpaste commercials:  -Pleasure, my name is Felicity and this is Mariele -Greeted me the little girl with pink hair pointing to her friend right next to her.  -Hello, uh... my pleasure, my name is Elphen. - I've analyzed the traits of each one, so delicate and divergent! Felicity was supposed to be no taller than four feet and was thin with enviable curves, while Mariele was taller than me coming close to six feet, graceful and turned in flexible and elastic shapes, she looked like a dancer. - You settled in without any problems, I hope.  -Oh yes cutie, it was easy even to decorate, When Felicity and I got together our ideas may not be the same although soon the decoration was in its proper place.  I faced the room seeing the changes in the walls, a simple and cute idea made the room much more pleasant and feminine. They had glued stars and moons that glow in the dark on all the walls except the one in the closet and positioned a very fuzzy round carpet in the center of the room and on it were several soft cushions and a low table.  -Wow! The room looks so cozy with the changes you made, nothing like a hard space reminiscent of a military academy.  -Does that mean you enjoyed ??? - Asked a Felicity of features overflowing with euphoria.  -He he. I sure did!  -Well, darlings, we can talk more in the canteen while we dine - Mariele had a quiet voice even as we rushed to dinner - We don't want to lose the seats near the cozy fireplace.  For a moment I thought I heard wrong when you mentioned a fireplace and my roommate soon noticed my confusion already saying:  -Of course, Felicity, our roommate is new to the special rooms, she used to study here before they implemented the pass test and now she will be our roommate in class.  -So it's a rarer case, Mari. Do you think she knows something? - They both looked at each other with a growing energy of suspense in the room. I began to wonder what I might or might not know, but before I asked what the subject was, Mariele made her opinion very clear.  -Apparently not dear, so for the sake of Elphen's neurons we will leave the explanations with our teacher, he will be prepared to answer the whirlwind of questions that comes after such an overwhelming revelation. - They seemed to be talking about something unimaginable and with that my curiosity increased in a suffocating way. - For now the best thing would be to hide what we will be disturbed by trying to explain.  -Mr. Ricardo would be best suited to explain the situation in which Elphen finds herself, we can ask him for help tonight during dinner so that tomorrow in his first class he can explain everything without further delay. - My two roommates spoke as if my presence didn't matter and I started to get annoyed to be the subject of a conversation in front of me without being part of it.  -What do you two talk about so much? What don't I know? Why do you talk as if I wasn't here? - The two of them smiled at each other when they heard me interrupting their conversation and turned in my direction with calm and friendly expressions, apparently I wouldn't take a syllable from them on the subject.  -Oh dear, it seems there's no use whispering near you. - They weren't whispering, not speaking so clearly. They were ?! - We'll be late if we keep chatting up here, about our conversation, don't pay too much attention to it, it's no big deal dear.  Mariele smiled innocently and pushed Felicity and me out of our room and we stumbled down the stairs. I would have liked to pay more attention to it before it got cold but my stomach was complaining about the lack of supplies so soon I was walking without question, for now it was more important to refill the tank.  We passed the main building where the classrooms and cafeteria of the other students met and followed my two roommates to what at first glance looked like a vaulted mansion full of windows in long arches. Just above the wide carved wooden doors was the name of the building on a large blue metal plate with gold, the Celeste Wing. As we entered, a banner hung over the hall welcomed the students.  The breathtaking construction couples three floors with a canteen in each, divided according to the year, ground floor to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in its consecutive floors, in addition to the exercise area covered by all the students in this block, while the main building has its own physical activity area.