The Preternatural Shadows

Chapter XII

"What do you mean, professor?" Arrow asked in confusion. 

Everyone in the room locked their serious gaze on Professor Lovecraft. He paused, head tilted towards the ceiling. He made everyone assumed he was thinking deeply into his thoughts, but it was obvious to me that he was just avoiding eye contact. Nobody seemed to noticed that his toes were tapping absentmindedly, which showed he was nervous. I saw the shock registered on his face before he could hide it. His hidden secret almost slipped out, like melted butter slowly running down a toast, but somehow he managed to shut it back in at the last minute before people started noticing that something was actually wrong. 

"I've made an awful mistake, a really terrible one. Oh, I shouldn't have brought all of you to the witch's lair that day!" Professor Lovecraft sighed in fatigue just as he unclenched fist, revealing four half-moons on his palm carved by his fingernails, "Despite the fact that you all fought well...... all of you got brains like Swiss cheese."

A lie. 

Even though I've only known Professor Lovecraft for more than a week, I could effortlessly tell that he was a terrible liar. I examined the flush on his cheeks, his face as red as strawberry jam. Tension vibrated in the air, travelling intensely around him. Only I knew the difference, or at least that's what I thought. 

"Swiss cheese is my favourite type of cheese," Brielle winked at Arrow. 

"Now's not the time to know lame facts about you, Brielle, so zip it!" Menadora snapped quickly and got an eye roll from Brielle in return.

"What is it, professor? Did we do something wrong?" Tori asked worriedly. 

Professor Lovecraft shook his head, "I'm afraid we did, Tori."

More lies.

"I'm at a loss of words... How could we all forget to throw Dawn and Dusk a birthday party?!" he half-smiled. 

Apparently, surprise wasn't an emotion everyone have taken well. There was a long moment where everyone's face washed blank in confusion, as if our brains weren't fast enough to take in the information, because it was clogged. An inability to compute. It was like watching an expectations vs reality video on Youtube, one second everything looked perfect and the next second, all was destroyed. Except that this time it was the other way round. We were all expecting for the worst yet hoping for the best. I used to get surprised by a lot of things back when I was in my world and I guess I still am, because I've learnt that having low expectations was an advantage. Expect less or nothing on things and people, because not only everything will surpass easily, but it'll also make you happy. On the other hand, I've always been living a life where I have high expectations on myself. Only myself and no one else. I see this as a motivation to push myself further and beyond my limits to see what more I could do. 

"You've gotta be kidding me! Do you have any idea how busy I was painting my nails?!" Brielle was the first one to react. She shrieked in frustration and stormed her way out of the living room. 

"I apologise on behalf of my great great granddaughter for being rude, I'm guessing it's her time of the month," Professor Lovecraft laughed awkwardly and forcefully, "Anyway, back to the topic, Menadora will handle this event as usual. Dawn and Dusk, both of you don't have to get involved in this, all you need to do is wait till your party. So any other questions?"

We all shook our heads, even though I've got loads of questions to ask him. Without any hesitation, Professor Lovecraft dawdled back to the library. My gaze followed the shadows of his back until he disappeared after a few steps and I was staring stupidly at the empty hallway. A tap on my shoulder made me jerk awake, along with Arrow, who stood at attention. Menadora gathered us in a circle and started a discussion on Dawn and Dusk's birthday party. Her words were trailing away and the last words I grasped were 'tomorrow night' and 'rooftop'. Then all of the noise disappeared in an instant. I was stuck in my whirl of thoughts, deeper and deeper I go until I was lost. My heart beat matched the rhythm around me by default. A life within life. The only thing that separated me from the surrounding was my skin. My soul was shrinking seamlessly into my body and I watched my infinite thoughts sail around me. They were out of reach, so close yet so far. I want to cherish, touch, feel and live in them. It felt so safe and warm, like a baby held in her mother's arms. It felt almost like home.