Call of the Water (COMPLETE)

50. DECEIVING EYES

As the days grew warmer, the space surrounding my heart grew colder. The main culprit for that was Doctor Kasian's phone call. I knew it would happen. After all, it was all my idea, but that one phone call made it very real and it awoke the fears that lurked in my subconscious.

He called on a Sunday afternoon. Almost an entire week would pass before she would be on her way. It was a week I wished I could sleep through. My thoughts were wrapped around my Professor all the time. She was gonna be gone only for the weekend, but that knowledge was not enough to put my mind at ease.

It felt as if a month had passed before Friday finally came. Once the classes were over, most of the students wandered off into the school gardens in order to take advantage of a warm, sunny day.

I however, was unable to walk away from a window overlooking the gateway. I waited.

A small car pulled over. The sun rays reflected off its silver metallic color straight into my eyes. I looked away and noticed a person walking down the paved path. A navy-blue scarf was wrapped around her neck and she wore the same overcoat as the day I first saw her.

"Is she going away for good?" A question came from behind me. I turned and found myself face to face with the faun.

"You startled me," I said as my heart rate began to slow down again.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," Harper said.

He rested the palms of his hands on the window sill and turned his attention to the scene outside. Ms. Cyan got into the car, closed the door and soon after that, the car drove away.

"You still haven't answered my question," he reminded me. "Is she gone for good?"

"No," I replied. "She will be back."

"But there will come a day when she'll leave, never to return again." That wasn't a question.

I nodded without looking at him. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes and didn't want him to see me like that. "How do you know that?"

"I listened. Put the pieces together. I know that Professor Cyan wants to return to her home, wherever it may be. I think you and your roommates want it as well. But Mathias..." Harper paused at the mention of werewolf's name, "He's not thrilled by that idea."

I smiled and rubbed my eyes in an attempt to chase the tears away. "You noticed, huh?"

"It was hard to miss it."

When I turned my head to look at him, his hand was touching the part of his neck where Mathias had grabbed him. The marks on the skin were gone, but Harper still hadn't put it all behind him.

"I hope her wish will come true," he said after a moment of silence.

"I hope so, too," I responded

°   °   °   °   °   °   °

Professor Cyan was back in time to teach her Monday classes. I had no idea what tests Doctor Kasian had performed and there was no opportunity for me to talk to her privately. I did see her during lunch time as she walked down the dining room, pensive. Most of the students payed no attention to her, but I was convinced that, besides me, at least four other individuals kept an eye on her.

After she exited the dining room, I gazed at the corner table. He was there. His eyebrows were furrowed when he looked at me. That was the way he used to look at me at the beginning of the school year. The only difference was that then I didn't know why he was angry at me, and now his anger was caused by my actions.