I Thought I Knew You

Secrets

"So it's like this right?" Diane asked as she spun, her leg raised against her torso. The brunette had her tongue stuck out and hair in space buns to keep it away from her face. Concentration was clear on her features as she rotated.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched her practice the moves I'd shown her, her precision not too far off from perfect. In fact Diane was a pretty fast learner. She was quick to adapt. But her adaptability made me wonder what she meant earlier by saying she couldn't dance. She seemed to be really good at it. Natural even.

"That's really good Diane!" I beam, clapping. I then turn to the small blonde beside me. She was busy tending to some plants. "What do you think, Elaine?"

"It was great!" She grinned as she took her gaze from the patch of flowers beside her. Blooms of deep indigo to crystal blue and coral red stood out from the lush green leaves. Examples of the fairy's green thumb. "You're a really good teacher, Liz."

I blushed, taking her compliment to heart. I guess I was a good teacher. Many who asked for my help often carried away my techniques on how to do things. Just instantly. 

Perhaps it was my patience that made it so natural to teach others, or that I was used to showing others how to do things. I was tasked with helping newer students when I was in Celestial Prep after all. Maybe that was why I found it easy to teach.

"Wait, you're Liz?!" Diane's eyes were wide as she stopped practicing. Her leg fell to the ground, causing it to quake a little, and she gaped in awe. "Like really Liz? As in Captain's Danafor Liz!"

"Um..." My face tingles with warmth, the sudden attention pinned on me too much for my tired mind.

I'd forgotten that Elaine's nickname tied to the pink haired girl who went to Danafor. The one who wasn't scared to speak her mind or get into a fight if she had to. The one who was like an entirely different life to mine. A new identity.

"Yep, she told me yesterday," Elaine chirped as she floated up to the brunette. Excitement filled her features as she chattered, "Well, Elizabeth's thoughts told me. But it was amazing! She went there before it was burned to the ground."

Diane seemed at grin at the blonde's words, her attention snapping to me. Brown tendrils of hair fell to her face.

"So you actually were a rebel at some point!" Diane seemed to radiate awe. She then came face to face with me, her voice buzzing with a million questions. "What was it like in Danafor? Did you actually get into fights? Did you know the Captain back then? What did he look like? Were you two dating? Awww, I have so many questions!"

My face turned a deeper shade of red, Diane's excited questions causing a headache to begin. The familiar throbbing from yesterday reappeared and I grimaced as I tried not to let it bother me. All of these questions needed to be answered at a later time, otherwise I might die from a migraine.

"Diane, you might want to give her a break," Elaine spoke softly, her hand resting on the brunette's shoulder. "Elizabeth looks like she might explode."

"Oops sorry," Diane flashed me a sheepish smile before sighing, "You can answer those in your own time. I guess I got excited, not too many people survived to talk about Danafor. Not many know it was a school. Still I'm shocked that you and Captain haven't told us yet."

"Well, not too many people like to say 'I went to Danafor'," I chuckle dryly, trailing into thought. I can't help but think of fires when the name is mentioned. The blistering heat and flickering sparks. "Not after the blaze anyway. It brings a lot of memories."

Deep amethyst flames burned bright in my mind. The image of the combusting school was permanently ingrained in my brain. Screams and cries rang in my ears; each one belonged to a face; faces that I knew, laughed with, ate with. They had all melted into a charred mixture of ash and soot. It was a terrible sight...