Arcane

Chapter 27

Malia

If I was expecting Keahi to be here when I woke up, I was wrong. Instead, Kaz is sitting in a chair next to my bed, looking exhausted.

"What time is it?" My voice is steadier now.

"Ten am," he tells me, and I instantly sit up.

"The next day? That would mean I've slept for over fifteen hours." Kaz smiles and nods.

"I need to get to class," I tell him hastily, already prepared to stumble off the bed when he pushes me back.

"You are excused," he tells me, "From your classes and training today. I, on the other hand, should get going soon."

"I feel fine, really. I don't want to be stuck here all day." Even the thought of being alone with my thoughts and memories seems dangerous right now.

"I can ask if Wystan can stay with you?" he proposes but I shake my head. I don't want them to pity me or to fall behind. I also really can't stand the thought of talking about what happened which is certainly what my friend would want to do.

"I don't need a babysitter." My trainer chuckles softly.

"That is not what I suggested. But you almost died yesterday, needing a friend wouldn't be a shame." Almost died yesterday. I was so busy worrying about that boy that I barely even thought about what was happening to me, but I guess Kaz is right.

"I'm fine. I'm a fighter, remember?" I say, forcing a lightness into my voice that I don't feel. I certainly don't feel like a fighter right now. Honestly, being strong all the time can be so exhausting and even though I don't usually feel the need to talk to someone else about it, right about now, I do. Maybe it would help sort out my jumbled thoughts and mess of emotions.

My trainer smiles at the memory, oblivious to the path my thoughts are heading down. A few minutes later, I'm alone in the quiet room, trying not to think about the little boy who just wanted to drive around on his bike. The boy I couldn't save. I bite my lip hard in a desperate attempt to distract myself.

The nurse checks up on me a little later and tells me I'm free to leave. I've never been gladder about having a nurse with powers.

There's still some time for me to get dinner, so I go to the great hall. Wystan and Dustin ask me a million questions and even if they mean well, reliving the whole event isn't doing me any good. That's why I excuse myself early and leave the cafeteria.

I only walk a few steps until I hear someone catching up with me. I snap around, my heart stopping for a second as a déjà vu from yesterday appears to me, but sigh in relief when I recognize Keahi.

"Didn't mean to scare you. I was curious where the princess is sneaking off to at this hour." He smirks at me like he has done a million times before. The familiarity makes me feel better.

"I don't know yet. Definitely not my room," I tell him, attempting a smile on my own.

"Is the princess breaking curfew?" he gasps, acting shocked so I shoved him slightly.

"That depends, are you keeping me company?"

"Well, when you ask so nicely," he concedes, grinning.

"I found out that the janitor's closet never gets locked so we can stay there until everyone is gone." He raises an eyebrow at me.

"And how, if I may ask, did you come to that information exactly?" he asks. I shrug innocently before jogging ahead. He is right behind me when I stumble into the small room.

"There's no clock here," he points out.

"We'll hear it." He slides down against a wall, and I do the same on the opposite side of the room.

"What did I miss today?" I ask once we're both settled.

"You are unbelievable," he laughs at me. "You won't fall behind if you miss one day. Especially you won't".

"Especially me?" I raise an eyebrow. He chuckles and throws an empty plastic bottle from a nearby shelve at me.

"You know what I mean. Star pupil, fast learner, all that stuff our teachers never let the rest of us forget." I feel heat rising in my cheeks but play it cool.

"Are you okay, Keahi? Because that sounded like a compliment," I tease him, and he playfully rolls his eyes.

"I owed you for saying I'm the best-looking person you've ever seen."

"That doesn't even sound remotely like me!"

"I know you think it, that's enough." I chuck the bottle back at him.

"In your best dreams maybe." He just muses in response. We spend more time in the tight space until the noise outside has long since died out.

"Can we explore the academy now?" I'm already on my feet. I offer him a hand, which he actually takes, and help him stand up. We walk through the dark and deserted corridors while trying to make as little noise as possible.

We're just passing the door to the great hall when Keahi stops walking and covers my mouth with a hand. Someone's here. I hear the steps coming closer as well and let Keahi pull me to the closest door. I've never even seen it before and soon know why. It may or may not be the tightest closet I've ever seen.

Keahi pushes me in first before stepping in behind me and closing the door. The two of us barely fit; he is standing right against me, his front to my back, while my knees are pressed uncomfortably against a box.

My heart is pounding as I hear footsteps pass just feet away from our hiding spot and I hold my breath, scared to alert the patrol of our presence.

Only once the footsteps have moved out of earshot does my pulse slow and I realize just how uncomfortably one of the wooden boxes stowed in here is digging into my legs. I wriggle around, trying to find a position that doesn't hurt.

"It's too tight," I whine silently.

"Yeah, well, it'll get a lot tighter if you don't stop moving against me like that."

"What do you-" I break off as understanding dawns and stiffen immediately, my cheeks burning up. Keahi's body shakes behind me as he chuckles and I feel his warm breath against my hair. Awareness pricks at my skin. I am now very aware of our position and wish I weren't.

"Oh, relax, Princess." He breaths out after a moment and I can feel his hands on each of my arms to keep me still. We fall silent, both straining our ears to know if the air is clear all the while I'm pretending no butterflies are going off in my stomach.

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Idk bout u but I am smiling like a schoolgirl👀

Have a fantastic day<3