Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Listen, Calphys, or Cobalt, or whatever it is. I thought I could trust you. But it seems you've just proven to be just like the rest." Tears glistened as they dropped softly onto my torn shirt.

"You, trusting me? Sure, and I'm the king of Elvirund." She scoffed.

"I thought we had something that we shared, something that made us different. But it seems you're no different from anyone else. I thought," I choked on my words, "that you were like me. Why would you then go and deny it?"

"I never denied anything. I only said you and I were not alike. Regardless of how different the two of us are from other angels we are not similar in the slightest. Don't associate me with your petty needs."

She gently pushed me off her and crossed the short distance to the cell door, leaving me collapsed haphazardly on the floor once more. I distantly heard the click of the lock, and her sitting down. I made no move to get back up. My shoulder burned even worse than before. This, this was more painful than anything.

"Get up, Alethia. This is no time to be weak."

I was determined to refuse her a reply. If she wanted us to be different then she could have it. I would do everything in my power to contradict her every word. She sighed from where she was and I imagined she rolled her eyes.

"Are you really being this petty?"

"You wanted us to be different. Well here you go."

The silence stretched out, uncomfortable and tense, until finally it seemed she couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"I'm sorry, alright?"

The softness in her voice surprised me. I inched farther into my corner, unwilling to believe the transition I had just witnessed. There was no way someone could change so quickly and so drastically. It was improbable, impossible. As Caphriel unlocked the door and came in again I shook my head, watching her with fierce distrust.

"Don't touch me. You stay away from me, you lying two face."

"I'm sorry, okay? I was angry. I was upset. Listen, I don't think we're that alike. But isn't that really the true beauty of friendship?"

"We're not friends. You said it yourself, I'm a stupid whiny petty bitch. Now stick by your words and leave me alone."

She grabbed me by the shoulders and I didn't have the strength to push her away. So I let her shake me around a bit, swallowing the pain with a slight wince.

"Alethia, listen to me. I wasn't thinking straight. I was saying things out of spite. I'm admitting to you right now that I have no good excuses for my words."

"There you go."

I hid behind my hands, unable to comprehend this change. My eyes squeezed shut, unwilling to look at the angel in front of me.

"If you'll allow it, I want to apologize."

There was a moment of tense silence before I calmed my breathing enough to nod and cough out a short assent. Caphriel sighed softly and let go of me to gratefully wipe the few stray tears from her cheeks.

"Now if you still don't want me near you I'll go."

She left and sat down outside my door again and I leaned heavily against the wall. It was troubling that one of my greatest enemies had just tried to become friends with me. It was even more troubling that I had tried to become friends with my greatest enemy. But, I realized, were we truly enemies? I didn't know if I was supposed to hate her or not. Neither of us were really wrong, were we? I wasn't confused. I didn't want to be an enemy to her. Did I?