The Equivocal Trilogy: Opaque

Chapter 3

  "Hey."

  I open my eye slowly to see Zal sitting beside me. 

  "Why do you always wake up so early?" I ask sleepily as he laughs a little.

  "It's not that early? It's a habit," Zal replies. "Maybe."

  "Today is relax day," I mutter. "I want to get more sleep."

  "You still want to sleep?" Zal asks.

  "Yeah," I say quietly and he nods.

  "Well, okay then, after all Taron and Odette are still sleeping. And hugging," Zal replies. I laugh at what he says as he lies down beside me. Suddenly, I realise that I don't view him as the Zal that used to train us. I view him as another boy. A boy that is caring, loving, daring, brave, and has the really best qualities I love. I close my eyes and relax my mind. Zal lies beside me but I know he doesn't sleep. I can feel him squeezing my hand occasionally. I finally wake up when I heard Odette getting up from her sleep. I got up to see Zal staring at my face.

  "What?" I ask him and he just shakes his head.

  "Nothing," Zal replies. "You're beautiful."

  "So is Odette," I say and Odette looks over.

  "What?" Odette asks and we all laugh and chorused, "Nothing!" She laughs along and our laughter wakes Taron up too. 

  "Hello," Taron says as he blinks his eyes to see Odette beside him. "Oh, hey Odette."

  "Wake up," Odette says as she giggles. Taron gets up slowly with a smile on his face.

  "Guys, guess what? I got the most amazing dream ever!" Taron exclaims and we all laugh.

  "By any chance, is it about Odette?" Zal asks with a cheeky expression as he pulls me closer to him and I stick out my tongue at Taron.

  "Maybe," Taron says as he sticks his tongue out too before turning to Odette. "I'll tell you about it, later."

  "Okay," Odette says happily as she runs out of camp and yells. "Breakfast!" 

  We dash out of the camp, scrambling to collect food to fill our empty stomachs. I grab some melons and a few cherries before heading back. I'm feeling really thirsty today! Zal helps me cut the melon and I drink up all the fresh water in there.

  "Selfish," Zal jokes and I roll my eyes.

  "Sell meat," I say, starting a joke that isn't even funny.

  "Whatever," Zal says as he grabs some more fruits for himself. We race back to the camp and he reaches first. "You still can't outrun me."

  "And I never will," I assure him and he laughs. 

  "You will, one day," Zal says.

  "I hope so," I say. "I miss Xylia and Tessia." Suddenly, my mind drifts back to our training times. When we played games together, trained with our weapons together. All these memories shall never be forgotten. 

  "I do too," Zal says. "I miss everyone back there at the dorms."

  "And Leo and Dez too," I continue before I suddenly think of Caden, Jath and Deon who tried to rape me. Their jealousy. "Where is Caden? Jath? And Deon?" 

  "I don't know," Zal replies honestly. "Do you still feel like you miss them too?"

  "Not really," I say as I try not to recall that horrible night I had when they took me away. And Zal saved me. He saved me from that nightmare. He saved me. I look up at him thankfully as he looks like he is recalling that incident too.