Call of the Water (COMPLETE)

9. AVOIDANCE

I sought shelter in the changing room. As soon as I closed the door behind me, my eyes filled with tears. One of them rolled down my cheek. It was a very strange feeling. That one drop of water gliding down my skin. That never happened in the place where I grew up.

I changed into dry clothes and returned to my room. PE was the last class of the day, so I could stay there, where I was safe. As long as I was there, I wouldn't run into Mathias or Professor Fortius.

Opal and Ardea joined me after class, but I didn't feel like talking.

"I was wrong," I said when Opal suggested that I complain to someone about Professor Fortius' behavior. "He was right. I do need to keep my Aquantien abilities under control. Because that's what every student in this school wants – to be a part of the human world without being discovered. If they didn't want that, they would stay hidden, away from human eyes."

Ardea agreed. She proposed that I take some rest and took Opal with her to the library.

I was left alone. Just me and my too loud thoughts. I closed the shutters and lay on the bed in a darken room. When Ardea and Opal returned, I pretended to be sleeping. The truth was, I couldn't fall asleep. It was already dawning when I nodded off.

The next morning, I woke up with a terrible headache. I was in no condition to go to class, so I stayed in my room. I needed to get some sleep.

With all the students in their classes, it was very quiet. Too quiet. I opened the window to let in the sounds of nature. With the orchard close by, there were bound to be birds around. I developed a liking for birdsong. It sounded far nicer than the whale songs I had a chance to listen to in my underwater home.

The birds did not disappoint. In the tree not far from my window chirped a little master of camouflage. No matter how closely I looked, I couldn't spot the bird responsible for that performance.

I fell asleep somewhere mid-morning. Opal or Ardea must have come to check up on me because when I woke up, I found a couple of muffins on my night stand.

I only ate one of them. The headache was still there. It wasn't as intense as before, but I still felt its presence in my temples.

After classes, Opal came straight to our room. "I brought you some 'get well soon' fruit. How are you feeling?" she asked and pulled a banana and three tangerines out of her backpack.

"A bit better," I replied. The smile snuck up on my lips. "Thank you for the 'get well soon' fruit."

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she continued and added an apple to the fruity care package. "The headmaster asked about you. He must have heard what happened in PE class. He said you will be excused from classes tomorrow, but he is expecting you in his office at ten AM."

Just like that, I lost all appetite for the 'get well soon' fruit.

I felt like a burglar walking towards his office the next morning. I was tiptoeing, checking every corner, constantly looking over my shoulder. I practically ran up the stairs, and when I saw the green light above the headmaster's door, I knocked immediately.

"Come in," his voice said and I entered. "I heard you've had a tough week," he said, once I sat down. "I thought you might need someone to talk to."

"I have someone to talk to," I said, thinking about Opal and Ardea.

He nodded.

There was a knock at the door and he invited the other person in. It was none other than Mathias, the last person I wanted to see. I was ready to start running. Judging by his bearing, I could tell that he felt the same.

"Come closer. Sit," Mr. August suggested, pointing at the empty chair next to me.

"I'm fine standing here," Mathias said, leaning on the door frame. He left the door ajar.

"Have it your way," the headmaster allowed. "Now, I suppose the two of you know why I asked you to come here."

"Yes. Because this one," Mathias gave me a look under his furrowed brows, "is nothing but a snitch."

"That's where you are mistaken. I've heard a lot about your conduct this week, and I can assure you, none of it came from Azora." He paused, allowing the words to sink in before continuing. "Did you forget our conversation? Did you forget the promise you gave me?"

"No," he mumbled.

"Judging by your actions, I would suspect otherwise."

"It's not natural!" the words escaped Mathias. "Humans should not get involved in the lives of the hidden races."

"And the other way around is acceptable?" Mr. August did not let Mathias' anger pass on to him.

"It's different. We're not revealing ourselves to them. Whoever we might be, stays hidden. Should stay hidden," he looked in my direction as he spoke the last sentence.

"My parents are not like other people," I felt the need to say something in their defense.

"Yes, they are! They are humans! All of them are the same!"

"Mathias," Mr. August said calmly. "Did you forget who you used to be? You can't escape humans. Not even under the roof of this school. Or did you forget that I am one, too?"

My dear readers, thank you for reading Call of the Water.

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