Fixation

Chapter 28: The Rehearsal

"And who is that, my child?" The man standing next to the woman with his arm intertwined with hers questioned.

Calista pressed her palm to her heart. She twirled around gracefully, her eyes bright and full of life. "He, the knight clad in iron with a gallant heart. He, the one who will sweep me off my feet."

"Nonsense." The man stated. "No knight will steal your heart, for he is merely serving royalty, but he himself is not royalty."

Calista dropped her hands back to her side. "But Father-!"

The woman lightly tugged on his sleeve. "Lukerye, don't you think you should allow the girl to dream? Even for just a moment. She is still young after all."

He gazed back at his wife. "I suppose. But sooner or later she shall learn that there is no knight suitable to claim her heart. Only a prince." He smiled. "Shall I have this dance, Margarette?"

She smiled. "Of course."

As they busied themselves with their dancing, Lady Calista glanced around the crowd. A shimmer of joy spread through her heart when her gaze had landed on a particular man at the edge of the crowd.

Ace couldn't help but smile at Allian's costume. A pleasantly look along with a black tie. For the most part, he wore simple brown clothes tied with a belt by the waist. Small pieces of iron were clad over his vital joints, providing some form of protection. An old, red cloak pooled around his shoulders, his hood unused. A sheathed sword hung by his side.

"Nathaniel..?" Calista murmured in disbelief. "Oh my dear lord, Nathaniel! It really is you!" She exclaimed, nearly running towards him.

The sound of something lashing and cracking filled the room.

"Look out!" Someone in the crowd had yelled.

Stephanie stopped suddenly, alarm in her eyes. But even that look lasted for a measly second. The sound of glass shattering and brass hitting the floor, followed by a loud thud that vibrated the stage for a moment.

From under the debris, Ace could make out Stephanie's disfigured body lying on the floor, crushed underneath the fallen chandelier. Very slowly, blood had begun to pool around her.

A sense of terrifying dread filled her chest. Ace shut her eyes, turning away from the stage. This isn't happening.. Trembling, she hugged her shoulders in terror. Unfortunately, even closed eyes could never erase the sight of a poor girl buried underneath a fallen glass chandelier.

She had seen Stephanie's eyes flicker for a split second after the impact before closing.

"..Steph..anie?"

The sound of shuffling beside her gave her a hint that Kai had left her side, running towards the stage.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around the female, holding her close to his chest. "Don't open your eyes." The sound of Raiden's voice.

Shakily, she nodded.

"Get that thing off of her!" A voice coming from the stage yelled. "Someone call the ambulance!"

"How did this happen?" A shriek.

"Oh my god! There's so much blood!"

"Is she still conscious?"

"It looks like the rope that secured it came loose."

"How?!"

Trembling, Ace shifted slightly in Raiden's arms.

"It's okay.. She's going to be okay.." He murmured.

"I.. hope so.."

~

Stumbling out of the theater room, Ace held a hand to her mouth. She felt as if she'd just drank a bottle of bleach. Her insides felt as though they were being crushed by a weight and her stomach felt like it would come out of her mouth at any second.

"Ace!"

Footsteps behind her.

She stopped in her tracks.

"You left so suddenly." Raiden reached out to touch her shoulder, only to jolt backward as the girl's hand turned into a blur and smacked his hand away. "Ace?"

She crumpled to her knees. "I.. I'm s-sorry.. I didn't.. mean to.." She wiped a few tears away. "I.. don't feel so well."

Kneeling down beside her, he bit the inside of his cheek. "I.. understand. Nobody is feeling good about.. what happened."

She stood back up on shaky legs and turned away from him. "You don't.. understand. You don't understand at all.. Nothing.." Slowly, she took a glance at him. "I'm going home.. Tell me everything that happens.. please."

Raiden silently nodded and walked back briskly into the theater room.

~

Clutching her stomach, she collapsed onto a park bench.

Images of Stephanie lying in a pool of her own blood, crush by a chandelier haunted her thoughts. This reminds me of...

She quickly shook her head, attempting to think about anything else other than that incident. But alas, her mind wouldn't allow that. She shut her eyes and drew in a painful breath.

"Lyra!" She looked around. "Lyra! Where are you?! Please!"

She ran around the school, checking every nook and cranny for her only friend. The thoughts of her best friend hurt haunted her.

"A-Ace.."

Looking around wildly, she spotted a foot peeking out of a bush.

"What the hell?!" She had ran as quickly as her weak body could take her. "Who did this to you? Was it Ricky and the others? It had to be! It had to!"

"A-Ace.. I-It hurts.."

Panicking, she ran to the nearest building and banged on the closest door.

The door had opened. "Yes?" A woman looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

"Ly.. Lyra! She's hurt!"

The woman glanced at her questioningly. "Take me to her."

She'd ran back to where Lyra was.

"Oh my.." The woman covered her mouth with her hand."I'll call the ambulance. Everything's going to be alright, okay?" She whispered.

"Please!" She fell to her knees, watching as her tears hit the ground.

"Ack!" Ace clutched her stomach tightly as the urge to vomit had suddenly climbed up her throat. Forcing herself onto her feet, she didn't make it a few feet before a disgusting substance spilled from her mouth.

It burned.

Her stomach hurt a lot.

Forcing herself back onto her feet, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and staggered home.

Images of Lyra lying by the bush plagued her mind.

Deep lacerations.

An arm twisted in a painful angle.

Blood stained on her cheeks.

A black eye.

So many-

Stop. Ace tightened her fist. No.. more.. Of these thoughts.

She took a glance at the sky. It's all in the past now.. It's all.. in.. the past..

If you made it this far, I appreciate your intense patience. :) Thank you.