Restless Waves

Chapter 35

Rowan's face visibly twitched with shock, but only until his brain zapped through a million excuses. "Not tonight. I'm busy."

"With what? I've seen you around here. You've got no friends." Jack spoke very matter-of-factly.

"I'm actually meeting up with someone," Rowan said and crossed his arms. Though it was true, he didn't have any friends. He wasn't yet sure if Kaerius had earnt the title. Rowan knew Kaerius would skip it all together. They were more than friends without being friends first. He didn't realise how fast their relationship had moved until he reflected on their kiss.

"The girl can wait. A degree is more important than romance," Jack said, and for a second, Rowan saw a shimmer of sadness in his eyes. It wasn't easy being alone. It was even harder pretending that you liked it that way.

"I'm gay," Rowan said so blankly, he surprised himself. It was much easier telling strangers. He didn't care what they thought because their opinion didn't matter to him.

Jack stared back as emotionless as Rowan's voice. "As I said, a degree is more important than romance. Tell him to wait. You're busy." Jack turned and entered the library.

Rowan hovered from foot to foot like a bird on a hot tinned roof. He did need to study, and he was sure Kaerius wouldn't mind waiting an extra hour or two. Rowan wished there was a way to reach the Thalassic Moral. He could only hope that Kaerius trusted him enough to know that he would be back soon.

* * * * *

Kaerius cut through the water like a fin through the waves. He had swum the length of the beach six times, and still, Rowan had not returned. Kaerius irritated himself. He didn't want to be so caught up on Rowan that is every waking moment was spent either thinking about him or being with him. There was no escape. Soulmate bonds guaranteed the obsession.

"Rowan, if you can hear me, get your stupid human-self back to the beach. The bond is hurting me," Kaerius thought and splashed his tail on the surface. The waves had calmed down, and the tide was out, so there was somewhere dry for Rowan to sit when he did return.

"Rowan?" Kaerius thought and swam another lap of the beach. When he returned to the rocks, no tall teenager was walking along the sand with his flip flops in his grip. "Dammit. Why can't I hear your thoughts too?"

When another half hour past, Kaerius started to worry that maybe Rowan had forgotten to meet him and went home. Or worse, Rowan was in danger. Kaerius could feel the human's emotions, and Rowan didn't seem like he was panicking. Kaerius was still trying to get used to separating his feelings from Rowan's. Humans were emotional creatures; Rowan could smoothly go through five different emotions in less than two minutes. It was overwhelming for Kaerius, but interesting, nonetheless.

"That's it," Kaerius thought, "You're taking too long. I'm going to your house. I'll wait for you in your room." Kaerius hoisted himself onto the rocks. The air always felt odd on his skin. Before Rowan, he rarely surfaced below his chin.

The sun beat down on him like a personal dryer. Kaerius had human legs in just under fifteen minutes. While he waited to dry, his purple eyes narrowed and scanned the beach. Rowan still hadn't returned. Kaerius assumed it had been four hours since he left, judging by the movement of the sun.

In a huff, Kaerius pulled on the shorts Rowan had shoved into a hole in the rocks and edged his way to the sand. The golden sand was uncomfortably hot on the soles of his feet. Kaerius had to jog. He smiled to himself as he climbed the dunes. He felt proud of his strange human legs for making progress.

The front door to Rowan's house was open. Kaerius looked around the front garden and the porch. Rowan's horrid mother wasn't around to startle him, so Kaerius slipped into the house, silent on his feet, but not alert enough.