Newborough - Book Three

Stressed Out Day

The day pass slower than usual. Eli left me alone when I answer his questions regarding Val's new supernatural status vaguely. The questions he's been bombarding me is low-key making me anxious since I can screw up and blurt out my secret in the process. Better to be silent than to be confusing.

I notice that more people are coming up to Val and being friendlier compared to our first day of school. Personally, I can see how discriminating our school is. So much for uniting all races. 

Valerie, Elise and Eli are sitting at their usual table with the other human students. Unlike any other day, I notice unfamiliar faces joining them. I'm guessing they're werewolves since they're tanner compared to others. The humans, who I forgot their name on their first day, look enthusiastic to talk to the female newcomers.

Once my lunch is collected, I walk over to an empty table at the opposite side of the cafeteria and closest to the bin. I forgot that I've been avoiding Jasper at the moment until he sneaked up behind me. 

"Hi," he says with an uncertain smile. "Is it okay if I sit with you?"

I nod mutely, unable to comprehend how the awkwardness come about. It's probably because he never had to ask permission to sit at the same table with me before. 

Jasper opens up his tupperware before paying me full attention. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable the other day. I'm not going to lie, I felt so guilty for putting you on the spot without considering the fact that you didn't feel the same way towards me..."

I wince at his assumption. I want to so badly deny his assumption but at the same time I don't know how to explain my difficult situation. 

It just hit me that I'm going to have to hide my true self for the rest of my life without being able to fully open up to anyone.

"It's okay," Jasper continues without noticing my silent anguish. "I don't want you to feel pressured and we can remain as friends if you want..."

"No hard feelings?" I clarify in shock.

He laughs with a tint of sadness. "I'll get over it. Moving on, did you hear about a couple of werewolves getting into trouble this morning? Apparently one of them thought it would be funny to..."

As Jasper rambles on about the latest happenings in school, I try my hardest to concentrate on his words. Instead, I concentrate on him and his being. Jasper never expected much from me and truly enjoy my presence. I never felt a connection with anyone like him - besides Valerie, but Val's a whole different case. 

I take in his good looks and muscles built up over his swim training. Jasper is probably one of the most handsome guys in my age group, but he's personality tends to keep others - including his fellow humans - away. He tends to be pessimistic about a lot of global issues and our generation care more about smaller things in life. Jasper sees the bigger picture when it comes to living life.

Dad's warning snaps me out of the daydream I imagine of a future with Jasper - immediate future as in attending prom and eating out during dates. I don't find myself being able to take the risk to expose my true self to someone like Jasper. I already know that everyone detest Asmodeus's allies and Siren are unfortunately forever blacklisted.

Until Denise and the remaining Dark creatures figure way to get organised and meet with HQ, there's a very little chance that I can get away from exposing myself while living.

All this deep thinking starts to stress me out to the point I jump in shock when the school bells signals the end of lunch. Jasper leads me to my classroom and asked me whether I'm alright, which I quickly approved. He noticed that I was distracted but didn't call me out.

The rest of the day pass in a blur as I overstress about my dark future ahead. By the time I'm out of the school compound, dad's already waiting for me in the truck looking as stressed out as me.

"We have a lead on your friend Polly," dad says, driving the truck at its maximum speed as he takes a different route from home. "An old friend manage to hack into confidential files and release information about Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religion practiced in another dimension."

"Another dimension?" I repeat in confusion.

Dad shakes his head. "The origins are unknown since the government kept their intelligence a closeguard secret. The point is, Angra Mainyu and Spenta Mainyu are twin spirits created by Ahura Mazda. Think of yin and yang, Angra is the destructive spirit and Spenta is the light spirit. They were once very powerful and willed a whole empire until the siblings turn against each other. After that, there were very little evidence of the siblings in history... until now."

"So does this mean Spenta can stop her sister from doing whatever she's going to do?" I ask, trying to make sense of the whole situation.

"That'll mean we have to find Spenta," he says, honking frantically at a car that's driving as slow as a snail. "Spirits are very difficult to detect, and I suspect that the HQ is hiding something important to Angra. She wouldn't have gone through all this trouble after almost a millenia of slumber to locate HQ."

"So where are we going now?"

"We are going to meet my friend from work," he replies in a mysterious manner, trying to be as vague as possible.

I smirk when I remember his only friend from work. "Do you mean Emily?"

Dad jerks in surprise and looks at me. "You remember her?"

"Well duh, I actually pay attention to details, ya know. I can tell she likes you in a more than friendly way," I say casually, watching out for his body language. Dad's a master at not showing his emotions sometimes, but there are times that he lets loose.

Dad's stance remains neutral. "She's just a friend. Nothing more and nothing less."

"What do you not like about her?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why have you not gone out dating and settle down with a partner?" I question very bluntly. "You're good looking, charming, responsible and the perfect man for any women out there."

Dad chuckles sadly, making me guilty for even asking that question. "That's a story for another time, Bubbles. And I'm flattered you think that I'm perfect."

"Don't let that go to your head, dad," I snark back. This time, I don't touch the topic of him dating until I deem it necessary. It's so painful to see how much Emily's crushing on him over the years while he's not making any moves to encourage her. Dad's too paranoid to let me get to even meet her properly.

I guess today's the day I get to officially meet Emily.