The light breeze caused a light bristle of leaves to echo throughout the forest. Enola sat on a rotting tree stump, lightly kicking her feet in the air as she basked in the warm stream of sunlight coming from the foliage. A tiny smile on her lips as she allowed her fingers to brush over the pink flowers near her feet—the soft, delicate petal tickling her fingertips, leaving a sticky pollen residue.
The mind fairy loved the outdoors.
When she was little, she could always recall stories of how her parents thought she would declare herself an earth fairy due to her constantly playing in the flowers or climbing trees, but it wasn't the case. The family would soon be able to tell that the small infant was, in fact, a mind fairy when she would constantly be able to tell what her parents were thinking.
At some point, her powers became so much that Enola was constantly answering to people's thoughts, never sure if they were speaking to her or simple thinking to themselves.
The greenery toned all the voices out, however. The calamity called her forward even when she was first developing her powers. Unlike, people, plants have no thoughts or even feelings for the most part. They just live in peace with each other, their only intentions being to survive as a collective unit.
Being outside gave Enola time to listen to her own thoughts without others shouting over them.
A small smile graced Enola's lips as she thought back to the day that she and Musa went to the park. It was extremely crowded that day, and Enola was finding it harder than usual to remain composed. Musa had automatically been able to feel her sister's worry and began blaring music into her earbuds, pointing to Enola to simply focus on her thoughts. Her sister's numb music-filled mind automatically was solace from the chaotic thoughts of everyone around her that day.
The two twins had been inseparable since then.
'Why is she here?'
There is was again that voice Enola heard when she was in the courtyard earlier. Enola froze in her spot as she allowed her green eyes to glance around the area, careful not to appear as she heard him.
His thoughts were hard to capture. Constantly going in and out as if they had bad reception. Despite the poor connection, Enola yearned for more. The mind fairy was usually very respectful of others' privacy and didn't try to read their mind if unnecessary, but he was different from anyone she had ever heard.
'I wonder if she is an earth fairy?'
Whoever he was, his thoughts were calm and pure. Enola was used to hearing people complain about their personal problems, indulge in their own vanities, or attack others. His thoughts weren't anything like that; however, his thoughts didn't even hold any form of self wanting.
'I should talk to her.'
The honey-brown haired girl's heart fluttered in her chest like a million butterflies as her face heated up. Enola's eyes widened as she immediately wished that she had checked her appearance before she left for her hike in the woods. She didn't know why she was so concerned about how she looked, considering she barely knew the guy. For all she knew, he could be a crazed ax murder waiting for a helpless victim to walk into his trap.
"At the risk of looking like the weird stalker type," a voice suddenly spoke from Enola's left, which was a shock to her as she was sure he was right behind her a second ago, "may I ask what you are doing outside the barrier."
Enola looked up at the boy in shock. She didn't know what she expected, but he was certainly not it. The boy in front of her had silky brown hair that swept across his tanned face. He was fairly tall with a lean build, but the thing that intrigued Enola was the smile on his face. It stretched across his entire face and seemed to brighten the entire landscape.
Enola was breathless, as she barely realized she hadn't said anything until she began to feel a slight aching on her chest, signaling she wasn't breathing. Blinking herself out of her dazed state, she smiled once again at the boy.
"Don't say much?" He laughed, glad to see that he wasn't the only person taken aback by the other.
Enola couldn't help but notice his thoughts were still extremely positive. He didn't once even consider the girl strange for sitting there flustered but instead assumed she simply didn't want to speak.
"I was, Uhm," Enola nervously laughed, moving to stand up, "Appreciating the greenery," she stated, shyly moving a strand of hair behind her ear. As she moved her eyes over to look at the weeds growing near her feet.
"Ah, yes," the boy nodded in feign seriousness, as he began to look around the area, "The plant life truly is gorgeous during this time. Ya know, with all the weeds and decay."
Enola raised her eyebrows in surprise, "You would imagine an earth fairy would be more passionate about nature," she pointed out.
He was about to reply with a comeback before the boy stopped laughing in disbelief, "How did you know I was an earth fairy," he asked the girl. He didn't recall mentioning his abilities.
'Perhaps Terra told her.'
Enola tilted her head to the side, curious as to how he knew her roommate. The girl quickly brushed it off as she assumed he was a second year. Choosing not to answer his question, she asked one of her own, "Why are you in the woods, then?"
"If you don't appreciate its beauty," Enola added, looking up at the boy who was only a few feet away from her. He wasn't nervous in the slightest, standing in a relaxed stance with his hands in his pockets. That bright smile still gracing his lips.
"I honestly don't remember," the dark-haired boy laughed, scratching the back of his head.
Enola grinned as she watched him shake his head in amusement. Her eyes sparkling as a phrase echoed itself into her head. The few words strung together seemed to give her a sense of peace the woods couldn't even come close to.
'I can't remember because all I can think about is you right now.'
☹ ☻
Enola was not a big fan of parties. Unlike Musa, who was majorly at the whims of the majority and could easily enjoy the high spirits of the orientation bash, Enola was left to hear the overly loud and boisterous thoughts of her tipsy classmates.
The mind fairy found that parties were the worst time to hear other's thoughts as they were constantly filled with vain thoughts about beauty or lustful desires. Naturally, she tried to avoid most social gatherings.
Unfortunately, there was no way that she could avoid the orientation bash.
"You are going," Stella snapped, barely allowing the petite fairy to explain why she wanted to skip it. She had kindly asked the princess if she could ditch the party once she knew she was done applying her makeup, holding that her spirits would be lifted, but she was wrong.
Enola stood baffled as she watched the princess flip her hair in her face before she walked towards the door, "Everyone who is worth existing goes to the party," Stella groaned before she looked over to the girl, "And I will not be embarrassed by one of my roommates choosing to be a social pariah on day one."
"She is kidding," Enola scoffed, looking at her sister, who was trying to hide her amusement, "She has got to be kidding." Both twins knew that Stella was not kidding, and she would gladly murder them before she allowed them to skip the party.
"It won't be so bad," Musa said, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder in support, "Just listen to my thoughts the entire time and imagine stabbing Stella in her sleep," her twin shrugged.
Enola just groaned as she walked to the door with her sister following her. Bloom entered the main area at the same time, her hair now pulled up in a ponytail, that the mind fairies knew was because of Stella's comment on looks.
"Hey, can I walk down with you to the party?" Bloom asked, pointing between the twins with a small smile before she realized that she hadn't introduced herself, "Oh, sorry, my name is Bl-"
"Bloom," Enola finished for her, noticing her shocked reaction, "I know."
"You do," Bloom hesitantly asked, looking at Musa for some sort of sign that the green-eyed fairy in front of her wasn't crazy. Enola was used to the looks however and remained unfazed as she shook the ginger's hand.
"Enola is a mind fairy," Musa explained to the confused ginger, her eyes glowing purple as she felt Bloom begin to relax. Shaking Bloom's hand next to try and help the girl unfreeze, she said, "And I'm Musa."
"Nice to meet you," Bloom awkwardly laughed, looking between the twins before she realized, "You both are sisters?"
"Yeah," Enola laughed as she nodded her head towards the party so they could begin to walk. Finding peace in the light clanking of heels to the ground, Enola turned to Bloom, "So how is Alfea?"
"Pretty good," Bloom laughed before continuing, "Still getting used to the whole idea that fairies are real and that I happen to be a fire fairy, but other than that, everything is fine."
Enola chose not to comment on the fact that she was from America where magic barely existed. She thought it would be too much for Bloom as she was still getting used to fairy magic. The mind fairy was desperate to ask about her realm, however, curious to see if mortal thoughts would influence her magic. The green-eyed fairy sighed as she decided she would have to wait until Bloom brought it up.
"If it makes things better, most of the fairies here are just as lost as you are," Enola smiled, noticing Bloom's thoughts begin to slow down from the hectic pace they were at before.
"Some people are just better at hiding it," Musa added, as they walked into the mass of the party, where Stella stood in the center taking photos with her friends.
Bloom nodded her head, obviously not paying attention to the girls anymore, as she was distracted by something else, "Yeah," she looked back at the girls who both knew she wasn't listening, "I'll catch you later."
Musa and Enola both looked at each other with a knowing smile as they watched the ginger walk up to the popular specialist leaning against the wall. Sky was a legend and despite the fact that most people say he is a bit off-limits due to his history with Stella, Enola felt like he was truly a good guy who she'd enjoy being friends with.
Walking over to the snack table, Musa and Enola looked up at Terra, who was talking to Aisha. "Hey, what is going on," Musa asked while Enola grabbed a cookie from the platter.
The girl carefully turned the cookie around in her finger's analyzing the colorful design on the plate. Her mouth was watering at the sight of the cookie, a light aching in her stomach as she tried to convince herself she was hungry.
"There was apparently a dead body found outside the barrier," Terra whispered, leaning over the table a bit, "My dad told me that he was fully decapitated," she shivered.
Aisha nodded her head, "Who do you think killed him?"
Terra shook her head as her mind was flooded with fearful thoughts about a murderer on campus, "Well-I mean-whoever saw the shepherd's body?"
Enola raised her eyebrows in shock at what Terra was trying to insinuate, a small smile gracing her lips, causing her to momentarily forget the cookie in her hand as she raised it to her lips. She quickly stopped herself, however, as she placed it down, lightly brushing her fingers of the powdery crumbs.
Enola grabbed a bottle of water as she took a large gulp, "You think he killed himself?"
"No, no," Terra shook her head as she said, "Maybe he was just old. I mean, people get old and die. We all die."
Musa laughed, blindly reaching down the grab the cookie that Enola put down, breaking a piece into her mouth. "Yeah, that old-age decapitation really just creeps up on you," she joked.
Enola's eyes that had once been on the cookie in her sister's hands forced their way up to her sister as they laughed along with Aisha, who continued, "Yeah, it happened to my Nan right in the middle of bingo. Just thwop, thwop, thwop. Down the table."
Enola laughed, barely hearing Terra's saddened thoughts as she knew the girls were only joking. Just as they began to settle down, she noticed the handfuls of food Aisha was grabbing, "No judgment but," she trailed off, pointing to the food in her hands.
"I eat a million calories a day," Aisha deadpanned, grabbing onto a breadstick, "If I didn't swim, I'd be massive."
Enola's eyes glowed pink for a second as she jealously heard Aisha's indifference to how much she ate. The mind fairy would kill to have a diet like her, or at least she should.
Terra's thoughts quickly overshadowed Aisha's as they mirrored her own. Images of Terra's body instantly flew before her eyes as she heard the fairy wonder if she was perfect. Enola instantly felt guilty for allowing the thoughts to come into her mind as she knew that they were extremely private. Trying to tamper her powers, Enola focused back on the conversation.
"Enola and I used to dance," Musa nodded her head, lightly nudging her sister, as she looked up at the dark-skinned girl, "We get it."
"And on that note," Aisha smirked, shoving her sixth breadstick in her mouth along with grabbing a third cookie before she turned to leave.
"Second round," Enola laughed, fiddling with the cap of her water bottle, "Damn."
"Twice a day, every day," Musa tilted her head, "you weren't kidding."
Aisha simply winked before she walked away from the girls. Enola looked over to her sister with a smirk as she elbowed her side before moving her head towards the water fairy who was leaving the building, "Aisha?"
"What," Musa scoffed, moving her headphones to cover her rosy cheeks, "Please, Enola."
"So you did hear her earlier," Terra spoke up, causing the sisters to stop whispering amongst each other. Musa stopped moving her headphones over her ears as she looked at the earth fairy.
"What?"
"In the room...you had your headphone on, and you ignored me as if you didn't hear me," Terra laughed, trying to hide how hurt she was before she looked back to point in the direction of where Aisha just went, "But you heard Aisha."
Enola's mind was quickly filled with painful thoughts concerning the two girls as Terra began to assume the worst of them, mainly Musa. She quickly tried to change her mood to warn her twin how she had majorly screwed up their relationship with their roommate.
"Sometimes I put my headphone on when I don't feel like talking," Musa lightly spoke, trying to stop herself from getting overly emotional.
"It is just, uhm," Terra sighed, as she fiddled with her dress, "You seem to do it a lot around me."
Musa was about to reply, but Enola spoke before her, as she hoped to remedy the situation, "We are still a bit tired from our trip," she began before mentally sighing as she heard Terra's thoughts, "But we would love to make it up to you. Maybe a movie night after this?"
Enola immediately heard Musa's colorful thoughts as she ranted about how she would not be able to handle an entire two hours with Terra's overly emotional state. That was another problem with reading people's thoughts. You always had to deal with the impossible task of making everyone feel better.
Just as Enola knew just the right thing to say to calm Terra down, she knew that Musa would not be happy with her because of it.
Terra smiled despite the fact that her thoughts were still doubtful. "It's okay, I've said too much," she sighed before walking away from the twins. Enola groaned as she watched her sister put on her headphones, leaving her alone once again.
"I hate being telepathic," the girl spoke to herself.