"You can't be serious!" Theo shook his head in disbelief.
Laura gave him a charming smile. "Life is full of surprises."
They stood in the hall of the dorms. It was the third day of September, and the gentle evening sun generously illuminated the space. Laura wore a bright yellow dress, and her cheerful mood made her eyes shine as she spoke. This year she took on more responsibilities in the Academy, and now she helped arrange the rooms for cadets. But her new role wasn't the subject of their discussion.
"Believe it or not, I saw them today," she said. "Urchin and Jackie arrived together this morning."
"It doesn't prove that they are a couple now."
She gave him a playful look. "Well, they have the same room. In the morning, I gave them a key."
Theo rubbed his forehead. It's been three months since they left for summer practice, but everything was turned upside down. Starting from his heartbreaking experience, finishing with his best friend Urchin dating Elisa's ex-lover.
She slightly poked his shoulder. "Seriously, you look too preoccupied. What's happened?"
"Too much information, I guess."
"Okay, got it." She chuckled. "Let's find you a room, too."
Clicking her heels, Laura went to the administrator's office. Theo followed her.
In the office, she opened a glass cabinet door and found a key. She gave it to Theo. "I'll put you together with Riley this year. He is a good guy, so you should get along."
"I appreciate that." He paused. "Wait... but what about his neighbor?"
"Simon got fired during his practice," Laura said without any remorse in her voice. "Which is not surprising. He often behaved like a jerk."
"True." He admitted. He never expected to be glad about someone's failure, but seeing Simon gone was a relief.
"How is Rei?" Her eyes widened in interest.
Theo shrugged. "Growing fast. We think I might try to fly with him soon."
"I need to hear more." Laura placed a key on the desk and pointed at the small sofa in a corner. "Let's have a seat and relax a bit. And I'll make you some tea."
Theo couldn't find any reason to object, so he obeyed. It was actually pleasant to stretch his legs after hours of riding.
In two minutes, they were on the sofa, discussing their past. They shared many good memories of last year, including the farewell party they organized together. Good that they decided to stay friends. Now, there was no pressure between them.
"We must organize something soon." Laura waved her hand in enthusiasm. "How about a picnic at the lake? We can share the memories of summer and have some outdoor fun."
"Definitely." Theo placed his teacup on his lap. "But not all the memories would be fun. Mine might go to the 'Book of Failures.'"
"Oh, no." Her brown eyes became sad. "Whatever happened there, you can tell me. I'm always by your side."
"It's just... The woman I've met."
"So, the love matter." Laura got intrigued right away. "I listen."
"I met her in Triville. She seemed to be so nice and interesting." Theo took a deep sigh before continuing. "We started seeing each other, and everything went well. I shared a lot about my work, and she always found words of support. But one day, I figured she was a liar working on the local criminal."
"She was a snitch?"
Theo shook his head. "It was complicated. All I can say is that we both learned a valuable life lesson. It's over now, so there is no reason to talk about it."
Laura inspected his face for a minute before replying. "Whatever happened, you were in love with her. Even though it hurts, all the pain will soothe with time. Eventually, it will be something worth remembering."
"I wish it would be different," he said in a dull tone. "What is the reason for such misfortune with women? Firstly, I liked Elisa. Then her... Seriously, what's wrong with me? "
Laura took a sip of tea, thinking. "You are right. It's you."
He gave her a perplexed look. "What a wonderful support."
"Hold on." She raised her index finger, explaining. "I mean your nature, Theo. As you once told me, you belong to the ancient generation of dragon hunters."
"Right."
"And it explains a lot. On some level, you will always be attracted to the most unreachable target. It's in your blood."
"And how to remove it?" He wondered. "Is it a special spell?"
She chuckled. "No spell will help here. If it's true love, you can overcome all the obstacles."
He leaned on a sofa back; his voice filled with despair. "I see. I'll die alone."
She smiled and clapped his shoulder. "One day, you will choose the right woman."
"Really?"
"Of course. Just trust my word."
The door opened with a loud creak, and they both turned to face the visitor. It was hard to recognize Elisa. She wore black leather pants and a tight red top; her golden hair was cut short.
She walked in. "Hi, guys! I hope I'm not interrupting."
Laura rose. "It's all right. Good to see you back."
"We missed you." Theo stood up and hugged her.
While Laura was looking for a key, they exchanged short greetings. Theo was afraid to mention the news about Jackie, but she didn't ask.
"Here you go." Laura gave her a key to her room. "This year, you will have your private room."
"Awesome!" Elisa gave her a tired smile. "I would chat with you, but I'm too exhausted from the road. I think I'll go straight to bed."
"Good idea." Theo agreed.
He watched her silhouette disappear at the staircase when she left the room. Maybe everything had changed after summer, but at least they had one more evening before they faced this new reality.
* * * * *
In the night, Elisa opened her eyes. The air in the room was stale, so she climbed out of bed to open the windows. Rustling trees below her bedroom and the sweet smells of flowers reminded her of the summer destined to die. She looked into the night starry sky, imagining her meeting with Jackie. Maybe writing her a goodbye letter was a mistake. Elisa closed her eyes, letting the warm wind touch her face. Then, she heard the sounds coming from the right window.
Someone was giggling in the neighboring room. There were two voices, and one of them belonged to a man. Another one could belong only to a woman that she missed so much. Jackie. Her heart sank.
In a hurry, Elisa took the empty glass from her nightstand and jumped on her bed. She pressed the rim of the glass to the wall and leaned her ear to its bottom. The sounds in the room reminded her of horse riding, with all the puffing and rhythmic squeaking of the saddle. She jumped from her bed and stood in the middle, motionless. These two definitely had a wild riding that was called sex.
A glass slid from her trembling hand and burst into shards. In shock, Elisa stared at the shining pieces of the glass. Her soul was torn into pieces, making it impossible to breathe. At first, her brain tried to suggest that it was just a nightmare and that she would wake up. She looked at her feet, covered with little scratches. Her skin pinched. No, it isn't a bad dream.
Slowly, Elisa walked to her road bag and opened it. She was looking for a first aid kit to treat the scratches. Instead, her hand fetched a small dark-blue glass bottle from the inner pocket. The dark liquid inside lured her, giving a promise of momentary relief.
Elisa opened the lid and inhaled the pungent aroma of herbs. A forbidden potion made of Moon Dust. She kept it here all this time, promising herself to pour this potion out somewhere in the forest. She never did. Maybe one part of her secretly wanted to try it again while common sense objected. But now, when the person she loved the most was just behind the wall, in someone else's arms, all the senses were muffled... The tear slid down her cheek.
She dripped two drops on the back side of her palm. Then she licked it. Elisa stood up and placed the bottle in her drawer, feeling pleasant numbness in her fingers. The pain was numb too. Then she went back to her bed and closed her eyes.
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