Past - 18
Elysia's POV:
I placed my bag to the side and took my seat, eagerly waiting for Ares. In just a few minutes, he entered the library, quietly making his way toward me while typing on his phone.
I immediately sat up straight, adjusted my hair, and checked my overall appearance for what felt like the hundredth time today.
"Hi," I greeted, standing up as he approached.
"Hey, how're you?" He asked, taking a seat beside me.
How was I? My eyes widened in panic, and for a moment, I forgot how to respond when he looked directly at me. I needed to answer, but my mind was racing.
"I'm... I'm Elysia," I blurted out, my eyes widening even more at my own blunder. I panicked, waving my hands awkwardly. "I mean, I'm... I'm good. You?" Ares raised his eyebrows, a small smile playing on his lips, and I felt myself almost melting as I lowered my gaze.
A sudden snicker caught my attention, and I quickly turned my head to Ares, but he wasn't laughing. "I'm good, thanks. Did you practice what we studied last time?" I blinked twice, finally grasping what he had said, and quickly nodded.
"Y-yes, I did," I replied, then reached for my book as Ares retrieved his notes from his bag.
I glanced around the library to see if someone else was present, but I couldn't see anyone else. I thought I heard a snicker, but perhaps I had misheard it.
Shaking my head, I tried to concentrate on my studies as Ares began to explain things to me. I did my best to focus and learn as much as I could in one go, not wanting to disappoint him.
After the explanation, he gave me some questions to solve, and I focused on them. But my eyes couldn't help but sneak glances at him from time to time. I was hyper-aware of his presence, his musky scent in the air, his hands moving on his laptop keyboard, and his focused eyes on the screen.
Without realizing it, I had stopped solving the questions and was staring at him like a maniac. He seemed to have noticed my constant gaze, or perhaps he sensed something was amiss, as his head suddenly turned in my direction. In a lightning-quick move, I shifted my gaze to the library shelves, the walls, tables, and chairs—anything but him.
I was then gently smacked on the head with a pen, making me look at him. "Focus right here, Elysia!" My heart skipped a beat, and a silent gasp escaped my lips as I heard him say my name. It sounded so natural, so perfect!
Regaining my focus, I solved the questions and slid my notebook toward him.
"It's done," I said in a hushed voice, looking down at the table in front of me.
Ares set his laptop aside and began checking my solutions. "Great, you've done everything right, except for these three," he leaned closer, and his addictive scent filled the air. He showed me the solutions and started explaining my mistakes.
'Sorry, God! Sorry, Ares! Please forgive me,' I pleaded in my heart as I glanced at Ares, who was earnestly explaining the solutions I already knew.
He mentioned that we could finish earlier if I continued to learn this quickly, so I had to do something to ensure our two-month period wouldn't be cut short, even if it meant he might think I was a bit slower. At least I would still have a reason to see him...
Time always seemed to fly when I studied with him. Even two hours felt like a mere minute, but I still had to leave. Ares walked me to the bus station, but this time, we weren't as quiet as before.
"So, why did you agree to participate in this competition?" He asked as we walked.
'Because of you,' my heart whispered.
"Do you have plans to pursue a career in mathematics?" He continued.
"Um, no, actually! I-I haven't really thought about what career to pursue yet," I replied honestly. He nodded in understanding.
"What about you?" I asked quickly, walking alongside him.
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I have to study business."
"Have to or want to?" I blurted out. He paused for a moment while we both halted in our tracks.
"I think at first, it was something I had to do, but now I enjoy it," he answered thoughtfully, his eyes revealing his genuine interest in his career. I smiled, seeing his happiness in the path he had chosen.
We reached the bus stop just as the bus arrived. Ares handed my bag back to me, and I waved at him before boarding the bus.
I kept my gaze fixed on him until he was no longer in view. I turned around in my seat, hugging my bag tightly in my arms. My bag wasn't heavy today, but Ares still carried it for me.
I closed my eyes, burying my head in my bag with a wide grin on my face, and I couldn't help but shake my hands and feet with excitement.
I was so happy, and I couldn't put it into words. Spending time with Ares was the highlight of my day.
I took a deep breath, embracing my bag more tightly and savoring his lingering scent. A message notification interrupted my thoughts, and I quickly checked my phone. My smile gradually faded as I read Aubrey's reply.
Aubrey: I'm fine, Ely! Just a slight fever. My parents aren't home, so I couldn't come to school.
My eyebrows furrowed. Aubrey was sick, and her parents still weren't home? I quickly replied, "It's okay, don't worry about studies. I'll take notes for you. Take care of yourself. Do you need anything? Have you taken medicine?" Her reply came back immediately.
Aubrey: Thank you, Ely! I gave everyone the day off today, so I don't think I have any medicine, but I'll take some if I feel worse.
Worry lines formed on my forehead as I read her message. I knew this feeling too well, being sick and yet alone.
Making a decision, I texted my mom and got off the bus at the next station. I bought fever medicine and made my way to Aubrey's home.
The guard let me in since I had visited once before. As I walked through the mansion, I could see the door was open, and I spotted a figure from the corner of my eye.
Turning my head, I glanced toward the garden. My lips parted in shock; Aubrey was sitting on a bench, holding a cigarette in her hand and smoking.
I quickened my steps to reach her. When she heard the approaching footsteps, she turned her head toward me, and her eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you doing, Aubrey?" I had thought she was sick. As her initial shock subsided, Aubrey turned her head away from me.
"Why are you here, Ely?" She replied without answering my question.
My lips pressed into a thin line. "Because you said you were sick," I retorted, not liking the way she had lied.
"My parents don't even care, yet you're here because I said I was sick?" She said in a mocking tone and took another puff of her cigarette.
This was the very first time I had seen her behave like this. She wasn't the sweet Aubrey I knew; she seemed like a completely different person.
"So, you're going to handle it like this?" I asked calmly this time and pointed to the cigarette in her hand.
She did not answer and continued smoking. When I had enough of her silence, I walked toward her and sat beside her. She followed my movements.
"Then let's rebel together," I suggested, taking the cigarette from her and taking a puff.
Cough!
Cough!
My throat felt like it was burning immediately as I took a longer puff than intended. Aubrey's expressions shifted from anger to disbelief as she tried to take the cigarette back from me.
"Ely, give it back. It's not good for you," she exclaimed.
"Y-yeah, but it's good for you?" I retorted between coughs.
Immediately, Aubrey snatched the cigarette from me and threw it on the ground, stomping on it.
"Don't ever do that again," Aubrey said, her eyes turning slightly red while patting my back.
"You didn't lie," I answered with a smile.
"What lie?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in confusion.
I held her hand that was on my back. She really had a fever, and it was pretty high.
"That you have a fever," I said. Aubrey sighed, averting her eyes.
"I didn't think you'd come for me," she said.
"Why wouldn't I?" I asked instead. "It's okay, Aubrey!" I continued, shifting my gaze to stare ahead. "It's okay to feel frustrated when we are sick and no one is there for us. It's okay to feel lonely and... angry," I turned to her. "But doing this while you're sick will only cause you more harm." I pointed to the extinguished cigarette on the ground.
Aubrey kept silent and lowered her head. I knew she was upset because she was alone and her parents weren't there for her while she had a fever, but I didn't want to pursue this matter further. No good comes from prying into someone's pain.
"Come on," I stood up and took her hand.
"Where?" She asked as I dragged her inside the mansion.
I asked where her room was and led her there. I made her sit on the bed and told her not to move until I came back.
I quickly went down to the kitchen and prepared a light chicken soup for both of us, and then returned to her bedroom. Aubrey was leaning against the headboard, lost in thought.
"Quit overthinking, here," I sat beside her on the bed and handed her a bowl.
"Let's watch a movie, what do you say?" I suggested. Aubrey smiled and nodded.
I checked the movies she had and was surprised to find "Beauty and the Beast" in there. With an excited grin, I played the movie and sat back with Aubrey as we both watched it while eating.
As we finished eating, I took the dishes to the kitchen and brought a bowl of cold water with a towel. I sat beside her again.
"Ely, you really don't have to do all that," Aubrey said hesitantly. I hushed her and pointed toward the movie, telling her to keep watching and not disturb, while I wet the towel in cold ice water and drained the excess liquid.
As I wiped her face and forehead with the cold towel, we continued talking and laughing while watching the movie. Occasionally, we discussed the scenes and characters.
After a while, it was about to get dark when I gave Aubrey her medicine and texted my dad so he would pick me up.
"I've really never seen a person like you, Ely!" Aubrey suddenly muttered. I turned my head to look at her, my eyebrows raised.
"A person like me?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Just... You," she answered, her gaze fixed on me, but her expressions were unreadable.
Before I could ask anything further, my phone rang. Dad was already here. I stood up, packed my bag, and reminded Aubrey to take her medicine on time again.
"I will, I will," Aubrey chuckled. I smiled back, seeing she was feeling okay now, and her fever had gone down as well. "Thank you, Ely, really!" She said, holding my hand.
"Okay, okay, if you really want to thank me, get better and come to school," I said playfully and kissed her cheek. "Gotta go now, dad is outside, bye-bye," I waved at her and jogged out of the mansion, spotting my dad waiting for me.
"Dad!" I rushed toward him as he opened his arms, embracing me.
"I heard my daughter is making friends, huh?" He asked, taking my bag and draping an arm over my shoulders, as we walked toward his truck. I nodded happily at his question. "I am, and they're all really great," I replied.
"That's great! Invite them to our place, we're going to party," Dad said, wiggling his eyebrows and shaking his body comically. A genuine, crispy laugh escaped my lips.
"Yeah, yeah, party," I responded in the same tone as Dad, and he laughed out loud.
A happy family, loving and caring parents, friends who are always together, and a simple life with my loved ones. These were my deepest wishes since I was a child, and now that I had them, I had nothing more to ask for.
*******
The competition was approaching quickly, and I had been working hard to balance my studies and everything else. Ares had been an excellent guide, and I felt more confident that I could win the competition. However, one thing remained the same – my persistent stutter when talking to Ares. I didn't usually stutter, but when it came to Ares Simon Knight, even saying a single sentence without stuttering felt like an achievement.
I was sure he must think I was a chronic stutterer by now, but I didn't know how to change that.
A text message notification caught my attention, and I quickly checked the message, attached with a picture.
Sven: I didn't understand this part here. Can you help me with this tomorrow at school?
I replied, "Okay!"
Sven had been persistent in seeking my help with his studies, and he didn't stop until I agreed. He was making efforts to pass this year, it seemed.
I was helping him during our lunch break or whenever I had free time at school. He even wanted to study after school in the library, but I was already studying with Ares after school, so I had to adjust our study sessions to fit during school hours. However, Sven didn't seem happy about it, but refrained from arguing because it was hectic for me already.
The next day at school, we sat in our usual seats as the bell chimed. Aubrey entered the classroom and took her seat quietly.
I sighed silently and turned to glare at Sven. He noticed my gaze and raised his eyebrows, clearly noticing my displeasure.
A few days after my visit to Aubrey's home, we had become quite close. To me, Aubrey seemed happier and more open, but this guy caught us one day and reacted in the most unexpected way.
I was walking with Aubrey, casually chatting, when Sven suddenly appeared with his usual playful grin. However, when he noticed Aubrey beside me, his expressions froze, and they turned grim. He grabbed my arm and almost forcefully pulled me away from Aubrey.
"What are you doing with her?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.
I widened my eyes in shock at his reaction and pulled my arm away. "What's wrong with you? She's my friend."
Before I could talk to Aubrey properly, Sven's appearance had frightened her, and she quickly walked away. As I tried to follow her, Sven pulled me into the shared courtyard.
"Since when are you friends with her, Elysia?" he asked again, releasing my hand.
"What do you even mean? She's been my friend since day one, and you just scared her away," I retorted.
"Day one?" Sven exclaimed. "Elysia, you're not going near that girl again," he ordered.
The way he ordered me around didn't sit well with me, but I calmly asked, "Why?"
"Because I say so," he answered dismissively.
"And I'm saying that she's my friend, even from before we became friends," I retorted, crossing my arms.
Sven took a deep breath, pacing back and forth in front of me, running his hands through his messy dark brown hair.
"Listen, Elysia! I'm saying this for your own good. That girl is no good, trust me," he said.
"How can you say that? Aubrey is my friend, Sven. Don't talk about her that way," I argued. I knew Aubrey wasn't perfect, but it didn't mean he should speak about her like that. It was really wrong of him.
"F*ck me," he cursed under his breath and looked at me directly. "Elysia Lawson! Is it necessary for you to learn after getting hurt?" he almost yelled in frustration.
I was baffled by his outburst. "What's wrong with you?" I asked.
"Can you explain why you're saying all this about her? I won't understand unless you tell me," I said sincerely.
I joined this academy and made my very first friend who sat with me, talked to me, laughed with me, and we enjoyed our time together. Aubrey was the first friend who tried to pull me out of my shell. Now, suddenly, someone was saying that I should stay away from her, so how else should I react? I needed him to make things clear so if there was any misunderstanding between them, we could resolve it.
Sven sighed heavily and spoke, "Why do you think Aubrey Anderson doesn't have friends, Elysia?" My eyebrows furrowed at his question. Aubrey didn't have other friends? I do remember seeing her talking with other students. "Why do you think that a girl as naive as you, is never with people while even Ophelia Blake has friends with her?" He questioned sarcastically.
His questions were confusing me, and I couldn't understand what he was trying to say. "If you say that Aubrey doesn't have friends, then I didn't have one either. No one befriended me until her, but it doesn't mean I'm the bad one, does it?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"And why are you so strongly against her? Did she do something to you?" He pressed his lips into a thin line without answering me. His nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched as he spoke after a while, "I know everyone in this school, Elysia! It's you who doesn't know anyone. We have been studying here since junior high, and I'm very well aware of everyone's nature. That's why when I say you are not befriending that girl, then you're not!" he declared dismissively and didn't even wait for my response, leaving me standing there in confusion.
•••
So now, we were here. I wanted to clear things up with Aubrey, but she barely talked to me since then. I don't know what Sven did or said to her, but she didn't even look at me in class.
I really felt bad for her because she didn't have any friends. I even tried talking to her, but Sven would appear immediately and drag me away from her every time. If anyone was enjoying this overall drama between us, it was none other than Esme Vasquez...
She seemed really cool about the fact that Aubrey wasn't being my friend anymore. However, I didn't want Aubrey to feel that I had abandoned her, so I always tried my best not to completely cut off our interaction and talk to her like we used to do but she barely responded to me...
The teacher entered, and the classroom quickly quieted down. "Good morning, students! I have an announcement on behalf of the school's management. As many of you already know, the national academic and sports competitions are rapidly approaching, scheduled to take place in just two weeks. To motivate and prepare our students, the school has organized an overnight camping trip for this upcoming weekend. You can find additional details on the notice board and fill out the necessary forms if you're interested in joining."
The news of a camping trip was met with enthusiastic cheers and applause in the classroom.
Camping trip?!!
*********
Hey lovely people! If you were waiting for Sven and Ares face to face interaction, then be ready for the next update, because you already know what gonna happen... 😉
A little spoiler: Enjoy their happy moments while you still can. 👀