Chapter six:
I slammed the door shut in his face and leaned against it blowing out a deep breath. What the hell was that? I could still feel the weird tingling in my hands and fingers from when we were almost touching. It was like little pin pricks but felt... nice. Pain and pleasure at the same time.
I shook my head. Get yourself together woman!
I shoved off the door and walked towards the balcony. Was it really just over a week that Derrek had shown a kind side only to hide it beneath this harsh exterior? Who was he? It didn’t matter I guessed since neither one of us were interested in the other.
I grasped the cool metal of the railing from the balcony and stared at the view. Below me were the grassy grounds where students lounged about chatting and reading. A group further off played a game of Frisbee.
Further away stood the forest where I’d bumped into Derrek doing whatever the hell he was doing. It was a large forest and the trees packed closer together the farther along you looked. Beside it stood a large sparkling lake that reflected the setting sun and the birds that flew overhead.
I sighed. I missed Serena and Troy. Troy’s father figure personality that, at this time, would tell me any boy wouldn’t be good enough for me and not to let it get to me then Serena’s teenage attitude that would be poking and prodding me for juicy gossip and details.
I smiled at the memory of them.
“Hey chicky” Helena called as she entered the room, “You were a-ma-zing in combat!”
“Thanks, I didn’t even see you and your partner the whole time”
“Yeah, we got taken out pretty easily because she was Water-abled but wasn’t particularly good and I don’t like violence” she shrugged before flopping onto the sofa. We continued chatting away into the night only pausing to order Chinese food and change into comfy sweats and tank top for me and a loose night shirt and shorts for her.
“So... what’s the deal with you and Derrek?” she asked me tilting her head in curiosity as she munched on her fried rice.
“Honestly, I have no idea. He’s got worse mood swings than a girl! He was really nice to me on my birthday but I haven’t seen that considerate guy ever since. I’m just going to ignore him” I answered her, and truth be told, my words were going to be a lot harder to follow than anticipated.
Helena and I continued talking throughout the night until she passed out on her bed. I yawned and soon followed after her.
The air was dank and my nose twitched at the rancid smell emanating around me. Where was I? It was dark except for the odd melting wax candle situated on the rocks protruding from the walls. From what I could see, which wasn’t much, I was trapped in some cavern. The roof was a mixture of moist dirt and hard rock. “Hello?” I called out to the darkness. My greeting echoed around me sending chills down my spine. “Is anyone there?”
Again, my voice ricocheted off the walls.
I slowly took steps forward, squinting my eyes to try and find a passage or an exit somewhere. I was rewarded with a narrow tunnel. Should I follow it, I wondered. It was my best option. I dragged my hands across the grimy walls to help me walk forward ignoring the moist moss growing there. As I walked into the larger chamber I sighed in relief when the smell was a bit weaker. There were more candles lit in this chamber and they flickered around the many dark passages that connected to this one.
“Hello?” I shouted once again, even though I already knew no one would answer besides my echoes.
“Good evening Valerie” I jumped as my voice stuck in my throat at the unexpected reply.
“Wh-who’s there? Where am I?” I cried out.
“Tut, tut, tut Valerie. Now is not the time for questions” the voice replied. The voice was a deep growl of a man who spoke as though he had all the time in the world. He was dangerous. Even without knowing who he was or what he looked like, I could sense that he was not someone to mess with.
“Where are you!” I shouted, tired of his games. I was not in the mood to be toyed with.
A malicious chuckle broke out, multiplying the echoes down the tunnels and a large hooded figure stepped out from a shadowed corner. He was tall with a dark maroon cloak with a hood that obscured all his face besides his evil smirk. Only his pale white hands peaked out from the folds of his disguise.
“What do you want?” I gasped in terror stepping backwards to somehow escape his hidden stare.
“Why dear Valerie... I want you” he answered with a smile displaying his yellowing pointed teeth.
Then he clawed forward at my throat.
I screamed.
I screamed and screamed and thrashed around unable to move my bounded legs.
“Val! Valerie! Wake up!”
Someone was slapping my face and I woke with a start gasping beautiful fresh air. Helena was sitting on my bed hugging me tight and whispering that everything was alright, that I was safe and I was only having a nightmare.
“It was just a nightmare... just a nightmare sweety. Shh...” she rocked me back and forth like a mother consoling her scared child.
I was crying now and my breath hitched with every intake. It took another half hour of Helena consoling me before my sobs ceased. My throat felt raw and my nose was blocked but I was feeling a lot better.
“Thanks Helena. I’m so sorry you had to see me like that.” I sniffed. “I’ll be okay, you can go back to sleep”
She looked at me warily for a few seconds before asking if I was sure. I nodded and offered her a slight smile before she gave me another tight hug and slipped back into her bed.
I sighed. There was no way in hell I was going back to sleep tonight.
***
The next day were the classes we missed out on yesterday so I was able to down a few cups of coffee to wake myself up before heading off to Abilities Tutorial. There was a select few students here instead of the large amounts of people I was used to and I pulled a face when both Max and Helena weren’t in this class.
Derrek was though. Great...
The room was similar to the classrooms in high school so I plonked myself down on the back corner desk and began doodling on my notebook again. I heard the legs of the chair beside me scrape against the floor and the woody smell of the person enveloped me.
I glanced at my neighbour and slumped in my seat.
“What are you doing?” I sneered at Derrek. I really wasn’t in the mood for his antics.
“ Sitting” he grumbled back.
“Whatever. Just don’t bug me”
“Good afternoon class! I’m sorry I’m late woah-!” A short lady that I’m assuming was our teacher bustled into the classroom and tripped over her feet tumbling onto the ground sending papers flying into the air.
Oh my God! I stood up to help her but the girls in front of the class were already helping her up.
“Oh my... thank you my dears” she said popping her extra large glasses back on. Her glasses magnified her eyes and her think lips curved into a kind smile.
She kind of looked like a hippy with big blonde-grey hair held back with a scarf and layers of thin baggy gypsy tops floating over black leggings and sandals. The girls who helped her up sat back to their seats and we all stared at the teacher.
“Um, uh yes. My name is Ms Insolita and I’m teaching you all about your abilities” she stammered. The class droned on as Ms Insolita rambled about how each of our abilities worked. She spoke like a frightened child and her eyes darted side to side as though she was about to flee. I looked up at Derrek but he was facing the front with his elbow propped up on the desk and his hand supporting his chin.
I was dead tired. Exhausted.
Everytime I closed my eyes the hooded man’s skeletal fingers reached for me and I’d jump, scaring myself awake. I knew it was just a nightmare but it felt so real. On top of being exhausted, my head pounded like a jackhammer was going loose across my brain and I just wanted to get out of here.
“Hey, you ok Tadpole?” Derrek cocked his head to the side and waited for me to answer.
“I’m fine. Why do you care Sparky?” I grumbled back rubbing my hands over my face.
“I don’t” then with that parting phrase he stood up and left making me realise that class was over without me noticing.
[Derrek’s POV]
I had a pounding headache.
I walked through the campus towards my next class, biology, and the flood of students parted like the red sea to let me pass. Usually I’d smirk but last night exhausted me. I’d had the same dream last night but it was different. Last night I dreamt that Val was in my place and I watched from above like a bat secured by its wings. I don’t know why I’d dream about her but I can only think that last night I was lucky not to be in her place.
In abilities tutorial I couldn’t help but sense Val was troubled. As soon I stepped into the class frustration and exhaustion flew at me from her direction and I couldn’t help sitting next to her. I wanted to ignore her and pretend she didn’t exist because there was something about her that made me feel the need to be cautious.
I turned into biology and slumped into my seat. “Hey man, you look like crap”
I turned my head and saw Max grinning at me. “Yeah well, you always look like crap” I countered lamely.
“Wait, wasn’t Val in your class?” he asked looking around me to see if she was coming.
“Yeah and...?”
“Well, shouldn’t she be here by now?”
“Seriously Max, what’s so good about her? You’ve known her for as long as I have and you’re sounding like a whining possessive boyfriend”
He looked dejected at his notebook. “Yeah, I know. But I just feel like she and I connect somehow”
I rolled my eyes. Max was that cliché romantic pretty boy and whenever he talked like this I zoned out. Class started when a tall dark man walked swiftly into the lecture theatre in a suit and ordered us to be quiet.
“Quiet please, we have a lot to go through today. I am Professor Pulcher, yes it is latin for ‘handsome’ and I will not disagree with it” he began. I chuckled at his straight forward joke but wondered if it really was latin. “Now everyone turn to page three hundred and fifty-”
“Do you think she’s ok?” Max whispered to me.
I looked over at Max and raised an eyebrow, completely oblivious to what he going on about “Who?”
“Val! She’s not here...” I looked around and saw he was right, not that I really cared. I closed my eyes and focused on her thoughts.
“She’s fine” I told Max trying not to fall asleep in class.
“But how do you know-“
“I just do, now shut up” I grunted firmly.
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A/N
So there you have it. I don’t actually really like this chapter but I re-wrote it several times and yeah. So yeah, you got a bit of Derrek’s point of view and a little something to think about. Yes Professor Pulcher is actually latin and if you go back you’ll notice so are a few other names.
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