Linus
I didn't want to go, I wanted to stay home but then James wouldn't allow me, he wanted me to go to school, to distract me from the reality of my life. Some psycho is determined to destroy the world and I hadn't even began to practice my magic, and he tells me I had no choice but to go to school.
So I sat through calculus staring out the window wondering how I would even begin to practice magic on my own, I didn't know where I would start, or how I would! I was beginning to feel very frustrated with myself. I was nowhere near ready for anything. I found myself thinking of Fraden right then and there. I pictured his smile and his chuckle and soon found myself relaxing and smiling.
"Linus?" I leaned onto my desk with a happy grin on my face. Having Fraden in mind seemed to make me feel better, seemed to make me reel stronger and confident about the my struggles. I guess this is what having a mate did, it brought you a sense of peace, just knowing that someone was meant to be yours alone gave you joy. I chuckled. "Linus!" I jumped in my seat, hitting my knee in the process. I hissed in pain.
"Why?" I whined and looked up to see Mr. Jackson staring at me confused. I looked around and noticed the class was empty. I flushed, how long had I been day dreaming about Fraden? So this was what would happen if I suddenly thought of him? I would lose track of time?
"Are you alright?" He crouched, his hand suddenly on my hand. I stared at his hand and awkwardly removed my hand from under his.
"Uh, yeah, sorry," I began to stand and pack up my things. "I guess I kind of got lost..in my thoughts," I chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry," I nodded and tried moving around him when he grabbed my wrist. I turned and looked at his hand,raised a brow then met his sad gaze.
"Uhm.." He began awkwardly. "I-"
"I have class to get to,sir." I told him suddenly, I don't know why I cut him off but suddenly it felt like he was about to say something I wouldn't like.
"Uh, oh, right," he let go of me and I gave him one last look over. He wrapped his arms around himself and looked down. I frowned, he looked so sad and alone, he seemed like someone who needed a hug, badly. For a guys I was so used to seeing smiling and happy, it was an uneasy sight, I chose to ignore it as I ran out of his class and headed for my next lesson.
The rest of the day went on uneventfully and I was grateful as I wanted to get home and see Fraden... And try to do some magic...okay, mostly to see Fraden, sue me. The halls were growing empty as I got everything I need. I was turning when I bumped into someone.
"We need to talk," he told me and grabbed my wrist. He pulled me along towards his class and my eyes were wide the entire time.
"Woah! What's going on!? I have to get home,sir. The-" suddenly warm plump lips collided with my own shocked lips. I had frozen as he kissed me for what felt like a life time, my eyes wide, I stared, not knowing what to do with myself, or him.
I was utterly confused until I saw it, a single tear fell from his eye as he pulled away. I lifted my hand to touch my harassed lips. I wanted to be angry, to furiously push him around and ask him why he did that, why he kisses me when I had a mate. Instead, I was sad, grieved and absolutely confused.
"Huh," he sniffed. "I guess, it really is gone." He mumbled and I blinked as he wrapped his arms around himself again. "I'm sorry, I, uh...hoped I had more of a chance." He gave a soft chuckle, which uses to make me smile, I realise, now, it just sounded off.
"Mr. Jackson?" I said lowly and he looked down at met his eyes glassy. "Why did you kiss me?"
He chuckled and continued looking at mez he shook his head.
"I thought...it's just..." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair and swiftly wiped his cheek. "I hoped you wouldn't have already fallen for him." I tilted my head not following. "I was wrong.."
"What are you talking about?"
"You were supposed to be my mate,Linus," I blinked and shook my head.
"What? No, I-" I blinked and stepped away, "you believe in mates?" He rolled his eyes. I hadn't ever put much thought into it, but suddenly I wondered how many supernatural beings were in this school. Was he one or them? And if so, what was he exactly.
"I'm a siren, Linus." He confessed with a wave if his hand. "I can see the questions in your eyes."
I had no knowledge on sirens so I could only stare at the man and wonder what made him believe I was his mate. I already had a mate, I don't think I could have two at the same time.
"I kissed you to see if you could feel our bond, but, you don't, so I'm sorry." He walked around his table. "It's okay you can go. I won't bother you anymore." I found myself frowning as he began to pack up his desk.
"What are you doing?"
"Packing up." He told me as he put everything on his desk in a box. It looked like he was never coming back instead of packing up for the end of the day.
"Why?" He stopped and rubbed his eyes.
"We've lost the bond we should have had, and I don't know how that happened or why, but I would feel better knowing. I'm leaving. " he said and continued lacking. "I'm going to find someone who can give me answers." He paused," I need to know if this means I'll always be alone or not and...I can't stand to see you anymore, knowing you are with someone else."
I felt like I should be crying, or begging him to stay. I wanted to understand what he was on about, but I was having a hard time processing.
"Oh..." Was all I could manage to say. I swallowed and walked over to the door and glanced at him. "I hope you get all the answers you need, Mr. Jackson." He nodded and kept his back to me. Somehow, I could tell he was allowing himself to cry, silently and alone. My heart went out to him, but, another part of myself was glad he was leaving as well.
The drive home was silent, I spent it stating out the window and thinking about Mr. Jackson and what he said. Was he serious about him and I being mates? Did that even make any sense? I had Fraden, he was my mate? Right? I couldn't help wonder if there was a lie somewhere in there, and who the lie stemmed from.
I walked into the house rather sullenly, staring st the ground, I felt troubled and I couldn't even fake a smile and pretend I was alright. Despite it everything, I was rather sensitive when it came to mates. I didn't like the idea of robing a person of their one true love, that happiness, especially since I noe had an idea of what it can feel like and look like. I grew up in a herd of panthers where mates were never something too important and I witnessed first hand the effects of rejecting the person the god's made just for you.
I was sitting alone in the hut, minding my own business and trying to make something out of animal skins when my sister came rushing in followed by my father.
"You are to be with Clay," my father said forcefully as my sister cries silently, her face hard and angry.
"But he is not my mate," she said stubbornly.
"That is not important." Father told her. "His family is close to the chief, they always get the best meat, the best skins. You will be his."
"And what if I do not want to?" The slap came before anyone could even register the situation.
"What you want makes no difference when the needs of the family are in question."
"I hate you."
"That is your problem."
I sighed and fell back on my bed, I turned onto my side. If what Mr. Jackson said was true, I would also want answers to the situation, I would also like to understand what happened, why it happened and what it meant for him.
"Hey," I blinked as Fraden came in silently. "You okay?"
I wondered if I should tell him, if telling him was the right thing to do. I shook my head then and he closed the door. He had every right to know, especially since he had identified me as his, this affected him as well. He sat on the bed and I grabbed his hand.
"Don't get mad." I told him gently and his Bries came together. "Mr. Jackson kissed me." He blinked and looked away.
"Oh..." He said and I sat up.
"This is strange, I swear, I didn't like it and I never gave him any ideas he just...kissed me." I explained myself so that he wouldn't jump to any conclusions. "He said he and I were..." I trailed off unsure how to say it. I was still processing.
"Mate's." I paused and looked at Fraden who frowned.
"How did you...?"
"The day those vampires came and you called to me..." He began. "I found you in his arms." His voice became so soft I almost couldn't hear him. "He told me how you were supposed to be his, but something went wrong, changed and your bond was...broken, I guess."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I removed my hand from his.
"Honestly, I was going to, but then I also wanted to understand why I was feel the way I was feeling about you, I wanted to make sense of it before you left me." I frowned. "I lost track of time and I guess I just...chose to forget about it."
"That's not fair... Mr. Jackson is leaving." I told him and he sighed. "He wants to make sense of everything and he can't stand being around me when I don't even think about him."
"I'm sorry," he said and ran his hands through his face. "I didn't think he'd leave."
"Well, I'm not." He turned to look at me. "I'm happy," I told him honestly. "Despite everything, I am... I feel bad about the situation, but... I don't have any regrets." I took his hand.
"Really?" I gave a nod.
"I'm mad you didn't tell me, but I am not at all mad that I got to know you."
Then, I did something I never thought I would do first. I got closer to him and gently I placed my lips on his for a soft sweet kiss. It was short and simple and it made me blush. When I pulled away, his eyes were closed and slowly, I watched them open, his lashes were so long and his dark eyes seemed brighter.
"James would not approve." I chuckled and shook my head at him as I caressed his stubbled cheek.
"He'll get over it." I flushed then and stood. "Now! You need to help me do magic." His eyes grew as wide as saucers.
"I don't thin-" before he could say anymore I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of my room. "Don't you have homework?" I rolled my eyes and chuckled.
"I'll do that later!" I told him with a whine in my tone.
Soon we were outside and the sun was setting, it was a beautiful sight.
"So, how exactly am I supposed to help?" I turned to him and smiled.
"Moral support," I told him as we picked a random stop to sit.
"Right, moral support." He nodded and tot on his knees. "Have you ever actually attempted to practice?"
"Well, not really, I mean, back in the herd, Xavier and Gabriel used to practice together once they started realising their feelings for one another." I shrugged at the explanation. "I only ever eavesdropped." I admitted with a blush, I left out how I would usually watch from the bushes and glare at Xavier, hoping he set himself on fire.
"Do you remember what they used to do as practice?" I blinked and recalled watching them sit and stared at one another for hours, and then things would just happen.
I lifted my hand and wondered if it was just about ones imagination and will. I thought about the grass then and looked down. I imagined a flower in bloom, I imagined its stem erupting from the soil and breaking the surface of the grass. I looked down and gasped as a stem, healthy and green began to grow and extend until a beautiful purple flower opened up.
"Oh," Fraden said I glanced and see his eyes wide. "That was really cool." I felt myself fill with pride. Suddenly as I kept my gaze on Fraden's face, more of those flowers around us, I watched as Fraden's child-like eyes light up and a smile grace his face as he stared around. "They are beautiful."
I nodded in agreement with a goofy smile on my face. In my opinion, he was more beautiful. He looked up and caught me staring, I flushed and he smiled, his hand rose and he lightly touched my cheek.
"Your not bleeding." He said suddenly and I blinked out of my daze.
"What?"
"You usually bleed for doing magic," he told me with a curious gaze, "but, you aren't. I wonder why."
I found myself also wondering why since I didn't feel dizzy or sick, my vision wasn't threatening to fade and I wasn't collapsing. It was very curious in deed.
"Maybe it depends." I said as I touched the petals of the flowers. "Perhaps if I do something difficult it takes to much from me and this," I smiled, "was small."
"Maybe." He plucked a flower then and gave it too me. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"It's beautiful." I told him and he laughed.
This was nice... I hoped it would last forever.