by Tiffany Tay
For a minute, Nikolay and I just stare at each other. I blink furiously, hoping the tears won't spill. My hand balls into a fist where I clutch his shirt. He just glances down at me, his face devoid of expression. I can't even imagine what he's thinking of.
In that brief moment, there was silence never heard before. Silence so loud, it pierced my heard and shattered my hopes. If only you'd say something, if only you will let me throw the past away, never bringing it up in my face...
Most of all, I wanted to hear the words :I'm sorry, escape from his lips.
Instead, he just calmly untangled himself from my grasp and brushes me off.
"Well... if you want me to." He throws at me in this frustratingly nonchalant way possible. He proceeds to turn and walk away, leaving me hanging.
As I hear the last of his echoing footsteps, the very first salted liquid gathered at the corner of my left eye, rolling down my cheek in the form of a teardrop, removing whatever inflicted agony built up for an uncountable period called time.
A/N: Please vote and comment. And thank you for the 2000K votes! You are rewarded with another chapter on the same day! YAAY!! :D
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~Tiffany :)
Chapter Nine// Alex
Alex's POV
I cross my arms and push away from the table screen. My eyes drift over the image, the floating hologram across the smart table. I bite my lip to keep from screaming out loud in frustrated anger.
I hold out one palm over one side of the holographic building, zooming it until it reaches it's final magnified size. Still, I can't figure it out. Now totally exasperated, I swipe wildly at the image, only to have it shimmer and flicker just the tiniest bit, but it doesn't fully dissolve.
I sigh and drop into my comfortable seat, wringing my hands. How long will this holograph continue to appear? Over the past few weeks, this three-dimensional image keeps on popping up, and as the days drag further on, the image seems to find a better foundation... it simply refuses to evaporate.
If only I could figure this out...
I wave my hand over the holograph, and jump up in disgust as the monotonous voice booms out once more: "Floor -39... Space down, over, left high, zoom in three times..."
As sudden as the voice sounded, it pauses mid sentence and the noise just hangs there, slowly evaporating into the surrounding air.
I bite down a silent scream. Come on, Alex. There has to be a way... a way to prevent further tragedy...
I had tried everything I could work with. Floor thirty nine is under heavy guard patrol. As for space down... I'm assuming there could be a secret passage somewhere on that floor. We are all built underground, after all. There has to be one--- one that I have no knowledge of.
I tried zooming in thrice over the left upper corner, but to no avail. I have no clue as to what the projection has to project. For all I know, it could be in code, and I am not the one to decipher it.
I burry my head in my hands, my heart thumping ferociously in my chest. How long had it been since--- since the last time? I wasn't here to prevent it, but I had seen the damage it had done. As soon as I rose to my role as President, I had pumped up all sources of prevention. So far, it seems to be working.
At least, until my table thinks otherwise.
I tilt my head sideways and glare at the holographic revolving image with hatred. "Stupid coded message." I curse.
How am I supposed to protect my fellow librarians, as well as those others under my care...
What with this curse hanging over our heads, our whole Institution?
I let a frustrated yell out and punched the air with one balled up fist, just as the door to my office swings open.
I jump up, face flushing as I realize whoever it is probably heard me.
A face peeks around the door, looking sheepish. "I disrupted you at the wrong time, didn't I?" I cheerful female voice sounds and I try to master the hint of annoyance as the girl with honey blonde hair springs into the room like she belongs here.
"What do you want, Jacelyn?" I shot, slightly perturbed.
She bounds around the room her blonde ponytail springing behind her. I feel light headed watching her. Then I remember myself. I have to be gracious. I sigh.
"You know what I want." She slows to a halt right in front of me, fluttering her long gold sparked eyelashes, and resting herself on the table. I resist the urge to push her off. She dares to sit on my compactscren table?
I back off as much as I could while looking polite. "I have no idea what you want." I say testily, glancing furtively at the holograph. Surprisingly, the moment Jacelyn entered the office, the holograph immediately shuddered into vapour. Hmm... interesting. Even my table seems to bear a dislike for this girl.
I press my lips together, suppressing a frown, as Jacelyn fiddles with her hair. I feel uncomfortable that she has on nothing but a slinky sleeveless pink dress, showing off so much bare skin, I'll have to make a rule about clothing one day.
"Of course you do, Alex." God, she sounds so ridiculous whenever she applies that hoarse voice of hers. Sounds like a turtle with a sore throat. If turtles do talk, probably. She lifts one perfectly manicured hand, and places it on my arm. "The Gala." She purrs, stroking my arm.
I feel goosebumps up and down my arm. Get off me! I mentally scream. I back off so fast I almost trip into my chair. Jacelyn giggles and I feel my face getting hotter. How many times will that girl humiliate me? I wanted to yell.
"I told you, there will be no Gala." I growl, regaining my composure.
She pouts. "Aw... but there always is one, Alex! Our Librarian Night! It's a tradition, to have an annual dinner celebration. What better time than next month--- in October?" She tries to convince me. I shake my head, trying to block her disgusting tingly sweet voice out of my head.
"No Gala this year. That's final." I repeat firmly.
Jacelyn leaps from the table. "But... that's not fair!" She declares, throwing her hands up dramatically. "I have a say in your decisions too, you know!"
I shake my head, feeling woozy. "Jacelyn... we've discussed this before. I thought we agreed..."
"We agreed to discuss this again!" She's practically in tears. I roll my eyes. Girls. And their extravaganzas.
"Jacelyn... I told you, it's not safe to hold a Gala this year." She opens her mouth to argue, but I hurry on. "As Vice-President, you should be all too familiar with my reasons."
She narrows her eyes at me. "Oh--- you are too absorbed with that stupid curse! You have a life outside... outside this dark office to live, you know! A Gala at this time of the year... what better way to boost people's spirits? You know we need one. People will be so upset!"
I spin around to face her, even if her hair blinds me. "Look, Jacelyn. It's dangerous, this time of the year. Hear me? Dangerous. And you know what had happened last October. You want to have a Gala? I'd feel better if it could wait 'till next year."
She makes a pouty face. "But then it'll be too late! Think about it, Alex! If you postpone the Gala, you might postpone the curse as well!" She practically screams.
"Then you don't fully understand my intentions." I turn my back at her. "I don't want this curse hanging over our heads while you party rages on. I intend to break this curse once and for all. And a Gala is the last thing on my mind right now."
She is silent, which may be a blessing, for once. Then she had to ruin it.
"Oh, you are no fun at all, Alex! No fun! Without me to run the library, we'll all be like you--- Boring, Dark, lifeless, tedious, dreary---"
I huffed a sigh. This could go on forever. I move towards the door and hold it open. "I request that you leave, please. And don't bother me with this anymore, please." I don't look at her.
She storms past me, huffing like a train. "Don't think you've won this time, Alex." She pauses outside the door, and I stare stonily at her.
"I'll have my way, you wait and see!" She informs me with a death stare.
I respond by slamming the door in her face. Good riddance.
Librarians should never make such deafening commotions in the halways.
A/N: Heey!!! I'm back!! ^^
Chapter Ten// David
David's POV
Oh-kay. My day couldn't have worsened. First, I humiliate myself be my own carelessness, letting books hit me on the head. Plink, Plonk. Ker-thump. Then I had the absolute pleasure to bump into my old rival, who seems bent on seeking me out every time we clash paths.
Next, I had stared in shock as my newest friend literally lit up like a star. I had to deal with that one fast. I'm still so bewildered. Millions of thoughts and questions keep flooding my mind, hijacking my head.
Finally, Nikolay came along and Skye looked upon it as her cue to flee. From duty... from Group Nine...
"Hey, are you alright?" I whip around, my eyes unfocused, my brain in la-la land.
"Hmmm." I mumble. I hear an exasperated sigh.
"Come on, DeeDee. It's stil morning. How come you look so tired." Stella smiles and shakes her head at me.
I stiffle a yawn. I hadn't realized how many times I had yawned that morning. I try to clear my head, for Stella's sake, at least. "Morning? Your brain must be frozen at ten a.m." I tease. "It's past twelve already! Although... I suppose stars can't tell. You just stay put in the galaxy."
I laugh, dodging her punch. "You missed." I smirk. She huffs good-naturedly. "I'm not a star." She mutters. I laugh, then stop and study her. She declared that with an air of uncertainty, as if she's assuring herself that, not me. i feel uneasy, but I try to shrug it off. Must be morning nerves.
"I take it you aren't going to elaborate now, huh." I say as casually as I could. I half expected her to grow silent, but instead she turns and looks me in the eye. "David..."
Someone accidentally shoves her from behind. "Careful." I call out to the guy. who murmurs an apology before sprinting off. Stella shakes her head. "I'm fine."
"So... about that..." I want her to tell me about herself, to let me into her secrets. But somehow, I knew that eventually, I'd be expected to share mine... and I'm so not prepared to take that step in our friendship, or any friendship, for that matter.
She gives me a shaky smile, then we continue towards the lunch area. "I-- I still don't think telling you would be a good idea." She says testily.
I shrug. "Don't worry about that. I mean, it's fine with me if it's fine with you. Take you time, we have loads. I don't really expect you to pour out your secrets right now."
Beside me, Stella is silent for a minute. "I... I guess so." She sighs, looking relieved. I throw her my famous crooked smile. "So. Need me to fill you in on anything?" I whisper.
"Uh.." She glances over her shoulder.
"Don't worry. We're the only ones here now. The others... they left ages ago." I assure her.
She tugs on her long honey brown hair. "I--- I'm just curious about..." She seems incapable of continuing her sentence.
"You mean Skye and Niko?" I prompt. Those two are on practically on the tip of everyone's tongue. Heck--- even I don't fully understand their problem.
Stella shakes her head, looking dazed. "No, not them... wait, I mean, I don't really understand them, but the one whom I really want to know about is really..."
As she talks, the volume of her voice creeps slowly downwards, until at last, it stops at zero.
"What? Who is it? I can't hear you, Stella!"
She sighs. "I want to know about Kale." She practically screams in my ear.
My eyes widen. Kale? Of all people... she wants to find out more of Kale? I don't mind answering questions on Skye and Niko, Holly and Theo... hey, if she asked about me (fat chance), I'd happily oblige. But... Kale? The mysterious, nerdy, quiet boy Kale?
I groan. "Stella. Please don't tell me you are interested in that guy." I half joke, laughing a little. I stop as a shy blush spreads across her cheeks. I slap myself in the face. "Really, Starre?" I try to mask my disappointment. She wants to know about Kale. Not me?
"Look--- I just want to know a few things. It's not what you think." She stares at me. "Promise."
Her eyes are hard to resist. I sigh. "Tell me what you want to know."
She trails behind, absorbed in her thoughts. I wait. "Well... I know he is handsome in a freak nerd kind of way... but who could beat my messy cuteness?" I joke, after a minute's silence.
Sadly, she ignores me. I chose to let it pass.
"What's his last name?" She asks. "When did he join? How---" She starts firing all these questions, I could only catch a few. I shake my head, a smile playing on my lips.
"Whoa, calm down, Starre! I've got all you want to know! His name is Kale Caelum. He joined two years ago around... actually, around the same time you did. So... he was new, alone new like you are, Last year, when Alex wasn't president. He's twenty, if you're wondering." I list out a whole bunch of stuff about that guy... whom actually gives me the creeps, though I hated admitting it.
"Kale Caelum." I hear her muttering under her breath. I ball my fists, trying not to get overly upset, though something in my stomach is deciding otherwise...
"Can you tell me why you are so interested in that guy?" I ask, trying to mask my emotions and remain calm.
She doesn't answer.
"Um... Hello? I demand answers!" I stare at her. She's looking past me, glancing over my shoulder.
"Oh." I groan. "Don't tell me he's right there..."
"Interested in who?" Just as I expected, I whip around to find Kale right behind me. Stella's been gaping at him all this while? How long has he been here, listening in? I'm not surprised, actually, to find that this guy actually hides in the shadows of the library, lurking about...
I feel a shiver tingle down my spine. I won't let anyone know it, but this guy is the only one who could give me the creeps. Even if I'm his leader...
Kale nods at me, then heads straight towards Stella, whose eyes widen as he gets straight to the point:
"I want to talk to you. In private, please."
A/N: Sorry for the filler chapter, guys. Don't worry! More chapters coming soon! Ah... I have loads of funn stuff planned for the future...
Ahahaaaha !!!!!
P.s. vote and comment, please! :)
Chapter Eleven// Stella
Stella’s POV
Of all things Kale could’ve told me, the first thing that escaped his mouth wasn’t what I had in mind.
“You shouldn’t be curious, Stella.” He warns, folding up his book and tucking it under his arm. I stare dumbfounded up into his face, eyes crinkled with weariness, or wisdom, his nose turned up a little too high. Unconsciously, I find my fingers drifting over to caress my nose, which bears an eerie similarity to Kale’s.
Hastily, I drop my hand. “Curious about what?” I’m definitely pushing it. I can’t tell if he’s serious, because it isn’t every day I come across a guy bearing a striking resemblence to my appearance, only to have him warning me off.
Kale does that spooky thing where he makes his eyes go all small—studying me. “Our resemblence.” He said simply. That one line brought chills to my spine. Our resemblence. So he does see it as well. Hard not to, after Skye’s sudden outburst.
I once read somewhere that, long long ago… there were legends that humans were made with the characteristics of both genders--- male and female. The result was so disgusting--- imagine being both girl and boy… that someone decided to spilt them apart--- into a male and a female. They became half of their initial being. Till this day, the saying “to find my other half” still remains. Huh. People would go through all measures to explain the unexplainable.
So… is Kale sort of my other half? Like a part of me? Does that mean I’m part of him too?
“Being curious is dangerous, Stella. You have to let this pass.” Kale fixes me with a hard stare.
“Are you serious? Here we are… li
ke, like this… and you want me to just shrug it off?” I raise my eyebrows. He sighs, exasperated. “Stella. There’s not much to hear. Even then… there’s not much you want to know, either. The truth is unbearable. Trust me.” He certainly seems trustable. You can’t not trust a guy who mostly sticks to himself, blends in with the crowd like a black swan among the white, and keeping his head behind dusty leather bound books. Yep. I certainly could trust this guy. Hint… sarcasm involved.
“I still don’t understand what you are talking about.” I stick out my lower lip. “And if you really claim to know just about everything about how we are related…”
Kale throws up his hands. “I didn’t say that I did.” He growls.
“Fine, then.” I was being childish, I know I was, but, really--- how else could I argue? “Let’s say, you know most of what I want to know… and you are withholding my right to find out!”
“Stella. I told you… the truth itself would send you into shock. No… worse than shock. Don’t mess with Cosmos...” He trails off, his eyes widen, like he’s accidentally let slip something important.
I immediately pounce. “What?” I half scream. “What about the Cosmos?” My heart pounds faster, though I don’t know why. In that moment I said the word, my feet feel lighter, as if I’m floating on air. My face feels heated, but not with blood. Hastily, I clench my fists, not wanting another embarrassing episode of the Lighting of Stella Starre---live rekindling of brightness! I don’t know why--- but I sensed a mixture of feelings the moment the word ‘Cosmos’ escaped my lips.
“Cosmos…” I ponder, a little frown on my face.
“No… no! Forget what I just said.” Kale huffs, perplex. “Don’t try to think about it… or find out. You’ll only become more vulnerable to the threat!” He cautions, his face, if possible, seems to have taken on a paler shade of white… only, this time, he seems to be glowing. A silvery aura surrounds his face… and for a moment, I stare in fascination at him. A cool warmth spreads slowly all over my body, relaxing my tense muscles…