-Aria side-
When morning came, I was awakened with the sound of someone humming. I am in a white place, somewhat similar to Davinci University. I felt drowsy, strangely though I'm not inside the cage. Where am I? It looks pretty real, the empty corridor echoed as I walked through the placid white corridor. The sound of my steps reverb through the clean corridor.
Even the floor reflected my reflection, I could see my scarlet eyes and crimson hair reflected on the ground.
"Hey, wait!" a child's voice surprised me.
A short raven-haired little girl ran through my body as if I was nothing. She looks desperate and afraid, she kneeled on the floor exhausted. Her exhausted expression reflected on the lucent white floor. I tried to pinch myself whether I am a real being. I could pinch myself, but I somehow couldn't touch the little girl.
"How odd," I thought.
The girl suddenly cried.
"Lon! I'm so scared! Where are you!?" the raven-haired girl cries on the floor.
Her stream of tears fell continuously on the floor. I wanted to wipe her tears for some reason, I'm usually not this sympathetic. However, when I was about to touch her face, my hand went through her face. I couldn't touch her, and she couldn't see me either. She kept calling for a name, Lon was his or her name.
"Lon! Lon! I don't wanna play hide and seek any more! I'm tired of this" the little girl sobbed.
Out of the blue, a little boy appeared from the other side of the corridor. His striking spiky white hair and onyx eyes make him look pretty flashy. He then kneeled next to the little girl, he grabbed the little girl's shoulder.
"I'm here, ****" he smiled kindly.
His words were censored, I couldn't hear the next words he spoke of.
"**** you're still bad in hiding and seek huh? You always lost your way in this place" he chuckled.
The little girl wiped her tears, she pouted angrily toward the white-haired boy.
"What do you mean Lon? Everything looks the same here! I wanna go home!" the girl pouted as she hit the little boy angrily.
"I want to go home too ****, do you have anyone you miss at home?" the little boy asked the upset girl.
The little girl stood up, she looked up at the little boy's face. His smile widened when the girl hugged him.
"I am alone, no one is there" she spoke sadly. "You're my only friend, my only family".
"That's right ****, I'm the only person who can accept you" the little boy smile turned into a devilish smirk.
When he smiled, my head felt like it's about to burst open. That mysterious boy, who is he? He hugged the little girl tighter into his embrace.
"No one is going to judge you, harass you, nor expect you to be perfect" he spoke delicately. "I am not like them".
The little girl stayed in his embrace and nodded. My head feels like it's going to split open, I fell on the ground, my knees hit the lucent white floor. It's splitting my head open, the pain swirled inside my head. I felt nauseous and hurt, I just want the headache to stop. That's when something shocked me.
The little boy looked at me, he showed me his devilish smile and sharp eyes.
"Sssh" he put his index finger in front of his lips as if to shush me. "You'll remember in due time".
* * *
"Aria!" a loud yell awakened me in reality. I quickly got up, only to accidentally bump my forehead with Joel. Last night, Joel and Ender tended my injuries. I'm still not completely healed, but at least I feel better than last night. I felt like crap after that beatdown. Especially after Vladimir insulted my ability.
"I am going to make him pay for what he said" I grumbled.
Joel checked my visible injuries, he looks pretty worried.
"Look, you're with Ender," he said. "But still, take care of yourself".
I nodded affirmatively to Joel's worries, he's still as awkward and caring as always. Ender glanced at me with his pouty mouth. Thanks to last night's quarrel, we didn't speak to each other. We're still mad about last night's quarrel, I guess that's given since both of us delved into our past relationship as lovers when Joel was there.
I wanted to tell Joel to forget about what we fought. However, I am not sure on how I should ask Joel to forget. The guards seem to be leeway about Adrian, the other guard didn't comment much about Adrian sneaking bandage and aid kits. He looks stiff, but I guess he had his reason for letting Adrian snuck me a first aid kit.
Adrian then bangs our cell with his hatchet grip, our attention was immediately focused on him.
"The match will begin shortly, participants should prepare themselves and come to the courtyard thirty minutes before the match starts" Adrian announced like a robot. "That's what Vladimir said to me anyway".
"When will it start?" Ender asked the pale man.
"I guess in two hours? Although if you want to go now, I can guard you to go there" Adrian offered.
"Mhm, fine" Ender complied. "Since you helped us last night, I'm going now".
Ender stood up, then he grabbed my arm and dragged me outside the cell.
"What are you doing!?" I growled.
"Huh? What am I doing? Of course, I am taking you to come with me" Ender sighed. "Don't you want to devise a strategy with me about the match?".
"No" I pouted.
"You're a difficult woman" he snarled.
"And you're a difficult man!" I snarled back.
Joel arose from the ground, he stood up somewhat awkwardly.
"Now, guys," Joel tried to pacify the situation. "It would be nice if you two work together, otherwise there's a chance you'll lose"
Joel is right, cooperation is the first point we need to do for this match. I need to dissipate my feelings in this kind of situation. It would be wise for me to ask about the dream too, maybe Ender knows something about it.
Ender and I walked side by side, Adrian cuffed Ender hands and mine. As we walked toward the courtyard, I braced myself to ask the angry Ender about my dream. The dream felt too real and surreal, it was as if I was there. Feeling the emotions the little girl felt, my heart sank and shattered to pieces when I saw the scene between the little girl and the little boy unfolded.
"Ender, I want to ask," I asked timidly.
"What?" he sounds angry.
"Do you know someone with the name Lon?" I asked him.
Ender lowered his gaze to the ground, a melancholic expression crossed his face. His eyes turned droopy as he stared at the ground blankly.
"No, I don't know" he answered nonchalantly. "Why?".
"Oh, it's alright, I was just asking" I shook my head.
He looks so dispirited just now, was it just my imagination?