Chereads / The Phantom Saga (Unedited) / Chapter 16 - 15| Noise and Silence

Chapter 16 - 15| Noise and Silence

Mᴀʏ 21, 2020

Early in the morning, Alexa is alone in the training room, doing laps around the perimetre. The glassed walls reflect her every movement in doubles, bouncing off each other. She runs around on the sectioned mat, barely breaking a sweat in the cool air of the room; her straight black hair trails behind her in a long bundle of knots. She wears a black merina and blue bloomers, basically what she woke up in, and her feet is bare, but noiseless against the mat.

Alexa isn't the only early riser.

Phillip has been doing this as a habit ever since his arrival here: jogging every morning in the studio before anyone wakes up. He needs an alarm or reminder for that and this morning he snoozed it for ten minutes more.

On the other hand, Alexa wakes up around five everyday, getting out of bed as if it's normal. She'd pace around her room aimlessly, thinking about what to do with her time and today, she chose to go on a morning run.

Step after step, Phillip carries himself to the training room. Alexa hits his hearing range, but her breathing is too calm and her feet, too silent for him to take notice of. When his silhouette appears at the doorway, she halts quickly, frowning as he walks in, eyes closed. He listens for movement, but it's silent, so he heads straight to the bathroom to wash his face and change. Soon, he's out and shirtless, clutching a water bottle in his right hand, towel in the left. Alexa isn't phased by his physique, but she does blink, twice, at the sixteen year old who is yet to realize she's there.

"Phillipeño." She states and he flinches ever so slightly, before turning his head in her direction.

Deliberately, he drops the bottle and the sound echoes in the scape of the room, outlining her figure with white lines in his black mind. "What are you doing here?"

"Same reason why you're here."

"I didn't hear you come in." He says, stooping to pick up his source of hydration.

She speaks monotonously, "I was here before. I saw you come in."

"Oh." It goes silent again and she proceeds to start running.

Phillipeño is still on edge, because he can't figure her out. She's so quiet and he fears she'll lash out at any given moment once triggered. If she's doing something right now, he has no idea, unless. . .he trudges onto the mat and puts his bottle to the side loudly, getting only a glimpse from the sudden sound, as she materializes at his left, vanishing by the time she dashes behind him. Like a ghost.

"I know what you're doing." She pants, appearing before him.

He jumps and takes an abrupt step back. "W-what?" He gulps, heart skyrocketing.

"You can see me."

"I'm blind." He deadpans.

"But, you can still see."

Disgruntled, Phillip goes around her and she turns, facing his back. "How would you know?"

"You're not quite subtle with the noise you make." She rolls her eyes, feeling heat cloud her face and neck as she breathes. "And, I'm not stupid."

He chuckles lowly, fiddling with the bottle he retrieved from the ground. Taking a huge swig in boredom, he tells her, "You're stupid for not putting your hair up."