" I'm working on making something that can hold more," David interjects. I wasn't aware that he was listening," You could give us a hand," He adds after a short pause, and I already know what he is referring to, but refrains from detailing. And I'm glad. I didn't want to explain myself to the entire school or anyone else for that matter.
After a few moments of consideration, I nod, " I'll give you a hand when it's done, " I say curtly and David grins, satisfied that he has gotten his way. I knew he wouldn't stop hounding me until he did.
Laira tucks the decahadron back in her pocket and we settle on a more easy topic.
" I have a surprise for you," She grins and furrows her brows when I frown.
" I'm going into town tomorrow," She adds after a few seconds of pause.
" It better be a cake that you are bringing back, because I could use a little pick me up," I say relieved when she nods. I've told them that I am to be on my best behavior for three months. The only way to stay out of trouble is to never leave the grounds of the academy. Not for the next three months. I know it will be a challenge and I'll probably burn a hole in the floor from pacing in the same spot for hours on end but I have to try.
" Of course," Laira grins at me and I'm beginning to be suspicious.
She never grins so wide. The girl is shy, almost mousey. I'm concerned.
She places her hand over mine, giving me a light squeeze," You're freaking out. It's nothing bad. I promise," Oh brother that doesn't help at all. Now my mind is blowing up with every possible scenario that one can concoct in his mind.
" Just trust me," She says in a softer tone, I nod and take a deep breath to settle my thoughts.
David has returned to his conversation with Kaya and Frederick with a K. I already don't like him and we barely exchanged one sentence since I sat at the table.
David is fervently speaking of quantum fields and quasiparticles. It is hard to keep up with his pace and I'm not the only one struggling. Mostly because he wouldn't allow anyone else to get a word in edgewise. On the other hand, Laira seems to show the most interest in what he is saying. I for one, let my mind roam outside the grounds of the academy. It travels effortlessly to him. It always does. Maybe I was a hopeless fool but I wanted to see him even just for a moment. The distance between Helej Norun and Morston had made it relatively easy to squash down the urge to let my feet carry me to him. Now, it was getting increasingly harder with every second that ticked by.
" What should we do this weekend?" Laira drags me from the long torture that I was putting myself through daily. Boy, do I know to have fun or what?
" I don't know," I whisper. What I should do, is sit tight and behave. But that was far from what I wanted to do.
My feet itched like crazy, my leg constantly bounced under the table whenever I sat down. It is driving Laira crazy, that often she would stomp my foot just to get me to stop. She had pointed it out several times but after a while, she got fed up. So, she resorted to inflicting pain on me. I was grateful for it because it distracted me from the ache that was tearing my insides, and the weight that sat on my chest felt as heavy as a mountain. I don't dare to take deep breaths, because I already know I can't expand my lungs enough to do it.
" You know I can't leave the academy," I say softly, and Laira nods. Bless her, she is doing her best to distract me in any way she can, but sometimes it is not enough. My leg begins to bounce under the table in time with that thought.
" We will find something to do," She says resolutely and I give the green juice a try. It tasted just like it looked. Disgusting.
I grimace looking inside the glass, suspiciously. Are they trying to kill us?
It could be hardly called juice. They should rename the damn thing to ' This how we deter you to waste your time in the communal areas.'
Laira laughs," The yellow one isn't so bad," She giggles and hands me the glass to try.
It tasted worse than the green one. if that was even possible. The sickly sweet taste clung to my tongue, cloying and unbearable. I was grateful for it though. It was yet another distraction.
I was terrified of being alone. Something that I used to enjoy now had become physically impossible to do. Hellish torture.
" Did you hear," Laira grabs my attention once more and I'm curious, "Apparently rumors are going around that Ava is getting hitched," Laira says under her breath and my eyebrows raise in surprise. However, there was one thing that poked at me. Who would be crazy enough to shackle themselves to Ava?
" Do you know who?" Laira sighs and shakes her head. Huh? Ava is forward, so why is she keeping this hush-hush?
" I can fish for some gossip tomorrow while in town. Edith should know," Edith was the girl that worked the bar at the cafe in town. People come and go, and she most likely caught wind of who is the misfortunate sod to be sharing the rest of his life with Ava. Unless they were alike. Snobbish, rich and heartless. Which would be the majority of the rich people in Morston.
I wasn't all that invested in knowing who Ava was going to marry unless it was Mason. At that thought, my leg began bouncing like crazy under the table. Unease settled in at frightening speed, and I stood.
" I need to go. I'll see you later," I say my goodbyes to the others at the table. Laira seems confused, David waves at me then returns to his conversation with Kaya and Frederick with a K. That guy.