Kiama, you must never forget... never forget who you are and where you came from.
"I'm sorry," I say, but it comes out on hushed whisper. My eyes are still transfixed in the stranger, on the way his eyes glow brighter than anything.
It reminds me of the the golden aura that seeped from my elbow last night. Not to mention, the voice echoing somewhere in my head.
Am I imaging this? Did I hit my head so hard against the stranger that I'm now suffering form a hallucinatory concussion? Is that even possible?
Take her! Take her and run to safety, my love.
That voice...it's sound familiar as well. The same one that was in my dream, the same one that... That what? Why am I hearing things coming from a voice I can't properly remember?
Not to mention, the longer I stare at this man looking down at me in annoyed confusion, the more the world seems to fade away. It's as though I'm falling into an abyss, the same one from my dream.
The sensation is overwhelming, making me question the reality of this moment. Has time stopped? I feel like time has stopped.
"Watch where you're going," the stranger says, sneering before separatimg from me and walking right past. I blink a few times, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
"How many more time are you going to trip over and into things?" Cal asks all of a sudden, appearing next to me in a flash. Cal's blue eyes look at me, clearly unimpressed with what just went down.
I focus on his eyes, his azure gaze a stark contrast the molten pools of amber I was just having a semi staring contest with. Was that also magic, or another panic fuelled hallucination?
What is real and what isn't? When did the world become so complicated?
"Shut up," I mutter, strutting forward. This time, my focus is more on my own arms and hands than it is on getting away from Cal. Although, getting away from the genie is always a bonus.
Could it be...was that the same gold that was on my skin?
I narrow my gaze slightly, galring at my hands as if to force golden to emerge from my almond coloured skin. I even clench my fists, forcing the idea to reach my hands.
But nothing happens. Of course nothing happens. Because the only thing wrong here is Cal the genie, and this necklace and that stupid fountain and the fact that I'm now officially crazy. I mean, seeing some weird emotion in Jaeun's eyes is one thing, but seeing gold eyes when bumping into a stranger?
And then there's the strange case of the voice always saying my name...
I'll be happy to check myself into a psychiatric ward of sorts. Although, if Cal is following me there, it sort of defeats the purpose.
I don't know why, but another part of my brain is also telling me not to tell Cal. Which is weird, because isn't he the one who can confirm whether or not what I just observed is magic or not?
Weird...
"I don't know why you're staring at your hands, but I think you can stop flexing them," Cal says, very close to my ear. I jump a little, realizing that he is walking right next to me instead of behind me like he was a second ago.
"Ugh, how did you walk so fast?" I ask, more to myself than to him.
"I could ask you the same thing, Mimi," he says, smiling sweetly. Except it's not really sweet. And it makes me scoff in response. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're trying to get away from me."
"Bingo," I say, finally dropping my hands and rolling my eyes. "You win. Thanks for playing."
"That's hardly the way to play the game, sweetheart," Cal answers, and from my peripheral vision, I can see him smirking. Like he usually does at this point.
"And how is it played then, Cal Monroe?" I ask sarcastically, wanting nothing more than to make my way to class by myself. Or with literally anyone else.
Cal catches the hint in my tone, but decides to pretend he didn't. "Well, for starter's, I think the fact that we have matching outfits on right now will tie you to me no matter where you go on campus."
"I highly disagree," I huff in response, crossing my arms across my chest. If I didn't have anything else but pajamas to wear this morning, I wouldn't have to suffer the truth of that comment. "Someone might think it's coincidental."
"Sure, sure," he says, still smirking. "But the very fact that I can't be too far away from that necklace magically bound to your neck, means that you couldn't be across campus from me even if you wanted to."
"I do want to," I reply without missing a beat.
"Aw, aren't you sweet," Cal says, sardonically of course. "Point is, Mimi, that the two of us look quite the picture of a young, naïve little couple walking to and from class together. Meaning that you very much can't get away from me."
I groan in frustration, momentarily stopping in my tracks. "Ugh, can't you turn invisible or something," I say, trying to swat him away like a fly. I don't know how much more of this guy I can handle.
And this is someone I didn't know a day ago. You know, happier times.
Cal's smirk widens in response, almost like he's doing this on purpose. "Oh, I could certainly turn invisible, but what's the fun in that?" he teases, hovering beside me like an annoying shadow. "Besides, isn't it more exciting to have a charming genie accompany you around campus?"
I grit my teeth, deciding to just ignore him and trudge on, dismissing the preplexed looks of the people I almost bump into. As usual, Jimin is a step behind, then in step with me.
"Why are you working in my every last nerve?" I ask, still looking ahead of me. The venue of the next class isn't too far from here.
"Why can't I touch you without burning?" he repeats in a similar tone, but I can't tell if he's copying me or not. "Why couldn't I grant your wish? All questions we'll never know the answer to."
I frown, glancing at him as we continue walking. "What, so this is your form of getting back?" I ask, throwing up my hands for added emphasis. "It's not like I can control it, Cal! Heck, a day ago I didn't even know genies existed in real life. You're certainly not as blue as the one that I'm aware of."
"For the last time, I'm not the genie in Aladdin," he says, rolling his eyes. Seeing him annoyed this time almost makes me smirk. Almost. "And also, I get bored if I'm out of the necklace too long, so consider this my entertainment."
"So irking me, giving evasive answers to questions and lying to my best friend about the nature of our relationship is fun to you?" I ask, halfway between anger and disbleief at the guy walking next to me. No, the genie walking next to me.
"Maybe," he says, smiling smugly. He runs a hand through his caramel hair, still combed backwards.
"I hope you trip and break your nose," I say, retorting in an admittedly childish manner.
"Oh Mimi," Cal says, letting out a small chuckle. It's the first time I'm hearing him laugh. "You wish."
You have no idea, Cal Monroe...
*
"You sucker!" Jia exclaims, playfully punching Micheal's arm. I smile immediately when I spot them, and for a split second, I forget all about my magic troubles.
"Hey, own!" Jia says, clutching his arm even though that definitely didn't hurt a bit. "That hurt."
"No it didn't," Jia says, still laughing. With her other hand she sweeps her hair to the side, making the hem of her rainbow coloured off-shoulder shirt pop even more. "You're just a big baby."
"So?" Micheal asks her, pouting with that in ocent look of his. Jaeun and I always refer to that as his baby pout, which helps prove Jia's point.
"So, there comes a time when someone shouldn't be a big baby," I say before either of them can answer. They look up at me from their desks, smiling upon hearing my voice.
But the moment they see me, their eyes, much like Jaeu 's, fly straight to my companion. And just like that, the happy moment gets ruined yet again by the genie himself.
Jia's eyebrows fly upwards, whilst Micheal's mouth makes and 'o' shape. I can tell that they're both surprised, but something about their expression is a little different from their usual shocked face.
"What?" I ask, quirking a brow. I lower myself into the seat next to Jia, looking at literally the only other friends I have.
I actually met them through Jaeun last year, on the count of how he's the social butterfly between the two of us. Apparently, the three of them were grouped together for a round of beer pong at frat house party and ended up winning.
And two weeks later, I met them for the first time, more anxious than anything. Mainly because I thought they were cooler than me - in fact, I still believe that to this day and can't fathom why they'd even want to be friends with me in the first place. Regardless, I'm thankful.
Back then, Jia had her darker natural hair, whilst Micheal was losing stray strands after dyeing his hair a bright yellow. Jaeun once made a joke and said that he knew who to call in the event he was in need of a highlighter. And now Jia has lovely ginger locks, while Micheal's long waves are a suiting black shade. For his sake, I hope he never dyes it again - this colour fits him best in my opinion.
But then yet again, I am the girl with pink hair, so who am I to judge?
"No, no, nothing," Jia says, giving me a thumbs up. I frown, because what is she giving a thumbs up to?
"Uhm, aren't you going to introduce us, Kiki?" Micheal asks, looking at me with eyes as wide as an owl's. I look at my friends with a confused expression on my face.
"Okay...?" I respond, not really wanting to introduce Cal again. I mean, the whole point of having a magic genie should be to keep it secret, right? So why am I being forced to show everyone I know that he suddenly exists?
Micheal nods, smiling a little. Although, it's not his normal cute smile that makes his eyes scrunch. It's an uncomfortable smile that makes him look half constipated.
When I look over at Jia, she gives off a more composed impression, but still doesn't really seem like herself.
"But before I do," I say, internally sighing at the idea of doing that, "are you guys okay?"
"Yes, why wouldn't we be?" Jia says, smiling so hard that I'm surprised her cheekbones are still in place. It's almost scary.
"Yep, totally great," Micheal adds on, nodding. "We don't know anything about your new secret boyfriend at all."
"Micheal!" Jia hisses, smacking him against the arm again. This time a sight does leave my lips, albeit a small one.
"Ow!" he says again, wincing in exaggerated fashion. "Sorry, sorry, but ow."
In the same way that I can't lie, Micheal can't keep a secret. At all. It's like once he knows something that someone else isn't supposed to - or maybe something he shouldn't know - he can't help but blab to the first person who'll listen.
This shared trait of ours was actually one of the first things the two of us bonded over as we became closer friends. And now, thanks to that, I know that Jaeun must've messaged them about this morning.
It might have been on the group chat; I wouldn't know, though, because just like the whole prospect of getting dressed for day, I also forgot my phone on the bed. Yes, I've been suffering some severe seperation anxiety from not being with my baby, but if I can deal with Cal for this long, I'm capable of anything.
Plus, I got to scarf down a bacon and cheese bagel on my way to class as well; silver lining, I guess.
"So Jaeun told you guys?" I ask, resting the urge to pull at my curls again.
"I mean, he didn't tell us much," Micheal says again, probably trying to get all the info out of his system. "Just that there was a guy claiming to be your boyfriend that was standing next to you this morning while you looked like a panicked flamingo."
"He actually said panicked flamingo?" Cal speaks up for the first time, sounding very intrigued. I almost my roll my eyes for the millionth time.
"Well, no," Micheal says, tapping his chin. "But the way he described Kiki's facial expression made me think of a panicked flamingo, you know, because of the hair."
"Oh please, Mike," Jia says, sighing in exasperation at her friend. "You don't even know how a flamingo panicks."
"I can imagine!" he says defensively, seemingly over his shock of seeing me with Cal, who for the love of ruining my day, didn't turn invisible like I asked - nay, demanded - him to to do before entering the lecture hall. Clearly he is finding absolute thrill out of whatever game he stated he was playing earlier.
And I'm very much sick of it. I can't wait for my classes to end so that we can finish this dumb quest of his. Unfortunately, according to Cal, that starts with me asking Jaeun where he got the necklace.
As if this morning's whole conversation wasn't awkward enough.
"Anyway," Jia says pointedly, loooking at Cal now. "I believe you're Cal?"
"Yes," Cal replies without a beat, sending her a dashing smile even though the two do them are separated by me and Micheal. "And I take it the two of you are Mimi's other friends? Jia and Mike?"
Damn, how much of my diary did he freaking read?
"Uhm, yeah," Jia replies, smiling and nodding at the same time. "We didn't think you'd know us."
"Yeah, considering we know nothing about you, we assumed that we'd be strangers to you too," Micheal says, not a single thought behind his words. Yunjin shoots a quick glare his way.
I frown in response, feeling my ears starting to turn pink. I comb through my hair, making sure that the loose locks hide them this time.
"Oh, I think that's my fault," Cal says, still smiling with charm. "I was the one who asked her to keep things on the down-low for now. But she talked alot about you guys, though."
"Oh, that's nice," Jia says, smiling. Then her eyes glance over at me, more curious than ever. "Where did you find this sweet fella, Kiki?"
Sweet fella? If only she knew...
"Uhm..." I say, faking a small cough to buy time. My throat throbs a little, a brutal reminder of when I tried to scream my lungs out yesterday.
"We bumped into each other in front of the Selene Fountain a few weeks ago," Cal says, draping a hand over the back of my chair. "It was quite the magical first
impression."
He looks over at me when he says that, blue eyes shimmering. With mischief, of course. And I narrow my eyes at him, glaring as my ears turn redder and redder.
***