Chereads / Unguided Hearts / Chapter 3 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3

Onyx had always valued

honesty, despite its potential to hurt. However, her unwavering truthfulness

had been met with criticism and ridicule in her youth.

Classmates labeled her

"brutally honest" and mocked her for trying to be different

Elderly figures

reprimanded her, forecasting failure and disappointment.

The weight of those words

had crushed little onyx, leaving her tearful and fearful of nor meeting

expectations. Over time, she learned to adapt, twisting her words to soothe

others sensibilities. Though it didn't sit well with her, she mastered the art

of sugarcoating truths.

Onyx didn't know where

she mustered enough willpower to briefly smile and nod at Alexandra as she

persistently asked her questions when all she wanted was to punch her just so

she could shut up and leave her alone.

 

Onyx rationalized it as a

lie for the good. A necessary truth to shield those who she cared about

This internal

justification echoed in her mind, a haunting mantra. If spoken aloud, others

might deem her insane.

Perhaps they wouldn't be

entirely wrong.

 

 

Two more weeks passed,

totaling three since onyx returned to Wisterias academy.

Although the time seems

brief, it allowed her to observe her surrounding and draw conclusions,

Tony and Alexandra

remained close, engaging her in conversations since summer. Their concern was

palpable and Onyx appreciated their company even when she occasionally craved solitude

 

Something had shifted

though. Since the new year began, they'd been inseparable, responding on her

behalf and gently rebuffing other without consulting her.

Their interactions had

intensified, which was overwhelming

Not in a negative sense,

Onyx cherished having genuine caring friends, especially after she had spent

her younger years without such connections. She'd reflect on her fortune,

acknowledging how her friends had helped her reach this point.

Despite for her love for

them, Onyx needed occasional solitude, craving the quiet hours in her dorm when

others were at breakfast or lunch. Loud noises, even joyful ones, triggered

her.

She'd become instantly

alert, her body tensing, hands shaking and twitching to stretch outward in

defense

 

She'd adapted, however

learning to navigate the academy chaos. It took time but she managed

 

Nothing new sadly

What was new was her classmate's

behavior. Onyx mostly interacted with fellow students that returned from her

year, sharing common rooms, dorms and classes.

Initially they'd tried to

engage her, but now they respected her boundaries.

When needing something, they'd

gesture silently instead of asking aloud.

Some looked at her with

perplexity, others with compassion, and one gaze stood out Aiden's. His shock

bewildered Onyx.

Why would her former

adversary care about her downfall? wasn't that what he desired all along

Witnessing her

degradation?

 

Perhaps Aiden had

changed, as many had after Zha'thik defeat. The world had finally found peace.

Except of course, for Onyx's

mind. Someone had to be sacrificed and it was meant to be her.

She'd thought she would

perish. Believing her life would be the ultimate sacrifice, bringing external

peace, had been her solace.

 

But it wasn't her last

battle, nor her final breath. That realization tormented her, making life more

unbearable.

Months after the battle

and weeks into her return to Wisteria, onyx still wished she'd die.

Her purpose was

fulfilled. Why hadn't she perished? what other significance did her existence

hold?

Onyx was grateful to have

mastered mind blocks, concealing her thoughts from Tony and Alexandra. she knew

they wouldn't intrude, but Alexandra relentless research and Tony's bravery

would drive them to help her.

Onyx loved her friends,

united by their ambition and complementary strength, Alexandra's strategic

mind, Tony's fearless courage and onyx leadership.

Once she'd have called herself

the bravest, but no longer

Now she was scared,

fearful of the future, of falling and of continuing.

 

Even the young Onyx had

been more courageous

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onyx didn't go to lunch, not

because of anything happening but, just a lack of appetite, instead of staying

in her dorm and watching the plain ceiling like she usually would, she decided

to take a leisurely stroll around the schools' empty corridors. Walking would

soothe her, wouldn't it?

Honestly, she hadn't seen

the corridors empty during the daylight hours, actually, she had, but it was so

overcast it basically felt like nighttime.

There was something

calming about the morning sun reflecting of the giant windows and the warm,

golden light bathing the space and warming onyx skin.

For the first time in a

while, she could feel her lips turning up in a genuine smile. She smiled in

delight, feeling a sense of serenity wash over her. Maybe life had its good

moments.

 

For the first time in a

while, she could feel her lips turning up in a genuine smile. She smiled in

delight, feeling a sense of serenity wash over her. Maybe life had its good

moments.

 

"Onyx Black"

 

A couple of high-pitched

voices, probably junior students, shouted from behind her, close enough for her

to hear them and far enough for her to react. By react she meant flee. She ran

towards her dorm, having to circle her way back there, but she didn't care how

long she had to run it if it meant escaping the situation she would've been if

she didn't.

What happened as well,

though, was quick footsteps following her and little voices calling out her

name once more.

She felt frustration

bubble from inside her, threatening to come out with her screaming at the kids.

She didn't scream, but she ran and soon enough, the kids lost her. She couldn't

tell when or where, her surroundings were blurry and that didn't make her stop

running.

She continued to,

determined to get her things so she could be the first for mage history and not

be late again.

Yet as she was taking a

left turn, her legs slipped, and she collided with wall really hard

"Miss Black, are you

okay?" someone asked from behind her, but onyx didn't look up to see who. She

slowly pushed herself of the wall, her face probably bruised and red -and, ow,

her nose hurt. She touched it, and not only did it hurt more, but her fingers

were bloody.

 

Onyx didn't know she had

it in her to sigh but she did, great, amazing.

"You must visit the

infirmary, let me escort you" it was professor Syntaxia, their conjuration professor,

she found out after her vision finally refocused. Her instant thought was no,

but if she had the opportunity to skip class, why wouldn't she take it? so she

looked down at her bloody fingers, nodding, "follow me."

 

Surprisingly professor Syntaxia

didn't ask her anything while going up the academy floors.

Onyx supposed she'd seen

her run and crash into the wall, and she didn't doubt she wondered why she did

so, yet she looked as calm and patient as ever, like nothing had happened.

Professor Syntaxia had always been perceptive, did that mean she just knew why

she did so? she must have had assumptions at least.

 

She couldn't meet

professor Syntaxia's gaze, no matter how often her eyes drifted to her face.

Her gaze was just focused ahead. Yet she didn't miss the littlest bit of worry

in professors Syntaxia's eyes. Because, of course, everyone was worried about

her. It had started to become annoying.

 

They arrived in front of

the door to the infirmary, and professor knocked. Soon nurse Polly opened, her

expression alert.

 

"Miss Black, what

happened to you?" the question sounded more irritated than worried.'

 

"Not sure, nurse Polly."

Professor Syntaxia replied, Onyx realized.

 

"well," nurse Polly said,

"come on in, then."

 

"I shall leave you, miss Black."

Professor Syntaxia tone was serious. "hope I see you later in class.'

 

Onyx couldn't nod or show

any signs of hearing her words before she disappeared.

 

What happened after that

wasn't much.

Nurse Polly fixed her

apparently broken nose with a single spell, gave her a tissue to clean the dry

blood and another for the fresh blood.

She sternly told her to

be more careful and half-heartedly demanded to never show up again.

She was formulating her

sentences in a way that didn't need Onyx's answers, and she didn't demand any,

and when she told her she could leave for class, it turned out she'd missed

mage history.

 

As she walked towards her

dorm, again, to get her things, she could feel people looking at her with

interest and confusion, not surprised, having her hold a bloody tissue to her

face. She hadn't wounded herself without magic being involved in literal years.