Chapter 10: Doubts.
As soon as Nekare saw his gaze focused upon her figure, she immediately stopped smiling, her face turning deadpan.
"What the fuck? Is she actually a Nephilim?" Gray silently thought, a cold, bead of sweat dripping from his lower back.
I have to calm down.
He went back to his original position and took a deep breath, easing his anxiety.
I have to learn how to lucid dream. If i can do it, maybe I'll be able to get prophetic dreams that'll give me insight about her true identity.
For now, she doesn't seem too threatening.
In fact, if she's a Nephilim, it's plausible she refrained from attacking because I'm inside a school; a place filled with people.
To be sure, I'll take the routes packed with people. After i'm done with that, I'll meet Casanova. I'll go to my house once I'm done talking to him. And I can't forget to text Kathy too.
He immediately took his phone from his pocket, sneakily texting his sister, asking if she was alright.
The latin professor looked at him with suspicion, but wasn't able to catch him red-handed
…
Before he noticed, the hour ended.
It appeared that amidst his great worries, he had lost the sense of time.
Glad that the fear of having his phone taken was gone for the moment, he checked his phone again, noticing that Kathy had texted him back.
His heartbeat increased slightly, afraid that someone had taken his sister's phone to text him.
As soon as he opened the text, however, he received his needed reassurance.
Gray: Is everything alright at work?
Kathy: Yes, why do you ask?
Kathy: If you try to fake being sick again, I swear I'll $&$@&&@*€?
It's her…
Gray's tense muscles finally eased after seeing his sister joke like she always did.
He quickly replied with a dumb excuse, putting his phone away.
He couldn't risk getting it taken once the professor entered into the class. He needed it to stay contact with his sister, in case something happened either to him, or to her.
Once he remembered what had happened inside his dream, he subconsciously gritted his teeth with force.
Even though it wasn't real, he felt that Kathy's death was his fault.
She had tried to call him, but he was unable to respond, leaving her to die alone.
"If only I went there earlier. If only I didn't try to help Casanova's subordinates. Then maybe—maybe she wouldn't have suffered,"
"Montoya, is everything alright?" the professor asked.
"Uh? Y-Yes, I'm alright," he replied, utterly confused by an another professor he couldn't recognize.
This situation is getting too annoying, Gray ranted silently.
If I start to forget the most important people in my life, I will talk with Casanova about this again. He didn't give me a response, so maybe—just maybe, it isn't anything serious.
Just then, he heard his friend Rowan whisper, "What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?" Gray replied, even more confused than before.
His friend's eyes narrowed as he continued his talk. "Why were you looking at the professor like that? Is it because he failed your exams the past year?"
"N-no, I was just zoning out" he said, stuttering.
I really need to calm down.
Rowan raised his brow, inspecting him for a few moments before brushing his answer off.
After the embarrassing incident, the two kept listening to the boring class, acting as if nothing had happened.
During the lesson, Gray dozed off multiple times, almost catching the attention of the professor.
…
Once break started, he decided to go outside with everyone.
He knew that, if Nekare were truly a Nephilim, she wouldn't dare to perform an assault with so many people around him.
From what Casanova disclosed, he figured they prioritized secrecy.
Needless to say, he barely knew about Nephilim and such.
He couldn't dare to try to predict their most minute behaviors. He could only speculate based on Casanova's descriptions.
Recognizing his lack of information, he intended to inquire for more details about their species. Nonetheless, he predicted that the man wouldn't give him all the answers he sought.
I have to ask regardless. Since I'm aware of the true reality hidden between the shadows, I can't tape my eyes shut.
I have already seen the truth, I might as well bask in its light.
Gray looked at the students talking, unaware of what was hidden beyond their grasps.
They reminded him of the people who stayed inside a particular cave, belonging to a person whose name he couldn't remember well.
They were only worried about the shadows inside their cave, unable to go outside without getting blinded by the light of the sun.
Yet, they were happy. And that happiness based upon ignorance was something Gray couldn't hope to reach anymore.
How could he feel safe when there were Nephilim and unknown creatures lurking in the shadows, pretending to be humans?
…
After break ended, Gray decided to walk towards his class, accompanied by Rowan's friend group. His plan was to surround himself with as many people as he could, forming a kind of human shield.
He was sure; Nekare wasn't dumb enough to blow her cover by attacking many students just to get to him.
In the midst of his overarching worries, he realized that his behavior greatly resembled that of someone with an obsessive compulsive disorder.
He then reassured himself, thinking that nobody wouldn't act like this if their lives were in danger. Regardless, he still acknowledged the fact of not possessing a true incriminating evidence proving Nekare's identity.
Once he had the first dream, Gray found his behavior turn gradually more erratic.
He also noticed that the words Casanova had said the last time only worsened his condition, turning him into an overly paranoid person.
Worried about losing his dearest memories, he pondered about his past, reflecting on the oldest events—the ones where he was with his mother.
…
He was pleased to see that his memory hadn't worsened.
For now, Gray hypothesized that his symptoms weren't going to worsen in any way.
He still couldn't dare rely too much on these hypotheses, however, for he still lacked the multiple pieces of the puzzle.
While walking, Rowan's friend group dispersed in smaller groups, with everyone reaching their classes.
Gray had music class.
Music was one of his favorite things; it had always accompanied him throughout every single bad period in his life. But regardless of his relationship with it, he always thought it wasn't a subject fit for school.
In his country, if a student passed in every class other than music, he had to take a music exam at the end of the year. And if he failed that exam, he would need to retake the whole school year.
As soon as the professor entered, Gray was pleased to see that he was able to recognize him.
He could remember his name, Aldo Marchisella. His most recognizable features were his grey hair and his aquiline nose. He could also remember his personality very clearly, recalling of of how he was a man who loved joking about everything.
There were multiple instances where he pulled various pranks on the class and the teachers. With these acts, Aldo was regarded as one of the most liked professors in the school—and he was proud of it.
Had it not been for his antics, Gray would have hated music class.
Even though he didn't enjoy the subject as a whole—instead preferring to just listening to it— what he liked about his teaching was that the professor didn't think of being superior to his students.
He was an humble man who treated them as if they were his friends.
Gray went on with the lesson, listening carefully to the words of the teacher.
He didn't want to be one of the people who had to study all summer for a music test.
…
After the hour ended, Gray was stretching on his chair, when strangely, he heard his name be called by the music professor.
When he turned his head towards the sound, he saw the teacher signaling with his fingers to come out of the class.
Did I do something wrong? he pondered.
Of course, he couldn't help but think of the worst possible outcomes. One of them was that Aldo Marchisella was a Nephilim collaborating with Nekare on a mission to harm him. Being aware of his baseless paranoia, he brushed away these fleeting thoughts, and began to follow him.
The two walked for a pair of minutes, and when they reached the teacher's office, Aldo said to take a seat. The man immediately saw Gray's anxiety, and reassured him
"Calm down, Montoya. You can relax."
"My colleagues are saying that these days you weren't paying attention in any of their classes," he couldn't help but chuckle. "One of them even thought you were high!"
It was definitely the english teacher…
"Don't worry, I know you don't partake in such activities, but as a teacher I have to ask regardless. Is everything alright at home?"
Gray rubbed his eyes unconsciously, telling Aldo about his difficulty in falling asleep.
The professor looked at him and sighed.
"I completely understand you. My back is killing me these days, making it borderline impossible to fall asleep. You should take some melatonin, I heard it helps with sleep. And if it doesn't work, you should see a doctor."
Aldo stood up from his chair, stretched his back and groaned loudly before continuing to speak,
"I'll tell my colleagues about your situation, I'm sure they won't bother us about it anymore. Gosh, they always tell me to talk with every student."
He thanked him wholeheartedly and went out of his office, glad that nothing bad had happened.
He wanted to stroll around the school like he always did, but then he remembered the risks of being alone.
Gray checked his hand, eager to build the habit that'll follow him across dimensions.
He decided not to waste time and speed-walked to his classroom, not seeing anything amiss in his journey.
As he reached the room, he prepared to be stared by everyone.
He knocked, and once the professor told him to enter, he opened the door.
In front of him, the piercing glare of over 25 students was posed before him.
Nekare was one of them.
Gray's heart dropped immediately after seeing the mysterious girl's expression, but reciprocated her gaze subconsciously, standing motionless in front of the open door, as if they were the only ones who existed inside the classroom.
During their brief exchange, he noticed that her gaze didn't exude any particular emotion—and it reassured him.
Gray then regained his clarity, going back to his seat.
Rowan immediately began on his banters, like he always did. "You were watching Nekare, right? You should ask her to hang out."
His friend sobbed exaggeratedly and wiped his non-existent tears and said, while sighing multiple times, "I'm so proud of you…"
How can the english teacher think I'm the druggy… Look at him!
He quickly shushed his friend, and the two started listening to the lesson once more.
Glancing at the professor for some moments, Gray quickly noticed he was able to recognize the grammar professor.
His name was Marco Cazzognolo, and he was one of the youngest teachers in his school.
His black hair was styled in a pompadour and his beard was short. He was wearing a dark-blue cardigan paired with pants of the same color.
"I'm pretty sure that I can recognize him because of his surname…" he subconsciously grinned, asking himself of how his parents could be so heartless.
(Aliveuntilmidnight notes for your understanding: Cazzo literally means dick in italian.)
Now that Gray found that the other teachers were talking badly about him, he had to do his best to listen in class. He didn't want them to tell his sister about his issues, for that would be too dangerous for his wellbeing.
While he was focused on the lesson, Rowan suddenly started talking,
"Do you want to hang out later?"
"I'm busy today, for real this time," he replied truthfully.
His friend snorted and taunted him, "Like those times you said the same and read books and web novels all day?"
Gray shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile, "It was Lord of the Mysteries, what was I supposed to do?"
Lord of the Mysteries was his favorite novel. He started reading it on a difficult period in his life, and it accompanied him for 2 whole years. He loved it because it incorporated his favorite elements in fiction—Lovecraft's novels, Bloodborne and multiple religions.
He had always been a fan of theology.
Even when he was little, he scrolled past countless sites speaking about the beliefs of mankind. Although he was a great fan of the topic, he didn't follow any particular religion—but still believed in the existence of a rational, higher power.
Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke with annoyance, "It's been a long ass time since you started it, when are you going to finish it? I mean, I always see you reading, how come you didn't reach the end?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I finished it some months ago." replied Gray while writing the things that the professor had wrote on the blackboard. The lesson wasn't too complicated; however, he preferred writing in case he was going to forget anything.
"For real?!" Rowan blurted out, attracting everyone's attention.
When Marco Cazzognolo heard him, he scolded the young man, telling him to stay focused on the lesson.
Rowan quickly apologized, and he began on listening to him.
After the lesson ended, Rowan turned to face his friend, wondering about what he was reading now, since he had finished his favorite novel. He also confessed of being ecstatic about it, since it meant that now he was able to hang out with him.
Hearing his confession, Gray couldn't help but start snickering aloud.
Rowan, clearly confused, asked what was going on.
Amidst his laughter, Gray couldn't hear what his friend was saying at all.
Every time he ignored Rowan's question, the young man grew increasingly frustrated.
"Just tell me!" Rowan yelled angrily.
Gray, still laughing, said, stopping multiple times to breathe, "Dude, I'm reading the sequel."
Once he saw his friend's face drop and anger flow through him, Gray laughed even more.
After his rage subsided, Gray reassured him, promising that he would hang out the next day.
The rest of the school day flowed quickly and without any issues.
Montoya checked his hands multiple times, doing his best to follow Casanova's instructions.
He also glanced at Nekare a couple of times during the last hours, expecting to see her a bizarre look once more. However, the only thing he saw was her focusing on the lessons..
Once the bell rang, he exited the class, following the mass of people who were walking in the hallways.
Just as he was out of school, he only walked in the places where multiple pedestrians were gathered. When there weren't many people, he followed random couples and third wheeled them.
He stalked them like their own shadows, only switching groups when they reached the roads where he wasn't supposed to go.
Finally, after 30 minutes, he reached the villa where Casanova worked.