Figment of Dreams
Study

The feeling had been creeping up on me all day. Like somebody was watching me. I could not place it, or point out who. But I felt watched. A few times that day I had a shiver run up and down my spine and the hairs on my arms had stood up. What was happening to me? Ever since Kai had been acting colder and Ash and I had developed that deeper connection I was feeling on edge all the time.

The library was nearly abandoned. It being five in the evening on a random Friday was not exactly the most inviting hour. I spotted Skylark immediately. She was propped up on one of the couches, a bundle of books next to her, spread out on the seat. Her white hair in a high bun. As soon as she spotted me she scrambled all the books together and dumped them on the floor in front of her. She exceedingly greeted me with a big hug as if she hadn’t seen me in months. I saw the girl an hour ago in the atrium for coffee but whatever. She was my biggest cheerleader and I couldn’t picture my life without her in it anymore. Her and her white-haired older brother as well if I was being completely honest. Although he sometimes frustrated me to no end.

The test we had next week was so all consuming we had been studying for a week and a half now. Oak had offered to tutor us, so we were waiting on him to join our group session. I was nervously biting on my lower lip, a tick I’ve had since I was little, when I spotted Oak in his black dress shirt and slacks, casually strolling towards us. His neatly coiffed black hairdo was impeccable as ever and his face was cleanly shaved as usual. ‘Sister, Lux, ready for your tutoring?’ he was always so very formal. As if he just couldn’t get rid of that stick in his ass. I had to restrain myself for not rolling my eyes at him. Skylark cleared some papers from the seat in front of us and Oak eyed it like it was sprouting teeth. ‘We are doing this here?’ he was displeased. I raised my eyebrow at him. ‘Oh our arrangements are not good enough for our highness?’ I just couldn’t help myself. I would continue to poke the bear until he showed me some emotion. I refused to believe he and his twin brother could be that different. That was just not possible. He was always holding back and I would replace out why.

‘No Elmrose, because I could hardly teach you two airheads about Geography when it’s in a library and we can’t speak out loud.’

Now, I did roll my eyes at him. I hated when he called me by my last name. ’Mister goody two shoes, do you spot anyone here? Like anyone at all? We’re good. Chill.’ His brother would have thrown a party and crashed the damn place. This one didn’t even dare to speak in a library.

My phone pinged and speaking of the devil.

Asher: ’Those Brunkven bars really should be banned.’

Lux: ‘You know what really should be banned?’

Asher: ‘Enlighten me Sweet cheeks.’

Lux: ‘Your brother’s stick up his ass!’

Asher: Many laughing emoticons.

Lux: ‘He just can’t be your twin brother. You sure your real twin hasn’t been kidnapped and replaced by a emotionless, near perfect, robot?’

My phone was yanked out of my hands. I protested heavily. Oak had it stuck in the air in front of me and glared down his nose at me. ‘If I’m going to try to teach you anything, you shouldn’t be wasting my time by texting your boyfriend.’ My phone kept on pinging so I was still trying to get it back from him when he lost his temper a little bit. ’Who the fuck… keeps on…’ he stared at the screen and angrily tossed it back at me. The last text read: ‘Oak, give the phone back.’ It was creepy how well he knew his twin brother and me for that matter. Oak was clearly not happy with him texting me. Somehow he kept on pushing against our friendship as if it was something that could kill Ash. Oak ignored my angry stares and I put the phone away. I saw I had some new texts but I felt Oak’s temper and couldn’t risk him not wanting to tutor me. I closed my mouth and sat back. ‘Move your asses, we are studying in my office.’ Without looking back he strutted out the library. Skylark scrambling after him and me casually gathering all the stuff she had left behind.

By later that evening my head was so full of this incredible difficult stuff I couldn’t even think straight. I got back to my dorm room and immediately felt the need to let of some steam. The race track beside the academy was well lit at night, so I wanted to jog all this mess off. I quickly changed and headed out there with my earplugs in. It was time to run a few miles.

In the Dunnager I spotted Sebastian and his goons, laughing and sipping from huge beers. Dexar telling this huge story with lots of arm movements and Otto clapping him on the back. I saw a text from Kai that he was missing me and asking me if we could meet up tomorrow for lunch. After three days of radio silence, after he had not replied to my text, I felt he could wait a bit longer for my reply. I couldn’t stand being ignored. Not by my best friend and boyfriend.

In the middle of the track was the football field. It being ten at night didn’t stop our football team from practicing. It looked like they were just finishing their practice game. Jax was in the middle of the field. His long mane tied back in a man-bun, sweating up a storm. His blue jersey was clinging to his body soaking wet. Naxxar and Bron saw me and waved. They were always nice to me and I appreciated them for it. God knows the Melixes of this academy wanted me gone. I was feeling even more appreciative of the Rainers who didn’t have any connection to me, who were being nice to me anyway. I waved back and was getting ready to put my earplugs in when I spotted the white-haired one, already on the track. It looked like he was in a few rounds, seeing the sweat on his forehead. His black racing pants and tank top didn’t look sweaty, but he hardly ever broke a sweat. He could have been out here for the last hour for all I know.

‘Sweet cheeks….’ He halted in front of me, slightly panting. Pulling his own earplugs out one at a time. His white hair was slicked back and in a messy bun. ‘Little late for a run don’t you think?’ he asked, concern lacing his voice. ‘What happened?’

Of course he would immediately tell that If I needed a run I needed to vent of some steam.

‘Your brother happened. I swear he doesn’t even realize I’m human sometimes.’

He snorted. ‘Oh he knows…’

‘What?’

‘Nothing. Let’s run together.’ He picked up his earplugs again and motioned me to join him. I sighed but complied. We ran in silence together. After about an hour I was feeling my legs cramping so I had to stop.

Ash drank from his water bottle and offered it to me. I sipped from it. I was soaking wet from the run and he barely even broke a sweat. Life was not fair sometimes.

‘I’m going to shower and then I’m heading for the Dunnager. You joining?’ He casually asked while closing the lid on the bottle.

‘I spotted Sebastian there an hour earlier, I’m not sure I’m feeling spending my Friday night with him.’

‘He wouldn’t dare anything as long as you’re with me.’ He gently placed a stray hair behind my ear my when my phone beeped. I sighed when I saw it was a text from Oak. ‘Meet me tomorrow at noon. Don’t be late.’

Again such a formal text. I just couldn’t with him. It made my entire mood sour.

‘I can’t Ash, I’m heading back for a good night’s rest. See you.’ I rubbed his arm gently, disappointed on his face and started walking back. Dreading the morning already. Who has lessons on a Saturday anyway. As I was walking home I stopped by the lake to stretch out my calves one more time since they kept on cramping up. I had maybe overdone this training today.

‘Hey, Granola Conqueror.’

I turned my neck so fast it cracked. There the British guy was, reading a book on my bench by the lake. This was probably the first time in a long time I had not spend my Fridays reading at this bench. I had never seen him here before though.

I waved sheepishly. ‘Hi…’

He patted the seat next to him. ‘Join me.’

I still had too many men in my life and I was seriously juggling with all the friends too. So I didn’t really need this right now. ‘No thanks I really need some sleep. I have Saturday classes tomorrow in the early hours…’

‘Auch… the first time you rejected me I thought you were having a rough day. But the second time?’ he grabbed his heart and pretended I had just shot him. Which made me smile softly.

‘I’m sorry… it’s nothing personal… what’s your name anyway?’

‘Neill.’ He said.

‘Lux….’ I added.

‘That’s a name?’ he joked.

I snorted. ‘You really say what you feel don’t you?’ I liked his honesty.

‘Yeah well… me being from earth and all.. I figured you would be named Lauren or Emily or something. But Lux?’

That got my attention. ‘You are from earth? But Oak told me…’

’I transferred from Dornatill University about five weeks ago. They were not really so welcoming to us humans over there…’

I stepped over to the bench and sat down.

‘How did you make it out?’

‘That’s a story for another day….’ He got quiet and I knew it had to be a sore subject.

‘Maybe with a coffee and some granola somewhere?’ I joked. I really had to know all about him. I gave up locating the other hundred a while ago. Since nobody would give me any information.

‘Deal.’