Scar

"Yes," I breathed, still barely daring to speak, "It was." My mind was still fighting to regain control over my body. Had we been discovered...What would have happened then? What would the proffessor think? A girl? In the boys wing?! It was unheard of. Unless...I knew what conclusion he may draw. Not only in the wrong wing, but in a room alone with a boy. What would that look like to the Presenti? Would the proffessor even bring it to the Presenti? And what if he did...? My mind was a thought-filled bog. Swirling itself in useless circles. Calm down. Nothing happened. He didn't even see her... Holly. She was still here. Wasn't she? My eyes still glazed in my own thoughts,I searched the room frantically and finally came to realize she was here. Holly. Staring at my bizarre behavior, emerald eyes glinting in amusement.

 

She was standing right in front of me now, inches away from where Proffessor Gilmann was minutes before. I'd been holding my breath again. Sighing heavily, I felt my body begin to relax; a tingling sensation stealthily crawling up the back of my neck. Involuntarily I shivered, and brought my eyes back to Holly's face. Somehow her blond hair had managed to stay perfect. Each curl gently cradling her face in the shimmering moonlight. Her lips were curled in a bemused smile, pale crimson and waiting for me to come to my senses. It was then I noticed it. A minuscule scar curving along with her bottom lip. Practically unnoticeable, it was even the same light ruby coloring of her lips. I thought perhaps it was just part of the way she was smiling, but then again perhaps not.

 

"My scar?" Her voice managaged to startle me out of my fogged state.

 

"W-what?" I stuttered drearily.

 

Her laugh echoed in my ears as she responded, "Sorry. Your wondering about my scar, am I right?"

 

I felt my ears turn pink. I looked at my toes, and mumbled out a barely audible, "Yes...A little..." Trailing off, I looked away. Too embarassed by my peculiar behavior to face her.

 

"It happened when I was twelve...My brother. He..um..had a few problems to say the least," her sentence ended in a rush and my embarassment was won over by curiosity. I looked up from my toes to see her face. It was troubled, and I had looked up quick enough to see the pain that flashed before her eyes; brief, but it was still there. A small part of me wanted to ask why, but I knew better. She continued on haltingly, "He...had..a..a knife. For some reason...Got a little carried away..." She trailed off and smiled. A sweet, sad smile that I would later learn she held for her brother. Holly had many different smiles. This one belonged to her brother and whenever she would speak about their past together...her childhood.

 

"I'm sorry I asked," I said, trying to return a happier smile.

 

"Don't be," she sighed, and looked over my shoulder to the window. "I get it alot...I should go. The moon has risen, and they'll be checking the wing soon. Even though my absence wouldn't really be different from any other day..." She threw me a wry grin.

 

Suppressing a laugh to a chuckle, I turned around to look out the window. She was right. The moon was high in the sky now, shedding an eery light across the grounds of Igai. "I suppose you should." I said. I was dreading the fact Holly had to leave. It was nice having someone to talk to once in awhile without getting your head bitten off just for saying a mere hello.

 

"Perhaps you could meet me again here tommorrow?" She offered brightly, easily picking up on my tone.

 

I smiled at her. "Of course," I replied, a grin slowly spreading across my face. "Same time?"

 

"Sure. I don't see why not." She walked over to the bookcase and tugged harshly. This time I went over to give her a hand. "Uh-huh," she rolled her eyes. "Now you help." I laughed and in one tug we had the bookcase open.

 

"Can you get past the Presenti?" I asked.

 

She laughed at my question. "It leads underground," She stated flatly, a smile still curved upon her face.

 

I raised my eyebrows, wondering where it lead to. "Oh," I said rather dumbly.

 

Her smile widened, showing off brilliant white straight teeth. "See you tommorrow, Timothy."

 

"See you," I said. And with that she slipped behind the bookcase, and shut it with a few rough pulls. She was gone.