Chapter VIII

Be aware of switching POV's.

Elisa’s POV

Monday morning, 7:31 am.

School had already started and I was running very late today.

“Esteire! I could use some help here!” I yell out to my sister in front of me. It was because of me that we’re late; I hadn’t been feeling quite right since that Friday a few days ago.

I blinked. I could see her misty form through the hazy downpour of autumn rain. Her black umbrella shifted from side to side as she ran, creating a ticking motion as if counting each second that passed. Did she hear me? Or is she...

The swinging umbrella ceased. She was running towards me.

“Elisa!” She heard me.

Esteire seized my wrist, jerking it towards her. “Come on!”

I couldn’t run as fast as her; I felt myself started to stumble. Esteire sensed it and paused, saving me from nearly soaking myself on the flooded pavement.

I drew my breath in laboriously. Esteire just stood by me, stoic.

“You can go on ahead, you know,” I manage to say.

She just looked at me with an unwavering gaze that said all. She won’t leave me.

“Elisa! Esteire! Is that you?” shouts a familiar voice.

I look up. It’s Andy. And...Nico.

“Hey!” Andy greets, waving enthusiastically through a passenger window. Nico is on the right side of him driving a silver peugeot.

They pull over. My sister comments, “Nice ride,” looking at the sleek model.

Andy grins, “Thanks! Hop in; we’ll escort you to school today.”

We gratefully get into the car.

“How come you’re late too?” I ask the twins.

Andy shrugs and answers, “Maybe it’s the rain. But, good thing we were, otherwise; you would’ve been in big trouble.”

“We’re already late,” Esteire indifferently points out.

“Oh right,” Andy tousles his hair.

“Andy misplaced his schoolbag,” reveals Nico.

“Huh? How’d you manage to do that?” I question his brother.

“I’m not quite sure myself,” he laughs and then sits back down properly.

The rest of the car ride was silent.

Esteire peered out the window the entire time, her head tilted picturesquely on her left palm. I could see her face through the glass. She had a listless expression, not one of melancholy or happiness, just impassive. She looked like a girl from one of those dismal movies about loss and hardship. Her face streaked of nature’s own tears clinging onto the other side of the window. It was almost as if they were crying for her.

I sighed. What are these gloomy thoughts I have in my head? I doubt Esteire is actually feeling this way right now.

I glimpse over at her again. Yup. You can never tell what’s on her mind when’s she like that. Stop stressing so much Elisa.

Nico’s POV

We all got out of the car. I locked it then jammed the keys into my pocket.

What a dreary day.

We entered the school and got kindly reprimanded by Sebastian. Thank goodness it was Seb and not the Principal.

Once again, I felt someone staring at me. 

It was her again.

I almost started to panic inside. Was she going to react the same way again?

No; I could see she was perfectly poised. My insides uncoiled.

“You have blue eyes, Nico?” she asks as if nothing ever happened.

“Um, yeah. Just like my brother’s. How come?”

“Oh,” she breathes and peeks at my brother, “Right.”

Was it just me, or did she look relieved?

She looks back at me and smiles. I must’ve been gaping at her because she started to laugh; a warm and sweet laugh. That stupefied me even more.

What formerly had made her lose composure now made her laugh? I couldn’t comprehend it.

“I hope,” she says with a smile, inclining her head to a side, “that we can be friends.”

---

Ever since then, she’s been back to her old self. Or whatever that was; I hadn’t known her before the incident anyways. Either way, she was brighter than ever. She wasn’t fanatical or anything, that’s my brother; she just seemed...happier.

“Hey Nico, do you think I could come to one of the music club’s rehearsals? I never really got the chance to meet everyone in it,” requests Esteire.

“I’m not sure, but perhaps. I’ll ask the others and let you know by the end of school since there’s one scheduled today.”

She nods appreciatively before leaving to class.

I come across Lucien shortly after she left.

“Hi, Luce!” I say, jogging up to him.

“Hello, Nico,” he says in that cheerfully tranquil voice of his.

“Esteire was wondering if she could come to the rehearsal today; what do you think?”

Lucien was like the unspoken leader of the music club. Other than Mikael, no one disputed with him in a decision. Even Kael typically approved of his plans.

He looked deep in thought before replying with a gentle smile, “Of course.”