Chapter XVIII

Be aware of switching POV's.

Lucien’s POV

There he was.

I promptly stride over to the dark haired boy leaning against the wall.

“Nico!” I call out.

He shifts his head up languidly, making me notice his distressed mien. Even though I felt some pity for him, I couldn’t help the condescending tone in my voice as I addressed him.

“Have you asked her to the dance yet?”

He looks despondently at me before replying, “No.”

My eyebrows lowered in coming vexation.

“Any why not?”

His eyes cast off to the side before he sighed. “I tried, but...”

“But what?!” My voice edges a little sharper.

“She just... up and told me and... left.” His speech was strangled at the last words.

I shook my head vaguely, unable to comprehend just what he meant.

We stood there for a few seconds before he slouched forward and dragged away. I myself lean forward against the painted concrete walls after he leaves, pondering his meaning.

What had she said?

My eyes tapered in thought.

I needed to talk to her. Now.

I found her in the library, sitting with one leg bent resting upon a metal ring as an arm hung over it, while the other leg dangled over the edge of the café-like chair. She, as usual, gazed through the glass to the outdoors.

As I approached her, her face focused in my vision, revealing a more than familiar faraway look.

I stopped a few feet away from her, my steps light and silent.

Her back was partially facing me, and I could see a portion of her profile. 

She didn’t seem to discern me.

“Isn’t it amazing how they bloom even after being buried in snow all winter?”

Was she talking to me?

After a moment’s pause her head inclined towards me.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Beautiful...?” I repeat faintly, not understanding.

She holds out her hand, gripped into a loose fist. Esteire rotates her gently clenching fingers so the palm faces up. Like petals, they unfurl to unveil the actual blossom inside.

It was a crocus.

“So delicate,” I whisper as I prod the flower.

“Yes, it is,” she breathes with a trace of melancholy, “just like spring.”

I raise my eyes up as she does, mismatched emerald and gold to sapphire.

My body instinctively started to gravitate forward, but I caught myself before I advanced a millimeter. This wasn’t right.

I straighten upright as those midnight blue orbs accompanied my every move.

As I grasped at my thoughts, I aimed for the most succinct wording I could conjure.

“What’s going on?” Not quite the aim.

A slight smile tugged at her lips, “News travel that fast?” More of a statement than a question.

“What news?” I query.

“So Nico and Eren didn’t tell you?”

“Nico and Eren...?” Of course it had to be them.

“I see.” And she draws her attention back to the picture windows.

My breath exhales as a sigh. “You’re even worse than me.”

She looks back, one brow elevated over the over. “Am I?”

“And they think I’m mysterious,” I mutter, ruffling my silver-washed hair.

Esteire just smiles. As we stare at one another she finally explains herself.

“You’re going to find out in about a week anyway, so...well, I’m going to leave France for the States.”

I’m dumbfounded. What?! My head yells.

“What?!” I actually yell.

She looks apologetically at me before asserting what I heard was in fact, true.

“But, why?”

“Why...” she murmurs, directing her eyes to the floor, “I wonder why myself.”

Realizing she said what likely was meant to be unspoken, her eyes started back up to mine.

“I have...foremost matters there that need to be undertaken. I cannot wait any longer,” she says arcanely. 

That sure explains a lot. I think sarcastically. That is no doubt a sign of Mikael influencing me.

Her eyes soften as does her countenance as she conveys, “Oh Luce, I didn’t realize this would upset so many of you. Had I realized I would’ve never decided to come with Elisa to Amorei.”

My eyes squint. “What now?”

She looks forlornly at me.

“I’m not actually-” she begins.

BRRINGGGG!

I inordinately despise bells. I gripe as I thread through the onslaught of passing time in the halls.

Saved by the bell. I’m sure that’s what she thought.

I do an inner face palm. No, Esteire doesn’t think that way. If anything, well, she likely didn’t think anything.

If I hadn’t had Physics on the third floor with a cranky, mad scientist, I could’ve spared time to listen to the end of her sentence. But as such, fate has decided to go against my wishes. Oh please physics, teach me these ambiguous ways of the world!

Ha, I snort in my head, You need to lay off the Mikael, Lucien.

---

A new day. A new start.

As if. 

The past just catches up with me, relentlessly reminding me of the unknown smarting in my heart that travels wherever I tread.

The day comes and goes without a mention of yesterday’s events. Just here and leaves, I murmur inwardly as I trudge up a diminutive incline.

“What’re you saying?” A voice cries out in anguish.

My head snaps up. The sound’s faraway yet so near.

I make out two girls standing on the sidewalk several metres away.

Esteire and Elisa.