Chapter 11 - Part II

(Haruka)

#

Siobhan, Alistair, and I shared lunch with Caprice in the cafeteria.

After a while making small talk, Siobhan finally cracked and asked the question on all our lips.

“Okay, why are you on cloud nine?” she asked Caprice.

The latter was staring dreamily into the distance while munching on her bread roll.

Siobhan waved a hand before Caprice’s face, and succeeded in grabbing her attention.

“Yes?” Caprice asked in monotone, though her face was still dreamy.

“Why are you on cloud nine?” Siobhan repeated.

“What’s cloud nine?”

Alistair groaned faintly. “She’s asking why are you in a state of blissful euphoria?”

“Oh…Caelum said my perfume suited me.” Caprice broke into a faintly embarrassed smile that was easy to miss if you weren’t accustomed to her dialed down expressions. “Thank you, Alistair, for your recommendation.”

I felt an unseen pressure squeeze down upon my heart.

This is wrong. This isn’t what should be happening. I’m her friend. I don’t want this for her.

I focused on eating quietly, while sensing something slither in my mind.

I know he’ll hurt her. I know it. And then what? How do I help her then?

My food didn’t taste good anymore, but I ate regardless, hoping my Aventis constitution would keep my stomach together during the upcoming gym class. Because of our altered class schedules that were a direct result of the Academy being closed for a two full weeks, physical education class for Class Two-Aye was now conducted on Thursdays after lunch.

Brilliant idea.

Let’s partake in frenzied activity right after eating a hearty meal, although right now my lunch was anything but hearty.

“Haruka. Haruka.”

I heard Siobhan call out to me.

The girl jerked her head in the direction behind me, off my right shoulder, and I turned to see Duncan walking toward.

Duncan Armand, my boyfriend, strode toward me with an easy gait, but I saw through it and realized he was hesitant.

What’s going on?

Arriving at the table, he greeted the four of us affably yet politely – as always – slipping into a light banter with Siobhan – something of routine by now – before asking if he could speak with me.

I rose to my feet, and followed him to the corridor outside the cafeteria.

Finding a quiet spot, Duncan turned to me, and now it was clear to see he was uncomfortable about something.

“Duncan, what’s wrong?”

“Haruka, please don’t get the wrong idea.”

My eyebrows shot up, and a moment later I leaned toward him. “What?”

“I’m not jealous. I mean, I’m not the jealous kind.” He made a troubled expression with his lips. “At least, I don’t think I am. Actually, I’ve never been in this kind of situation before—”

“Duncan, just spit it out,” I snapped a little too forcefully.

From his reaction, a person would have thought I’d slapped him.

However, though I regretted my words, I nonetheless folded my arms under my chest. “Just tell me what’s wrong. I’m not some fragile flower, Duncan. You know that about me.”

“Are you seeing someone else?”

Like a roaring wind blowing through an open window into my head, all my thoughts were blown away out the other side, and I stared at him mindlessly for a long while. After another long while, some of my thoughts crawled back into my head, and I grasped for my voice.

“What the Hell?” I blurted out.

Duncan looked confused and regretful. “Sorry….”

I shook my head. “No.”

His expression turned into a weird hopeful frown. “No, you’re not seeing anyone—?”

“No—sorry will not do!” I realized I was glaring but couldn’t contain myself. “I will not accept that as an apology.”

“Haruka, I’m just trying to—”

“Why are you even asking that?” I lowered my arms and clenched my hands at my sides. “How can you even think that I’m cheating on you?”

“I don’t think that at all. I just—”

“You just what?” I growled.

He stopped, took a deep breath. “Some of the girls saw you talking to someone, a guy, a second-year, and they thought something might be up.”

My stomach clenched and my chest grew cold, though I couldn’t understand why. I swallowed hard and asked, “What did you say?”

“Some girls saw you talking to a second-year male student and the two of you looked pretty close.”

The cold in my chest grew worse, but so too did a strange feeling of guilt. “You mean Caelum?

“No, they said it wasn’t Pervert Desanto.”

The frigid cold swirling around my chest turned to a blizzard. “Then who?”

Duncan took another deep breath. “They said it was someone by the name of Crais Shepherd. They said he’s a well-liked Familiar, a second-year in Class Two-Dee. Numerous girls have approached him, but he turns them down. When they saw the two of you talking, the girls figured someone had struck gold.”

“Huh?” I couldn’t keep my mouth from falling open.

“There’s a rumor going around that someone finally cracked Crais Shepherd’s impenetrable shell and got a confession through to him.”

“Someone?” I gasped.

“Well…you....”

“Geh!” I rocked on my feet as though someone had slapped me.

“Haruka…?”

Palming my forehead, I started to breathe heavily as disbelief surged through me. “Duncan—I am not seeing Crais Shepherd behind your back. In fact I’ve never—”

Something slithered in the back of my mind and my thoughts lost their footing for several heartbeat. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to sort through them, feeling a brief headache wash through my mind, leaving my thoughts in a shambles.

What was I saying?

I heard a voice whisper in my mind.

Oh, that’s right. It was about Shepherd.

Gathering my breath and my composure, I looked up at Duncan. “Crais Shepherd isn’t interested in me, and I’m not interested in him.” I folded my arms under my breasts and pushed them up. “I’m not the object of his affections.”

Duncan’s eyes searched my face, obviously looking for the lie, but I knew there was none to find.

Swallowing a little easier this time, I added, “Crais Shepherd is interested in Caprice Steiner. He’s besotted with her.”

“Besotted?” His eyes widened then narrowed as he considered my reply. “Well, I guess that’s understandable. That girl is really beautiful.”

“Duncan,” I warned him.

“But she’s not my type,” he added hastily. “I swear my heart belongs to you and only you.”

“Good. Because mine belongs to you,” I declared firmly. “So don’t ever doubt me over what some other girls say.”

“So they were lying?” he questioned weakly.

“For the most part, yes. Crais approached me and asked me for advice on Caprice. They have a date planned for this weekend. However, there is nothing between us. Nothing. Are we clear on that?”

“Ah—crystal.”

I punched a fist into an open palm. “Now, I want to know who those girls are so I can pound them into the dirt.”

“Please, could you let them off this once,” he pleaded. “I’ll chat to them and clear up the rumor.”

I punched my palm again. “If I catch one whisker of that rumor, I’m coming for you and I’ll want names. I know people in high places so those girls are toast.”

He flourished his hands placatingly in the air. “Haruka, chill. Please. I’ll deal with it. I swear.”

Planting my hands on my hips, I fixed a scowl upon him. “You’d better, because I don’t want anything ruining his chances with Caprice Steiner afil Lanfear. Comprende?”

Waving his hands again, Duncan replied, “Yeah, I do. I get it. Message received and understood.”

“Excellent,” I declared, stepped up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my body firmly into his. “Now kiss me, and I’ll forgive you.”

Duncan obliged, and we kissed for a long time, before I admitted, “I’ve missed you.”

“Back at you.”

“Free this weekend?”

“I have practice in the mornings, but I’m free afterwards.”

I rubbed my body against his, feeling him respond appropriately to my proximity. “Good. I’ll call you later.” Breaking away from him, I fixed up my dress, then noticed the puzzled look Duncan wore. “What’s wrong?”

He shrugged lightly, and laughed softly under his breath. “It’s nothing.”

“Tell me.”

With another shrug, he said, “Well…it’s just I thought Desanto and Steiner were close. I guess they were just very close friends.”

Again, the slithering sensation arrested my thoughts for a heartbeat or two. “Yes, that’s all they are. Close friends. Nothing more. Caelum doesn’t deserve her, and Caprice deserves better.”

I walked around Duncan, and headed back to the cafeteria.

“Haruka—?”

Spinning round in a full circle, I threw him parting words, “I’ll call you later.”

Then I hurried back to my friends, feeling anxious if I left Caprice alone with them for too long.

The Devil’s Advocate—that’s what I am. The Devil’s Advocate.

The slithering in my mind ceased and my anxious feelings gradually eased away as I resumed my seat beside the table with Siobhan, Alistair, and Caprice.

#

(Caelum)

#

Sitting on the couch, I watched the finger of pineapple fruitcake circle inches away from my face and come to a stop.

While sitting across my laps, Simone held the morsel of food poised to toss into my mouth.

“Say ah,” she instructed.

I shook my head. “Can we not do this?”

Simone began slowly undulating her body as she sat on my lap.

I gasped reflexively and she tossed the fruitcake finger into my mouth.

“Good boy,” she praised me, nodding to herself in satisfaction as she took a piece of fruitcake for herself from the plate she carried.

I swallowed down the food in my mouth, and rubbed my forehead in mild frustration. “Simone, there’s something I need to talk to you about, and it’s very important.”

She held another piece before me. “Caelum, I ordered this cake specifically for this occasion. Now, do you wish to return to class hungry? If my memory serves me right, I do believe your next class is gym.”

“Whoever thought of that was an idiot,” I retorted. “Exercising straight after eating lunch? That’s nuts.”

“Regardless, you need to eat. Now open wide.”

“I can eat it on my own.”

Simone drew the finger of fruitcake sharply away. “No, your hands are occupied.”

“Occupied?”

“Yes. Occupied. If they leave my waist I may fall.” She started deliberately tilting over. “You have to hold onto me firmly.”

“You’re becoming annoying,” I grumbled at her.

Her tilt grew more pronounced. “I’m falling, Caelum. I’m falling. Save me—aggh!”

She cried out for real as she slid off my lap.

With a growl buried in my throat, I pulled her back up onto my thighs. “Will you behave.”

“Ara ara—I took that too far,” she admitted as she balanced the plate on her right hand.

If having on her on my lap wasn’t distracting enough, she was still wearing the black cocktail dress. Combined with her silky black sheer stockings and high heels, her legs looked incredibly seductive. I was so distracted by them, I failed to notice the next piece of food in her hand until it landed in my mouth.

“Very well,” she said. “What did you want to ask me?”

I munched absently on the piece of cake in my mouth. “Huh?”

“You said you wanted to ask me something important.”

Searching through my short-term memory, I soon found the memory in question. “Oh, that’s right.” I swallowed hastily lest I lose track of it. “Do you know of a second year high-schooler by the name of Crais Shepherd afil Raynar?”

On my lap, Simone stiffened. “Why are you asking?”

“Because I need to know what you know about him.”

She stiffened a little more, then placed the finger of fruitcake into her mouth. After eating it slowly, she asked, “Why?”

“Because it’s important.”

“Why?”

I was starting to grow a little heated at her childish evasiveness. “Simone, I’m not playing this game with you. Do you know of him or not?”

She pursed her lips for a moment before saying, “You’re the second person that’s asked me about him.”

“Oh, who was the first?”

She climbed off my lap, and placed the plate containing the fruitcake onto the low table. Standing before me, Simone crossed her arms below her breasts. “Caelum, you tell me why you’re asking, and I’ll answer your question.”

I pushed myself into an upright seated posture on the edge of the couch. “You tell me what you know, and then I’ll tell you why I’m asking.” I shook my head firmly. “I’m not going to compromise or negotiate, Simone.”

Her expression hardened, before eventually exhaling loudly in exasperation. “Very well. He’s a second year in Class Two-Dee. I’ve never met him or spoken to him, but I’ve heard the girls talk about him. He has a lot of female admirers—a lot of them—but as far as I know he’s single. I’ve heard the girls say he has a preference for brunettes. And he’s interested in—no forget it. My mistake.”

“Your mistake? What mistake?”

“Nothing,” she answered curtly, waving a hand briskly. “It’s nothing.”

I held back a frown, and pressed on a few moments later. “Why didn’t Severin include him in the group to protect the Academy?”

“Because he doesn’t have a Fragment or Artifact,” she replied without hesitation.

I kept my expression as neutral as could be while hiding my uneasy thought.

So she doesn’t know, she could be lying…or she was made to forget. Whatever the truth, they are each a problem.

I stood up purposefully and looked slightly down at her with a couple of feet between us.

“Is that the truth?”

“Yes.” She lowered her hands to her hips. “I’ve told you what I know. Now you said you would tell me why you’re asking.”

I pulled out my palm-slate, then worked through its menus until I arrived at the holovid recording Lidia had sent me in the morning. Handing the slate over to Simone, I said, “Press play.”

Warily, she took the palm-slate I offered her, then tapped the screen to start the playback of the recording.

I watched her expression carefully though I did my best not to make her feel as though I was staring at her. Simone played the recording and watched it through to the end a few minutes later. Neither of us said anything during that time, nor did we move from where we stood.

When the playback ended, she looked up at me with a complicated expression.

“I don’t remember this,” she stated, her voice carrying a mixed emotions. “I don’t remember this at all.”

“The time stamp says it took place during lunchtime on Monday.”

She shook her head very slowly. “Yes, but…I don’t recall going into that storage room.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Her expression grew severe, and her voice hardened. “I’m not lying to you.” My palm-slate trembled in her hand. “I’m your girlfriend, Caelum. The least you could do is trust me.”

I slipped my hands into my trouser pockets, and watched her wounded feelings displayed on her face. “Alright. I trust you. As far I know, you’ve never lied to me before.”

“Caelum, you really know how to hurt a girl.”

“I’ll make it up to you later,” I responded softly.

“You’d better,” she said with a wounded tone.

I took a deep breath, then hardened my voice. “Simone, if you have no memory of this event then this leaves us with a few troubling implications. One, you were Influenced and made to forget. Two, the security recording is a fake. And three, that’s not you in the holovid recording.”

Her wounded expression grew complicated. “None of the sound particularly good.”

“No. They’re rather problematic.”

Simone’s eyes flickered. “Sometimes…you sound like Severin.”

I was startled by her remark, and tried hiding it behind a throwaway remark. “Severin wouldn’t be impressed by that comparison.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m praising you, you fool.”

“Oh…well, thank you…I think.”

Simone rolled her eyes at me, then glanced down at my palm-slate before asking, “How did you get this?”

I knew the question was coming, but my stomach nonetheless cramped up in worry. “I can’t say.”

“Did someone give it to you?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t say.”

Simone grew irate. “Why not? Caelum, this is important. This affects me.” She waved the palm-slate at me. “I have no memory of this. Don’t you understand how this makes me feel?”

“I do. Which is why I’ve been reluctant to show it to you.” I cocked my head slightly to a side. “However, now that you know, I still need to keep my source a secret.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “So someone did give this to you.”

“Someone…yes.”

“Why won’t you tell me who?”

“Because it’s important that I keep my source confidential.”

Glancing once more at the slate, Simone handed it back to me. “Then I will find out on my own.”

“I would rather you didn’t,” I said to her bluntly.

“Why not?” she demanded, taking a step to close the distance between us down to millimeters.

I could feel her warmth, and the peaks of breasts faintly brushed against my chest.

With her hands clenched at her sides, Simone reiterated her demand. “Why not, Caelum?”

“Because I gave the other party my word, and I intend to keep it.”

Simone’s lips pressed into a thin unhappy line. “You picked a fine time to be honorable.”

“I would do the same for you if the situation so required.”

Her eyes narrowed quickly to thin slits. “If it was her in that recording, would you keep it from her?”

For a heartbeat, I wasn’t sure of whom Simone was referring to, then I reasoned she couldn’t possibly know about that other recording with Haruka in it.

She pressed a fingertip into my chest. “If it was Faint Smile in that recording instead of me, would you tell her?”

The proverbial penny dropped in my mind. “Her circumstances and yours are different.”

She pressed her fingertip into me again. “Exactly. I’m your girlfriend, and she’s not. Yet you would hold things from me, and not her. I’m supposed to be your special someone. How do you think that makes me feel?”

I held back a growl and tried grabbing her by her shoulders, but she stepped back with surprising speed.

“Not so fast,” she warned me. “Hands off until you tell me everything you know.”

Left with my hands in the air, I lowered them slowly to my sides. “Very well. If that’s what you want. Hands off it is.”

I caught the glimmer of anguish in her eyes, before she folded her arms under her creamy breasts that reminded me of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with chocolate powder. However, for a grand deviation from the norm, my attention was rapt on her face.

Lowering her voice, Simone was clearly pained. “I guess this is our first disagreement as a couple.”

I glanced away. “It doesn’t bode well for the future.”

“Is that how you feel?” She clenched her hands. “Do you believe our relationship isn’t strong enough to last one disagreement?”

I stared at her for a long while, and remembered the few occasions my parents argued. Yet my parents worked through their differences because they loved each other. However, were my feelings for Simone strong enough to work through our disagreements? I was starting to understand the meaning of give-and-take a little more.

Simone sighed softly, yet it sounded loud to my ears. “Caelum, if you don’t trust me, then just say so.” Bitterness laced her words. “I can live with it.”

I wet my lips, and unsteadily pocketed my palm-slate as the first warning bell sounded, signaling that lunch break was coming to an end.

From where I stood, I straightened my uniform. “Wait for me in your classroom after homeroom.”

She snorted faintly. “Ara ara. Is my boyfriend going to pick me up after class?”

“Yes, he is. So be a good girl and wait for me. Don’t run off.” I walked up to her on my way out of the room. Simone looked wary, but was startled when I kissed her cheek. “Don’t forget to change back into your uniform.”

I walked to the door of the room. It had automatically locked behind me when I entered the room, but opened for me on the way out. I stepped through into the corridor outside.

“Caelum—”

“Don’t tell anyone about this—not even Severin—and certainly not your sister.” I half turned to my left and looked back at her over my shoulder. “And I trust you. I always have.”

Leaving the Student Council room behind, I hurried back to Two-Aye’s classroom to pick up my gym bag, carrying the memory of Simone’s conflicted countenance with me.