Coven

Golden sun rays pierced through her windows waking her up. Lazily, she stirred in her bed. Her body felt as if it weighs a thousand pounds, her limbs were so sore that they ache every time she tried to move a muscle. Raine reached over her bedside table for her mobile phone. Her bedside clock just struck 2pm. 10 missed calls and 3 messages from Kaelan. Just as she was about to get off her bed, her phone rang again.

“Where the hell were you? I was worried sick! Why didn’t you answer my calls? I even went over but you weren’t home. Why…” “Kaelan, please…” Raine stopped him mid-sentenced. “My head feels like a bomb just exploded inside.” “What’s going on Raine? Lately you’ve been so distant, so different,” “Do you really want to know?” Raine snapped. Her head throbbed so much she felt like passing out. “Yes,” he answered. Raine took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh.  

Should I? I don’t want to lose him. But then I don’t want to keep this hidden from him anymore. I’m just so tired with all these secrets. “Fine. But what I’m about to tell you will freak you out and there’s a high possibility that things will change and that it could never go back to the way it was. Meet me at The Shack in an hour.”

Raine walked into The Shack and headed towards the counter. After placing her order, she looked around but there was no sign of Kaelan. The Shack was packed with university students bustling here and there, happily chatting away, oblivious to her existence. Some were familiar faces, some were newcomers. Raine, being a regular customer, knew all the staffs there but she hardly talked to any of them. The staffs all knew her to be quiet, but they were friendly nevertheless. Her usual spot was vacant, as if they had reserved the table especially for her. The tables around her were all occupied.

As she was about to take out her cigarettes, Kaelan walked up the creaky wooden stairs. “Sorry I’m late,” he said sheepishly. Raine just shrugged. She barely looked at him. In her mind, she was trying to figure out how to explain things to Kaelan. Things have been so crazy that she had trouble where to begin with. Obviously, she can’t just blurt out about her powers right there and then, although she wished with her whole heart that she could. That will definitely scare Kaelan away, and that’s the least she would want to do. If she starts rambling on about the attacks, he might think she’s out of her head and will take her to see a psychiatrist. That too, was the last thing she would ever want to do.

Raine’s usual chicken fajitas came hot and steamy. It looked marvellously delicious, what with the melted cheese, fresh salad and crispy pita bread. But no matter how mouth watering it looked, bidding her, Raine lost her appetite. The stank from the creature’s ashes was still fresh in her guts.

A group of guys came out of The Shack. They were Kaelan’s football team-mates. Kaelan stood up to have a quick chat with them. “So what are you guys up to?” Ken, an exchange student from Japan asked Kaelan. “Nothing much, just having a late lunch. Catching up,” Kaelan answered with a quick wink towards Raine. She pretended not to notice. Ryan smiled sheepishly towards Raine, and she smiled back. “Sweet. We’ll join you guys. A couple more hours here won’t hurt. It’s not like we have anything better to do anyway.”

Raine looked up at Kaelan, giving him a sharp look as if to say, “no way!” but before he could stop them, they had already drag extra chairs and sat down at the table.

An hour passed. Kaelan and the guys were busy gabbing away, and Ryan tried to forge a decent conversation with Raine. She was getting bored and she barely touched her food. Ryan noticed her boredom and whispered to her, “You wanna bail?” Without a word, she stood up and just walked away. She heard Kaelan called out her name but she ignored him.

“It’s alright man, I’ll handle it,” Ryan told Kaelan as he got up and caught up after her. Ryan found her sitting cross-legged on a boulder near the lake. “You alright?” he asked. “Yeah. Well, you know, I’m just not close to his friends. It was awkward,” she smiled. Ryan felt his heart melting at her smile. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Raine found his company pleasant. Talking to Ryan away from the cluster made her ease up. It took her mind off things, even if it was temporary.

Ryan was really deep; they talked about various issues from snobbish cheerleaders and jocks to the university’s political agendas and mismanagement to the recent death of his pet Labrador Snowy. She didn’t take him to be smart before and was surprised at how much she opened up to him. To an extent.

They were in the midst of talking about favouritism among lecturers when Kaelan walked up to them. “Hey,” he playfully poked Raine in the ribs. She didn’t respond. “Are you mad at me or something?” he asked. She stood up and looked him in the eye. “Did you even bother to know what I wanted to talk to you about? Or am I that invisible that it just slipped out of your head?” she snapped.

Ryan looked away, as if pretending not to hear anything. “No, of course I remembered. But the guys…” “Yes, the guys. It’s always the guys! You know what? I don’t give a rat’s ass anymore,” Feeling as if he’s not meant to be there, Ryan got up and with a slight nod towards Kaelan, he went away. “What’s up with you Raine? You’re never like this,”

“You! You’re what’s up. You know this thing I wanted to tell you is serious! But you’re acting like it’s no big deal. Do you know how much shit I’m going through? I’m going insane just thinking about it. Do you know how much gut it takes me to be ready to tell you? And you’re not making things easier,” she screamed.

Kaelan was taken aback from her outburst. Never throughout their entire friendship had she raised her voice to him. Sarcastic remarks, sure, it’s not Raine if it’s not sarcastic. But hysterical? This is the first time. “Hold on. You’re not being fair. What’s this thing between you and Ryan? How do you think I feel when you just walked away like that?” “What? This has nothing to do with Ryan,” she held her words. “Yes it does! At least to me!” he shouted back, surprised at his own pent up rage.

“Huh? Why would you care? You don’t care at all! At least Ryan notices me,” “Oh so you got one attention from a dude you’re all high and mighty now? That gives you a right to scream in my face?” Now he did it. She blinked, shocked at what he just said. Tears formed in her eyes. “I had never said a damn word about your girlfriends. How could you even say that?” Kaelan’s face changed dramatically as she spat the words. “Raine, listen, I’m so sorry,” he tried to grab her shoulders but she backed away.

Suddenly, the sky above them darkened. It started to drizzle but the sun was still up, burning red. There were no traces of clouds in the sky. As the raindrops touched their skin, it sizzled away, forming steam around them. Raine felt a chill run down her spine. Something’s not right. “We have to go,” she took Kaelan’s hands and started dragging him away from the lake. Kaelan struggled to break free from her grasp but she kept dragging him. Stumbling, he forced her to stop.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Raine looked around frantic. The lights from The Shack blinked in the distance. They were standing on the cobblestone pathway leading out to Royale Street. The trees around them shuddered, but they could feel no wind. “Raine, look at me,” Kaelan grabbed her by the shoulders, his voice deep and serious. Suddenly out of nowhere, something shoved him hard and he fell to the ground. Raine gasped and tried to protect him from whatever that pushed him. “Don’t hurt him! It’s me you want. Leave him out of this!” she screamed into nothingness.

An evil laugh boomed but she could not see the source. With her right palm facing upwards, she bid her blue flame to light. “Where are you? Show yourself, you coward!” “Soon, my dear Raine,” the voice echoed. Outraged, she threw the fireball into the sky and it burst into tiny embers, sizzling as they collide with the raindrops. And with another laugh, the voice disappeared in thin air and they were left alone on the road. The sky started to become lighter, and the rain cleared. 

Early signs of dusk bestowed upon them as the sun changed into yellowed hue. A cool breeze blew by kissing their wet skin, making them shudder from cold. She turned around and held out her hand to help Kaelan up. But he moved away from her. His eyes were staring at her in disbelief. His mouth was gaping, as if trying to say something but no words came out. “Kaelan, are you hurt?” she cooed, trying to calm him. “Let me help you up,” Without taking her hand, he stood up, trying hard not to stumble. He was in a daze, his face curled into confusion.

Raine stepped nearer, but he backed away. “I, I…have to go,” he started to walk, but Raine held his hand. “Kaelan, this is what I wanted to tell you. This,” she held out her free hand, and a small blue fire ball lighted. “I’m not like everyone else.” He broke free from her grasp swiftly and turned his back to her. As she watched her best friend walk away, her heart felt like it had dropped 30 storeys and shattered into pieces.

The oak trees lining Rosewood Park loomed in the dark as though waiting to perch on anyone who comes near them. The air was cold and moist. Not a single star was visible, hidden behind dark puffy clouds sailing smoothly against the night’s sky. The lamp posts lit dimly lighting the pathway. Not a single soul was in sight. Her sneakers made soft thumping sound as they hit the tar road. Her music boomed loudly from her Ipod.

She had been running for the past hour without resting. Her legs could barely keep up with her, yet she forced her muscles to move, force her blood vessels to keep pumping blood into her heart. Sweat made her shirt stick to her body like second skin. She tried to drain her thoughts away, tried to focus on running, but they keep coming back. The images from the book, and the flashes of pain and despair that she saw before won’t leave her alone. Alas, her legs couldn’t take it anymore. Her muscles tensed, and she collapsed to the ground panting heavily. A sharp pain surged through her body, her heart beating against her chest as though it was about to burst out.  

She closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She turned off her music, and listened to her own breathing. Mother, how could you? She understood now, yet she couldn’t accept her mother’s willingness to sacrifice her life for what she believed in. And leaving Raine all alone in this alien world. She understood her powers, her dreams now. She understood what her mother wants of her, yet she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She doesn’t have enough knowledge, enough power. It’s absurd to even think about it!

A twig snapped. Raine opened her eyes with a start. She got up and looked around. Her intuition told her she was being watched. She moved away from where she was lying down. She heard soft footsteps from a distance behind her. She quickened her pace then turned swiftly to her right and hid behind the huge oak tree. She heard the footsteps stopped, then continued again. Now. She walked out calmly from behind the tree, with excellent timing, staring at the person in front of her right in the face, her fingers curled up in a shape of a ball. “Who are you?” she asked coldly. His face was merely a shadow, she couldn’t make it out. “Raine? Raine is that you?” he stepped into the light. “Ryan? What the hell are you doing here at this hour?” She softened up and drew her fingers away. She knew him as Kaelan’s friend and relaxed.

“Well, I uh, I was walking back from the diner and I saw you so I thought I would just come up and say hi,” he said, forcing the words out in a single breath, then looked down, embarrassed. Raine studied him. He was looking a bit flushed. Then she smiled. Ryan had been awfully nice to her lately. Well, he never really talked to her except for the casual hellos if they bumped into each other at university. “Can I walk you home?” he asked suddenly. Raine was taken aback. She eyed him suspiciously. Hesitantly she answered, “Well, I suppose so. If you’re walking the same way.” 

Seek the one of great knowledge, one who plays with time, one who is destined, one who will be by your side. “Mum, I can’t do it,” she groaned as she got out of her bed and kneeled down on the floor. Her eyes shot at a dark blue candle on her dressing table, and the spark caught fire. She looked up at her ceiling, as though expecting her mother’s voice to come to her again. “I’m scared. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life! You left me alone in this world and now you expect me to pick up where you left off?” her voice was shaking with rage. “How could you? How could you just leave and drop this burden on me? It’s not fair!” she shouted. Warm tears streamed down her face.

Dagda struggled… Most powerful…Rune…over the centuries gained ultimate power…coven leader Rose Raidan…the battle which caused her life. The contents of the book began to fill her mind again. There was a drawn picture of a woman with dark hair shooting blue sparks from her fingers. She was wearing a long black cloak, her expressions of rage and determination. “Ardeo, Ardetis, Ardemus.” was written in cursive beneath the picture. Fire was burning all around her and there were others battling what looked like horned beasts, minotaurs perhaps. Another picture of a woman slumped weakly in the arms of another man, his head resting on her neck. Blood was flowing down from her bare throat. She shook her head, as if shaking the images away.

She reached for the phone. “Kaelan, hey. I uh, let’s go out tonight,” “Raine? What the? Do you have any idea what time it is? Is everything ok?” his voice was groggy on the other side of the line. “Yeah, fine. Just want to hang out,” “It’s 5 in the freaking morning! Nothing’s open. I’ll see you in like, 3 more hours ok? Go back to sleep,” he hung up. Jackass. There’s no point sleeping now, she thought. She got up from the floor, went over to her dressing table and blew the candle out. Then she reached for her black satin coat and went out. 

A gush of wind sent shivers down her spine. She let her dark hair loose, and as the wind blows they fly up, spread like silky tentacles. She walked down the lonely road of Gael Avenue, only the dim street lights as her companions. She was so tired from running in the park, her legs still aching, yet she couldn’t go back to sleep. A small light lit a dairy on her left. She ignored the ‘closed’ sign and knocked on the locked door. A big burly man came to the door. He opened the door slightly. “We’re not in business yet,” he said abruptly, clearly annoyed by Raine’s appearance so early in the hour. “I know, but please, can I just get a cup of coffee? Then I’m out,” she said pleadingly. The man studied her. “Fine,” he scoffed. He let her in, and started the coffee machine. Raine watched silently as he prepared her coffee. “three fifty,” he said. Raine put a twenty dollar note on the bar. “Keep the change. You’ve been so kind,” she said simply.

The cool night air brushed against her face as she walked out the door. Taking a sip of her coffee, she walked towards a nearby bench and sat down cross-legged. She reached down into her coat pocket and took out her cigarettes. Coffee and cigarettes can never go wrong. She glanced down at her watch. 5.30am.

A pair of gleaming gold eyes were staring straight at her from the alley in front of her. Beautiful eyes like those of a cat. Her heart skipped a beat. For a second, she had forgotten how to breathe. Then the eyes gradually disappeared. She got up from the bench and gathered what was left of her courage and walked into the alley. Glancing behind her, she made sure that no one was around before holding out her finger and whispered, “Give me light.”

“Impressive,” a soft voice suddenly startled her. She turned around. A tall dark figure loomed behind her, clapping his hands. He walked nearer towards Raine and she backed away. The light from her little flame bounced off his face, highlighting his breathtaking features. Eyes of gold he had, jawline sharp and refined. His voice was deep and seductive. Trying to conceal her fear, she demanded, “What do you want from me? I’m not afraid of you.” “Oh, but you should,” he chuckled. He drew closer. “Strict command I was given, you were not to be harmed,” he said. “Yet your beauty is appealing, I could feel your blood pumping through my veins. And oh, your smell…orgasmic.”

He reached for her face and softly ran his fingers down her cheeks then on her neck. Raine stood paralyzed. His eyes were so beautiful they hypnotized her. The tiny flame on her fingertip blew out. She couldn’t concentrate anymore. In an instant darkness surrounded them. The air became thick and moldy. He leaned in to kiss her lips. She turned away and squirmed, yet he had her tight in his arms. She could feel his disgusting tongue in her mouth, yet she was powerless. His skin was as cold as ice, sending shivers down her spine. Her knees grew weak.

Then he moved away from her mouth and kissed her neck. “Get away from me,” Raine whispered exasperatedly. She could feel his hands moved up her legs, then he slipped them under her shirt. “Stop!” she cried out. He licked her neck over and over again, and suddenly a sharp pain surged through her as he sank his fangs into her flesh and began to suck.

Her mind was raging. Gritting her teeth she growled, “I said get away from me!” With whatever left strength in her, bidding all her energy into her right hand, she raised it trembling and clasped his neck. He cried out in pain and tried to draw away but she held on. The flesh underneath her fingers started to crackle and boil. Red bumps started to form on his skin, and one by one they burst. Cold black blood trickled down his neck. She held on to him tight. “Where did you come from? Who do you serve?” she demanded. He was writhing under her, groaning in pain. “Answer me!” she screamed.

“One of your own. I am just a messenger,” he gasped. An immense feeling of power overcame her, and fuelled by her rage, she concentrated her power on him and he burst into flames. Raine stood there amidst the darkness, ashes lying before her, dumbstrucked by what she had done. I Killed him.

Warm air touched her cold cheeks, so gently, as though comforting her. As if she did nothing wrong. The sky above turned a lighter colour. Raine walked out of the alley in a sort of trance. Her guilt was overriding her. She felt lost, confused, terrified, even angry at herself. She glanced all around her, expecting somehow or rather the siren of a police car would boom around the corner. But there was nothing except for a couple of dimly lit shops preparing for the morning business. She kept walking in a daze, shaking, and little did she realized, she was already at her front door.

How she could have made it surprised her. Unlocking the door to her little apartment, she turned on the shower full blast and then undressed. She felt dirty from the creature’s touch, dirty from the guilt of destroying him. She meant to hurt him, not to kill him. Her own powers shocked her. Never had she ever felt such surge of power, never did she realize she could use her powers to such length. Start, sure, manipulate, of course, but incinerate completely? The thought scared her. She’s already having difficulty accepting the fact that she was different from others and now with this knowledge that her ability is more powerful than she ever thought, and took a life, human or not, it damned her to life.

Perched on top of one of St. Luther’s magnificent towers, she looked down onto the dark streets beneath her. Traffic was light, two, three cars passed by unknowingly into the night. The drizzle left over by the previous downpour slowly drenching her raven locks, sticking to her sharp jawbones. She’s been waiting for awhile now. Waiting, watching, hungry. The street lights gave out a wonderful yellow glow illuminating her golden eyes.   

Follow, not strike. Be stealth, your presence not necessarily felt. Follow, not strike. How degrading. How dare he deny her from her nature? How dare he refrain her as if chained and bounded to an invisible leash? Pathetic, she thought. Her heart surged with anger, her eyes burned with hatred. I’m not some pesky little servant, she spat silently. Yet, here she is. Yet she carried out his bidding. Perched like a gargoyle. Pathetic.

Something glinted in the corner of her right eye. There she is, she thought. She leaned closer to get a better look. Not like she needs to anyway; she has perfect vision stretching more than a mile, her senses far more advanced than any other beings on Earth. The act itself made it seem somewhat trivial but she does it out of habit. The glint came from a heart shaped diamond pendant that sat snugly just above the girl’s bosoms. The girl walks hurriedly down Lutheran St. carrying two grocery bags, trying to get out of the drizzle, now evolving into a shower. Her chestnut hair limp lifeless in a ponytail, her white shirt clung tightly to her body revealing a sheer black brassiere. Suddenly, the girl stopped short in her tracks, jerked her head up towards the church, hesitated and then hurried along. 

She pushed herself from the ledge and free-fall 30 metres onto the street, landing swiftly like cat. She walks silently down the street in the direction of the chestnut-haired girl although she is no longer in sight. Suddenly, a voice boomed from behind her. “Who are you? Why are you following me?” the girl demanded. She spun around to find the girl behind her. She chuckled. “I see now why he wants you,” she smiled mischievously. “Not bad at all.”

“What do you mean?” Her necklace glittered in the street light. She started to move forward.

“I hunt, I kill, that is my nature. But tonight I only watch. You dare not step any further than that. Just know that you are no longer safe. He yearns for your power, and he sees all, he knows all. You cannot hide. Be prepared,” she replied. She turned around and started to walk away. “Lakshmi,” she called out, throwing her hand in the air. “We will meet again. Remember my name,” and then the dark haired woman dissolved into the night.

—-

Raine wakes up to a phone call. It was Ryan. She had promised him earlier to help him with English Literature this morning but she never showed up. She could vaguely remember when she made that promise, things had been too crazy lately and she’s always feeling so tired. On top of that, the outburst she exchanged with Kaelan made her feel borderline suicidal. Feeling a bit dazed and confused, she apologized and told him she’ll make it up another time and hung up before he had the chance to ask her out to the movies. The clock on her bedside table showed 1.30pm. She had slept through the morning without knowing it. Not the first time. She has been doing it quite often lately. Ironic, she felt like a vampire, out at night, sleep during the day.  

Vampire. The word rang in her mind. As she gathered herself up, her long black hair in knots, she suddenly thought of Kaelan and felt a huge guilt overcoming her. Then she thought of Ryan and felt guilty towards him too. Her head felt a bit heavy, and she remembered she was dreaming of something before the call. It wasn’t her mother this time. She could vaguely remember, but she thought she saw herself, as if through an astral projection, standing in front of an old building holding a heart shaped diamond pendant. The sun was rising in the backdrop. What the hell is going on? She thought and cupped her face in her palms. She needed to reach Kaelan, to find out if he is alright, and to explain things to him. She reached for her phone and dialled his number but she got to his voicemail. She tried a few times but still, she got the voicemail. 

She was in the shower when she heard a loud knock on her door. Thinking it might be Kaelan, she wrapped a towel around her body and went to open her door, only to find an envelope with her name on it on the floor. The letters that spelled her name were written in crimson ink, blood-like, and the ink had oozed down and dried. A feeling of panic started to rise within her and she tried hard to suppress it. Hands trembling, she tore the letter open and read:

I’m within you, I’m always watching, waiting. Like the river will always find its way to sea, you will find your way to me.

She tore it to pieces, threw them into a pot and set it on fire.

***

For the first time in her life she could not sleep that night. Usually the instant her head hits the pillow she would doze off to sleep. But last night, after that strange encounter with that dark haired woman, her mind was not at peace. She kept thinking about what the woman had said, and it left her puzzled and scared all through the night. She never felt this scared before in her life. Not even that time when she got lost for three days during a camping trip out in Jargar Forest. Never ever go off alone for walks at night, in a freaking jungle, it’s rare that you’ll be able to find your way back. She learned that the hard way. Nor that that time she discovered she was different from everyone else.

Yes, that time when she accidentally knocked over a bowl of tuna casserole off the counter and somehow managed to stop it hovering in mid air before it crashed to the floor. She was only nine years old. Or during that time over dinner she thought she heard her brother said, “How the heck am I going to tell them I flunked biology,” and asked him out loud, “You flunk biology?” Then realized he hadn’t said it when his eyes grew large and blank, looked over at their parents and smiled sheepishly.

“Megan, breakfast,” she heard her mother call out from downstairs. Reluctantly, she got out of bed and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Walking down the stairs, she saw the usual sight that greeted her every Sunday morning. Her mother Lillian, towering at 6’1 with beautiful  chestnut locks both Megan and her brother had inherited, bending over the dining table to serve sausage and eggs. Her hair in a loose bun, Megan thought she saw a twinkle in her hazel eyes every time the sun light hits them. Her father, still handsome at 53, had a lean and toned body, with a slight cleft in his chin. His dark hair was slick black, except for a few strands of white hair that stood visible gave out his age. He would always sit at the head of the table, as if representing the ‘head’ of the family, but in reality Megan knew her mother was actually the one in control. Her father rarely, if not never, made a decision without consulting his lawyer wife. Even as a judge himself, he had deep respect and love for his wife. Then there’s Daniel, her twin brother, older by 3 minutes. They look exactly alike; both had deep chestnut hair, slender bodies, and stood tall at 5’11. The only thing that they didn’t share was the colour of their eyes. Megan inherited her father’s dark greenish pupils, while Daniel’s were hazel.

Daniel gazes up from his plate of sausage and eggs and smirks, “You look dandy today,” “Stow it Danny,” She passed the antique mirror hung on her living room wall which her mother had purchased from an unknown antique store. Megan always felt like the evil queen in Snow White every time she look into that mirror. She took a quick look and thought, My God. There were dark rings around her eyes and her face looked as pale as ever. Her hair, even though she had combed it, stuck out here and there, like an electric charge just went through her body.

She pulled the chair in front of Daniel and plopped down, sticking her tongue out at him. “Everything ok, honey?” her father cooed. She was especially close to her father. It seemed to her that her father could sense even the slightest hint of worry in her face and would immediately try to make her feel better. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” she replied, but as soon as she said that a feeling of doubt gushed over her. Is it really? She tried to brush it away as if brushing a pesky mosquito away, but as much as she tried it would not go completely away.

Her alarm bell rang in her ears. She turned around and reached for the alarm clock. 7.30am.She turned it off and when back to sleep. She couldn’t remember when was the last time she felt this tired. The whole day yesterday she was at the library, arranging and tagging the books until after closing time. She had always hated doing the inventory; and with the lack of staff; only 5 librarians and 10 helpers, it could not support the workload of this massive library.

She heard her bedroom door creaked open. “Lea, we’re gonna be late. You’re still in your pjs,” her 17 year old sister Lara spoke softly. Lara crept next to her bed and wiggle her toes. Lea grumbled. “15 more minutes,” “It’s 7.30, we’re gonna be late. I’m still in school remember,” “Have we ever been late?” Lea asked under her covers. Hesitantly, her sister replied, “No.” “Ok then, bye.” Lara rolled her eyes, and stalked out of her sister’s bedroom.

Awhile later, Lea finally got out of her bed. She felt like she had an extra half hour worth of sleep but she knew better. The clock blinked 7.30am. She went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting for the water to turn hot. She looked into the mirror and started entangling the knots in her dirty blonde hair. Both sisters were blessed with beautiful blonde hair and green eyes. As the steam began to cloud the mirror, she undressed and stepped into the shower.

Lea pulled her mother’s white Lexus outside Whitaker High School at 8.10am sharp. “I’ll be done by 3.30,” Lara said through the rolled down window. “Don’t be late,” she said casually knowing that it meant nothing. Lea waved as her sister made way to the high school steps, and pulled out of the driveway.

Since her parents died 3 years ago in a car accident, it has always been just the two of them. She loves her sister dearly and they are like the best of friends. Of course there are the occasional bicker but most of the time they get along well with each other. Since their mother passed away when Lara was only 14, she looks up to her older sister and never really disobeyed her. Both of them excelled in school. When Lea was in high school, she graduated as a valedictorian. She was active in clubs such as Rotary and wrote for the high school paper, and played netball for the school team.

Lara on the other hand is currently the president of the Sciences club and represents her school in tennis. Both are adored by their teachers, but Lea is the more outspoken and friendly one out of the two. When they were young, Lara was very bright and joyful, innocently skipping around making her blonde pigtails bounce, but when they lost their parents, she became quite reserved, and it became harder to draw a smile on her face. She became more focused and goal-oriented, at such a young age, preferring to stay indoors and read than going out to the playground. At times Lea wished to see her sister’s old self again, and sometimes growing tired of this cheerful facade she puts on that hides how she really feels.

Lea parked her car at the far end of the students’ parking lot outside Whitaker University. It was the only space left. She opened the back door and gathered her textbooks and her bag. The sun was shining beautifully against the blue sky. A rare moment to be precise. The air was warm, with the occasional pleasant wind now and then. “Lea,” she turned around and found her best friend, Jasmine walking towards her. Her wonderful long brown hair bounced behind her. She was wearing her usual v-neck t-shirt with jeans yet she never fail to look attractive even in the simplest outfit. Lea waved at her then locked her car. Both of them walked together towards their first class of the day. The girls have been friends for ages. They stick together through thick and thin, and Jasmine never left Lea’s side when she was grieving over the lost of her parents. Jasmine gave her shoulders to cry on and gave her emotional support when she needed it the most. Without her, Lea never thought she could make it through. Even though their friendship was strong, Lea kept a secret from Jasmine, a dark secret she could never share with anyone.

Classes ended with a breeze. Lea had always liked university life, even when she was still in high school she longed to be among the university students. Somehow she thought that they were more matured and carefree; unlike her high school friends who were always concern about looking cool and plastic. She never really had problems with assignments and projects; she always did well, if not the best in her class. After Contemporary Art, Lea headed towards the cafeteria to meet up with Jasmine and few of her other friends.

She found them sitting at a table in the middle of the cafeteria, where they always sit. She carried her tray and started walking towards them and then all of a sudden she felt as though her legs were cemented to the ground. She couldn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on the young man in front of her, Daniel Rehan, the captain of the basketball team. Her mind just went blank. He was leaning against the wall, talking to his friends. He looked so attractive in his black sweatshirt rolled up and worn out jeans. His blue eyes glanced over to her, he must’ve noticed her staring at him, and he gave a slight nod. Lea smiled sheepishly.

“Lea!” Jasmine’s voice boomed across the cafeteria, shattering her daze. Startled, she almost toppled her tray. She moved towards the table quickly and plopped down. “Oh my God! I must have looked like a complete idiot!” she said, blushing. She glanced over to steal a peek at Daniel. He was still talking to his friends, holding a Coke can in his right hand. “Well, he’s the idiot for not noticing you all this while!” Jasmine said matter-of-factly. “How long has it been? Two years? God damn it, Lea, do something!” “Yeah, if he’s not making the move, you should,” their other friend, Julia piped in. “Are you guys out of your mind? He has a girlfriend! Who’s that girl again? Faith?” Lea said. She took a bite into her salmon sandwich. Jasmine rolled her eyes. “You’re so backdated. They broke up like, two days ago or something. I didn’t think it was serious; I thought that it was more of a fling. You know how Faith can be,” Lea just shrugged.

Jasmine knows almost everyone in university. Literally. She was in the same cheerleading team as Faith James, until recently she dropped out because she wanted to concentrate more on her studies. She had been behind her studies these couple of months because of cheerleading practices, and decided that it was best to quit and focus on catching up. Lea knew Jasmine couldn’t stand her, and she was aware of the subliminal rivalry between the two. But although Jasmine quit, she’s always in the know. Lea nicknamed her ‘mamarazzi” since she always gets first hand knowledge in the latest gossips.

Standing in front of the wooden door, Lea took a huge gulp of air and released. She looked up at the brazen tag on the door which read ‘Dr. Alec Van Nostrand’ and knocked softly. Earlier in the afternoon, she had bumped into her lecturer on the way to her car, and he had asked her to drop into his office for awhile. After quickly dropping her books in her car, she rushed back to the main office. Sounds serious. She thought. “Come in,” the voice behind the door replied to the knock. “You wanted to see me, Dr. Van Nostrand?” “Ah yes, Ms. Maine. Do come in,” He beckoned her to the seat in front of him.

Dr. Van Nostrand seemed ancient to her. He looks fairly youthful, in his late 40s with dark hair and streaks of grey and has no visible wrinkles despite his age. His voice was deep and husky, with deep British accent and the way he spoke reminded her of people from the 1900s. “I understand that, from your grades, you are doing very well in Psychology. And it seems to me that you might well be one of the best students, if not the best, in your class,” he said.

Lea smiled acknowledging the complement. “As you know, we are having a little crisis with the tutorials, with Shelley Caden resigning and the syllabus in amok. So I was wondering if you would like to consider tutoring, maybe take up a couple of first and second year groups, to fill in for Shelley.” Lea eyes widened. She would love nothing more than to tutor, but she never really believed in herself to be able to do it. It is a big responsibility, tutoring other students, because their understanding of the subject depends a lot on your capability to teach. She didn’t want to be held responsible for the failing of her students. But this is a chance of a lifetime. To be asked personally by her mentor, she couldn’t turn it down.

“I would love to sir, but it’s just that I don’t think I’m the right person for it,” she said humbly. Her lecturer gave a little laugh. “Ms. Maine, usually those who want to tutor just volunteered. Most of them have no solid understanding themselves but they do it anyway because they have the passion to teach. I see passion in you. And here I am asking you to tutor, don’t take it for granted. And besides, I’m always available if you need help,” Upon hearing that, Lea beamed. “Well in that case, I would love nothing more. I’m truly grateful, even honoured to do it!” “Great,” Van Nostrand replied. “Monday then.” They shook hands, and she made her way out of the office feeling as if she had just won the lottery.

Missing a week’s worth of classes was no joke. Raine was struggling to keep up with the lecture. She had no idea they had moved on to the next chapter of Anthropology Perspectives when she hadn’t even grasp the last chapter fully. “The father of Structuralism, Levi-Strauss…” a few giggles broke out in the hall. “No, not the jeans,” the lecturer chuckled.

Raine was busy flipping through the pages, trying to grasp the last few details from the previous chapter. Noone can really understand what the lecturer is talking about without fully understanding the previous chapter as they are all connected. Although the lecturer’s voice was loud and stern against the microphone, seeking the students’ attention, it seemed distant and echoic to Raine. She was lost in her own thoughts. Boas, Cultural Relativism, Inuits, yes, I know that, Malinowski, what was his theory again?

As the facts began to seep into her mind at an intense speed, trying to grasp as much as she could, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her. She looked up from her textbook and saw the world around her begin to waver. Her eyes went blurry; she could barely make out the lecturer in front of the hall. His voice had reduced to a slur. She felt sick and dizzy, as if she were to get up on her feet she would stumble flat on her face.

She closed her eyes, trying to will the dizziness away. A flash of an image startled her. She snapped her eyes open. The noise around her slowly quieted, the air became still as vacuum. Images suddenly flooded her mind so fast she couldn’t make them out. A blinking lightning roared, and she heard screams in her ears. A stench like sulphur invaded her nostrils. The images keep changing from one to the other, flashing past in her head like a bullet train passing by. She tried to concentrate, tried to focus on the images as they appear and disappear.

Raine, my dear, there isn’t much time. A voice pleaded. She tried to listen to her mother’s voice, but the chaos of the images made it hard for her. Her chest felt heavy, her stomach tightening as if she’s about to hurl. She could hardly breathe. He shall regain power, and all that we’ve strived for will be lost. Seek Salvage, dear Raine, only you can stop him. The voice trailed off as the images became clearer. Raine could see women and children running away from a blinding green light, she can feel the pain and anguish as if she was there with them. The light turned into a horrible dark green and a burning smell engulfed her. Out of nowhere, a blue-white streak of light shone past the green light and split it open. Raine, help us! someone screamed in her ears and made her fell of her chair.

The fall snapped her back to reality. The images were gone from her mind, and she could no longer smell the stench. By now, every eye in the hall had turned to her, confused. “Raine, are you okay?” Kaelan’s voice ripped through her consciousness as sharp as knife. Disoriented, she looked up and saw his concerned face. He helped her up on her feet. She looked around the hall and blushed like strawberries. The lecturer had stopped talking and looked at her concerned. A few of girls at the back were snickering. “What a loser,” one girl scoffed. “I’m fine. Just a bit sick,” she said. “May I be excused?” she asked the lecturer. With a hesitant nod, she picked up her bag and walked out of the hall, closing the door behind a burst of laughter.

Kaelan found her sitting alone, smoking on the park bench after class. The huge oak tree next to the bench covered her expression, he couldn’t make out whether she was fine or not. Even her figure was merely a shadow, hidden from the rest of the world. The faint glint of the red ruby stone gave her away. “Hey, are you alright? You got me worried back there for awhile. You do realize you just fell off the chair, out of nowhere?” he said as he neared her. Raine gave a soft laugh.

“Yeah, well, I was trying to amuse you from that boring lecture,” she said, trying to lighten up. Kaelan frowned hard. “That sort of thing was not to be taken as a joke. You were white as a chalk,” She sighed. “I don’t know, suddenly I just felt so sick. But I’m fine now. No worries,” she smiled, trying to comfort him. It was such an innocent and beautiful smile that Kaelan felt obliged to forgive her.

It was such a beautiful afternoon, and she was so lost in her own thoughts to even appreciate it. The sky was so clear and unusually blue, unlike the days before. Soft wisps of pure white clouds were spread throughout the clear sky. She looked around her. A group of students were studying together nearby. Others were busy hustling about, talking loudly and deeply immersed in their conversations. A few were rushing to class, one girl was so panicky that she bumped into another person and dropped the pile of books she was carrying. University. Everyone was so busy with their own lives they took no notice of others. Raine was no exception.

These past few weeks had been miserable. The dreams came more frequently then before, and she had an awful feeling in her guts that something ominous is going to happened. She told herself countless times that it’s just in her head, yet she couldn’t really shake the feeling off. And just now, in the classroom, nothing like that had ever happened to her before. She had never had any visions or dreams in broad daylight, especially not one when she’s fully awake. It’s awfully weird and worrying.

Kaelan snapped his fingers in front of her. “Yo, wake up Raine. You were drifting off again. Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look like it. Maybe we should just drop by the doctor’s office. Just to make sure,” She brushed his fingers away. “I’m fine! God, Kaelan, what’s up with you these days, trying to be my mum or something?” she chuckled. “Seriously, I’m fine. Come on, I got Deviance next, how about you?” “Calculus,” he replied with a grin. “I’ll catch you later tonight after football practice. Just to make sure.”

                                                 ******

She glanced up at the classroom’s clock. 2.50pm. Great, 10 more minutes to go then I’m out of here. Throughout the lesson she was unable to concentrate. Every 10 minutes she glanced up at the clock, ticking ever so slowly, as though the whole world was trapped in a time warp. Her heart was thundering against her chest inside her. Her mind was racing with thoughts, ideas, confusion. She looked around her. Her classmates were either busy listening to the lecture, or were busy scribbling something in their notebooks. Only a handful had she actually talked to.

A girl named Tamara looked up at Raine and smiled. She was friendliest to her. Every time she walked into the classroom, she would always wave at Raine. She always seem to want to befriend Raine somehow, but maybe because of Raine’s cold expression plastered on her face almost all the time, she didn’t really get much word out except for, “hello” or “how are you today?”. Raine thought she was pretty. Her raven hair fell all the way down her back, dark brown almond eyes, and pretty freckles line her cheeks. She had mention that she came from a mixed parenthood, her mother was Chinese and her father was Danish once when Raine was in a bit of a chatty mood.

Raine stared outside the window dreamily. Outside was getting darker than before. The sun had been completely blocked out by the clouds. Only a few rays were visible. She thought about Salvage. What does it mean? She wrote out the word in front of her in capital letters. She had a feeling it has something to do with war, or a battle. The images she saw sure look chaotic, and the feelings she felt was of despair and hopelessness. It has to be a war. But what war? In History lessons, no such war has happened before in Whitaker, except for occasional riots, but those weren’t bloody. Sure enough, Whitaker has always been a peaceful, quiet town. With a population of just 10, 000, nothing exciting ever happened. Except…she started thinking.

Her memory brought her back to when she was six years old, in her mother’s arms. Her mother was crying, kissing her on the cheeks, on the temple, on the eyes. Then her mother held her face gently, and she could never forget those beautiful grey blue eyes, her eyes. Her mother’s eyes were full of fear and sorrow, nevertheless, strong. It glittered in the dark. That was the most distinct feature of her mother’s face that she could never forget. “I’m doing this for you, my love, and for the rest that comes after you. Forgive me but it’s the only way. In time you will understand. I love you and I’m always with you,” her mother kissed her on the cheeks again, left her on the steps and fled into the night, never to be seen again. She remembered vaguely about that night.

She remembered the flashes of light that went through the night’s sky. She thought they were fireworks. She was so confused. After awhile when she realized her mother was never coming back to get her, she cried and cried. “Mother,” she had whispered. “Where are you? I’m scared. Mother?” she cried out. Then everything went to nothing but a blur. She could barely remember being picked up by someone and brought to somewhere warm and cosy. She was too tired and cold to even bother resisting. The next thing she knew, Hannah and Matthew had become her foster parents.

Without realizing it, her feet had brought her to the front of Whitaker Library. She looked up. She meant to go back straight after class, and had no intention of wandering about. Definitely not to a library, for she had given up on studying that day. Nevertheless, her heart bid her to go inside. She showed her student id card at the front desk. Students get free admittance. The library smelled old, a hint of cedar smell reached her nostrils. What am I doing here again? She thought. She felt like she has to be here somehow, her instincts told her that there was something that she had to do here. But what?

She wandered through the first hallway on her right, placing her fingers on the edge of the books and dragging them as she walked past. The bookshelves stretched upwards as far as she could reach. Probably eight to ten feet high. Rows and rows of books stretched horizontally on each shelf. Books on biology, on chemistry, on research and theories. She turned to her left. More books on science and research. She saw journals of past scientists, some that were too old they were kept in a glass case. Every book and every journal was tagged with a yellow sticker, with the words ‘Property of Whitaker Library’ printed on them.

She made her way to the second floor and lingered outside the open brass door. Her eyes caught a sign that said ‘Historical Events’ at the far end of the hallway. Instinctively, she moved towards that area. Along the bookshelves, books were categorized into different parts of the world. From North American to Eastern European, to Asian region countries. Her eyes searched for Ireland. Easter Rising, Ireland Independence 1920, Wars of Anglo-Irish from the 12th Century, The Journal of Bogside 1969…The list went on and on, none that she was looking for. She took the book ‘Irish Battles and Riots’ and brought it to a nearby study table. She browsed the contents table, looking for Whitaker.

Suddenly, she felt like someone was staring at her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a girl standing a few feet away from her, glaring. She looked up. The girl was wearing a short pleated skirt and white long sleeve cotton top. Her hair was golden, and as she moved towards Raine, the colour was caught in the sun light that came through the window and glimmered. “If you can’t find what you’re looking for, come see me. I’m Lea, I work here,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Raine replied with a nod. The girl turned away.

On page 3205, she found the history on Whitaker Town. Whitaker, a small town with the population of 10, 000 situated on the Southeast of Ireland, about 250 miles south of Cork, overlooking the Celtic Sea. Founded in 1785 by Sir T. Whitaker, after buying land from the British to serve as a migrant settlement. Raine continued reading. She skipped through the rest of the history, searching for battles that had taken place in Whitaker. In 1980, the ‘Battle for Salvation’ took place, a riot, although ’small-scale’, between the ‘peacekeepers’and the Runic Union. There was no interferance from the government at that time, and the article on the riot was too brief. No casualties were reported, though they did not explain clearly who these people were. Ten years later, a second Battle for Salvation occurred at a much bigger scale. No actual record of the event was attained, but random sources say it was a bloodbath.

“You know, that riot wasn’t really a riot, and it wasn’t called Battle for Salvation either,” a voice suddenly startled her. Raine looked up and saw Lea leaning down in front of her. “Shortly after the riot had happened, the government obscured everything. Had a major nationwide cover-up. I can show you what really happened, if you’re interested,” “How would you know? It’s in the history book, what else can it be?” Raine asked ludicrously. Lea was starting to annoy her. “That’s what they want you to believe,” she paused. She studied Raine. “Follow me,” Hesitantly, Raine got up from her chair and followed her.

Lea took her to the third floor of the building, then beckoned her to come into a smaller room at the end of the hallway. “Normally this room is off limits, no one is allowed in here, but since I help out almost everyday, the librarian trusts me with the key. I’ve explored every single corner of this library and basically know where each book is located. But this room is my favourite,” she said.

Raine stood still with her back against the door, watching her as she reached for a switch on the right hand side of the wall. A small light bulb flickered to life. The room was very small, almost like an attic. It was dusty and smelled of mould. There were bookshelves on either side of the room, but not as fancy as the ones she saw in the library. They were rotting, a few of the wooden planks were broken. The books that were lined up on the good planks were huge and thick. They looked very old, as if they came all the way from the 18th Century, maybe even older. Lea narrowed her eyes and scanned the books.

Then she carefully took one out and handed it to Raine. “Here. This will explain in detail what really happened,” Raine stared down at the book. Salvage Rain. “You can take it home. You can’t really read it in here, or else I’ll get busted,” Lea continued. “You trust me with this?” Raine asked, eyes widened. She couldn’t figure out why this girl was being so nice to her. “Of course. Anyway, it won’t mean anything if you steal it, these books here are not in the inventory. I have no idea why they still keep them. But I’m glad they did,” she said with a smile. “Thanks, um, Lea right? Thanks a lot,” Raine said with a smile, and with a casual wave she left the room.

Once you found your gift of light, cherish it and never lose sight, for He will come to claim as his own, and only you can turn him to bone.

Ah, that little poem again. The one which had haunted her since she was 9. Yet she knew that voice. She recognized the soft, wispy tone which had rocked her to sleep every night when she was little. She opened her eyes and glanced at her bedside table clock. 3 am. She got out of her bed slowly and dragged her feet towards the bathroom across the room. She stopped midway and looked briefly around her. The air was still, and a soft breeze came in from the window, which she had slightly opened last night. Her studio apartment was untidy, as usual.

Clothes were thrown, sprawled everywhere on the floor, and books piled on top of each other on her desk. Matrilineal and Patrilineal Cultures, read one, visible from the streak of light shining in through the window. Pictures of Hannah and Matthew framed beautifully on the desk shelf. A little star with a circle encircling it was pinned on her bulletin board. Her eyes moved swiftly to it and lingered there for awhile. Her mind was blank, yet her chest felt heavy. The image of the star had come to her one night in a dream and she had drawn it out, yet to find out what it means. She took a deep breath and looked away. The apartment is spacious and comfortable, with more than enough room for her queen size bed, her walk-in closet, a study table and a dressing table. She even has her own mini kitchen, which she seldom use of course.

Ever since she moved into her own place she never really cooked. It’s either takeouts or dinner with the Randalls. The walls of her room were painted in mauve, and the soft silk curtains billowing in the breeze were lilac. She never really wanted her room to be in that colour, she wanted it painted black, her favourite colour. But Hannah wouldn’t see to it. She was adamant that Raine had her room in light colours. “It’ll bring good karma,” she had said. “Plus, black makes it look smaller and well, gloomier,” Raine just shrugged and went along with it. Hannah had always been into karma, Feng shui and other spiritual philosophies. She has a deep belief that our actions, speech and how we treat each other affect the world order in a spiritual way. Very Buddhist, but not quite.

At 19, she decided to move out of the home she came to know, although The Randalls weren’t very happy with her decision, so by allowing Hannah to decorate her apartment however she liked was a way to make up to them. It’s the least she could do after all the things they had done for her.

The cold water that splashed on her face was soothing. She looked into the mirror in front of her and suddenly tears started to form. It has become a little tradition actually. Everytime she wakes up from a dream, she would cry over it. Her eyes start to swell and tears would form. Then when her pretty eyes couldn’t take it anymore, they flow down her face in beautiful crystal drops. Breaking down in little sobs, she shrinks down on her bathroom floor.

Why did you leave me? Why am I in this alone? No one would understand. No one would even believe. It’s our world. Not theirs. She went through the little riddle in her mind. She had understood some parts of the riddle, but not the rest. And it bothered her so much when she couldn’t pin down the answers. Gift of light. She scoffed. “More like gift of freakiness to me,” she said as she looked down on her palms. Pink blotches started to form on her fingertips. Then she could feel the warmth. “Give me light,” she whispered. Then suddenly a little spark shot out from her index finger, and a red flame danced on her fingertip.

Her eyes were fixed on the little flame. Is this a curse? The light from the flame burned her grey blue eyes. Yet she remained fixated. Her eyes glimmered over the small ruby stone perched from her right ring finger. The words, “Ardeo, Ardetis, Ardemus” were engraved along the silver rim. She had the ring in her possession for as long as she could remember. She was clutching it in her palms the night the Randalls found her on the steps of Whitaker Museum. It was the only thing that kept her warm throughout the cold winter’s night, alone and scared.

“What do you mean He? Who is He?” she asked loudly and looked up at the ceiling as if someone from the Heavens would answer her. She waited. Nothing. The air was still as before. In her mind she imagined the little flame to die out. She looked down at her index finger, and the flame was no longer there. She gave herself a faint smile, got out of the bathroom and went back to bed.

                                             *********

“Well, what do we have here? If it isn’t the one and only Raine Raidan, back from the dead,” he said ending with a little chuckle. “I guess you were MIA for a whole week you didn’t just fly off to Milan or wherever choking out on new clothes,” he scanned her from head to foot. She was wearing a black sweater over a black dress. Nothing unusual. She had her hair held up in a ponytail, yet it was still messy, strands falling down on her face as she was looking down, and her black sweater had a little embroidery of a rose, her dress folded right up to her thigh as she sat cross –legged. “Go away, Kaelan,” she said briefly without looking up. “You say that every time I come near you, and guess what, I never do,” Raine looked up from her book that she was reading. She blew out a puff of smoke and stubbed out the cigarette. Kaelan gave her a smile, flashing two rows of wonderful, white teeth. God, you really are good looking if you weren’t such a jerk, she thought. He propped down next to her without her permission. “So really, where were you this whole week? I didn’t see you in class, you didn’t return my calls. What’s up Raine?” “Nothing. I…I was just busy, you know. I just needed some time alone,”

Kaelan studied her. He was her best friend, and most probably, her only friend. He knew things about Raine most people didn’t know, and albeit they have been friends for nearly 10 years she couldn’t bring herself to tell him about her ability. He’s so normal, and she’s so different. There’s no way he could ever understand. And he being her only friend, the last thing she would want is to scare him away. “Does this has something to do with your dream?” he asked in a hushed voice. The dream. “Don’t let it get to you, Raine. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything, maybe it’s just your mind playing tricks on you. But it’s certainly not worth to miss classes for,”

Raine shot an angry look at him. She may have been missing a lot of classes, but she is still one of the top students in her class. His statement was a little bit insulting to her ego. Her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed. “How can it not mean anything if I’ve been dreaming about the same thing for almost 13 years! The same dream, over and over again,” she hesitated, “Fine Kaelan, let’s just drop this ok? I’m too drained to even think about it,” She looked away from him, took out another cigarette, and set it alight.

“Ok, I’m sorry if I went out of line. Hey, let’s grab something to eat, why don’t we? I’m starved,” Someone called out his name. He turned around and waved towards a bunch of guys walking past. Kaelan’s football teammates. Raine just stared at them. They are the type of guys Raine consciously try to avoid, except for Kaelan. He’s just a bug. “Hi Raine,” a pleasant voice greeted her. She nodded and gave a weak smile so just to acknowledge it, without knowing who actually said it.

The Shabby Shack was crowded with Whitaker University students and a few groups of wannabe high school kids. There was never a time when the shack was empty. From outside, it looked, well, shabby, thus the name. It was a small wooden house, very old from the looks of it, and it has a nice wooden porch overlooking a small garden. There were seats arranged along the porch for smokers, or for those who would like to enjoy the summer sun with their meals. Raine glanced at the far left side of the porch. Empty. Good, she thought. It was her special spot. Whenever the place was occupied, she would tug at Kaelan’s sleeve and he knew that she’d rather go somewhere else. She’d rather have her chicken fajitas to go and sit on the rocks off the river bank behind The Shabby Shack, away from the deafening crowd.

Kaelan went inside to order their food while she sat at the table. Absently she took out her cigarette and lighted it. The amber on her cigarette grew brighter and danced for awhile on the tip as she gazed at it. Then it slowly burned softly. The couple at the table in front of her was busy making out, oblivious to their surroundings. So deep in their little heated passion. A few sorority girls were standing against the Shack’s wooden wall, gossiping away. A shrill laugh came from them and made Raine jumped. From the other end, Raine noticed someone was staring at her. He looked familiar. When he noticed that Raine was looking at him, he smiled and gave a little wave. Must’ve been one of Kaelan’s friends.

“Here’re your fajitas. I asked them to add more Tabasco in it since I know you love it,” Kaelan’s voice intruded her thoughts. “How thoughtful,” she said sarcastically. She adored Kaelan. More than he ever realized, but she was afraid to allow things to go beyond ‘just friends.’ She couldn’t risk that. “Hey, there’s Ryan,” he said and waved to the guy that had smiled to her earlier, sitting at the far end of the other side. Ryan nodded. “What’s up Kae?” his voice boomed across the porch. The gossiping girls stopped and glanced over at Kaelan. One of them gave him a little wink. The others giggled. How typical, Raine thought.

“Do you want to come over my place later at 7? Hannah and Matt are coming over for dinner. They’re bringing Chinese,” Raine asked casually. “Unless if you choose to ditch me and go flirt with the sorority lot,” she sneered and gave a mocking smile. “Choose you over them? Obviously them!” he laughed. “You know I never miss dinner with the Randalls. They are like my parents too. Hey, you remember when I fell off the bike in front of their house and you got so worried you actually cried? And Hannah came running out of the house with bandages and antiseptics and going all fussy over my little scratch? That was hilarious!” They both laughed at the mere thought of it.

They shared their joy and pain together, growing up side by side. Yes, the Terrible Two, as Matthew had called them when they were children. Raine was there for him when his parents got divorced. They were only 13. It was a painful experience for him, and she never left his side. She was there when he made it into the football team, and then when he was nominated as captain.

Kaelan was very supportive when she decided to move out of the Randalls’s house and into her own studio apartment, and helped her with the moving. He spoke to Hannah and Matthew on her behalf, comforting them that he’ll always keep an eye on her, and made sure she stays out of trouble. Raine was never good at those things. She was never good at showing her feelings to people, scared that people might think she’s vulnerable. Indeed, she has been portraying this strong, independent sense of self ever since she was a little girl that it just comes naturally. Only to Kaelan she trusted to show, even a bit, of vulnerability. Only to Kaelan she confided in. And only to Kaelan did she ever spoke of her dreams. And she made him promise to keep the secret until the day he dies.