CHAPTER 6

Astraea's POV

The dryness clawed my throat as I woke up. The air rush seemed too slow, as I gasped for breath. Sweat made the fragile, light nightdress clinked to my skin like an inferior layer.

Slowly and steadily, I felt my heart slow down. The breathing became normal which made me focus things around. Again, I was back in the warmth of my comfort zone.

My hands shook as I tried to wipe the sweat off my face. However, it wasn't the only thing. My eyes, they were teary.

I was crying.Because I was scared.

I tried to tell myself but no , I knew in my heart that it wasn't fear, rather the presence of an unknown fragment in my soul making me awakened with a painful process. The tears were the proof.

Nonetheless, this time it was different. I couldn't remember anything I dreamed off. Nothing, it was all blank but the pain in my heart spoke a different story.

It was so intense and familiar that it felt like an old friend I had carried with me for evermore. The kind of friend who is toxic, one who only gives you pain but still you can't let go of them. Because they are the only one who don't let you be alone in the untold darkness.

The pain reminded me of the reason I lived for. But the irony is that the reason was something I couldn't remember.

My hand touched the book beside the pillow, still open on the page I was reading. One word so bold that it caught my eyes' instantly.

Werewolves.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Walking through the busy corridor, I searched for Emily. Since, the episode in the morning took a huge toll on me and I needed a little time to gather myself, I told her not to wait for me.

Soon, I found her standing near her locker and talking to ..Roman ?Even though the expression on her face was like her usual one. Sassy and arrogant, I could still see a subtle blush on her cheeks.

Holy shit!! ... She has got it bad for him.

Roman stood there, patiently listening to something she spoke, his lips had a soft smile, I remember from the game night.

I ship it so bad.

"Who are you smiling at ?" The voice was just near my ear, I felt goosebump all over my body.Turning back, I found the one and only Zeus Valente standing behind me. His hands were behind him as he was bent a little to talk to me.

My eyes without any hesitation wandered up and down his built. The light blue shirt with black slacks, his hair, this time set in a sexy manner. I gulped.

He raised his eyebrows, and I swear I could almost feel his amusement, even though his face remained stoic.

"Do you like Roman or something ?. He inquired, his voice a lot more quiet than I have heard. Almost a whisper, meant only for me.

"No--It's J-just Emily." My voice so quiet that even I couldn't hear it clearly. But he did.His eyes were carefully observing me. So intense that I should quiver in fear but being the fool I was, I wanted to bask in the warmth of his stare and felt the loving burn all over my body.

Maybe, he felt the same too. He didn't move. So did I. The time seemed to stop for both of us. The hustling of people, the chiming of bells, nothing bothered him. It's just the two of us.

Like it always has been.

His rough callous hand slowly touched my cheek and caressed them so softly like a new born being touched. Afraid, as if a little too hard and I will vanish from his grasp.My eyes closed instinctively. Like nothing was in my control.

His hands so warm that it instantly covered the cold I had been carrying in me. I opened my eyes looking straight at him. His golden eyes seemed a little different. A little black strand present in the core, darkening them, as if the golden was no more present. The undertaking so slow, that one could never catch if not observed closely.

"You look tired." His voice came in whisper again. His thumb continued caressing my cheek so lovingly that I almost teared.

The longing I unknowingly felt was tentatively dissolving in my soul, filling the gaps with sudden exuberance. My eyes seemed to speak for me. Quietly asking him for his distant and cold nature. Asking him to fill my soul with the warmth I craved for.

Maybe he understood everything or it was just my wild imagination, but his eyes lost the shine in them. The rush of memories in him reminded something he wished to forget. I felt the connection between us break as the unwanted feelings in him held him in invisible shackles. The eyes that gleamed of various emotions a few moments ago was now replaced with cold and blank ones.

His loving touch abandoned me as he took few steps back. The one standing infront of me was the Zeus I knew. A stranger, just a stranger.

He turned and walked into the crowd of people, vanishing from my sight while I was being left behind with nothing but confusion and restrained bottled up emotions.A pat on my shoulder woke me from my trance.

"You okay ?". Miranda spoke. Her lips had a small smile, a smile which coincidentally felt like sympathy.I nodded, my veins too numb from everything. The long forgotten dream and Zeus, everything was so confusing that I almost wanted to pull my hair out.

"Be patient Astraea." I looked at Miranda, surprised how could she see within me.

"Be patient, Emily can be a little forgetful."

Right, of course, she was talking about Emily.

"Right, Emily can be.." I awkwardly replied.

"Hey guys". Emily hopped back to us on her way. I chuckled seeing how excited she was. The only normal thing in my life.

"You look so excited." Miranda wiggled her eyes while pointing to Roman.

"God woman, don't think much. He just asked us to join his table in lunch. Do you guys mind sitting there ?"

"What no, of course not, we couldn't leave you only infront of your crush now. Girls gotta stick together." 

"Shut up Rae, he is not my crush."

I rolled my eyes at her. "You said he was handsome. You were blushing while talking to him."

"Yes, he's handsome. True, but I never said anything about having crush. I don't do relationships Rae, you know that."

"Denial". Miranda mumbled quietly beside me making me laugh.

"W-what, what did you say you little elf ?." Emily narrowed her eyes, and I swear I saw fear in Miranda' eyes as she took a few steps back and dashed down the corridor. Emily at her tail.

"I feel like a damn nanny," mumbling I followed those idiot friend of mine.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Holding the tray in my hand, I walked towards the table at the center of the cafeteria.My breath hitched seeing Zeus sitting beside Roman.

Of course he is here. Best friends aren't they ?

Nervously, I dragged myself to sit beside Emily and coincidentally opposite of Zeus. He didn't once looked at me instead turned towards Roman and glared at him.

"Should have asked me before asking anyone to sit at our table ?" His cold voice echoed , silencing both Emily and Miranda.

Roman awkwardly chuckled. "Right, this is Emily and Astraea. They are really a good company. Sorry guys, it's just Valente is not people's person."

"Couldn't have guessed." Emily said with a sickly sweet smile.

"Oh, and this is Miranda." I said.

Zeus' s eyes didn't look at me, instead his stare was keenly set on Miranda who was giving him a smile.

"Oh, we know." He said with a such a glare that hell could freeze upon.

Curiously, I turned to see Miranda. She hasn't said anything about it.

" Had met them during oriental-sessions." She explained to me.

Roman gave a smile and started talking about topics I didn't hear.

I gaped at my tray and played with the food. Today's encounter meant nothing to him, it only made me embarrassed. He hasn't said a single word to me and has skillfully dodged every chance to even look at me.

"Zeus is good at painting. I'm sure Astraea would love to see some pieces. You are in Arts Majors, right ?" Roman said while looking at Zeus even though the question was directed at me.

"Yes." I mumbled.

"I didn't knew you painted."

Please, just say something to me, Please.

"Nobody knew, well except now." He almost whispered to me.

I smiled, the rest focused on their own as I bend a little to the front, desperately wanting to close the gap, which seemed way too impossible. But unconsciously, he bended infront too, meeting me halfway.

"What do you like to paint ?" I asked, my eyes probably shined with curiosity.

I really had this stupid teeny-tiny urge to get to know him. This time he looked straight in my eyes, probably searching for something. They slowly travelled through my nose, stopping at my lips. He intently watched them, as unknowingly I wetted my lips with my tongue. The movement caught his attention as those burning golden eyes dived back into mine forest green ones.

"Emotions. I like to draw emotions. It made me feel close to the person. Helps me cherish them for as long as I can. Crinkling of beautiful eyes paired with red heart shaped lips curving into a  smile similar to the cupid's bow. A smile which lights up the whole canvas more then the mingling of all colors could do. Thick, dark black eyelashes curtained over her eyes, as if hiding her passion from her admirer. The light coloured strands, so soft and silky that one wouldn't mind getting tangled in while taking their last breath. An enchanted beauty which spread cold through every fiber of your skin, but when closer, it burns you with a passion and longing no one has ever seen."

"H-have you ever met someone like that before ?" I asked, my voice held a tone of disappointment mingled with the broken pieces of my heart.

Of course he has and probably have drawn her --

So many times that he remembers every emotion of her face.

"Yes, I have. So many times. Be it fall or rain, snow or midsummer, different time and different place, I have met her."

A longingness shone in his eyes, so warming and so ardent that it made my heart drown in a sea of pain and misery.

"So many times, she was still the same but at the same time very different."

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