The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 55: Will You Go With Me?

"Will you go to the prom with me?"

That question was not for me though, but the question horrified me to the point that I would still be surprised when ever I hear the question being asked.

After coming back to her regular classes, Anasthasia had become closer to me. And I said that in a quite literal and physical sense. I told her that she might not be safe if she strayed too far from both Cocytus and me. As a solution I came up with, I told her that the light butterflies would accompany her but if she was able, she should just go with me. That was why I was so terrified with the question.

Because some boys kept asking Anasthasia.

Although she was shy, I guess she was popular among the population of her class. She was kind and easy to get along with since Anasthasia does not know how to say no to anything. Eve the girls seemed to treat her fairly and I guess that was quite something. Now I could see why would Bianca want to be friends with her and they were friends in the first place.

Her memory did not improve and since Cocytus does not approve of calling Zachriel over often to get a good look at Anasthasia's mind, I did not even attempt. Cocytus never said anything, but I could feel his discomfort with Zachriel's presence even when he played it cool on those few times that Zachriel went to the house.

We were currently on the dining hall, just across from one another. At the entrance of the dining hall, standing like the arrogant jerk he was, was Cocytus himself. He surveyed the whole cafeteria as though he was trying to find something. I let him just stand there like a dumbass that he was, only raising my hand when his forehead was already knotted and there was an impatient stomp on his foot while he still surveyed the whole cafeteria.

I snickered while calling Cocytus' attention.

"Yto!" I said loudly, not quite shouting although the volume was also just enough to be carried in this spacious area.

Because I was quite taller than most of the people around the cafeteria, his eyes immediately lightened upon finding ky raised hand. After making sure that Cocytus knew where he was going only then did I let my arm fell on my side.

Anasthasia got her smile prepared for Cocytus while I only got my poker face for him. I raised an eyebrow, demanding his presence and why its arrival was later than the time we agreed on.

"Shut up, Seraphin," he told me and pointed with a glare towards me.

"I have not even spoken anything at all," I refuted but I only received a deathly glare from the bastard.

"I can read your mind so easily," he snapped back at me which made me snorted at him.

We both looked around, finding none of the people looking so suspicious. It has been three weeks now since the plan started. Of course, we told Anasthasia and she consented in return. She said that she can never really just hide behind the shadow of Cocytus and me until she die. She knew that, eventually, she had to make her own way to the world.

I was just grateful that she consented and she made her re-entrance in a manner that was useful to the case.

"Anything suspicious?" I asked Cocytus, my hand was raised yet again to call a waiter or even just someone to take our orders.

"Can you not?" he demanded at me. "You looked like a monkey trying to claw your way out of a cage. And no," he then answered my question properly, "I did not see anyone suspicious."

I paused, not wanting to be biased but also cannot help it

"Not even that teacher?" I asked, not specifying to whom I was pertaining to. I did not want to let Anasthasia know that I was already suspecting someone since she might not act natural around that person.

When I looked at her, she seemed to be contented enough to just make the order for us after the waiter approached our table. Meanwhile, Cocytus shook his head as a response. He cut short our conversation and ordered a meal for himself whereas I only pointed at something that I knew would give me some energy.

"That's a protein f*****g shake, Seraphin," Cocytus cursed at me.

Actually no, it might be more accurate to say that he was cursing me. I gave him a slight, not fully, smirk, dangling irritatingly at the edge of my lips. He called the waiter back to our table, his face was scrunched up and ugly.

"I never thought that Cocytus might be your brother," Anasthasia whispered to me. Whispered because I think the two of us have an idea how Cocytus would overreact and get into hysteria mode if he heard the way Anasthasia referred to him as my brother.

I only shrugged.

I never thought that Cocytus would also be a brother to me yet here we were. We talked casually more, just mundane things that happened. Fortunately, noen of the other students have disappeared since the classes have started this year. Cocytus and I thought though that sooner or later, there would be another student that will just be added to the pile of profiles on the case.

I still have some of my suspicions and I think that it was that Sir Apollyon, but I did not have any concrete evidence and we need him to be caught in the act.

Just as we were finishing our meal, four boys were slowly approaching our circular table. All of them were blushing furiously and I have a horrifying thought that they would actually come over here. My eyes subtly went over to Anasthasia's face but her whole attention was directed on her unfinished plate. Then I looked at Cocytus, but he was as equally oblivious as the other one sitting beside us.

I cannot believe it, I thought to myself as I pretended to be oblivious like the two beside me. My thoughts was put into reality when two of the blushing voice actually walked closer to us, they were both close enough that it drew even the attention of Cocytus.

Next time, I thought fiercely, next time I would ask Cocytus to reserve us three a private room up the stairs because I knew that it has long finished its renovation. One of the two boys cleared their throat. With my sharp eyes, I could see the roses he was hiding behind his back and the furious glare of the blush on his skin that made his complexion so blotchy made everything worst.

I nudged Cocytus with my arm, nodding towards the boy.

"Is he yours?" I asked him and it was the exact time that he was drinking water from the glass bottle.

He was so shocked with my question that he almost spit out his drink. I glared at him, daring him to actually spit it out but, luckily and fortunately for I do not want to be bathed on his saliva and spit, he did not actually went on and spit his drink.

"I'm firm with my heterosexuality, thank you vey much," he then told me and nodded discreetly towards Anasthasia.

Among those students who have asked her, she accepted no one. I would be lying to say if I say that I do not want to go. Of course I would really want to the prom, but since the person whom I wanted to take me to it was not ever coming back, what should I do?

It would only look pathetic, even in my eyes, and I do not want to try if it was not with Deo.

What was the use if I was only forcing myself to some thing that I did not want in the very first place. I was not that desperate enough.

"E-excuse me," one of the boy told me.

In my surprise, it was actually me whom they wanted to ask for. I looked at them. Beside me, Cocytus was also wearing the same glowering glare at them which made the blush on the boy's face to pale.

"What?" Cocytus asked the boy who turned paler with the intimidating tone.

"Shut it, Cocytus," I told him, turning towards the boy, "what is it?" I asked, maybe not as gently as I have intended to do at first.

Ansthasia nudged me gently with her elbow. It did not hurt but it was enough to get my attention towards her. She shook her head rather discreetly, motioning her head to the boy and his friend and maybe even to that stupid roses.

"What is it?" I tried again and, to the boy's relief, it was indeed gentler than the first time around.

"I-I would l-like to ask you... you for the prom," he finally found his courage to ask.

My gaze found Anasthasia yet again. She mouthed to me two words, 'be gentle.' And what should I be gentle about, I was not so certain. But I turned to the boy, who has gone from blushing red to frightened pale. I took pity on him so I turned him down without further ado.

"I'm going with someone else," I told him though I was not even sure if Deo would actually come. The time he asked was back when I consider everything was still fine and good. Besides, he told me that using Caspian's face to just get me out of Sir Apollyon's clutches that tine. Whether he was serious or not, the matter that he still asked me remained and I cannot just let go of that. "You better find someone else to play matchy match for prom," I even added for a good measure since, with his current look, he might start crying and I do not want to hear any sobs as of the moment.

"I did not say anything that will hurt his feelings, right?" I asked both Cocytus and Anasthasia.

"Not exactly, yes," Anasthasia responded with hesitation. "In fact, you are very, how do I say it?" she even asked, there was a grimace on her face. "You are very..." her voice trailed away and, thanks to Cocytus, her sentence was finished.

"Direct," he said and nodded, "frank. I thought that's fine. If he's going to cry, at least you didn't gave him a lengthy lecture."

Anasthasia just sighed on that and, like the speaker, I also saw no wrong with what Cocytus just said.

"But who is that someone?" Cocytus asked me curiously. "Do not, please, tell me that you think you are going with Lord Deo?"

I smacked him at the back of his head and, for the first time, I actually hit him this time.

At the end of the day, Anasthasia decided that it would be better for herself that she should just go alone. Maybe like me, she said, but I told her that I might not be going at all. It was not until Sir Apollyon just suddenly appeared, who witnessed me being asked Deo who was then wearing Caspian's face for the prom. I knew that some people saw it too, but I do not know if anybody else have any care about it to be honest.

"Miss Griyego!" he told me but I was certain that he already knew who I really was at this point.

I do not think it was even a secret any longer that I was not just Miss Griyego or that Seraphim girl who was sponsored by one of the richest family in the Amitiel or the girl that Headmistress Henrietta Amitiel toured around the whole academy. But then we silently agreed not to point that out for our own sake.

"Yes, Sir Apollyon?" I asked, my eyes flickered to Anasthasia, just waiting to see of there was anything.

Spoiler alert: there was nothing, not even a small glint within her eyes. I redirected my attention to Sir Apollyon, listening to what he has to say because though I was Lady Alaric Elliot, he was still a teacher.

"I heard you broke one of my students' hearts," he said in a good-natured way, seemingly just talking casually. "You were ruthless they say. Still going with the plan with Caspian?" he asked but it was also the worst thing that he asked that since Caspian and the others were just walking towards us.

My heart pounded.

I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THE PROM WITH CASPIAN CASHEL!

I cannot just say that though, it was Deo who asked me and not Caspian himself. Caspian would not know for sure how he was suddenly involved and it would only caused more trouble to explain how Caspian asked me but then he has no recollection of ever asking me.

"Yes," I answered Sir Apollyon. His eyes turned to the coming Caspian and his friends and I did something I knew I would instantly regret later on. I grabbed Caspian's arm, rather harshly, and said pointedly to him, "Caspian is going to the prom with me."

I almost vomited the content of my stomach right there and then.