The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 3: Even in Dreams

"Maybe you do know him," Bianca continued on gossiping while we were walking in the corridor that led to our dormitory room. "Like in pre-school. Maybe he wasn't just that good-looking back then and maybe that's why you felt like you knew him, right?"

"I do not know," I answered solemnly then shrugged my shoulders lightly.

"Or he can be like a model," she suggested earnestly, "maybe that's why you felt like that."

She giggled at that thought.

"Could be a possibility," I said and rummaged for the key in my bag to unlock our dorm room. Bianca slammed into her bed heavily and spread her arms, while I sat on my bed opposite to hers.

Bianca was great at keeping me company, she does not bore me or irritate me or bother me much. I could easily rely something on her and she would know what to do. And she was the only person in this school that I got along with well, and that waa inky because she was my roommate.

I needed to get along with her well.

While Bianca was talking, telling me about a lot of gossip and news inside the academy, my mind was elsewhere. Trying to divulge what was going on inside of my brain. I know it was not just a queer feeling, there must be something else.

It has been a month since I came to Amitiel, and whenever I saw him I just couldn't forget that feeling I felt the moment I first saw him.

Zachriel Legrand.

Steady and calm hands hold my shoulders steadily. My heart was pounding so loud inside my rib cage, I thought it was causing my ears to ring painfully. There was something with him. Something familiar that moved me deeply.

He was a good foot or so taller than me that when he looked at me, he had to look down so our eyes could meet properly. But when our eyes met, his eyes softened like he was also moved by something too, like he was in a trance or dream.

Something deep within me, buried inside my deepest realms, clicked suddenly. But shock suddenly disrupted his still dark eyes and his face contorted by... anger? He let me go as soon as that particular moment passed.

Suddenly, it was gone and has faded into nothingness already.

My knees buckled at the intensity of what I was feeling so I fell but instead of helping me up, he just walked away as if he never bumped into me. As if he didn't see me, as if I didn't exist.

"Excuse me," I called out to him.

I stood up immediately after he passed me, and reached out my hand to stop him, but even when I reached his shirt and tried in vain to stop him, he still walked away. His muscular back cast shadows that made his exit more dramatic. I could almost hear the clicking of his every step on the wooden floor.

"Excuse me," I continued on calling him out.

Because he never acknowledged me or even looked back at me, I went and walked towards him purposefully, but when I turned a corner, he had already disappeared within the midst of rows upon rows of bookshelves.

I could not shake off the feeling that he was running away from me. The look on his face when our eyes intertwined almost made me believe myself that I knew of him and that he knew me too. That we already met each other somewhere. My pounding heart pounded even harder after that.

Inhaling air seems so heavy to do and all I could think about was his face and where I might have seen it. Even behind my eyelids, whenever I try to close my eyes. His face was the only thing I can see even in the darkness that the night brought. Before I sleep, in my dreams, and after waking. The familiarity his face brought was all I could think about.

I moved, but my lids remained closed still with slumber.

A slight smile appeared on his florid lips, dimples showing on his cheeks. His dark eyes that were almost as still as water scintillated. When I looked into his eyes so deeply, there was that something that I cannot describe but it invaded my mind painfully. It went to the very crevices of my mind, seeking entrance and invading.

Every crease on his face when his expression changes embedded on my memory, forcing its way to my mind violently. His thick and expressive eyebrows. His still dark eyes that almost emits austerity with those thin but long eyelashes. Down to his high nose and regal cheekbones. Then to his thin lips, bearing that smile that almost made me believe that was genuine and true though I was not certain because it was too bright.

I filled my lungs with fresh air, there was that tinge of distrust on the back of my mind as I looked at him. Who was he exactly, reflecting my own face within those eyes?

Pale and small compared to his built with my long charcoal black hair cascading down my shoulders. Thin and dark eyebrows almost knotted, thin lips were red, and dark eyes were bright.

Until suddenly I saw glowing creatures flying around, making the darkness be illuminated by their brilliance. I was standing on a room with glasses as its walls and all I could see was my reflection wearing a flowing robe. Its expansive sleeves did not let me see my hands and when I looked up, I realized that I was wearing a mask. A plain mask of white.

Zachriel was nowhere to be seen.

I was abruptly pulled down, the robes I was wearing fluttering with the wind as I fell. I was lying on something cold, indistinguishable creatures flying around the glass room I was in.

It was quite ominous and I was not certain if those things flirting with the wind were fireflies or something else but they were warm and they made me comfortable.

They lulled me to sleep, almost making me forget that Zachriel Legrand was ever part of that odd spectacle of a dream.

I blinked rapidly while the sun's rays shone upon my face indicating the start of the day. My eyes still refused to properly open as though they were tired, but my mind was awake.

What in the world was happening to me?

"Good morning!" Bianca greeted me enthusiastically as she was preparing herself to have the usual breakfast in the dining hall. "You better get up, Sera. We'll have no seats if we go later than this."

I nodded and got up to wash myself. There was still that grogginess from my sleep and I sighed as I reached for my towel.

If only I could wash whatever this odd thing that I had.

The familiarity I was feeling towards him gave birth to distrust and suspicions. Or maybe it was only me that was feeling odd and I was only overthinking about every single thing since coming to this academy.

"Not in the mood?" Bianca asked me while we were both looking for a table at the dining hall, concern and worry were evident in her eyes and I just smiled at her gently, nodding my head slightly.

Then something caught my attention. My lips parted as I saw him a table or two away from me and because of that stupidity, I almost tripped on the floor. And someone caught me before I hit the floor.

"You okay?" a rough and coarse voice asked me.

I looked up and saw Caspian Cashel, one of the most popular boys in the academy, holding my arm and leaning too close to me.

"Yes," I answered curtly then, once again, glanced at Zachriel, but he was not paying any mind to us or whatsoever. My squinted at him, his face was a great reminder of what my dream had been. "Thank you," I said gratefully and nodded at him.

"Be careful, yeah?" he said and smiled. I just nodded along as an answer, not speaking but was already moving away from his touch. "Do you know me?" he asked me all of a sudden.

I looked at him, I felt a vein protruded on my temple.

"Yes," I answered simply, "Caspian... Cashel, isn it not?" I asked him out of politeness. "Thank you for helping me just now, I am Seraphim Griyego."

"Everyone knows you," he said, "I mean Tharraleos sponsored you and the headmistress herself toured you around. You would think that everyone has already seen or heard of you after you are paraded by the headmistress on your very first day."

"Then it is terribly nice to meet you," I greeted him and nodded once. I started to turn around when he called out to me all of a sudden before I truly walked away.

"Hey, Seraphim!" he shouted.

The vein in my temple that has already calmed down already started to pop again. What does he want now? I have been gracious enough already.

With a deep sigh, I looked back at him, he closed the space between us and leaned to whisper in my ear. "I am having this small party at the scorched building tonight, you wanna come?" The tip of his nose grazed my cheek lightly and he seemed to be enjoying our closeness so I took a step back to maintain our distance.

I looked at him with a deadpan expression, not at all fazed by his cheekiness. He was too close.

"I'll think about it," I said and left him there, not bothering to wait for his answer.

I don't like people like him, arrogant and ignorant.

"Think about it?" Bianca said incredulously as we found a table for the two of us. "Are you nuts? It's Caspian Cashel asking you out!"

One of the waitresses went over to our table to get the order of the two of us. The dining hall here in Amitiel was like a fine dining restaurant. There were waiters and waitresses and the food was really great. It was not crowded and I can actually breathe some fresh air in here, unlike in the cafeteria of my past schools. It was very unlike my past schools.

The tables were in little circle tables so the hall was greatly divided by many circles of friends and if Biance and I were later than the time we arrived today, all of the tables might have already been occupied.

"He's not asking me out," I contradicted her and rolled my eyes at Bianca. "He just asked me to attend his party. I don't even know what the scorched building is. Won't the teachers or guards hear them?"

"Yes!" she whispered-shout at me, apparently she was not listening to a word I have been saying at all. "He just asked you to go to one of his famous parties that everyone wanted to attend."

"Then do you want to go?" I asked mindlessly.

Then it registered with me. Bianca may have never been in one of Caspian's parties before and this might probably be the very first time she got as close as being able to go. I looked at her, I should have known that she actually wanted to go.

Her cheeks were flushed and she would not look me in the eyes, but we were greatly interrupted by the waitress who just got our orders. She placed the food on our table long enough for Bianca to recover.

And one of the things that I would like to applaud in this academy was their service. It was quite quick and efficient.

"Okay," I finally decided and took a big bite of my pancakes from the part that was stuck on my fork that I used to stabbed the flat food. "I'll go, but I need you to go with me. As my date."

"But I'm not invited," Bianca mumbled quietly.

"And?" I raised my eyebrow at that. "I don't think they will mind if I bring a friend, right?" I asked her.

I smiled at her and the tension on her shoulders loosened.

Bianca was just your typical average girl. My first day here she just talked and talked and talked. She was easy to be with and she always tells me what to do and what not to do in this academy. And practically anything to remember that would either be useful or something that I should not have any knowledge of. She passed on to me anything that would not make me look stupid or foolish in front of our peers.

She told me that Hermes Run can get anything inside Amitiel even if it was illegal. That Layla Gwen was the queen bee of this academy, and nothing could change that. That I have to act prim and proper in front of Henrietta Amitiel, the headmistress of Academia Amitiel, the very one who welcomed me on my first day. That this school was a school for rich kids who don't want them to be around by their own family.

"So have you given my invitation any consideration?" Caspian Cashel asked me. He then proceeded to flash me one of his dashing smiles on our way to the gymnasium for one of our subjects.

"Well—" I was supposed to speak, but I was abruptly cut off by some girly voice behind Caspian Cashel and me.

"Yeah," Layla Gwen intruded in between Caspian and me which rather surprised me, "you should totally come!"

Caspian Cashel, Layla Gwen, and some of their so-called friends started to walk alongside me. They flocked over to my sides that Bianca couldn't keep up anymore, and fell behind us.

"—will come! You will be so sorry to miss it," someone piped in the conversation which I do not really appreciate.

The back of my neck's skin prickled by someone else's gaze. I could feel his eyes on me and I know this time I was definitely not imagining or dreaming it. I was wide awake burning under his stare.

It was not like it was malicious, in fact, it was the opposite. It was guarded, still proper like he was only just mildly interested in what we were talking about. Within a second, I returned his cold gaze with mine but he just casually glided his eyes away from us.

"Every one of us will come," Layla said with that sweet, sweet voice.

"Yes, of course," I answered her and then I smiled languidly at them as if I was lazy with moving lips on an upward motion. I looked back at Bianca who was looking down and depressed. "But, it is fine to bring a friend too, right?"

"Yeah," Caspian Cashel answered enthusiastically, "your friend can come. So see you later?" he asked finally, a hint of farewell in his voice.

I only just nodded at him as my answer.

"Okay." Layla smiled at my answer. "Then we'll go ahead."

"See you there!" said some of the people that Caspian and Layla had with them.

Bianca immediately went after Layla, Caspian, and their friends walked past us, "We're actually going to Caspian's party!" she whispered s***h shouted at me and I can't answer back comfortably because of someone at my back. "I can't wait for it—"

But I was not listening to her anymore.

I looked subtly at my peripheral vision.

I wanted to look back, to look at him. But before I did or before I gained courage, he already walked past Bianca and me.

His broad back in front of us.

My eyes automatically squinted, sharp and keen, as I pierced his back with my cold stare.