Chapter 44: Such a Friend

Lucinda

Sluuuurp!!

I rolled my eyes. Glancing up, I regarded my mentor sticking her finger into a glass mug. She withdrew it and licked off the speckled white cream. Her concentration was admirable; at least it was much greater than mine.

But who could blame me? I would match her commitment if I was enjoying a chocolate milkshake.

Lexi saw me watching her and a blush crept up her cheeks. She smiled sheepishly.

"You done with that?" she asked about the book.

I sighed. "Not even close," I muttered.

"Wow, you're extra slow today, is something on your mind?"

I smiled wryly. "Just a bit... distracted."

A perfect eyebrow rose. "Distracted, huh?"

"Yeah," I drawled lazily. "We can just do this another day—"

"No ma'am! You will read that chapter and we shall discuss it until all the miniscule details are branded into your cranium. Or we can just drag your brain out through your ears and write them on directly," she suggested nonchalantly.

I wonder how Lexi comes up with such terrifying threats...

"I'm not in reading mode right now," I huffed.

"What's up? Tell me."

Her light blue irises disappeared. The result was unsettlingly striking, but I was more shocked when the remaining cream in the mug rose in the air of its own accord and floated. She picked the small blob out of the air and put it in her mouth, grinning as her eyes returned to normal.

"Whoaa," I said mesmerized.

"I know. Pretty cool right? I'm learning how to summon my witch powers whenever I want them," she elaborated proudly.

"Wow..."

"So then? About this 'distraction'?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "I bet his name begins with a T."

My smile twitched and failed.

"You have no idea," I replied dryly.

"Oh?" Lexi grabbed the book and shut it. "Spill. Is Tyler that bad?"

"No," I denied quickly. A recollection of last night pulled up the corners of my mouth. "In fact, Tyler's wonderful. He— he's so sweet and nice to me, he knows how to calm me, he keeps me grounded. He is like— like an anchor that I know has got me. Tyler is everything and a bonus. He kisses like the wind—"

"Okay, okay," she interrupted. "I can see that you're stricken with my brother, but I don't need the details," she teased.

I ducked behind my hair to hide my embarrassment.

"What was it like though?"

I gave her a small glare. "You don't need the details," I growled.

"Well yyeeaah," she drawled, looking up as she stretched out on the library couch. Her lips pursed. "But I just said that cause it was my brother, you know. But I gotta know what it's like, you know. And it's not fair for me to be kept in the dark."

"Kept in the dark? Come on Lexi. You have way more experience than me."

"Er, about that. I actually don't. I never stick with one boy long enough to actually kiss. Or even confess. So I don't know anything about this."

I glared.

"Come on please, Cindy! Pretty please?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. I'll talk. But this remains here."

She nodded.

I also stretched out on my couch and looked up while she observed me. "I'll just speak from my point of view," I began. "I don't know if it's like that for everyone but whatever.

"When he kisses me, it feels like a lot. Something about it is almost too much, but I like it. I like the dominant, demanding way he kisses me. It's like a challenge, you know? I like to put up a fight so he will win, and not because I let him. I like to be overwhelmed by the power that radiates off him. He kisses me like I'm addictive, like he can't get enough. Like he would rampage if I disappeared. It's as if he wants to ruin me completely, while at the same time reassuring me that I will always be perfect for him. Like I'm not going anywhere. Like he would follow me to the ends of the earth just to be close to me and protect me and claim me. He kisses me like I am his."

I glanced back at Lexi, finally done rambling. She, however, was speechless.

"Lexi?" I prodded laughingly.

She just shook her head, her face showing wonder and awe and embarrassment mixed.

"I didn't think it would be that great," she mumbled. "If I was in your position I daresay I would daydream uncontrollably."

My amused grin died again. "He wasn't on my mind," I told her.

She snorted. "Sure," she said rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious."

"So then what was it?"

It was the dreams. Cara's memories. But I didn't even know how to start talking about them— "so, I'm kinda remembering things that happened to someone else, I was a baby at that time but the memories are so vivid and clear they rob me of sleep some nights"? Ridiculous.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Nothing. It's... it's really silly. Forget it."

Her eyes glanced to the side, like they always did when she thought I was lying.

"I'll get the branding iron then," she chirped, rising and smoothing her clothes.

"Wait what!?"

"You can't read with your mind preoccupied, and you don't want to tell me about it. So we're going to use the last remaining option."

How does she speak so carelessly about something like that? Veli gasped.

"Or, we could simply ignore everything and do something else," I suggested. "We have to visit Trish today, may I remind you."

She crossed her arms and met my eyes firmly.

"Fine," I huffed. "I can't sleep some nights," I said carefully.

"Is that it?" she asked. "Why not?"

"Because..."

Will she believe me? Will she tell me I'll be fine? Will she think it's a joke?

"I don't know," I faltered.

"Bullshit," she snapped.

"Alright, it's that... I get nightmares. Kind of. Well like a... a series of weird dreams—" which are Cara's memories, but I couldn't say that— "and then I can't sleep afterwards. Well, except last night."

Lexi blinked, tilting her head in interest. "Is it one dream repeating itself?" She asked curiously.

"No," I said. "It's a series. Each seems to pick up where the other left off; or sometimes it's completely detached. And I won't tell what it's about," I added firmly.

Her eyes were now wide and intrigued. "So you're watching some sort of soap opera in your sleep," she mused.

I rolled my eyes. It would be nice, I supposed, if I wasn't almost sure that I was the baby who had had quite a few narrow escapes from death. And if I could sleep after.

"This is new. When did it start?"

I was warmed by her behavior. To have such a friend who believed what I had said right off the bat, crazy as it was. She didn't doubt it for a second.

"Few weeks ago," I muttered vaguely.

She looked scandalized. "And you never told me?! How often does it happen?"

"I don't know. Usually skips like three or four days."

"So you've been missing sleep every three or four days for a few weeks and you just shut up?!"

"It's a crazy story, okay? I didn't think anyone would believe me. I'm actually surprised you do."

"Oh Selene," she groaned. "Sleep loss is not a simple matter, you twonk!"

"I slept last night," I countered.

"Oh? What changed?"

"I—" The smile rose uncontrollably. "Well, Tyler was there."

Her jaw dropped. "No!"

"Yes!" I grinned.

"Details. Now," she ordered.

"Well after the dream I went to the kitchen. He was there but I didn't notice. So I thought I was alone and he realized something was wrong. So he helped me feel better and held me till I fell asleep."

She squealed with a giddy smile. "He actually comforted you?"

"Well yeah." Just the thought of it was enough to send me into a daydream.

"Stop smiling like that," she snapped. "You're making me jealous."

I grinned harder.

"Don't."

I batted my eyes.

"Cindy."

I gave an exaggerated sigh.

She growled. "I bet you just curled up in his lap and clung to him like a not-so-fuzzy koala bear."

That sent a blush to my face.

"I bet you buried your face into him and sobbed till his oh-so-wonderful scent calmed you down," she added smirking.

My ears burned. I hid behind my hair.

"I bet he stroked your hair and whispered sweet nothings to you while you whimpered pathetically and pressed yourself even closer to him. If that wasn't already impossible."

"Stop, Lexi," I groaned.

"He probably carried you up to your bed— how suggestive. Then he must have kissed his sleeping beauty, telling you to dream of him. Must have been the best show if the century. Too bad no one was there to watch it."

"I didn't cry," I said. "I don't cry. Haven't cried in years."

Her eyebrows rose to tease me, then fell and scrunched together. Her glace fell down my body and then back up, and I knew from the twitch of her right eyelid that thoughts were running rapidly through her mind.

"So you're basically some really advanced robot who somehow lost her ability to cry?" she said. "Whoever made you must really suck. Anyway can I borrow a screw?"

That does it.

I jumped up and tackled her to the floor. She shoved me off, giggling madly and attacking me next. I blocked her punches relatively well, until she abruptly threw her legs up and did a handstand. Before I could react, her legs wrapped around my neck. Her body bent, throwing me over her and onto my back on the floor. I gasped for breath, too conscious of the pain in my back.

She stood above me. "Get up!" she barked.

"You just laid me out on the floor! And that's to put it mildly," I complained.

"And I will continue to do so. If you won't study, you will take a beating. I am the mentor here and I say this has turned into a sparring session."

"Bossy," I grumbled as I rose.

Her foot swung at my head. I ducked and yanked on her other leg, only for her to raise it and perform the same maneuver.

"Ow!"

"Up, you lazy slowpoke! Down again, up again!"