Anya ran toward me and stood beside me, but my eyes never left Elara. I didn't know what had come over me in that moment but my emotions were tangled, and I felt myself slipping out of control.
Elara stepped closer, leaning down and whispering, "Did you just… teleport?" Her voice was curious, but I was too consumed by jealousy to care. I narrowed my eyes and hissed, "Answer my question first."
Elara blinked, dumbfounded, then glanced at Anya, who shook her head. My gaze locked on Fiona, who twisted her fingers, unsure what to do. I hadn't realized until that day how intimidating I could be.
Elara held my hand, and even though I tried to step back, she was faster than me. Yes, everyone knew Elara could move, sense, and react faster than anyone, and no matter what, I could never match her pace.
She started walking toward the south side of the garden, pulling me along. "Leave me and answer me," I demanded. She didn't look back, her grip firm as she led me forward.
She pushed me into the basketball team's common room and motioned for everyone to leave. Some vanished faster than my eyes could follow, and a few even jumped out the window, catching me completely off guard. "Wait...what..." I started.
Elara held my hand firmly. "You're not the only one with powers, you know?" Her voice was sharp, but instead of intimidating me, it only made my eyes narrow.
"Yes, I know," I snapped, my voice tinged with frustration. "But why does Fiona always stick with you?"
Elara's smirk was playful as she pulled me closer by my hand, making me catch my breath. For a few suspended moments, my anger and every confusing, unknown feeling vanished. My heart thudded wildly as she leaned in and whispered against my ear, "She's just a friend. Nothing more." Her breath was warm, and I couldn't help closing my eyes.
"I… El..." I barely managed to whisper, but before I could finish, her lips brushed against mine. A sharp gasp escaped me, and my hands clutched her jacket tightly. Her lips didn't move much, but the contact sent shivers through me, making my whole body hum with an unfamiliar electricity.
After what felt like an eternity, she whispered against my lips, teasing and firm, "You're more than a junior. So stop glaring and being scary."
Heat flooded my cheeks, and a shy, helpless smile tugged at my lips. I didn't know what to do with myself, my heart still racing, until a knock at the door startled me.
Elara glanced at it, and the door swung open by itself. My jaw dropped, eyes wide. "What… was that?"
She winked at me and strolled past, acting as if nothing had happened. My knees felt weak, my thoughts spinning.
Anya stepped inside, frowning. "Seems like everyone is showing their powers, huh?" She glanced at the door before looking at me again. "It's forbidden to use powers without reason, and your departmental head wants to see you."
I exhaled, a mix of sigh and chuckle escaping me, still floating in a cloud of dizzy happiness.
"Fishy…" She muttered, and I smacked her lightly on the head before walking out, heart still hammering and a silly grin plastered on my face.
That was the day everything began. What once felt like a harmless senior crush had already shifted into something far deeper. She was no longer just Elara; she was the owner of my heart.
We had started meeting more often, and what we shared grew more serious with every passing day. But little did we know… that happiness wouldn't last long.
__________
Years passed in blur, and it was the day of the graduation ceremony after summer break. Everything looked peaceful on the surface, yet a quiet unease lingered. A rumor had spread that someone had opened the door of the southern wing, the forbidden part of the university grounds. Teachers had warned us countless times never to go near it. Even experts from Elarith had been called to seal it off.
I was sitting on a bench in the auditorium, my eyes scanning the crowd for Elara, when I noticed Ashley and Luna whispering in the corner. Ashley, the same Ashley whom Jane was engaged to, and Luna, her friend, and both my juniors.
My curiosity spiked, and I walked over toward them. "What were you two doing near the south wing?"
At first, I had meant it as a tease, as Ashley was known for her obsession with the paranormal and reckless stunts. But the look they shared sent a chill through me. Luna was fidgeting with her fingers as if her nerves were unraveling, while Ashley avoided my gaze entirely.
A knot tightened in my stomach. "Ashley," I pressed, lowering my voice. "Tell me you didn't sneak in there just for your paranormal nonsense."
Ashley bit her lip, shifting her weight. "Actually…" She was hesitating, so I laid a hand on her shoulder, steady but firm. "I won't tell anyone. What did you do this time?"
Her eyes squeezed shut before she nodded. My jaw slackened. I exhaled sharply, trying to cover the surge of fear with an eye roll. My tongue darted across dry lips. "Does anyone else know?"
She hesitated, then whispered, "Jane… and my friends."
Jane. My senior. The fact that she knew, especially since she was from Elarith, brought me some relief.
Then it hit me: the southern wing's door had been opened before summer vacation, and now these two looked terrified.
Yesterday, I remembered seeing them near the south side. I had let it slide then… but now? It chilled me to the bone. Had they gone there for something even more reckless than just opening the door?
I forced myself to think clearly. "Then why were you two coming from that side again?"
Luna swallowed hard. She exchanged a nervous glance with Ashley before speaking, her hands locked tightly in front of her chest. "We… went to spread the moonlight dust."
My head snapped up. "What the..."
"It didn't work," Luna blurted before I could finish. Her voice cracked as she lifted her trembling hands. "We thought moonlight dust was the strongest way to keep a restless soul away."
I forced a thin smile, though my tone came out sharper than intended. "And only if the spirit is evil. Did you really think every soul trapped in there was evil?"
My phone buzzed with a message from Elara, but I shoved it back into my pocket. Luna, the girl who never cried, was on the verge of breaking.
"What happened?" I asked slowly, my throat tight. "Don't tell me… the thing is following you?"
Ashley's lips quivered. Her voice came out in pieces. "It's not following us… it's..."
She cut off, and the way both of them stared at me made my blood run cold. It wasn't fear for themselves. It was fear for someone else. And that sympathetic look told me it was someone connected to me.
I swallowed, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Then who is it following?"