Carambus _28

I looked cautiously around hearing slight footsteps quietly and dark shadows at the corner of my eye, I found myself almost catching the sight of a tall male figure that seemed to be a man.

"Who's there? Reveal yourself!" I called out, my voice feigning confidence that I didn't feel.

The man finally revealed himself, wearing all black (I mean how cliche) with a black mask with a sign on it which I think was the POCI as it was written in a different Tylerian language he looked at me curiously scanning me up and down.

"Irene Max... so you're the girl people have been talking about." The man cunningly said taking a step forward.

As soon as he started slowly walking towards me, I took a run for it but to my surprise, this guy was a lot faster than I thought. There was almost a whole finger length between us and I was running as if my life depended on it because it kind of did.

Luckily I wasn't one of those stupid female leads who ran into some deserted place with a dead end, I ran into the main lobby of the cafeteria a place bubbling with students.

I soon submerged myself in the crowd of hungry wolves (people) waiting to get their food. Glancing back, I noticed the man was gone, which brought a sense of relief. Although I suspected he might continue to follow me until I was by myself, there was comfort in not being alone for the moment.

• • •

It had been 2 hours since then, and as school was ending, I sat with my friends talking about the new holidays that began in only 2 days.

"I can't wait for the holidays I'm going to a remote holiday hotel in Brittanica (Britain) that's where that super cute and kind guy I met last summer is I can't wait. Guys where are you going for the holidays?" Yurika asked curiously twisting her jet, black glossy hair finger around her finger restlessly.

"Yurika calm down the holidays are like only in 2 days."

Zaferia said shaking her head at Yurika's antics, remembering how she told us about him last summer and how she said that they didn't even get to talk.

"Zaferia, chill! We all know you had a big crush on the guy who was staying with Irene," Lamia said, laughing as Zaferia turned red.

I gave a lopsided smile moving in my chair uncomfortably.

The thought of someone else liking Lu Jinyu was uncomfortable I didn't know why but it just was he was a good friend to me. So maybe that's the reason why, I thought justifying my actions.

"Irene, just so you know, it was a one-time thing," Zaferia said in a small, awkward voice as we all laughed.

"Guys I'm going to my home country I can't wait I haven't been in 2 years but I still remember it like the back of my hand! I can't wait to go Carambus, I miss it so much-" Malkaya said with a sincere smile lighting up her face.

But I was shocked.

"Carambus! Your going Carambus Malkaya! ME TOO!" I asked repeating it. My mind was in utter disbelief, and I was happy because my best friend would be there too.

"HUH! If you ever need a place to stay my parent's house is like, super big and my mom loves you so you should totally stay!"

As we both squealed in triumph the holiday was 3 months which is pretty long which was plenty of time to sort my life out, right?

|•••|

So I was walking out of school with Julian my mind so occupied with the fact that Malkaya was going to be with me at Carambus that I forgot about the spy. Then suddenly Julian took my hand and started walking faster I instantly realised.

"Irene someone is following us so let's walk faster okay."

I nodded and then all of a sudden making a turn around a corner he was in front of us. at least a few metres away.

I very quickly told Julian, "He's coming for me so stay out of the way and you won't get hurt." He seemed reluctant but he came launching at me with a laser blade that looked fiery and sharp enough you could see through it.

I managed to dodge just like that time in mudball, but it was so close that I felt the heat of the blade against my skin.

I evaded most of his swings, though not effortlessly. It seemed as if time decelerated each time the blade approached, so I endeavoured to mimic the effect, allowing time to crawl before I materialized behind him. He stared at me, his face etched with confusion, but Julian was absent. I just figured he had gone home.

But still leaving your sister alone to fight a guy twice her size was questionable. Then, just as I caught him off guard Julian emerged from nowhere with a pan knocking him on the head and he fell flat. I guess he is my brother after all.

I saw there was a nearby lorry carrying garbage and recyclable things so we just dumped him there with the joint effort and struggle of carrying his long body. Julian snagged the blade because it was like the ones he'd seen in his 'VR game' I thought it looked cool too.

As there was like a certain movement you'd do and it would almost turn off and look like a mini portable charger. Totally harmless right.^^

As soon as I got home we had one of those family meetings to explain what was going on, I was having a hard time remembering how to word it, so I dragged Lu Jinyu and he gave a detailed essay on the whole thing.

My mum looked at me as if she had missed an entire season, while I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. Julian was equally shocked, especially because she was also his teacher. We had always known her as the teacher with the most intimidating glare, never suspecting she was actually a secret spy.

"I'm going to have to sleep on this one. Plus, WHY do I always have to be one of the last to hear this type of stuff."

He said looking irritated and confused and in the state of processing data. I didn't tell them the part about me not being properly related to them, it was complicated. That's why.

I'd thought long and hard about it and technically if I came to like some speck of dust into some woman's womb, it doesn't change the fact that mum still gave birth to me and Julian is still my blood-related brother but at the same time we are a different species and I'm not really from here. That made me relieved even though I knew I wasn't really Exylian...

Mum already got up and I followed her to her room upstairs as she went to her closet.

"Well... I guess I better get packing, Irene hun, if we're staying somewhere nice I should bring nice dresses right?" Mum said reassuringly.

Julian responded almost as if staring into space,

"Wow Carambus I've heard it's really far but I also heard it's a really beautiful place full of lots of desserts and that lots of crystals grow there!"

I was surprised at their positive response, and this made me feel like everything was going to be alright. Though I knew I had to be more careful tomorrow, who knows what exactly the POCI would throw at me next...