Talking with a friend again(12)

Hmmm, was that real or was that a dream? I guess it doesn't really matter either way. I'll just mentally prepare myself for both possibilities.

This just gets more complicated doesn't it, still it seems like something nefarious is going on in the background. Hopefully it won't bother me... I'm not really in the mood.

As I exited the dorm I made eye-contact with Julius who was waiting outside. "H-hi Julius, what brings you to the girls dorm at 8:30 in the morning?"

"You didn't answer my question yesterday."

"Yeah, no...that's a thing and whatnot" I tried to think of a response that made sense, but failed miserably.

"My gosh Alex, what do you want me to say?"

His eyes widened after I called him by his old name, but then they quickly narrowed. "did Olivia tell you that name?"

"No...you did after I saved you from danger, but I guess you might have forgot...hmm proving my identity is such a pain."

Julius opened his mouth, then closed his mouth. His eyes narrowed and he stared at me thoughtfully for a second. "What was the result of the argument we had about romance?"

"That romance is nonsense?"

He waved his fists dramatically "no! That romance is a beautiful thing, that you should embrace with all of your heart." After his outburst he rather suddenly stopped all movement stonily. His eyes widened and he mumbled quietly "but, you can't be..."

I smiled confidently at him. "You're free to doubt me, but you know I'm not a liar."

His expression crumbled and his sad, grey, eyes filled with tears. "A-are you okay?! What's wrong?"

Why is he crying??? Did I do something wrong? Julius extended his hand and touched my face. "Ellie? Is it really you?"

"Ummm, yes... are you doing alright?"

Julius suddenly lunged forward and hugged me tightly. "J-Julius, what are you doing?"

"I missed you so much Ellie, I can't live without you."

Aaa, not what I wanted to hear. It's not healthy to rely on one person, I thought we had made at least a little progress with his connections to others.

I patted him on the back as he embraced me, "ah,there, there"

"Julius, can we go somewhere private?"

Julius's hold on me tightened, and his body started to shake.

"Calm down, everything's alright."

Julius slowly blinked and then stopped shaking. A gentle smile appeared on his face and suddenly all the memories I had been trying to forget came rushing back.

I had decided it would be easier to move on, that lingering on my old memories would only cause me pain. Until now I hadn't fully comprehended Julius's presence, but that smile it was the same. He had a different face and a different voice, but that gentle expression it could only belong to him.

My emotions turned rogue and I couldn't stop myself from tearing up. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that you were alone in this strange world."

Julius continued to cry silently and I tried to stop myself from doing the same.

Ack, this emotional turbulence is one of the reasons I was so reluctant to make contact. I'm gonna have to disassociate for a while after this.

"Ellie, I can't believe it's you. Are you really here?"

"Haha...yeah I'm here"

Julius let go and pulled away, then suddenly picked me up and slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Wha- what are you doing??!!?"

He ignored my question and continued forward, should I try to get free...ehhh probably futile and not worth the effort.

"We should continue talking at home."

"That's not an explanation for why you're carrying me like this."

mmmm, another reason why I was reluctant to make contact. Sometimes he's a little bit... possessive.

Still, it's not like I don't understand how he feels. In the past I too...well that's not important.

Julius carried me all the way to his carriage, some poor employee was waiting there. What a hard job having to wait here all day for some moody brat. The employee stared at me in complete and utter bafflement. Haha...sorry for his behavior.

He set me on the carriage seat and sat beside me, despite the fact that there was another seat across from me. He placed his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Ellie, when did you realize it was me?"

"When I saw your eyes, they're unmistakable ."

"I'm sorry..." he apologized to me sullenly

"If you're sorry, then let me go thanks."

"I'm sorry for not realizing it was you." Of course thats what he's apologizing for...

I sighed loudly and let my head rest on top of his, I'm saving my temper for later okay?! I'll yell at him later...

Several minutes passed just like that, it was weird, but I was honestly happy to talk with an old friend. It was a massive relief that I had a friend in this world. But it was also difficult for various reasons.

"Elliiiiiie, I missed you so much! It's been so long, I was beginning to think we'd never see each other again!" Julius sobbed loudly

"What do you mean long time, how long have you been in this world?"

He met my eyes and the sadness behind them was gone, instead there was nothing but pure joy looking back at me. "That's not important, what's important is that you're here, you're really here!"

He held my hands between his and smiled brightly "Elllie,Ellie,Ellie, you won't leave me again right?"

"Ah, but I didn't leave you. We were both taken here against our will, and it's Olivia now"

"She's Olivia, you're Ellie."

What was he talking about? The original Olivia maybe? "Julius you're not making sense. Could you explain what you're talking about?"

"Ellie, why are you so cruel to me?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

He furrowed his brows "you didn't tell me , why didn't you tell me?"

"That's...because you said you would lock me up"

He laughed "ah because I said that."

I took a breath of relief, he must have been exaggerating

"Since you told me, that means you're fine with it right?"

"...fine with what?"

He smiled gently at me "with getting locked up"

I looked at his face for a second then kicked him "you had better be joking."

Julius hesitated for a moment then responded "of course, haha I'm just kidding."

Hmmmmm, ominous, very ominous.

"Ellie, I just mean I haven't seen you for so long, and I can't let you go."

Julius hugged me tightly again. "Just stay by my side, you have to okay"

"Julius, Is this really necessary?! I'm not going anywhere..."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, you're not like that."

"What do you mean can't keep? Julius I'm talking to you!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him back and forth. He just continued smiling at me.

"Julius...you're making me mad."

He didn't bother to lift his face from my shoulder, and his voice was muffled by the cloth "sorry, but I've missed you getting mad at me."

He's acting a little weird, usually by now he would have pulled out some rope or tried to make me swear that I would never talk to anyone else. I had expected him to act even more psycho than normal, but he's being pretty...normal.

Either many years of separation caused him to grow up and have more normal feelings toward me, or he's planning something... I would like to believe the first option, but unfortunately it leaves a lot of things unexplained. His hesitation a minute ago, what he said about locking me up. Maybe, he's gotten into the habit of telling this kind of joke? Unlikely...

Still I really really want to believe him, and he's never done anything so complicated. Yeah now that I think about it, he's not nearly patient enough for any sort of plan. As long as I keep an eye on him it should be alright. I wonder what happened to him while he was here?

It didn't seem like Julius planned on telling me, Olivia had said she would explain everything- but she seemed like the type to use what she had over a person for as long as possible. I seriously doubted she would so easily give up her only bargaining chip.

Aah I need to focus on the current situation. Let's see my options are to hang out with Julius forever, not the worst thing ever-but I already committed to helping Cyrus. He's a prince in this world so it won't be as easy to tell him what to do. Hmmmmm should I just make a run for it, but it's not like I can hide. We go to the same school and I don't even want to hide...hmmm.

Does this mean we'll have to come to an agreement??? Have a serious meaningful conversation???? Ughhhhhh I don't think I have it in me.

"Hey Julius what exactly is the plan?"

He responded nonchalantly "we don't need a plan, all that's important is that we're together"

"I disagree, I've got commitments you know."

He sat up hurriedly "Commitments?! Already? But you've only been in this world for a year."

"A lot can happen in a year, or something..."

Julius frowned "did you promise to help someone again?"

I looked toward the carriage floor "yes...but only one person." though there were a few others who seemed like they could use assistance, but I don't need to mention that.

He sighed sadly "Elliiiie, you need stop concerning yourself over unimportant people, who don't even want your help."

"You're one of those people, in case you forgot. And it's not like I want to interfere with other people's life's, but I just can't...Not do it"

"Fine, I understand." His expression turned a little sad, and he grasped my hands in his. "Just remember that I'm special."

Yeah, special in a lot ways buddy. I laughed softly "of course, you refuse to grow up more than anyone I've ever met."

He smiled wildly "in fact I think I've gotten worse since meeting you."

Cheeky brat isn't he? I pulled my hands away from him. "To change the topic, can you drop me off at the dorms?"

"No."

"Eeeh, but why not?"

"I don't want to separate." He was trying to sound serious, but all I heard was a lonely puppy. Hmm, I do feel sorry for him. It's so hard to be all alone in a foreign world, and Julius is especially bad with new situations. "Well, fine. Where do you want to go?"

He closed his eyes and looked to be thinking "anywhere I guess."

Grrrrr, could you not. "Haha, so you really don't have a plan. Then, lets go to a library- I have some studying to do."

"Ugh, studying?? But school here is so easy."

" you don't have to come."

After a while the carriage stopped moving.

"Ah! We must be here, lets go." I stood up and tried to leave the carriage, but Julius grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing?"

He grinned cheekily at me "if we go outside you could use magic to run away. Promise me that you'll stay by my side."

"if it makes you happy I promise to not use any magic and stay by your side for a while."

Julius smiled gently "alright then" he let go of my arm, then stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand to me as I exited.

Uwahhh? This is a castle??? A magnificent castle stood before me, we were already behind the inner gates and the massive building towered over us. "This isn't the library."

"There's a library in the castle."

"Hmmm, I guess I can allow it. Let's go I guess..."

Julius led me through the vast halls to the truly impressive library. "Wowww, that's a lot of books."

All these books make me...not want to read them. This is overwhelming, mmm I don't want to study. But I can't really turn back now, huh oh well.

"You're regretting coming here aren't you?"

"Ah, you caught me..." I guess he really does know me.

Julius brought his hand to my face, "you're smiling."

"Am I?" I hadn't realized

"I really missed your smile." His watery grey eyes stared deeply into mine "it's funny how different a smile can look on the same face."

Was he referring to the original Olivia? "Does Olivia look different when she smiles?"

He winced and tone turned dark "her smile is beyond disgusting, it's nothing but a lie filled with menace and despair."

"Ha, she didn't seem that bad to me. More like an annoying and confused child, she definitely made me mad though..."

"When did you talk to Olivia?" He asked with a curious tone.

"In my dream last night. She was really rude, I wonder what's causing her to act that way?"

Julius grabbed my shoulders and stared urgently at me "you can't feel sorry for her Ellie, she's the worst. THE WORST"

"Um...ok?"

"If she tries to talk to you again just ignore her, every word that comes out of her mouth is a lie. She's the embodiment of everything terrible in this world."

I'm sensing that he doesn't like her, just what exactly happened between these two?

"Hey won't you tell me what happened between you and Olivia?"

He looked away "it's not important, you shouldn't worry about it. Everything that happened in this world when you weren't here is meaningless."

"Meaningless? But-"

Julius cut me off by enveloping me in another hug "you're all that has meaning."

"I know you don't believe that..."

This is depressing, Julius still refuses to connect with others. At least he's happy I suppose.