Sciamachy - CH. 7, p.3

"There are only two kinds of faces: Sincere and insincere." - Mehmet Murat ildan

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The dining hall was a grand space to say at least. The tables were ordered right and left from the entrance, allowing enough space for people to go fill their plates with all kinds of goods. The middle back of the hall was reserved for an enormous stage - the floor around the stage was empty, and instead of stone ground that covered the floor around the grand tables, auburn wood eased the eye. Cocktail-tables with high hooked chairs were placed near the stage, allowing guests to cool down after a heated dance. Three candelabras, one above the long-left side table, one over the right-side table and one near the stage were brightening up the whole room, and embraced his total charm.

"We can barely afford eatable food for the school cafeteria but a dinner here," Veronica whispered and adjusted the sleeves of my blouse which went up a bit after taking off her jacket, "I think the partnering up with the other schools got some of the price off," Sofia replied.

"Who cares it's amazing," I interjected, still bewildered by the charm of the grand space we would dine in. This trip surprised me in more ways I've ever imagined. I walked down the stairs to the tables, and the keen click of heels announced Veronica's chase of me. I heard some bold sneaker steps and realized Sofia was following me as well. There were school name cards for each table part – our seats were already determined for us. As I sat myself down, I saw how Mrs. Jenkins raised herself at our side of the table. Carolwood students brought an end to their endless conversations when they saw Mr. Jenkins standing. It was quite astonishing how much respect she earned from the students over the past few years.

"Thank you all for getting ready so fast. You'll now have some time to find your seat. The buffet will open soon. There will be a band playing for us," the students gave a round of applause, "so feel free to dance if you'd like. Bathrooms are next to the entrance. We will leave at 9:30PM and meet tomorrow for breakfast at 7:30. Enjoy."

Mushroom soup, sweet-bitter greens with tomatoes and little chicken peas, rare roast meat slices as thin as paper, noodles in cream sauce, cheese that melted on the tongue, served with sweet fruit grapes. The food was remarkable. Though it was the best food I've eaten in days and as a result did not quite notice anything around me, Veronica's way of eating still brought me joy – the way she ate was rapidly, stuffing her mouth too full resulting in swallowing problems. It was too amusing to not at least enjoy it a tiny bit.

I wasn't finished eating up my dessert plate when the band Mrs. Jenkins promised us went on stage and began to play. They weren't some great knowingly band, rather they seemed to be a group of friends that enjoyed writing their own music. They hadn't had a specific style – they played everything from ballades to pop to classics. And it wasn't talent that intrigued me; it was the passion

"Already finished?", Sofia asked and looked at my full dessert plate, „I don't think I can eat anything for the next few days," I replied, without averting my grace from the band, their eyes ignited from passion, "I want to freshen up," I heard her say and heard a sound, reminding me of a chair that had been pushed back, "you want to come with?"

I nodded, slowly stood up and followed her to the bathrooms. Even they were beautiful – the tile seemed as if had just been polished, the mirrors hadn't had a single stain of makeup or breath on them, and no gravity was on any of the walls – I underestimated this place.

"Have you seen Taylor?", Sofia interrupted my thoughts. She brushed her hair in front of the wide mirror, though it was already beautiful, falling into loose curls over her shoulders, "No. Not since the police search.," I murmured and she looked at me through the mirror, "What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know yet," I replied and swallowed. I was really unsure about it, I was, "Will you tell him where you hid them?", she added and put her brush back into her cream-coloured bag, "If he tells me what he needs them for," I said while raising an eyebrow. Sofia chuckled. She knew just as well as I did that he wouldn't.

"You'd think he'll do that?" she still asked and I shrugged my shoulders, "If not, he won't get his drugs back. He won't find them on his own."

"Okay if you say so. Let's go and find him then," she replied and we went out and back into the dining hall. Most students were finished with their food; up on the dance floor for a heated dance with their friends or accompanies. Some others stood at the Cocktail tables next to the dance flow, and most carried a drink in their hands that contained nothing but coke or sprite. The other ones were spread out through the hall, only a handful of students were still eating.

"I found Veronica," Sofia roared so I could hear her through the loud music. I looked at where Sofia was walking towards and saw Veronica sitting on one of the high hooked chairs. The further we went down, the louder the music got – it was good. Music made me loose. I was a bad dancer, and an even worse singer, but the sound of music had a somehow great impact on me.

"Where were you?", she asked and took a sip from her drink, "in the bathroom, freshening up," Sofia responded, "Should we dance?", Veronica asked the blond angel, but she shook her head, "I want to get a drink first," she replied, "You can't get alcohol here anyways," she interjected and Sofia rolled her eyes, "Not the point Veronica," she turned around to face me, "Do you want anything? "

„Yes, could you get me a... ", I commenced an answer, but was interrupted by the sweet sound of his voice, my name rolling down his tongue, "Melea."

"Actually, I think I'm fine," I turned around and found Taylor gazing at me. When he realized that I had heard him, he walked towards me and stopped just half an inch before my face, "Come with me?"

I slowly nodded, and he took my hand to brought me to a quieter space a bit further away from the dance floor. It was a darker space- most of the light was used to brighten up the dancing crowd, but his eyes were somehow full of light when he looked at me. I was pressed against the wall, his arms placed right and left from my shoulders.

"You know you shouldn't have taken that bullet for me," he started, but I interrupted him, "I've done it anyways."

"But why?" he asked immediately, and words rolled down my tongue before I was able to catch upon what I was saying, "because for the first time, your eyes were actually filled with concern."

He looked down for a moment, "I don't know why you found the courage in your heart do to this, but thank you."

"You can thank me by telling me why you're keeping the drugs," I answered and earned a slight smile, "you know I won't tell you."

"Well, you won't find them without me, so you can choose to tell me and get them back or leaving tomorrow without ever having a chance to find them," I replied and his smile widened by each word I said. It threw me off. He grabbed something out of the inside of his jacket, a transparent, small package and I gasped. It was the weed.

"I actually already have."

"What? How did you...", I started, but he answered my question before I could find the right words, "I'll always find a way to get things that belong to me back."

He put the package back into his inner pocket and smirked. I was mad – no, not mad. Annoyed was a better word. He tricked me again. But I wouldn't let that happen. Not again.

I leaned forward and put my hands into his, and let them run over my body. His eyes first enjoyed it, but then they were asking me for consent. I gave him that by leaning forward. I put my hands out of his, letting him take control over my body. He leaned down. He was so close that I felt him calmly breathing right above my lips. His eyes so fixed on mine as if they were the only thing he wanted to look at.

Quickly, I went back, and his hands went off my body straight away. The warmth of his arms on me faded. His eyes were telling me how confused he was, but I smiled and held up a small, transparent package.

"Seems like now you do have to tell me what they're for, " his confusion was replaced by the return of light in his eyes, "you're insane," he replied and I crossed my arms, waiting for an answer, "You made me. So?"

And I waited. That moment felt like an eternity, though just maybe a minute passed by. Was it that damn hard to answer a simple question? But maybe it wasn't so simple after all – maybe, he would never tell me. Maybe, he would never give me an answer. Maybe, it hurt too much.

"Melea!"

I heard someone shouting my name – it was Kara – a friend of mine from my History class. She stood with Sofia and Veronica at the Cocktail table with the high hooked chairs, but now stood up to search for me. I winked at her but she hadn't seen me.

"I think you might have to reconsider making another deal," Taylor whispered and I looked back at him – realizing, that he'd stole the package from me. Again.

"You stole it from me?" I shouted, but his voice was calm, "I stole what's mine. This doesn't make me a criminal, does it?"

"Ugh," I went past him. I've had enough. I couldn't deal with him anymore. I couldn't play more games tonight.

"You're just ... please don't talk to me tonight," and with that, I let him stand in the dark space by himself, and walked back to my friends.

"Oh wow, you're back!", Sofia came up to me, "I've been looking for you for quite some time," Kara interrupted her, "I know I'm sorry. I've been talking to Taylor," I answered and Kara turned around to sip on her glass.

"And? Any progress?", Sofia whispered in my ear, "Nothing. He won't talk to me," I rolled my eyes, "At least you tried?", Sofia tried to cheer me up but I just sighed, "Doesn't matter now. He has his stupid drugs back. I can't really do any..."

"There you are!", Derek shouted, and pulled me into a short hug before he let me go and grinned, "Did you take something?", I raised an eyebrow and observed him for a moment.

He looked at me angrily in response, "no!", "Uh-huh. As long as it was just alcohol. Who gave him alcohol? " I looked back at my friends, but Sofia only shrugged her shoulders, and Kara went off to talk to some other friends. Veronica didn't respond. Derek didn't stop grinning like a child - it was almost sweet.

"Where have you been?", he asked me and I turned back towards him, "Over there," I pointed at the darker space of the room, "I talked to Taylor. "

"Oh right. He wanted to talk to me too. I should go and find him, " Derek put his glass down and made his way to Taylor, who was in the middle of a conversation with some guy I didn't know. I turned around again to look questioningly at Veronica.

"Since when do you talk to each other again?", I asked, but Sofia replied for her, "Since Derek drank," Veronica pinched her in the side, "Ouch!"

"Can we just not talk? Can we just...dance for once? Please? ", Veronica looked at both of us urgently, and it was almost a desperate look, so I smiled at them, grabbed them by their arms and pulled them to the middle of the dance floor, where most people were already dancing. They weren't some polite crowd from rich schools anymore, they were hungry for excitement. They hustled, whistled and cheered the singing band on – we joined them, danced until we did not feel our feet anymore, danced until we started to sweat, danced until we barely inhaled any more air. We laughed when the fifth song we had danced to was over and a slower song was played. The three of us groaned, as we did not know how to dance to that at all, and we all gazed at our now Cocktail table, occupied by some other one's.

"May I abduct you once again?"

Taylor's sudden soft voice was only a whisper as he grabbed my hand from behind and brushed my hair behind my ear. I was briefly surprised by the sudden Intimacy. I didn't turn in his direction, just to the side, and looked at my hand, which was in his, "yes."

He took my hand tighter and pulled me with him. I didn't notice the reaction of my friends because I was still looking down. He pulled me through some dancing couples, friends or strangers I'd just met until we were even further in the dancing crowd, but somewhat near the end of the dance floor. He pulled me closer, and I wrapped my arms shyly around his neck, as his hands were around my waist.

"Why am I here, Taylor?", I asked and earned a chuckle, "I don't know, just wanted to dance, I guess."

"It is never that easy with you," I murmured. We were quiet for a moment and just kept dancing.

"Why doing all of this?", he then asked and I shrugged my shoulders, "Because you didn't expect it," he grinned, "you're right. So, your demons came and got you after all?"

I was thrown off once again, "What do you mean?", I asked, and he replied immediately, "your fear. You're so scared of the unexpected but did this to me without knowing the consequences. Did your demons caught up with you?"

My arms were still around his neck, and I thought about his words before answering, "I don't believe they did."

"Then why the risk?" he questioned and shrugged my shoulders, "I... I don't know." A genuine smile appeared on his face. I enjoyed it for that split of a second, as it vanished by my next sentence, "why do you keep the drugs, Taylor?"

He groaned, "do we have to talk about it?" "yes," I persisted and took another deep breath, "so, why do you have the drugs?"

He cleared his throat and whispered, "let's just stay I'm keeping them for someone. "

"Who do you have to keep them for?" I asked straight away, "someone real special to me."

"Why don't you give it back to that somebody?" I questioned and I saw...sorrow in his eyes for a split of a second, "because that someone is not in my life anymore," he whispered, pulling me closer.

"Please, let's just dance. At least until the songs over. "

I nodded slowly. My head rested his shoulder. We danced on. Meanwhile, his hands were resting on my hips, my arms still wrapped around his neck. He stroked over my dress while my head was then buried in his chest. We danced until the song was over. As he had wanted.

I broke away from him, but he held me firmer. I was surprised. Again. I closed my eyes as I heard his heart beat as if it was my own.

"Melea!" I heard Veronica's scream behind me. She grabbed my arm and pulled me away, "I have to talk to you, now! Derek is such an idiot! "

"Thanks. I've heard that, " Derek suddenly stood next to Taylor and crossed his arms over his chest, "oh, I hope you did. Loud and clear, " she grabbed my arm tighter and tried to pull me away. I looked back at Taylor.

"Calm her down. I'll see you Melea, " he smiled, but it was his fake smile. The one he wore in school. The one, with which he fooled everyone, every day.

I was so mesmerized by the return of his fake smile that my muscles failed. Veronica finally managed to pull me away from him, and before I could realize what had happened, we stood outside in the hallway.

He had his whole world hiding behind this fake smile. But it never left.

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Sciamachy - a battle against imaginary enemies; fighting your own shadow.