Arabella was heading toward the academy's hall when the voice of a creature calling her name stopped her. In front of her stood Emilie, a creature with fiery red hair and freckles sprinkled across her nose. Arabella rarely noticed her and didn't really know her that well. Emilie gave her a warm smile and then asked:
– Hey! Are you also working on the project for planet Cyno?
– I am – Arabella replied with an honest smile.
– Then I found the right person. I'm in the team that's going to assist you and Orion. You two are the leaders of the project.
– Um... I'm not sure about that. I'm not the leader on this project – she responded, clearly surprised and a bit thrown off.
– Actually... what do you mean by "leaders"? – she corrected herself, trying to clear the confusion.
– We're just helping, but you two are in charge of the whole thing. Orion said it's a major project and that he chose you to be his co-lead because you're perfect for the role.
– Oh... then I guess you did find the right person – Arabella replied, still a bit shocked and confused.
She hadn't expected Orion to say something like that.
– So, how can I help you?
– I wanted to know when we're traveling there, and whether we need any specific preparation?
– We're leaving in six days. Since your team is assisting, it would be good if you studied the chemical compositions and uses of some of the materials. We'll be exploring how to use them to improve both planets... and if you need help with that, I'm here.
– Thank you so much! I really hope we'll work well together and that I'll get to know you better during the project – Emilie smiled again.
– No problem at all. If you have any other questions or problems, just come to me. I'm looking forward to working together too.
They said goodbye and went their separate ways.
Arabella continued on toward the rest hall. As she approached, she saw Liv waiting for her.
– How long have you been waiting here? – she asked.
– I decided to wait out here so you wouldn't have to suffer looking for me.
– Well, thank you for that lovely gesture!
They entered the hall and immediately grabbed plates to choose their food. Once they found a place to sit, the conversation continued.
– Do you have math class next? – Liv asked, chewing eagerly on her sandwich.
– I thought you'd remembered that by now. We have it together!
– Perfect! That gives us more time to talk, because I have something very important to tell you.
– What is it?
– It's about a guy.
– Ooh, tell me everything! – Arabella exclaimed with excitement.
– His name is Kasy. He's tall and loves skateboarding. We met in sociology class. We instantly clicked during our conversations.
She paused briefly to finish her sandwich, while Arabella bombarded her with questions.
– What did you talk about? How long has this been going on? Why didn't I know about this...?
The questions were endless. Arabella was shocked but thrilled by the news.
– After a few conversations, I realized I really liked him. I wasn't sure how he felt, so I kept it to myself. But recently, he asked me to go to the skate park with him after school today. It'll be our first time hanging out outside the academy. I just haven't had the chance to tell you until now.
– And you should feel bad about that! – Arabella said dramatically.
– You're acting like I murdered someone!
– You murdered me, by letting me find out so late – she teased.
– Well, good luck today! I hope you have a great time. Just relax, take it slow... I know how nervous you get sometimes, but don't worry. You've got this – she smiled warmly.
– Thank you so much. You're a sweetheart.
After their break and a sweet chat, they made their way to the classroom where math was being held. The lesson had already begun and Professor Margaret had just walked in. Arabella quickly noticed Orion wasn't there considering they attended math together, his absence stood out.
After marking the attendance, Professor Margaret spoke gently to the class:
– Children, today we won't be doing anything new, instead we'll practice solving problems on the board. If anything is unclear to anyone, please don't hesitate to ask
– I'll gladly help you.
A minute of silence followed, which signaled that everything was clear to everyone.
– Now, Sheila, you'll do the first task on the board.
Sheila stood up, and the rest of the class began working on their own problems.
Professor Margaret glanced over some papers and then looked at the board — everything seemed to be going smoothly.
Arabella figured this was the right moment to ask her a few questions about the upcoming math competition. She liked Professor Margaret. Her answers were always warm and kind. The competition had brought them closer.
– Professor, I'd like to ask you something about the math competition.
– Go ahead, Arabella – the professor smiled gently. Arabella approached her desk and pointed to the problem.
– Is it possible to solve this task in two different ways? – she asked, showing her method.
– Absolutely. You've made a good start, but you're missing one step.
Just then, Orion flung open the classroom door and walked to his seat like he wasn't late at all.
– Orion can help you with that question – the professor added after a brief pause, clearly hoping he'd at least greet them or apologize for the disruption. But that moment of waiting was pointless.
He simply unpacked his things without a word.
– Is that alright with you, Orion? – she asked him.
– Yes – he answered shortly, sending a sharp look in Arabella's direction, which she returned with equal intensity.
– Wonderful. I was actually planning to stay after class today to help you two prepare for the competition. However, something's come up, so Orion, I'll leave that lesson to you. It's the perfect chance to walk through a more complex problem — you're good at that.
– Fine – Arabella said, walking past Orion's desk, throwing him another biting glare. He returned it just the same.
After class, she headed back to the room where they'd be stuck together, practicing math with her least favorite person. She expected him to ditch her and that nothing would get done. But when she arrived at the door, it was already slightly open. She saw him sitting by the window, waiting for her.
– You're late! – he scolded, watching her every step.
– I came exactly on time – she answered calmly, pulling her notebook from her backpack.
– Incorrect. You should've arrived before class started and been prepared, not doing it now – he continued lecturing.
She ignored him completely and began working through her tasks. She sat by the window, while he sat a little behind her.
But soon, he moved closer. She noticed only when he began shifting his things.
– What are you doing here? – she asked without looking up.
– We've both been invited to this session, and we're both going to work on these problems.
– Which task do you need help with?
– I don't need help. I realized where I went wrong and I'm fixing it – she replied calmly, focused on her notebook.
– Let me see how you're doing.
– That won't be necessary.
– Stop acting like this. Face it, you're stuck here with me.
– Still, I have full freedom to do whatever I want.
– Not full freedom, not while I'm here.
– You're mistaken. Just because I'm your chaos doesn't mean you're mine.
– Are you sure about that? – he asked, watching her intensely while she kept writing, pretending he wasn't even there.
She continued working diligently, fully focused, while he kept watching her visibly irritated by her indifference.
Suddenly, he took the pencil from her hand. That finally got her attention.
– Give me back my pencil – she shot him a deadly glare, while he smugly raised it above his head, out of her reach.
– What if I don't want to? – he teased.
– Give it back so I can finish the task.
– Use another one!
– I want that one!
– Then you'll have to work for it.
For the first time, she followed his challenge. She leaned in closer than she should have. He raised his hand even higher, making it harder for her to grab the pencil.
Determined, she stood up from her chair and reached for it but accidentally tripped and fell right into his lap.
Her heart started to pound wildly. He dropped the pencil and stared straight into her eyes.
– You asked for trouble and now, you won't get out of it so easily – he whispered, still looking deeply into her eyes.
The look pierced her. Those dark eyes caused her great confusion. The sharpness in them had now softened considerably and turned into a wicked longing. His eyes betrayed him and she could see how much he wanted her. And then, his longing got out of control and caused an unexpected action. He put his hands on her waist, gripped her tightly and pulled her closer to him, placing her on his lap so that their eyes were facing each other. They looked at each other without saying a word... He removed a restless strand of hair that was falling over her eyes. It was burning, and that was only because of one simple action. And she shouldn't have... She shouldn't have allowed herself, that now, her greatest enemy has such an influence on her. However, she easily surrendered to this moment and to a new game that they had just started. She liked how she affected Orion. His breathing was heavy and fast. He put his hands on her thighs, tightening them for a moment, then put them back on her waist, hugging her tightly. He slowly brought his lips closer to hers until they almost met. And then he stopped. Now she could feel his quickened breath lightly touching her lips. With his touches, he created a vicious longing for both of them. Orion then quietly and quite gently broke the peace they were in with words that pierced her entire being.
– I've always wanted you...
She could feel his heart beating fast. As she sat on his lap, she felt that he was getting harder and harder. She influenced him more and more, and she didn't do anything special for him. He had always been madly longing for her. She put her hands behind his neck and then gently entwined her fingers in his black hair. Then she leaned up to his ear and planted a soft kiss.
– Then prove it... – she quietly whispered to him, challenging him.
She felt it burn. He gently returned the kiss on her neck, after which she wanted to kiss her whole body. He was creating suffering for both of them with that slow game of his. He brought his lips slightly closer to hers. That move could have created a stir, but at that moment the bell rang for the end of class. He cursed angrily. Both of them hastily left the classroom, where an explosion of their particles, desire, longing and lust could occur.
***
After finishing their preparations for the trip to planet Cyno, the moment finally came to board the rocket for departure. Arabella, at last, had the chance to travel by rocket again. It was huge, with dark blue stripes running along its body. It had three windows that offered a beautiful view of the cosmos. Since the last event in the math classroom, she had rarely seen Orion. That confused her mind.
For the first time, she felt his presence in a different way. He had admitted to wanting her from the very beginning, and since then, chaos ruled her thoughts. She remained deeply craving the feeling she had experienced. He hadn't even managed to kiss her, yet she longed for him too much. A gentle kiss on her neck and their mutual desire drove her nearly mad. Deep inside, she became aware that she harbored immense feelings for him. She knew she shouldn't allow herself that. Yet, she still held a bit of control over those feelings. Determined, she resolved to run away from them, not letting them sink deep into her being and become part of her.
As she entered the rocket, she passed by him. He tried to avoid her but still gave her a brief glance, thinking it would go unnoticed. Arabella noticed it clearly. She simply walked past him. He continued his preparations, and soon, they took off.
There were ten other beings on the team, half of whom she knew from seeing them around the academy. In the group, she quickly spotted Emilie and immediately fell into conversation with her. Emilie was social, which made the interaction much easier.
The trip to planet Cyno wasn't as long as she had expected. It was the third closest planet to theirs. Upon landing, they noticed it was extremely barren and sparsely populated. Yet, it still possessed important structures for development and was progressing well. The planet had several previous projects with other planets, which had been successful and yielded satisfying results.
Five beings greeted them warmly. They looked very different from them, with distinct skin colors and builds. They appeared strong, brave, and very kind. After introductions and a brief talk, they learned that of those five, two were leaders of the planet, while the rest were the helper team. The leaders were named Ren and Rin. They were larger than the others and very serious. They had blue skin, like all others on their planet, and short haircuts. They wore strange suits.
After detailed information about the project, the leaders led them to their main building. It was enormous and had unexpectedly modern architecture. Entering through the main entrance, they paused to listen to speeches given by Ren and Rin. They noticed that the interior was far better than their own buildings, which surprised them. The building had five transparent elevators constantly moving. It was filled with many beings working there.
After the speeches, they took one of the elevators to the second-to-last floor, which was very well equipped for the project they were to undertake. The massive building had eight floors, but only this one was needed for their work.
They entered all the rooms except the last one, which they left for the final detailed meeting. They inspected each room and listened to brief reports before moving to the main one. It was exceptionally spacious, with large tables where meetings took place. Next to that area was high-tech equipment, and in the remaining rooms were work desks, tools, manuals, and various materials. Everything was in excellent condition and neatly organized.
After exploring, they sat around a round table and began the meeting. Arabella was seated opposite Orion, who still stubbornly ignored her. Now that the meeting had started, he cast a notable glance her way.
– So, which beings from your team are leading our joint project? – Rin asked.
– I lead our team and take responsibility during this project.
– And… who else? – Ren added, acting as the second meeting leader.
– I'm also leading this project! – Arabella answered firmly, then looked at Orion, who was already watching her with a dark expression.
– I am the only one responsible for this project, disregard her.
– The plan includes my name as well, as responsible for this project – she insisted.
– Have you seen that anywhere? – he continued.
– Are you Orion's deputy, Arabella? – Rin interrupted their quarrel.
– Yes, I am.
– Then it's possible you are that being, as the draft plan lists a deputy ruler as the second person responsible for the project... Ren, hand me those papers so we can check.
Looking through the papers, Ren and Rin found the answer to the doubt.
– Yes, that's correct, Orion and Arabella, you are the leaders of your team for this project.
Hearing this, Arabella sent him an ironic smile, while he glared back at her grumpily.
After a brief exchange, they turned their attention to Rin. He began to explain the project in more detail and the tasks they would be working on, and the rest of their gathering passed with him providing such information. The meeting was far from monotonous, as the atmosphere crackled with the tension between Arabella and Orion. They also received useful information that would improve their work on the project. When the meeting ended, both teams focused on carrying out their tasks. Before they could start working, they had to walk to the work site, which was a bit farther from that building. It was a great opportunity to better explore the wonders of the planet.
Upon arrival, they saw it was a large work environment filled with countless small stones, gems, and other materials whose composition was unknown.
– We've only recently discovered these particles, so we're not sure if this task is safe – Ren said.
– But we're all here as one team, so don't worry. We did a little investigation and didn't find anything dangerous – Rin continued.
– The most important thing is that we're all together!
After some brief instructions, work and exploration began. Arabella and Emilie teamed up and started investigating. They found a lot of interesting stones and had a lot of fun. Orion worked alone, completely separated from the rest of the team, keeping his characteristic distance from the other beings. He carefully analyzed every stone. He would only pick stones he was certain had a useful chemical composition to improve existing things. Arabella and Emilie had a huge pile of stones with them, taking every stone they spotted.
After finishing the exploration of one area, they split up. Arabella went to the other side, which seemed interesting to her. What made that place particularly fascinating was a well emitting glowing particles. It was truly a beautiful and magical sight. The particles rose from it constantly, drifting into the atmosphere, giving the impression that some other dimension might form right before her eyes. Around the well was only the most beautiful stone she had seen in that entire research area.
She approached the well to get a better look. It was just an ordinary hole. Leaning over, she saw the very deep interior of planet Cyno. Inside, it looked like a galaxy with a large number of faintly glowing particles. They didn't hit her face as they floated out, so she could freely continue peering inside. After that, she began to sift through the stones lying around the well.
Suddenly, something like a skeleton in the shape of a zombie emerged from the well. The skeleton-zombie was gray and had two pairs of arms. It had three cracked eyes, and at the first opportunity, it spotted Arabella. She didn't notice it, being absorbed in the stones around her. It steadily approached her creature with each step.
Just a few steps behind her, she began to feel its presence and reflexively turned around. The medium-sized, seemingly weak skeleton-zombie now stood before her, holding a sharp stone in its hand. Arabella stared at it motionlessly, thinking about her next move.
She quickly stood up, and it started moving toward her. Taking small steps backward, she tried to reach for a stone. But it was faster and swung the sharp stone. She bent down and moved to its back. The skeleton immediately noticed her move, swung its arm, and stabbed the sharp stone into her stomach.
The stone pierced Arabella's stomach, causing a huge wound that quickly filled with thick black fluid. It ran down her body as she lost balance and, after a brief moment, collapsed onto the surface of planet Cyno. As soon as this happened, the skeleton hurried back into the well to remain unseen.
At that moment, Orion appeared. Seeing Arabella lying motionless on the ground, he didn't even notice the skeleton, which vanished into the well after he appeared. He rushed to her at the speed of light. She lay still, slowly losing consciousness. He gently placed her head in his lap and brushed the strands of her unruly hair from her face.
– Who did this to you? – he asked softly, lowering himself closer to her face.
He expected a response, hoped she was still conscious. But he got none, as it was already too late.
– Arabella, can you hear me... Arabella... Arabella... – he called softly, still hoping it wasn't over. He gently ran his hand through her hair, now scattered over his lap.
– I... Skel... – she finally whispered weakly, then completely lost consciousness.
– Don't you dare die and leave me all alone – he unconsciously raised his voice.
His heart began pounding, his body overwhelmed by fear. He didn't want to lose her. His love for her was more than just love. Even if he didn't show it. He had built an armor full of hatred. That armor was slowly weakening under the weight of emotions, and passion was rising. Thoughts of losing her ran through his mind, making him aware of feelings he held deep inside. He couldn't let her life slip away, especially not there, in his arms.
He was covered in her black fluid, which kept flowing despite him placing his shirt over the wound. He stood up and tightly held her in his arms. He had to fight. He wanted to fight...
At the speed of light, he rushed toward Ren and Rin. Since he had separated from them, it was difficult to find them. When he finally spotted them, he ran up to them.
– Where is the hospital here? – he asked.
– It's not that close...
Giving him directions on how to get there, they realized what had really happened. Panic and that question clouded their minds.
– What happened? – finally, someone spoke.
– I don't have time now, I have to go.
– I suggest we call an ambulance, it's slower if you carry her to the hospital – Rin said.
– She can't wait any longer!
The rest of the team swarmed him, bombarding him with questions. Orion roughly pushed through them, searching for an exit.
– Has she lost a lot of fluid? – Emilie asked, following him.
– Yeess! – he answered.
Breaking through the crowd, he hurried toward the hospital. With every step, he felt more pain and growing fear. His creature was slowly sinking into despair.
Arriving at the hospital, he found a doctor at the reception, who took matters into his own hands, called other colleagues and nurses, and then headed toward the operating room. Orion hurried after them, until at one point, they disappeared behind the door of the operating room, leaving him standing there outside, left only with waiting and hope.