Well you're dirty and sweet...

***

CHAPTER 28:

PIECE OF WOOD

I turned my head towards the voice, simultaneously feeling a warm touch on my arm.

"Finally, we get to be in a class together," Blue said cheerfully. "You look adorable in that jumpsuit!"

I couldn't respond because another hand had landed on my left shoulder. Following the fingers with my gaze, I looked up to find Tarben's face.

"What a nice coincidence that we're all together, right?" he said.

It seemed he was talking to Pam, not me, as his eyes were fixed on the princess. Although he was smiling, the discontent in his voice was unmistakable. Pam's violet eyes were narrowed.

"What a great coincidence indeed..." she said suggestively. Her gaze bounced between my two guardian angels, Tarben and Blue, finally settling on me. You escaped this time, she was saying. Her confident smirk made it clear I wouldn't be so lucky next time.

Then her eyes shifted back to Blue. "How interesting to see you here, darling. You don't usually show up for classes."

I was curious about the answer too. I glanced sideways at Blue and saw her shrug. "I felt like showing up today, darling," she said. "When I heard Olive was in the same class, I just couldn't resist."

I didn't know if this explanation was true, but it clearly bothered Pam. Her face soured for a moment before she quickly put on her smug smile again. She looked at me with fake sympathy and said, "Well, at least this poor girl will have someone to talk to. I heard she attends all her classes alone. So tragic."

This time, it was my face that fell, and unlike Pam, I was a terrible actor. I was sure the bitter feelings her words evoked were visible on every inch of my face. I felt the flames rising from my throat to my cheeks. I needed to respond, my lips parted, but I couldn't find any retort. She was right, and she knew it. Thankfully, my second angel came to the rescue.

"Don't worry too much about it, sweetheart," Tarben said. "That was just a temporary period. New song, concerts, and all... You probably wouldn't know, but I have firsthand experience. Being a rock star's soulmate isn't easy. But love makes it bearable." He turned to Blue and blew her a kiss. Blue responded with a dramatic show, placing a hand on her heart and sighing deeply.

"We stars sometimes leave our partners feeling very lonely. But when you understand and care for each other, missing a few classes doesn't matter, right?" She extended her free hand towards Tarben. Tarben took it immediately, and the two of them stood there, gazing dreamily into each other's eyes. Wow, what a performance!

"And besides," Blue continued, turning back to Pam. "Like Tarben said, that was just a temporary period and it's over now. Olive won't be attending classes alone anymore."

I struggled to close my mouth, which had dropped open as I listened to Blue. Pam, on the other hand, burst into laughter. "Mars... The Mars I know... Coming to class? For this girl?"

Tarben's hand tensed on my shoulder. He was probably worried I'd lunge at Pam. Honestly, all the ideas running through my mind right now involved some form of crime. But before Tarben or Blue had to intervene, or before I did anything crazy, the Dorm stepped in. Pam's eyes widened; her full lips parted. Gasps erupted around us. When I noticed the other souls were looking in the same direction as Pam, I turned too.

And there he was... Mars.

I blinked, expecting the image to vanish. It didn't. Mars was there, wearing the same purple jumpsuit as everyone else, but somehow looking unlike anyone else. How could a man make a gardener's outfit look that good? He hadn't even bothered to fasten the straps of the jumpsuit. The tank top he wore underneath showcased the results of many mornings spent at the pool. One leg of the jumpsuit was tucked into his boot, the other wasn't. Probably thrown on in a hurry, but somehow even that looked cool on him.

His eyes scanned the area from behind his sunglasses. When his gaze landed on us, it stayed there. As he started walking toward us, I wished for a tree to hide behind. After all the effort I'd put into trying to get Mars to come to class, this tension I felt was ridiculous. I should've been dancing with joy. But... I hadn't anticipated all the eyes – especially Pam's – being on us. Now, every soul in the field was focused on Mars and, indirectly, on me.

"Morning, handsome!" Blue called out with a huge grin. She was so used to attention that the silence and stares didn't faze her at all.

Mars stopped in front of us and took off his sunglasses. His gaze moved from Blue to Tarben, then back to Blue. Suspicion clouded his eyes. "What are you two doing here?"

"Isn't it an incredible coincidence?" Blue said. "We just happened to run into each other."

Even I could detect the panic in her voice. She was lying.

"Blue!" Mars scolded, like he was reprimanding a child. "That's why you were hovering around me this morning."

Blue sighed. "Okey, you got me! So what? It's the first time in ages you've come to class. Of course we were concerned."

"For both of you..." Tarben added. He didn't need to specify he was talking about me. He was practically my shadow, standing just a step behind me.

Mars's displeased gaze shifted to him instantly. "I get why Blue is here, but what's your deal?"

Tarben shrugged. "Wherever my soulmate goes, I go... Isn't that how it's supposed to be?"

I might have been imagining it, but it felt like Tarben's every word was aimed at provoking Mars. I'd noticed it before – though they seemed civil when together, I never got the impression these two liked each other. More like they tolerated each other for Blue's sake. But today, their civility was cracking right before my eyes. Mars didn't like being meddled with. And Tarben didn't seem like he was going to back down.

As if this tension wasn't enough, Pam stepped in with perfect timing and her shrill voice. "Mars!" she exclaimed, drawing all attention to herself. "You started coming to classes?"

I could swear some of my criminal thoughts crossed Mars's mind, but before he could respond, our instructor's voice startled us all. Angel Ria, with her celestial presence, had appeared among us without anyone noticing. Her signature ethereal glow was subtle yet present. Her red hair was partially braided and danced sweetly in the breeze. She, too, was wearing a jumpsuit, and just like Mars, looked unlike anyone else.

"Good morning, children," she greeted, her voice seeping into my senses, electrifying me. "Now, everyone stand next to your soulmate, please. We have a lot of work to do, so let's not waste any time."

We didn't move. Except for Blue, who was trying to hide behind Tarben. She couldn't have made it more obvious that she was cutting class. It was useless, of course. With his height, there was no way Angel Ria would miss Tarben. Then again, could anyone escape an angel's eyes even if they were invisible? Surprisingly, though, she didn't address them. Instead, she called out to Pam, who was stubbornly standing alone next to Mars.

"Pamela, please join your partner..."

I'd never seen anyone give the princess a command before. This was a historic moment, and witnessing it was priceless. As she gave Mars one last look and walked away, I barely suppressed my laugh and watched her go. She stood next to a short, scrawny boy I recognized from hanging around her before. He was one of those poor souls who did whatever the princess commanded. I thought he was doing all of that out of sheer admiration. But apparently, he was Pam's soulmate. A soulmate treated like a servant... I couldn't help but glance at Mars. Maybe my fate wasn't the worst after all.

As angel Ria started dividing us into groups, my attention shifted back to her. I didn't really care which group I was in, as long as Pam wasn't in the same one. When the angel assigned her to the other group, I couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. Mars did the same at the same time, and we exchanged a look. Before the smile trying to form on our lips could take over, we both quickly turned away.

When it was our team's turn, our teacher assigned us to tend to the tomatoes. The mischievous glint in her eyes as she paired Blue and Tarben with us said it all—she knew they were sneaking into her class but chose not to confront them. And so, we made our way to the tomato field. The necessary tools awaited us in a small shed by the entrance. Soon enough, everyone was in their straw hats, gloves, and bags, mingling with the tomatoes.

We mimicked the experienced souls, picking ripe tomatoes, fixing fallen vines, and tilling the soil. Blue, Tarben, and Mars were so bad at it that I looked like a professional farmer among them. I didn't think I knew much, but that one tiny summer on my grandmother's farm had taught me more than I realized. It was fascinating to recall those feelings—the excitement, joy, and curiosity filling my heart.

Working the soil was not easy. Within a few hours, my jumpsuit was filthy, my arms were tired, my legs cramped, and my back was sore. Yet, with every leaf I touched and every tomato I picked, I felt better. Seeing Mars floundering in the dirt definitely contributed to my cheerfulness.

"Poor thing, he is really struggling," said Blue. It dawned on me that I had been watching Mars with a wide grin plastered on my face as soon as I grasped who Blue was referring to. Hastily, I averted my gaze.

"Don't get me wrong," Blue added immediately. "I'm not mad at you. Quite the opposite, I'm thrilled you're pushing him." When I looked at her in surprise, she was smiling that big smile of hers. "You might not realize it, but you're the best thing that's happened to Mars."

"Yeah, tell that to him," I quipped, and we both laughed. Meanwhile, Blue's eyes landed on Tarben, who wasn't doing much better than Mars.

"I'd better help him out," Blue said, standing up. "Look at him, like a little turtle meddling in dirt."

I watched them with a smile as Blue joined her soulmate. Their playful bickering was so sweet... it triggered an indescribable feeling inside me. Loneliness, a sense of incompleteness, maybe a bit of jealousy... Unconsciously, my attention drifted back to my own soulmate. Before I could second-guess my decision, I was on my feet and walking toward Mars. Unlike Blue, I didn't throw my arms around my partner's neck; I just crouched next to him at a safe distance.

"So, you finally decided to help," Mars grumbled without lifting his head from his work.

"Admitting you need my help, huh?" I shot back.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "As I recall, you were the one following me around for days begging to help."

Damn, he was right. "Move aside," I said, changing the subject. I quickly fixed the vine he was struggling to tie up. Then we moved on to the other clusters. I gave Mars instructions while we worked. "Hold it from the end, pull it to the right, lift it up a bit." Together, we finished in ten minutes what he'd been struggling with all morning.

Mars took off his hat, looking at our work with admiration before glancing at me. "You're pretty good at this."

I didn't know what to say. His smile seemed genuine, his dimples appeared, and his eyes sparkled even more in the sun. Perhaps I noticed these details because, for once, he wasn't mocking or arguing with me. Suddenly, I felt uneasy. Did this boy possess some sort of charm? Why was I smiling back at him now?

No! I, Olive, was not one to be swayed by a handsome face and a few sweet words like the other girls. I resolved to regard Mars as if he were a tree – one that blossomed and looked beautiful in spring but was still essentially a piece of wood at its core... This thought brought me some comfort.

"Come on," I said, turning back to my work. "If we keep chatting, we'll never finish. We're falling behind the others."

Mars laughed again, his hair falling over his face and glinting gold in the sunlight. Just a piece of wood, I reminded myself. A charming piece of wood! That's all!

Unfortunately, I would have to remind myself of this over and over again later on.

***

This chapter was for all "piece of wood" lovers. Also for Tarben lovers. And also for Blue lovers. And finally, also for Pam haters.

And just like that, we passed our first class without any incident. Mars kept his promise. From now on there will be other classes, more fun and probably more drama :D

It's your chance to request any class you want to see our characters in. Be creative and surprise me :))

Until next time... Kisses, EC.