I will follow you...

***

CHAPTER 56:

WHERE'S SMURFETTE

Throughout the rest of the class, I attempted to mimic the movements our instructor demonstrated, but my mind was too preoccupied to absorb any new information. Fortunately, our angelic teacher soon allowed us beginners to sit out, turning her attention to the pros' match before ending the session early.

"Thank goodness," Blue said as she stood up. "It finished before anyone got seriously hurt."

Like her, I had been intently watching Mars and Tarben. I expected them to join us after class, but Mars hastily discarded his sword and helmet and exited the classroom. Tarben followed closely behind, both of them looking stormy as ever. I felt relief when I saw them part ways in the corridor, heading in opposite directions.

"Well, then... see you later, I guess..." Blue muttered, watching them go. Then she turned to me, a playful spark in her eyes. "Let's go grab something to eat."

And so we did. Though we had missed the usual lunchtime, the always-open buffet did not disappoint. We found a quiet corner and settled in. It wasn't long before our conversation naturally shifted to our soulmates. Without any prompting from me, Blue began to unravel the tangled past between Tarben and Mars. Their story was straightforward: the boys had once been inseparable, their bond so strong that even Blue had felt a twinge of envy. Everything changed when a girl entered the picture—Tarben had fallen hard for her, but she had only had eyes for Mars. From there, complications ensued. True to his nature, Mars had spent some time with her but eventually lost interest, completely oblivious to the depth of her fixation on him.

"No one's really to blame," Blue said. "Mars didn't even know Tarben liked her. Tarben had made me swear not to tell."

But when the girl jumped from The Void, the friendship between Tarben and Mars also plummeted. To Tarben, Mars became the villain who had stolen his love away. I understood his perspective; he was grieving and saw Mars as an adversary. Yet, the persistence of his anger troubled me—his refusal to acknowledge the truth, the harsh words he hurled at Mars at the carnival, his blind fury. In Tarben's eyes, it seemed that Mars would forever be guilty, no matter his actions.

After parting ways with Blue and returning to my room, the burden of what I'd learned hung heavily on my shoulders. Even stripping off my sweaty clothes and stepping into the shower didn't wash away the unease. Restlessness gnawed at me incessantly. I paced around, ventured out to the balcony, drowned in music, and only pretended to lose myself in a book. Finally, I went down for dinner, hoping being with my friends would lift my spirits, but luck wasn't on my side tonight. A palpable gloom seemed to have enveloped us all. I was aware of Ursa's troubles. Diego was upset after learning that Blue had gone to the carnival with a strikingly handsome guy. Helene and Lark had been at odds during class. Consequently, we ate in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts before we all drifted back to our rooms.

Now, back in the solitude of my room, my restlessness was more intense than ever before. My heart was a jungle gym, with feelings swinging wildly like monkeys. My mind was on Mars, and on Tarben, and on the misunderstanding, and on their ridiculous fight. And then back on Mars, again on Mars, always on Mars.

No, this couldn't continue. I had to do something. A thank you... a gesture to show I appreciated what he had done for me... I don't know. Something... I paced the room, and Trouble paced alongside me on his tiny paws. Gradually, some ideas began to form, though they seemed pretty outrageous by my standards. Could I actually do it? I wasn't sure. Should I try? Well, I didn't have any other creative ideas.

I went to the desk, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and headed straight to the library. The place was almost empty except for a few lingering souls. I called Alfie for help. The stork, ever the gentleman, had the book I needed in my hands within minutes. I sat at one of the tables, quickly wrote my message, and tucked it inside the book. Everything had gone smoothly so far. But to carry out the rest of my plan, I needed to take a deep breath. I left the library, got on the elevator, and went up a floor. My steps involuntarily slowed as I approached the music studios while my heart rate doubled. Part of me wanted Mars to be in there; the other part was terrified of facing him.

When I heard a guitar sound, my hands turned ice cold. This was my last chance to back out. But instead of running away, I took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. Mars was strumming an acoustic guitar, a soft melody filling the room. He wore cut gloves, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was hiding beneath them. When he saw me, his fingers paused, brows furrowing for a moment. It wasn't long before he looked down and resumed playing.

"What is it now, Oliver?"

Mars's tone and expression clearly showed he was already bored of me. Ignoring his irritation, I walked further into the room and sat beside him on the couch. He stopped playing and turned to face me, curiosity in his eyes. I handed him the book I was carrying. After scrutinizing my face with suspicion, he finally looked down.

"Where's Smurfette?" he read the title aloud. "What's this?"

"It's a book," I said. But he wasn't really asking that. He must have understood the particular reason I chose this tale. Despite his apparent displeasure at my presence, he couldn't help but crack a smile.

"And what am I supposed to do with this?" he asked.

"You're the adventurer," I replied. "Think a little." His eyes narrowed. I stood up, not allowing him to comment or ask any questions. "See you later then."

With that, the second stage of my plan was complete. Now, the final and most challenging part awaited me. I took the elevator to the ground floor and stepped out into the garden. It was nearing midnight, and the area was almost deserted. Sensible souls had likely gone to bed early with school the next day. I should have been among them. Yet, here I was, venturing towards the forest, drawn to a place I could barely remember.

Soon, my nervousness escalated to fear, then to outright panic. I pressed on, but my destination seemed perpetually out of reach. Just when I was sure I had lost my way and ruined everything, I caught sight of pink and white lights twinkling between the tree branches. My laughter rang out in the deserted night, startling me. There it was—Mars's secret spot, as magical as it had been that night. I found a spot by the shore and crouched down.

All I could do now was wait. I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapped my arms around them, and settled in. Time passed, the lake remained still before me, yet no one appeared. I found myself glancing over my shoulder repeatedly. Had he not understood the message? Should I have been more explicit? Perhaps he hadn't even found it. What if he had tossed the book aside? Reflecting on it, why would he interrupt his guitar playing to read a silly fairy tale? Or worse, had I dropped the note while carrying the book? Damn it! What was going to happen now? I wasn't even sure of the way back. As if waiting here like a fool wasn't enough, getting lost would be the perfect end to my misadventure. Stupid Olive! I scowled to myself; so much for my grand adventure.

"Where's Smurfette?"

A voice from behind jolted me from my reverie. My heart leaped to my throat, nearly trapping a scream. Hand clutching my chest, I spun around and saw Mars standing a short distance away, hands casually tucked in his pockets. Bathed in the lake's reflective glow, his playful smirk and the twinkle in his eyes were unmistakable. I bit my lower lip to stifle a laugh.

"You figured out my message," I managed.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you have a doubt?"

I turned away to hide my laughter. He came over leisurely and sat beside me, extending the note I had written to him. I already knew the message by heart. Clearly, he did, too, because he recited it while looking at the lake.

"Smurfette has decided to do something fun for once. Maybe this time she'll surprise you. Want to see?"

"Want to see?" I repeated.

He turned to me. "I'm here, aren't I?" I said nothing. His eyes narrowed. "Really, why am I here, Oliver?"

Here we go. I took a deep breath. "Why are you wearing gloves?"

He tried to maintain his smile, but his eye twitched. He looked away. "Because they're cool. Did you make me walk all this way to discuss my style?"

"It was you," I stated bluntly. "You beat up Bong and made him apologize." He remained silent. "Why?" I persisted, searching his expression for any hint of remorse or justification. Still, he said nothing. Frustrated, I turned to face him fully. "Why would you do something like that, Mars?"

He met my gaze, his voice low. "There was unfinished business between us," he finally admitted. "It's settled now. It was nothing important."

But it was important. Mars's past remained a mystery, cloaking the forces that shaped him into the man he was today. Yet, I was sure of one thing: the facade he presented to the world concealed a very different person beneath. This hidden side of him had stood by me more than once, offering help when I needed it most. That side of Mars was undeniably good.

I reached out my hand to him. "I called you here because I want to make a new deal."

Instead of shaking it, he looked at my hand skeptically. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm still trying to get out of the mess our first deal got me into."

"This isn't that kind of deal!" I said, extending my hand further. "I don't expect anything in return."

Suspicion in his eyes deepened. "What do you want then?"

I shrugged. "Just to be your friend..."

I could see I'd surprised him. His brow furrowed. "My friend?"

"I know," I said softly. "You think I've ruined your life, and maybe I have. But I don't want it to be like this anymore. I don't want to fight. Yes, I need you—you're my soulmate, and I'm still not sure how to get out of here without you. But..." I paused, taking a deep breath and offering a brave smile. "From now on, I don't want you to do anything for me out of obligation. You don't have to attend classes or put up with me."

He studied me carefully, likely pondering whether my offer had a catch. "Why are you saying this now, Oliver?"

My answer was simple. "Because I don't know any other way to thank you, Mars."

He glanced at my outstretched hand again, hesitating. For a moment, I feared he might refuse it. But then, he grasped my hand and shook it firmly.

"I'll regret this, won't I?" he murmured.

I chuckled. "Don't you always regret anything to do with me? So, probably... yes."

His laughter echoed mine, but it was different this time—not cocky, flirty, or mischievous. It was soft, genuine, real.

"Now," I said, lowering my hand. "It's time to seal the deal."

When I suddenly stood up, Mars's expression turned serious. But the real shock came when I removed my shoes and slipped out of my socks.

"Wait a minute," he said. "Don't tell me you're going to..."

"Maybe this time I'll surprise you," I winked, walking backward toward the lake with a mischievous grin. Mars shook his head in disbelief.

"You're not going into the lake."

"I am."

"Don't try pulling my tricks on me, Oliver. I'm definitely not following you."

I shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Leaving him behind, I walked over to the log we had jumped from last time. Mars hadn't budged. I gave him one last proud smile before diving into the water, ready to cap off the plan and close the night.

***

Olive is off to put the finishing touch on her plan. Let's see how she'll wrap it up—or if she can at all :))) Those who know me  might guess things won't go smoothly. But let me ask anyway, can Mars and Olive ever be friends?

Moving on to what's coming next...

I'd love to promise only good things, but oh boy, it's looking pretty dark ahead. Not just dark—pitch black. The coming weeks are filled with numerous events, secrets to be unveiled, and many tears. Brace yourselves, and don't say I didn't warn you.

Before I go, a spoiler: Next week, a new character enters our lives. And they don't just enter—they stay, and stay, and stay, and then stir up all sorts of trouble. Let's hear your guesses!

Take care of yourselves until we meet again. If you leave plenty of comments, maybe I'll be nicer to the characters (but no promises)

Kisses, EC