Everybody was Kung Fu fighting...

***

CHAPTER 59:

FLYING BOTTLE

I spent the entire night wrestling in my dreams, first with Dav, then with Mars, but when I woke up the next morning, I felt much better. The first thing I saw was Tarben's smile, and I couldn't help but smile back, allowing the shadows of my nightmares to disperse quickly. Then, the rest of my friends visited me before breakfast, doubling my joy. Since they unanimously decided I should rest another day, I had no arguments left. When they headed to the cafeteria, Tarben volunteered to escort me back to my room. I didn't object—after all, if I was ever going to give this a chance, now was the time to start, right?

"What are you going to do today?" I asked as we reached the door.

"I think I'll catch some Z's," he replied, then his eyes narrowed playfully. "Unless you have a more enticing suggestion?"

I giggled. "You've been up all night because of me. Go get some rest."

"Fair enough," he said; though his voice held a hint of disappointment, his smile stayed put. As he turned to leave, I called out to him.

"Maybe we could watch a movie tonight."

The way Tarben spun around almost made me bite my lip to suppress my grin. The childlike excitement on his face was unmistakable. It warmed my heart.

"A movie sounds great," he said.

"Let's meet up for dinner then."

He couldn't stop smiling. He nodded, kept his eyes on me for a moment, then walked backward for a bit before finally turning around. As he left, I entered my room. Trouble, my cat, was unusually affectionate this morning. I guessed he missed me. He wriggled, rolled over, and exposed his belly for scratches. His display of affection lasted until he got bored and retreated to his corner.

I spent the rest of the day doing nothing. According to my schedule, I should have been in Life Sciences class. I was glad I wasn't. At least my teacher knew why I was missing. But what about Mars? Had he gone to class? Since he was the one who took me to the infirmary, he probably wasn't surprised by my absence.

Imagining him struggling alone in the field made me smirk. Then, another thought struck me, freezing my smile. Mars might have decided not to attend any classes at all, using my illness as a perfect excuse. He was probably lounging in his room with his girlfriend. I was sure I hadn't crossed his mind once.

Annoyed at how much this bothered me, I jumped into the shower. I tried to focus not on him, but on the life I was taking control of and the new possibilities unfolding. As dinner time approached, I stood before my closet, searching for the right outfit. I wanted to look good. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to matter.

The Dorm seemed to understand, suggesting a cute mini skirt and a matching jacket. I tucked the bandage on my forehead under my bangs and applied makeup. Pleased with my reflection, my heart was pounding as I left my room. It wasn't my first time meeting Tarben, but tonight felt different. At least, it did to me.

Whether it is evident to everyone or Ursa was just experienced, she knew something was up the moment she saw me. She grilled me until Tarben joined us at dinner, her smile reaching her ears when he mentioned our movie plans. Diego was keen to tag along, but Ursa quickly nixed that idea with a discreet kick under the table—a kick I felt, too.

Maybe if Tarben hadn't looked at me that way, hadn't been so eager to help, hadn't fussed over me so much, I could have pretended everything was normal. But after tonight, convincing not just Ursa but everyone else to the contrary was impossible. As we left the dining hall to head to the movie, all my friends were grinning ear to ear. I left the cafeteria with my cheeks burning red. I felt like flames were shooting from my skin. The jacket was a bad choice. As I fanned myself, Tarben turned to me.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," I replied with an exaggerated smile. "I'm perfect. The medicine worked wonders."

"It shows. You look well-rested and absolutely lovely."

A deeper blush rushed to my face. I waved my hand a bit faster and averted my gaze. "Thank you. You too. Though... you always look great."

My awkward compliment made Tarben chuckle. I mortified, dipped my head a little further. Luckily, the movie room wasn't far, and we soon arrived after a short walk. According to the clock at the entrance, we still had time.

"Let's pick out some drinks," Tarben suggested. "Maybe grab some popcorn too." Instead of heading into the auditorium, he veered towards a table at the entrance. I followed and surveyed the offerings. "What would you like?"

Before I could answer, voices from behind us made us turn around. Tarben and I spun at the exact moment, caught sight of the new arrivals simultaneously, and held our breath together. Of course, it had to be Mars and his girlfriend joining us. With my luck, what else could it have been? I froze. Tarben froze. Mars froze.

"Oh, Mars, your soulmate is here too!" Lea exclaimed for all of us, managing not to skip a beat in her happiness. She detached from Mars' arm, approached me, and surprisingly extended her hand. "We haven't properly met. I'm Leandra. But you can call me Lea." She glanced joyfully at her boyfriend and then back to me. "I'm Mars's girlfriend."

As if she could be overlooked. I managed to shake her hand, though I doubt I managed a smile.

"You had quite a fall yesterday," she said, pursing her lips in concern. "But you look well now. Are you okay?"

For some reason, my gaze shifted to Mars before answering her. He was listening intently, his expression far less cheerful than his girlfriend's. He must have been unhappy to see me interrupt his evening like this. In defiance, I put on a feigned cheerfulness.

"I'm doing great," I said with a broad smile. "Thanks for asking."

"I'm so glad!" Lea replied. She genuinely seemed delighted. She was a sweet girl, well-meaning. I wish she weren't. I was ready to dislike her as much as Mars, but Lea didn't seem to make that easy.

"You're here for the movie too, aren't you?" she asked. When Tarben and I nodded, she clapped her hands. "Perfect! Then let's sit together. Right, Mars? It'll be like a double date."

She was the only one smiling for all of us. When Mars finally tore his gaze from Tarben, he muttered, "Sure... that'd be great."

"Great, then let's grab some drinks and head in."

We grabbed some drinks and entered the theater, which was nearly full.

"There are four seats left in that corner!" Lea announced, running ahead.

It seemed those were the only seats left. Tarben and I exchanged helpless glances, then resignedly followed Lea. My night, which I had hoped would be a new experience, quickly became a familiar nightmare. Lea sat inside, Mars next to her, then me by Mars's side, and Tarben at the far end, next to me. It was like being wedged between two snarling dogs. Ironically, this meant enduring Mars's presence next to me throughout the movie.

As the lights dimmed and the film began, I quickly realized Mars's presence would be the least of my troubles. Lea, ever the lovebird, was just as affectionate in the dark as she was in class. She flinched repeatedly during the dramatic scenes, clinging to Mars each time—a natural reaction, given their relationship. I tried to ignore them but soon found myself tuning into their whispers more than the movie, irritation making my legs twitch. I spent the rest of the half on edge, hyper-aware of every little movement beside me until the intermission.

"I'm going to the restroom," Tarben declared as the lights came back on.

He probably wanted to escape the tense atmosphere, too. Smart. After a painfully awkward two minutes alone with Mars and Lea, I decided hiding in the restroom was an excellent idea. I set down my drink to stand up. That's when Mars turned to me.

"Can't stand being apart for even a moment, huh?"

"What?" I was caught off guard.

"Tarben..." he said. "Now that you two are going on dates, things must be serious."

I wanted to kick his smug face, though doing so in front of Lea wouldn't be appropriate. She was engrossed in conversation with some girls in the front row and probably didn't hear us. Meanwhile, Mars leaned closer, his shoulder brushing against the chair.

"So... are you two an item now?"

I opened my mouth to say no, but the little devil on my shoulder stopped me. I had a better idea. Raising an eyebrow, I retorted, "I don't usually discuss my personal life with strangers who aren't my friends. So... it's none of your business."

There wasn't anything official between Tarben and me, but Mars didn't need to know that. The intrigue flickering in his eyes was deliciously satisfying. Unfortunately, joy from upsetting Mars was always fleeting. He quickly recovered, scooping the ball right back into his court.

"Good, I'm glad," he said, turning away. "You've finally taken my advice. Limbo is too vast to wander alone."

He seemed to underscore his point by turning to Lea, who snuggled into him as they nestled together. They looked genuinely content, not like they were sorting through happiness but as if they'd already found it... A fresh twinge of annoyance stirred in my stomach. I couldn't bear watching them any longer and rushed out without a second thought. Tarben was still at the concession stand. I joined him.

Without saying it aloud, we lingered at the table as long as possible, perhaps contemplating leaving the movie altogether. But I was deterred by thinking of the implications of Mars's possible taunts at our next encounter. Reluctantly, we returned to our seats. The lights dimmed again, and the fragmented viewing resumed.

This time, I turned towards Tarben. Talking to him during breaks helped me forget the unpleasant presence on my other side. Tarben seemed pleased with my closeness. His face softened, his shoulders relaxed. He started commenting on the film, and we shared a few laughs. I hoped we could end the night with minimal damage, but fate and my cursed destiny seemed to have other plans for my future.

"I said don't touch her, damn it!" someone in front of us shouted.

He jumped up, casting a shadow over the screen. Another joined him, and punches and kicks flew. Soon, others tried to pull them apart, blocking our view. Like everyone else in the theater, I stood up, unsure what to do. From the words I caught amidst the swearing, it seemed a girl was the bone of contention. Such incidents happened in every realm, it seemed. Dead or alive, jealousy was a part of the soul. One boy was determined to skin the other for glancing at his girlfriend. Just as the fight seemed under control, popcorn flew through the air, followed by a bottle. Screams erupted as everyone started to flee.

"Come on!" Tarben said, grabbing my hand. "Let's get out of here!"

He pulled me toward the exit. I wasn't about to argue and quickly followed him. Just then, the brawling boy hurled another bottle. His opponent ducked, escaping unscathed. I, however, froze, watching the projectile head straight for me. A scream escaped me as I shut my eyes, bracing for the impact of shattering glass.

Instead, an incredible force pushed me down onto the floor. I lay there on the carpet, trembling. When I slightly raised my head, the first thing I saw was Mars right beside me, his hand on my shoulder. Tarben was on my other side, gripping my other shoulder. The boys' attention wasn't on me but on each other.

"Get your hand off her!" Tarben hissed through clenched teeth.

"If you'd been more careful, I wouldn't have had to," Mars shot back, his voice as cold as his glare.

"It's okay," I said, hoping to defuse the tension. "I'm fine. Thanks to both of you."

Mars was the first to let go. Tarben reluctantly tore his gaze from Mars and helped me to my feet. I noticed Lea behind Mars, watching me intently, her eyebrows furrowed. The friendly girl from earlier was gone. She seemed to question why her boyfriend had tried to protect me instead of her. She wasn't wrong; I was wondering the same thing.

"Let's go, Olive," Tarben said. "I'll walk you to your room."

Meanwhile, others had managed to subdue the fighters and dragged them out of the theater. After they passed, Tarben headed for the door. I followed him, but my eyes lingered on Mars for a moment longer. Why did this chaotic night leave me still puzzling over his actions? Why had he helped me again? Why did he want to protect me? Why couldn't he just be straightforwardly evil? Why did he keep confusing me?

And most importantly, why was I so desperate to understand?

***

Why, why, why? I think we all ended this chapter with the same question. Keep asking because I personally plan to keep stirring the pot. Bigger events are just around the corner. 

This chapter seemed like it was for the Tarben fans, but I threw a curveball and ended it with a surprise from Mars. We'll continue with Mars in the next chapter. Whether it's a new surprise or a bad joke, you'll have to decide when you read it, but be prepared for a dramatic episode.

Until then, take good care of your souls! Kisses, EC.