Authorâs Note: This chapter is coming a little early. The first reason, I am sending it into a competition and wanted to give the first finished mini arc. And second, because I was really excited about the art this time around! Thought it was pretty good *dusts shoulder*. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Monaedi had to admit, this normal was much better than her previous situation! Instead of having lunch by herself, the next day she kept her word and took Theo to Poyoâs. The whole experience was astonishing to the blue haired girl, everything from the jungle gyms to the toys you could get with a kids meal. Mona was also forced to take a photo with Theo and the Chainâs mascot.
After they bought their food, they had lunch together in the courtyard. Again the day after that, then for the rest of the week, and onto the next. They mostly stayed on soft topics like school, hobbies, and foods they loved or would love to try. It was a very cathartic block of time. Theo didnât have to worry about what someone might think if she said the wrong thing or acted out of turn; Monaedi couldn't believe that having someone to sit and talk to could be so...well, nice. What they didn't talk about was the fact that they only hung out in private, or that Theoâs friends began to wonder where she would disappear to, or family. Definitely not family...
At the end of the week, Monaedi went to their unofficial assigned table in the courtyard and she waited for Theo to meet her. She laid out her lunch, the same as always: nuggets, chips, sandwich, and drink. Though her book was left in her bag and she did not begin eating. Theo seemed to always eat absentmindedly from her lunch. Monaedi acted like it annoyed her, but here she was, waiting for her companion to dig in. But Theo wasn't there. She's never late, Mona looked towards the entrance.
Time passed and so Monaedi ate slowly. She pushed her food around with her fingers with a sigh. Finally, she felt someone sit down in front of her. Internally she smirked, but when she looked up she saw that Theo wasn't in a good mood. Or any mood? Her face was blank.
âMy parents are coming,â Theo said her voice monotonous. Mona didn't know how to respond. So instead she gave a small nod urging her to continue and passed over the carton of nuggets. Theo picked one and took an irritated bite out of it.
âThey say they want to see how I'm doing in school,â she said with her mouth full of food, âBut they really just want to see me fail so they can bring me home.â
âWhy would they want that?â Â Â
âTo them, I already have a job: Our family is our business. Ever since I was a teenager I would help my parents ânegotiateâ. I'm a good talker when I want to be, with a pretty face. So I would help coax potential clients into deals they usually didnât want to take. I would dress up and be paraded around for these men and women...â Like a prop, Mona shivered and hoped that's all that was all Theo was expected to do.
âAs long as I can remember, they have dictated my every move. My weird abilities and wanting to come to school just seemed like nuisances they tried to bury away. Because to them...itâs like... Iâm only good for one thing.â That broke Monaâs heart because she could see that Theo could take on the whole dman galaxy if she wanted to.Â
âThey underestimate you, or don't even try to,â Mona said after a moment, âDon't let them think what you want to do is wrong. You're so much more than what they want you to be.â
Theo was stunned into silence. No one ever told her she could be more; in fact, no one talked to her like this before. With honesty. It's not like she hadn't thought about it, she came to Urdon Maior University to try on her own. But no one, not her parents or Malâqier, had ever encouraged her. And it startled her how much she needed to hear it.
âThank you,â she said quietly but then reality settled back in, âbut I think you overestimate me. I'm not doing well in any of my classes. Most I'm on the cusp of failing. My parents are rightââ
âIt's still early enough in the semester,â Monaedi cut in before she could finish that thought, âYou just have to need to quit some of the partying and stay in and study,â she finished with a chuckle.
âQuit partying? Now youâre asking for too much!â Theo thought for a moment, â...Thanks for talking this out with me.â Her expression so grateful, it was so soft and vulnerable it made Mona gaze at her for a little too long.
âWhat are friends for?â Monaedi said not able to look away.
âFriends,â Theo said breathlessly. Mona gave a small nod.
âFriends,â she replied quietly. They stayed in comfortable silence for a little while. Then Theo slowly gathered her things and headed to the entrance to the courtyard.
âWell, I shall descend into hell,â which made them both laugh heartily. And with that Theo left. Â
Mona thought about her own family. She decided to give them a call. The mobile rang, and rang but eventually when to voice mail. Mona listened to the familiar answering machine message, âHello you've reached the line of the Itreuâs Family. Leave a message after the beep.â
BEEP.
The weekend was going agonizingly slow. Monaedi looked at her mobile for what seemed like the thousandth time, checking to see if she had any messages from Theodora. Mona didnât want to text Theo, she wanted to give her space and time to deal with her familyâs visit. So this evening, Mona sat in her shared dorm room attempting to read while Zana, her roommate, got ready to go out for the night. Mona checked her phone again.
âWhy do you keep looking at that thing?â Zana inquired a bit miffed. She was putting her earrings on looking back through the mirror. Monaedi was surprised she was even talking to her. Usually, she just acted like Mona didnât exist, so it took her a moment to respond.
â...I...uh...I-I was hoping, from my friendâI was hoping to get a text from my friend,â Monaedi finally got out. Her roommate seemed to give up trying to decipher what Mona was trying to tell her.
âRight,â Zana said after eying Mona up and down. She didnât say anything else, but took her makeup bag and headed into the bathroom shutting the door behind her. Mona took that as the end of a rare conversation. She went back to her book.
ZZZZ ZZZâ
Monaedi was on her mobile before the second vibration could end. She had a message.
Theo: Iâm at your dorm. You here? Can I come up?
Mona: Yeah Iâm here. Mona: How did you know where I live? Following me again. (ă)
Theo: Thanks, what room number? Theo: And NO! I guessed, all the brainiacs live in Quadlr.
Mona: 303. Just come in the door is unlocked.
Mona set her phone down on her desk. Her roommate came out of the bathroom makeup successfully applied. She started to collect her things and acknowledged Mona slightly.
âIâm going out. I donât want to take my key, donât want to lose it. Youâre always here right, just leave the door unlocked,â She said putting her jacket on heading towards the door.
âUm..A-actually Iââ as she was about to respond except Theodora bursts into the room. She spots Monaedi on the bed and charges over to her.
âTake me somewhere,â Theo said to her a little out of breath, âSorry thereâs no elevator in hereââ Theo gestured to the door and when she did she saw that they were not alone. Zana had her mouth agape as she stared at the scene in front of her. Mona shook off her own shock and got up between the two girls.
âUh..T-Theo this is...Zana. Zana t-this isââ
âTheodora,â Zana said more than a bit surprised. She smoothed her skirt and tucked a loose hair behind her ear, âNice to meet yââ
âYeah you too,â Theo said hastily to Zana. She turned to Mona a bit more calm, âPlease, take me somewhere.â
âWhere do you want to go?â Monaedi didnât understand what was going on.
âAnywhere,â she glanced over to Zana who continued to stare like a deer in headlights. Zana...was she waving? Theo squinted and waved back tentatively, âSomewhere...private.â
â...I might know a place,â Monaedi grabbed her jacket. She ushered Theo to the door and said behind her, âCould you lock up before you leave?â And with that, they were gone.
The two girls walked in silence for a while. Mona lead them down a couple of paths behind some of the schoolâs buildings and after some time they were off campus. They headed into the woods and climbed over a couple trees and fallen branches. Eventually, the girlâs came to a large clearing in the middle of the forest. There laid a patch of soft green grass, and in the middle was a gigantic white tree with no leaves. They gazed at it for some time.
âI did what you said. Not letting them take all this away from me,â Theo said still looking up at the tree, âIt was awful.â And immediately Monaedi felt just that.
âI am so sorry. I shouldnât have come between you and your family â â Theo stopped her with a forceful shake of her head.
âNo, no. It was the best thing Iâve ever done in my life,â there was a wisp of a smile when she looked back up at the tree, âDid you mean what you said?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âWhen we first met. Did you really want to help me practice with...whatever this is,â she said looking down at her hands like they were foreign objects. Mona looked at them as well, and she nodded.
âYes...but why now?â
âIn delays lies no plenty, right?â Theo shrugged and tried to wave it off. Monaedi gave her look as if to say âGo onâ.
âIâve hidden who I am my entire life...Not just this,â she raised her hands again, âBut with a lot of things. I donât think I can come out to everyone. Not right now. But, if youâll have me...Iâd like to be myself with you.â Mona smiled, at her, her eyes getting teary. She nodded.
âIâve never had a real friendâŠâ There it was again. Theo wanted to question that, but she didnât want to interrupt. Mona rarely spoke about herself, so she stored that information away for later, âI am not sure why, but...I can be who I really want to be when I'm with you too.âÂ
To be continued...
Some chapter art is inspired by the anime Erased (x). Itâs pretty good, but they had this beautiful scene that I had to try and draw!Â















