Cursed Souls - Chapter 17 17 Thoughts

Oaki woke up and rolled out of bed quietly so she wouldn’t wake Noah. She changed her clothes. Today she decided to wear make-up. Today she woke up early. She wanted to get back to a normal routine. She still looked skinny and weak. She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She walked down to the cafeteria and sat down alone to eat breakfast. After breakfast, she walked up to the library to read. She specifically wanted to read medical books. She was tired of other people always stitching her up. She figured she would try to educate herself more. Noah reached over to the side of the bed. It was cold and empty. ‘Where could she have gone?’ he thought to himself. He got up and ready rather quickly. He walked around the cafeteria, then checked the Meda-U. He couldn’t find her anywhere there so he went back to the room. He looked over at the mirror in the bathroom and saw a note.

“Going for breakfast and a walk. Need space please don’t go looking for me. -Oaki”

“Well, that’s just great. Did she not learn her lesson before?” He said aloud frustrated.

If he had learned anything about her he had learned that she liked the food. She didn’t eat like a regular girl. He went back to the cafeteria and waited. Oaki, however, was content reading and reading. She was in the library for five hours. She had a notebook she had been taking notes in as well. She put down the medical textbook and reviewed her notes, highlighting and revising them. She flipped to an empty page. She started to write a name. ‘Chris’. She looked at his name. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. She didn’t know how she felt about him though. She thought he was a cool ‘bro’ to have. But she also slightly liked him. But then again she wasn’t sure about that either. She closed her eyes and saw the little boy looking at the mirror at her. She couldn’t shake that image out of her head. ‘What even was that?’ she thought to herself. Just then someone came into the library and walked past her. They slowly passed backward.

“Oaki?”

Oaki looked over at the girl. She was vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t remember her name.

“Um…yea” Oaki replied unsurely.

“It’s me ava Kure’s roommate?” ava responded.

“Oh yeah that right. Sorry, I’m horrible with faces and names.” Oaki replied.

Ava’s eyes drifted over to Oaki’s notebook.

“Chris huh?” she paused. “He is such a hottie, and…totally into you.”

“Haha, it’s not like..” She started to try to explain.

“I mean I guess it depends on what you’re into though,” she said moving one eyebrow up. “Chris the bad boy, or Noah most girls dream guy.” ava said giggling a bit.

“I don’t like either of them,” Oaki said trying to be sure.

“Don’t like either? Or you like both?” Ava said smirking. “Girl it’s okay. Faced between them I wouldn’t be sure either. Two very attractive men trying to watch out for you and risk their lives to save you I can see how the decision would be a little difficult.” She said almost talking aloud to herself.

Oaki looked over unsure of what to say. She sat silently looking down at the textbook. Ava looked down at Oaki who was clearly uncomfortable. She offered her hand down.

“Come on let’s get lunch it’s one o’clock,” Ava said smiling.

Oaki reluctantly reached up for Ava’s hand. She grabbed the textbooks and her things and started to walk with Ava.

“Souh… how has Kure been?” she asked Ava quietly.

Ava instantly turned pink. “Kure?” she paused. “Oh Kure, he’s doing well. He got stabbed in the leg by one of the boys who took you, but it should heal in no time.” She said trying not to make Oaki feel worried.

This clearly failed since Oaki looked over at her in concern. “Stabbed?” Oaki said trying to sound calm.

Ava smilied. “We can go see him after lunch.”

“Okay.” Oaki agreed quickly.

‘How could she have spaced Kure?’ She was a horrible sister. ‘Who forgets there own brother?’ ‘It’s all my fault that he’s hurt.’ She walked down to the cafeteria with Ava silently. They hadn’t said anything to each other. Right as they entered the cafeteria Ava looked over at Oaki.

“I also kinda forgot to mention this butum… Noah has been waiting for you.”

Oaki looked up as the doors opened. However, instead of seeing Noah she looked over and locked eyes with Chris. Noah got up and walked over to her.

“Hey look I am really sorry about last night.” Noah said apologetically.

She slowly turned to look away from Chris and toward Noah. “It’s fine don’t sweat it. Im sorry as well. Thanks for everything you have done for me, I truly am grateful.” She said smiling at him before turning away. She looked back at him again. “I’m going to get food I’ll be back.” She said in a hurry.

Today Chris didn’t seem particularly seem crazy to see her. Instead, he seemed to be trying to avoid her. She noticed this but didn’t seem to care much about that. Sh ran over to him.

“Well since your trying to avoid my cupcake I’ll make it short.” She said smiling and cheery. “Thank you for everything you have done for me this far. I really appreciate it.” She smiled and started to walk away to get food.

He turned back quickly and grabbed her hand. “First of all… Don’t speak so loud people might think that I’m good and can’t have that going around ruining my reputation. Secondly I’m not a cupcake. Thirdly let me join you for lunch.” He phrased all of his statements quick and sure, giving no room for her to answer. He said thirdly, not phrased as a question. But rather as if he was informing her.

He started to walk over with her into the cafe area. “Yanno charming has been waiting for you for over an hour,” He said smugly.

“Oh” She said trying not to be awkward.

“What did you guys have a rough reunion last night? No time for fun” He emphasized fun in a way that made her a little uncomfortable.

“Eww! Get your mind out of the gutter! I and he aren’t like that.” She said annoyed with his presence.

The funny thing is until that point both of them had forgotten they were holding hands. Oaki realized and looked down and let go quickly. They both went into different lines and got food. They walked out together and went to sit with Noah and Ava. Just as they sat down Noah and Ava stood up to get food themselves. Ava looked at Oaki quickly over to Chris then back at Oaki and raised her eyebrow and winked. Oaki looked at her confused. ‘Had she seen us holding hands?’ she thought to herself. In just that instant Chris looked at her sitting at the opposite end of the table.

“Maybe she did see us holding hands.” He said smirking.

She started to slightly choke on the water she was drinking and looked over to him.

“HUH?” She said looking over at him.

“I mean you did say, has she seen us holding hands. Now, honey, this may come as a shock to you, but I am neither blind nor deaf.” He said smugly.

She looked down at her food. ‘Had I said that aloud?’ She looked back up to Chris who was in the middle of grabbing his burger.

He paused. “Maybe if you were worried about saying things aloud you should just think it.” He said before taking a bite.

She grabbed her water and took another sip. ‘I cant talk and drink at the same time. Am I crazy or can he hear my thoughts’ Chris started at her in confusion? ‘How is she doing that?’ He started to take another bite. ‘Did she even talk aloud since we sat down?’ He questioned to himself. They looked directly at each other. ‘No I haven’t said anything aloud since we sat’ She thought to herself looking at him.

“What the.,” Oaki said aloud.

“Holy..” Chris said at the same time.

They looked at each other again. ‘Can you hear my thoughts?’ Chris said looking at her without moving his mouth.

‘Creepy I don’t know what’s going on but it’s like I can hear your voice in my own head talking to me’ she said looking back to him without making a sound.

Ava and Noah sat down.

“So where were you this morning just at a curiosity.” Noah asked directing his question at Oaki.

“Library,” Ava answered. “Or at least that’s where I bumped into her.”

“Oh…nice. I personally haven’t been there yet. Maybe we can go together next time.” He said looking over at Oaki smiling.

‘Oh great, he’s trying to flirt again. Awh how sweet.. Bleckkk.’ Chris thought to himself, mocking noah.

Oaki kicked him from under the table and looked to him. ‘Shut up’.

Oaki and Chris were staring at each other annoyed. Ava and Noah looked at each other clearly lost to what was going on between those two.

“So whatcha wanna do after lunch?” Noah said looking to Oaki.

“After lunch, I and Oaki are gonna hang with Kure,” Ava said answering for them.

“Oh cool, I’ll come too. Haven’t seen my bro since everything.” Chris said smiling over at Oaki, in a manner that she summed up to him being a smartass.

“I’ll come too then to check up and see how he’s doing,” Noah said politely. However, it was clear he didn’t want the girls to be alone with Chris.

“Cool!” Ava said giddy and clueless.

“..” Oaki was about to say something when Ember and Elijah walked up and joined them.

“Man we almost didn’t even see you guys,” Elijah said while sitting next to Noah.

Ember walked around the table and sat next to Oaki. “Girl I have sooo sooo much to catch you up on! And by the way, your brother is a WHOLE MANS,” she said looking over at Oaki especially enunciating ‘whole mans’.

“Huh?” Oaki said kinda confused and dazed.

“Don’t worry I’ll catch you up later?” she said winking at Oaki she continued and her tone changed drastically to sincerity,, “I’m really glad to see you feeling better.”

Everyone finished eating. Ava didn’t seem very pleased with the ‘whole man’ comment. But other then that lunch went smoothly. No one really talked too much, but it wasn’t really awkward. Everyone seemed to have a happy temperament while eating their food. Noah waited for everyone to be done, then he and Elijah brought everyone’s trays over to the dirty pile. They walked back slowly seeming to be having a conversation between themselves.

Oaki was confused. ‘When did they get that chummy’, ‘why were Ava and Ember so awkward with the whole man’s comment?’ and ‘what the hell does she mean by whole men?…. Did her and Kure black’ she tried not to think of it. ‘and when on earth did Chris and Kure meet and what did he mean by bro?’ Oaki sat quietly pondering when BLAMO she heard Chris.

‘Oof slow down you are making my head hurt. I don’t know all the drama in this group… So I will fill in what I do know. Kure and I meet when you were first taken. I think we are friends and he seems like a chill dude. I mean from what I could tell that Ember girl and Elijah dude seem to be a serious thing, and Kure likes Ava. Noah is infatuated with you and has been broody and really isn’t pleasant to keep as a company but that’s whatever and’ Chris explained.