one-x-one - nemesis~ and Nepphy~

[herondale.]

{}

When was the last time he'd spoken to Catriona? Kyle couldn't really remember. He knew her a little from when he'd seen her around the town but never had they truly sparked a conversation. He hesitated in the centre of the beaten road as she came further out of her house. He knew that he had to get home and pack before it got too late but, then again, he prefered to waste his time talking than packing for something he didn't want to do.

When she replied, Kyle didn't fully trust her answer but he didn't pry; he hated it when others did that to him. He smiled vaguely when she inquired about him looking up at the stars. He chuckled dryly as he followed her gaze to the sky. "Just thought I'd waste some time watching them," he muttered, his gaze still on the sky. "Time well spent," he added lightly as he watched the dozens of sparkling orbs in the sky. He then lowered his gaze a little to Catriona. "I'm heading off tomorrow so I wanted to look at them from Pirth one more time."

[ephemeral.light]

[ I tyed this up earlier but then I accidentally hit the backspace and all the work was lost. I hadn't saved it as a draft so I had to retype it. It took quite awhile. Lesson learned, I suppose. I'll start to save any of my longer posts as drafts first. ^^ ]

[ Catriona ]

Just thought I'd waste some time watching them. Time well spent. Catriona nodded. Of course, exactly as she'd expected. She had seen Kyle's goofy expressions and playful smiles more than once, and he seemed like the kind of person who would want to waste time watching stars rather than return home to do chores, or whatever he would probably be forced to do. But his next words made her look u. I'm heading off tomorrow so I want to look at them from Pirth one more time.

She glanced at him, trying to figure out his facial expressions. "Really?" The word came out more as a statement than a question. "Where to? You do realize that the roads are no longer as safe as they used to be. I've always heard stories about one man or another that was picked right off the streets and never heard from again. They're not very happy stories." Personally, Catriona didn't give a care about the safety of the streets, but she felt it necessary to add it to lighten the question and to prevent it from seeming that she genuinely was curious. She didn't enjoy the feeling of others knowing what she was thinking and how she was feeling.

[herondale.]

{}

Kyle did notice that Catriona seemed vaguely interested but when she droned on about how dangerous the roads were he rolled his eyes a little. He'd heard all of the stories, with their constant occurence, they were pretty damn hard to miss. Some guy wants to leave the town, gets in a car, drives into the woods and is never heard from again. It was quite a common story in this place. People wanted to leave, fed up with fearing for their lives every day, evening and night. To be honest, Kyle felt the same but never did he try and act upon. Secretly he was scared out of his wits too.

Kyle glanced in the direction where the road was fenced off by a thick iron and barbed-wire gate, blocking out the forest beyond. You were only allowed to leave if you were granted access. Kyle sighed. "To be honest," he began as he looked back at Catriona, "I don't really know myself. My parents got this damn letter and now I'm headed off to who knows where."
He ran a hand through his hair before he added, "My parents have it drilled into their heads that it's a good thing. I don't see the point in complaining; it's an excuse to leave." There was a slight smile on his face but he glanced back in the direction of the gate, the smile fading swiftly. He hated being so in the dark about things.

{ ~ Omigosh, I just did that! I never learn though. I always do it. ~ }

[ephemeral.light]

[ Yeah, I know! It's not the first time I've done it either. I always say to myself that it's a lesson learned and I try to get into the habit of saving stuff, but it doesn't come naturally. And it seems that every time I retype something, it's never as good as it was the first time. =) ]

[ Catriona Breman ]

Catriona followed Kyle's gaze to the thick iron in front of the road, barring random people from just strolling off into the road on their own. It was a rather mediocre attempt, in her opinion. After all, if one really wanted to leave with permission and they put their mind to it, they could still get past the iron and barbed wire gate by, perhaps, climbing a tree over it, or digging some ditch underneath it. But if it were electrified, then it wouldn't be so simple.

She gazed off into the distant woods as Kyle spoke. My parents got this damn letter and now I'm headed off to who knows where. Her eyes immediately brightened. "An academy, Kyle? An academy? I got the letter too. It was an invitational and apparently I got invited, which was kind of strange since I can't imagine why a special academy would want me. But my parents thought it was a good idea too. I'm leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow. My parents are driving me. They won't tell me the location, though. I don't know where it is, just like you. And believe me, I've tried to get it out of them, but I couldn't. Maybe they were instructed not to tell the students about the location. My parents got a private letter of their own as well, a letter that I never saw."

She stopped then, breathing deeply. When was the last time she'd talked for so long? She glanced back towards her house, empty and dark. It was probably time that she went back home soon. She would have to wake up early the next day to prepare for this academy.

[herondale.]

{}

Kyle looked back at Catriona when she spoke and he couldn't help but stare at her. He nodded when she mentioned the academy and he suddenly felt a slight relief fall over him; he wasn't the only one. He'd pictured himself being sat in a huge, vast academy all by himself and, to be honest, that had been nothing short of daunting and, well, a little terrifying. He may not know Catriona very well, if not at all, but she was a familiar face to make him feel a little more 'at home'.

Kyle laughed a little at her rapid speech and had to admit that he was very relieved. "To be honest, you've no idea how relieved I am to know I'm not heading off alone," he breathed, resting a hand on the back of his neck an slighly ruffling his hair. "My parents haven't breathed a word to me about it," he sighed quietly. "I still need to pack..." he muttered to himself, glancing up at the sky.

{ ~ Same here... So frustrating. Especially if you've written loads of detailed paragraphs. Such a killer. ~ }

[ephemeral.light]

[ Catriona Breman ]

Catriona let out a free laugh as well at his response. Kyle had been easier to talk to than she'd imagined. "Maybe.. maybe if the two of us are definetely going, there'll be other kids from Pirth there as well," she suggested. That would make things a lot easier for her. Perhaps it wasn't even a special academy just for certain kids. Perhaps every student had been given the same notice, it was only that they never mentioned it or talked about it.

She stood up, backing away. "Anyways, I'd better go. It's getting late, and I'm going to have to wake up early in order to be at the new academy on time." She gave him a small smile of her own and raised her hand towards him briefly. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." She turned around, beginning to walk back. Meanwhile, she gave a relieved smile. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad if she had someone she knew.

[herondale.]

{}

When Catriona headed back into her house, Kyle muttered a good bye before he continued to head down the road, his hand digging deep into he pockets of his jacket. He let out a quiet sigh as he neared his house. Much like the other houses, it looked much like a holiday wood cabin. It was cosey and cute to look at but the surroundings would probably ruin the homey effect.

Trudging up the small path way, Kyle reached the front door of his house to find it open. A slight smile curved his lips as he opened the door to the sounds of his parents bustling away in the next room. He knew they were talking about him but their voices were too hushed to be coherant. He closed the door quietly behind him but it must have been loud enough for his parents to hear as they soon silenced their conversation. Kyle pursed his lips a little as he headed towards the stairs only to be swamped into a hug by his mother. "Ouch, mum, get off," he insisted, trying to wriggle out of her arms.
"Oh, Kyle. I'm just so happy for you. My son finally gets to have a chance at a decent education... at a decent life." He could tell from her warbling tone that she was crying and Kyle rolled his eyes, letting them fall on his father who was smile and shaking his head.
"'Kay, well, your son needs to pack now let me go, please?" he asked in a soft but irritable tone. He felt her nod against his shirt and he laughed a little as he tear-stained face smiled up at him. He felt a little sour about the whole academy thing but now he knew he wasn't alone and it was making his family so happy, he guessed that he may as well bare with it.
Heading up the stairs, he threw everything he'd need into a duffle bag before setting it beside his bedroom door. Swiftly getting changed into his night wear, he slid indly into bed and forced himself to go to sleep. He needed all the sleep he could get.

{ ~ Time skip? ~ }

[ephemeral.light]

[ Sure. Here's a time-skip to the next day. Rather long post right here. ^^ ]

[ Catriona Breman ]

"Catriona! Catriona!" Urgent whispers filled the seventeen year old's dim bedroom as her mother urged her awake. "You need to wake up now. Breakfast is ready on the table, but you'll need to eat on the way there. Come now."

And there she was, stumbling out of bed in a disorientated manner, blinking rapidly and trying to wake up. Catriona quickly put on her shoes, fingers fumbling with the laces for longer than usual, then headed down the hallways. From the windows, she could see the nightly guard on watch outside. Ever since the magicians had done their part in the east, guards had been appointed to keep an eye over each small section of the neighborhood to make sure that they would be safe while they were sleeping. Catriona grabbed her duffel bag, which was sitting beneath the wooden leg of the "dining table", as well as a thin slice of bread, then headed out the front door after her mother.

The ride to the academy wasn't far. They drove in a small automobile. The woods and the morning fog blocked her view of the surroundings as they headed towards it. There wasn't any talk or chatter in the car, either. Both mother and daughter remained silent. Sometimes, Catriona wondered whether her mother was actually happy that she was leaving. It would mean one less mouth to food, and several less responsibilities and worries off of her back.

She frowned as she gazed out the window, but didn't say anything. And then they were there. Catriona's mother pulled up into into a narrow street, thin trees and bushes lining each side of it. Small bunches of flowers grew at the base of each tree. Mist enveloped them, seeming to come out of the nearby forest, and rows of streetlights were placed several meters apart from each other, providing a source of light. It would have been a beautiful street, Catriona realized, had it not been for the darkness and mist. It was like viewing a scenic spot in the bareness of winter. The car slowed down slightly until they were at a stop in front of the Headmaster's Building. Catriona slipped out of the car after her mother and began to walk the stony path towards the Headmaster's Building. As she glanced around the parking lot, she noticed, with a jolt, that their car was the only one in sight. The rest of the parking lot was empty.

She shivered involuntarily before heading into the Headmaster's Building.

[herondale.]

{}

Kyle had awoken to his mother shaking him from his sleep. Her hold was gentle as was her tone that was calling for him to wake up and get dressed. He'd nodded numbly, his eyes still half closed from sleep as he managed to sit up. He smelt something that resembled caffine in the air and, on glancing to his side, he saw a hot cup of coffee. He took it greatfully and drank it all within three deep gulps.

The buzz wasn't instant like he'd hoped but Kyle did feel slightly more awake than he had done. Placing the cup down, Kyle rose to his feet to get himself sorted. He grabbed his clothes and, after removing his night wear, slid them on. He yawned quietly as he ran a comb through his wild, bed-head, before he washed his face and teeth and trudged out of his room, back-tracking to grab his bag and sling it over his shoulder, before he headed down the stairs and into the kitchen area where his mother was waiting.

His father was leaning against the work top, watching them both in silence. He never had anything to say, Kyle found, but that was how he liked it. He smiled at his father an got a warm smile in return before his attention was focused on his mother.

"Now, do you sure you have everything?"
"Yes."
"You're positive?"
"Yes."
"Toothbrush?"
"Yes..."
"Comb?"
"Yeeess..."
"Clothes?"
"Mum!" Kyle cried, exhasperated. His father began to chuckle in the corner and Kyle groaned irritably when his mother forced him into another one of her hugs then dragged him from the house. Kyle waved and muttered a goodbye to his father, who waved and uttered a goodbye in return, before he found himself seated in the car.

The ride was anything but silent as his moher forced him to rifle through his bag to make sure he head everything. By the time they reached the place, he'd cleaned out his bag four times. He clambered gracefully out of the car, his mother still insisting he check his bag again. He sighed with exhasperation. "Mum, please. Stop." His voice was earnest and he rolled his eyes at the glittering in his mothers eyes. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Kyle made towards the main doors. He noted the other car in the parking lot and smiled when he recognised it to be Catriona's before he stepped inside the Headmasters Building.

[ephemeral.light]

[ Would you like Catriona and Kyle to fall in love at some point? ]

[ Catriona Breman ]

As Catriona neared the building, the sliding glass doors automatically opened, and she entered. The room inside was significantly warmer and her muscles relaxed. She hadn't realized that she'd been clenching them against the cold outside. Several couches were placed towards the side and a woman was seated at the front desk, working on a computer moniter screen. She didn't glance up, even as they moved closer towards her.

Catriona turned towards her mother. "Mum, can you go? I can handle this myself. The registration forms are all filled, and they don't need any of your signatures. They only wanted me to check in, and I can do that alone. I'm not a kid anymore," she whispered.
"Don't be ridiculous, just let me - "
"Please. Mum." She fixed her mother with a pleading glance and she sighed.
"Fine. Honey, just be careful and responsible. This is the first time I've ever left you alone."
"Yes, I realize that. I'll be good. Now please - "
"I know. You're eager for me to leave. I'll go now, then." With that, her mother turned the opposite direction and exited out of the Headmaster's Building, shoes clicking against the tiled floors as she left.
She stared after her mother, watching as she walked away, until she was eventually out of sight. Her relationship with her mother was just like that. Fragile, easily broken. And the two of them couldn't seem to find a peace or a 'gray area' of agreement on anything.

She had begun to turn towards the receptionist when she spotted a familiar car pull up in the parking lot. Kyle! Relief immediately settled over her face, and she began to walk towards the entrance herself to wait for him. Perhaps they could handle this thing together. She had never felt that she needed her mother, but Kyle felt different. Like an actual friend, somehow.