The Story You Don't Know

"Do you trust me, Avery?" His voice was low and enticing. His lips were curved upwards in a delicious smirk, and his hand was outstretched towards me.

I looked over the edge of the balcony, looked at where he was levitating in the air, a cloud of darkness emanating from him, curling and writhing listlessly, almost as if in impatience. "I…"

My eyes met his, and I understood what people meant when they say that eyes are the window to the soul. In that moment, I felt like he could see right through me. "Trust me Avery," he said gently. "Tonight, we are going on an adventure."

And then hesitantly, I tread closer to him, put my palm in his as he pulled me up so I was balancing on the railings in my b.a.r.e feet. "Someone's going to see me like this," I stifled a giggle, my nightgown billowing in the wind.

"Do you want to care?" He had a point there.

"Trust me, Avery. Let's go." The darkness that smouldered in his eyes tonight was warm. My heart fluttered.

"Kalennnn!!" I shrieked as I leaned forward and fell into his strong arms.

I couldn't help but think that in a different world, he could have been none but my imagination. In a different world, I could have plummeted three storeys off the top floor of my parents' mansion, possibly to my death.

But I was safe in his arms, my favourite place in the world, my hands on his firm c.h.e.s.t.

And then I realized we were floating higher and higher, the cloud of darkness that seemed to be levitating him, no, levitating us, streaming out from below us before dissipating into the hot tropical night wind. "Kalen," I gasped out his name in a mixture of fear and anticipation as the ground grew smaller and smaller.

"Let's go," he flashed me a mischievous smile - the first of its kind that I'd ever witnessed.

And as my heart raced and the blood in my ears roared louder than the wind whistling past, he tipped back, still holding onto me tightly, and dived. I let out another thrilled scream.

That night, we flew over my whole town. With the city lights glimmering below, stars glittering above us in a nearly cloudless sky, my heart flew as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me hard. Our romance was like a wildfire, passion spreading throughout my whole body, igniting flames I never knew I could have. I didn't know how long this raging fire would last, but I promised myself I'd savour it while I could.

But before I knew it, I was tucked back in my warm bed, a stark contrast that made the chilling high-altitude night winds I'd just experienced seem more like a hazy distant dream. The only souvenir I had of the surreal night was in the lingering cold of the amulet around my neck that was quickly fading to the heat from my body.

His palm swept over my forehead, gingerly brushing hair out of my face.

Love you, Avery.

Dormi.

Sleep tight.

-

23 May 2016, Monday

I'm so excited my heart is bubbling. My mind's been occupied with so many things lately that I forgot the annual senior school camp is just around the corner. Just today in class, we were handed out indemnity forms for our parents to sign. I missed out on last year's camp as I was down with flu, so I can't wait for this year's. Outside of school activities, I never get the chance to sleepover with my friends.

And this time around, I'll have Isabelle with me. I wonder if we'll get to be bunkmates. I can't help but think about how that means either Brooke, Rachel or Amelia would have to be paired with someone else. After hanging out with them for so long, is that selfish?

They've been nicer to me recently too. It makes me wonder if Isabelle gave them a talking to behind my back. I just hope my friends can be friends too.

"Hey Avery," Brooke told me one day. "You rarely hang out with us nowadays, ever since you found your new friend."

It tugged at my heartstrings and made me feel guilty. We've been friends for almost 11 years after all. "I just wish you guys would stop teasing me," I replied. "You know how much it hurts me, you know what Amelia does when she throws her weight and her temper and yet, sometimes I feel like you and Rachel just go along with it, close an eye to everything you don't want to see.

"I've said this time and time again but nothing seems to change. I'm human too. I can't put up with this forever. I won't try and change Amelia, because I know nothing I can do or say is going to make her a nicer person unless she wants to change. Recently, I realized, I'm theone that needs changing. If nothing's going to change, maybe it's time to change directions."

That felt like the most heartbreaking and deep conversation I've had with Brooke in a long time. It reminded me of the times we used to deep talk till late in the night, when I'd pour my heart out to her, way before things took a downward turn and Amelia's bullying worsened.

When had we drifted apart? I hadn't even realized. The four of us used to be so close. When was the turning point when the dynamics in our friendship changed? Is it too late to salvage things? Is it too late to keep trying?