Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 12: Better Than That

∙ Madis POV ∙

I scribbled some things onto the paper in front of me. The letters soon turned into doodles, lines and swirls.
I had actually wanted to "design" a new dress. Another one for Aesa. She had loved the other one I had given her the other day, had been grinning at me for the rest of the day. It were those moments that made me feel happier than anything else—seeing my best friend smile.

And I wanted to see her smile more often, I wanted her to be happy. But my mind constantly drifted off and I could not continue on the outline of the dress. I continued to doodle, drawing some lines and outlines of what looked a lot like wings. Wings attached to a body. A male body. I quickly moved my hand over the paper, covering it with my palm. Gods...

"For hating the insufferable fae prick so much, the drawing is very.....precise," Aesa mused next to me. I shot her a glare, bracing my chin in my hand.

"Are his wings really that huge? " she queried and I nodded my head absently.

Startled about myself I then rapidly shook my head, getting back to my senses. "Shut up, it is not him. Just a random man with wings."

A wicked grin appeared on my best friend's face. "Mhm, absolutely. Because there are so many men with wings. Maybe you should send him the drawing. Add a little print of your kissy mouth to the front. I am sure he would appreciate it," she chuckled, cleaning up her work place.

I showed her a vulgar gesture, kicking her leg slightly under the table. Fool.

After finally having been allowed to sew in the morning Aesa and I were meant to head over to the matron's gymnastics lesson. Aesa did not sew but often joined me to do her writing. A romance author was what she thrived to be and I hoped and prayed each day for her to be able to fulfill her dreams some day.

The matron thought it was important for girls to do gymnastics and so our wonderful day had to be interrupted by it. Still, I was actually looking forward to it, it was so soothing for my body and soul. We needed to change into our dresses and tights for gymnastics and then were all handed a hoop. We had to do easy exercises lifting the hoop over out head, balancing on one leg, stretching our arms, holding the hoop straight in front of our bodies.

After some hoop exercises we then had to do some exercises on the balancing beam. I felt quite dizzy watching Aesa balance over the beam. I squinted my eyes, taking steadying breaths and soon it was my turn to step onto it. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and walked over it, towards the middle. Then I was meant to stretch my left arm forward and my right leg back. I did and my vision went blury, my heart ached and the next thing I remembered was my head hitting the hard wooden floor. Icy-heat erupted in my left temple, flecks of white limiting my sight.

I heard a shriek and a few gasps from the girls that waited behind me. Then a face appeared in front of me. Aesa leaned over me, but she was soon pushed away by the matron. Her red hair was pulled back in a tight bun, she squinted her sharp eyes at me, glowering. "Get up, stupid girl!" she huffed but I couldn't move. It felt like my body was numb, paralyzed. Panic danced in icy fingers over my skin and my stomach churned.

"I can't..." I breathed out and she leaned closer to me. White and black sparks flickered in front of my eyes, my chest rattling. "Someone get her a medicus, the others help me carry her upstairs!" the matron ordered and walked around me, pushing her hands under my shoulders before lifting me up. Aesa lifted my feet and the two of them carried me upstairs to my room.

"What have you done, stupid girl?" the matron questioned once she had placed me down. I shook my head, "Is this the fae boy's doing? Did he do something to you?" I again shook my head, close to tears.