Secrets of Sallow

Chapter 9 [Book 2]

A few weeks have gone by since the incident and I haven't slept a wink since then. And it was quite obvious that I haven't with bags under my eyes and my unkept appearance most of the time.

I was done with people asking me what was wrong, I've just been using schoolwork as an excuse but it obviously didn't fool a few select people.

Ominis, though he can't see, could sense I was tired through the way I drawled my words and has been trying his best to get me to rest, but to no avail. Natty, Garreth and Imelda have all stopped me from making potions, scared that I'll blow something up.

Poppy was the worst. She basically follows me around everywhere and even one time managed to slip a sleeping draught one time, but after that, I've been wary of what I drink.

And since then, I haven't seen Sebastian at all. Perhaps it was me trying my best to avoid him, or perhaps it was him avoiding me or better yet, it was both of us avoiding each other.

Ashok hasn't left my side, still apologising for the kiss every chance he gets. I've already forgiven him at this, for Merlin's sake, I couldn't hear him apologise one more time.

It's like he's drilled it into my brain now.

Since the kiss, he hasn't tried anything, if anything, he's more cautious around me. I guess with the whole Sebastian situation too, he's probably scared he's going to get jumped by him again.

That one night has done my head in as I threw myself on my bed and grabbed my head, another headache coming in as I thought back to that night.

I let out a groan as I turned to my side and opened my bedside drawer, pulling out a Potion of Dreamless Sleep as I chugged the whole bottle, my head fell against my pillow as I closed my eyes, not a single memory of that night played in my head as I fell into a calming nap.

After a few hours, my eyes flickered open as I looked over to see that it was way past dinner. It's fine, I wasn't feeling hungry anyway.

I let my limbs stretch as I realised that was probably the longest sleep I ever had in a while.

I looked around and noticed that a few girls had gone to sleep already and deciding that there was no point in going back to sleep myself, I headed down to the Common Room, to see if there was anyone awake.

And to my surprise, there was one.

"Ominis" I whisper-shouted as I walked towards him.

The suddenness of my voice caused him to jump, "oh, y/n, it's you."

I took a seat on the window bench next to him, "yeah, it's me."

"You weren't at dinner", he pointed out.

"Yeah, fell asleep."

He grabbed hold of my hand as he rubbed his thumb over the back of it.

"Y/N, are you sure you're okay?"

He's worried, I knew it.

I squeezed his hand in reassurance, "Ominis, I'm fine. I promise."

He shook his head, "don't make promises you can't keep."

A moment of silence passed by until Ominis spoke up again.

"Something happened a few weeks ago didn't it? You've been strange ever since then."

Just Ominis saying a few weeks ago caused everything to flick in front of my eyes as my hand tensed in his, which he obviously felt.

"Y/N, what happened?"

I sighed, you've been hiding that incident for weeks, but I suppose it would be good to talk to someone, especially someone like Ominis.

"Well", I then recounted everything that happened, well, almost everything.