the scarlet painting

𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜

The days seemed to be flying it was crazy it was nearly the end of my first semester .
Reed had been m.i.a as usual I had no idea what he had been up to frankly I didn't know what we were even, I mean we both made it very apparent that we both had some sort of feelings for each other but still it seemed like we were nothing or something I don't know really and stopped trying to figure out what the hell we were.

It felt like I finally grasped the ropes of college and was starting to enjoy it instead of feeling stressed out twenty-four seven I had really become close with El and everyone else I might have also broken out of my bubble a little and started going to parties but only if the squad went, cause I had a mission not to forget to bury myself in my books.

I still had to make sure I didn't  fail the first semester I made myself that promise.

oh, and Blair wasn't trying to kill me anymore, so I mean that's a win except for the occasional glare and small remarks about how she sharpened all the knives in our mini kitchen to be really sharp.

Anyway, since it was Friday it was time to go to our clubs.

to say the club, I was in was interesting wouldn't be doing it any justice it was beyond that it was so intriguing it felt like was getting answers for all the unknown.

"Alright alright everyone will be diving into a topic that might be close to some of your hearts".

Blair seemed to have shifted in her seat for some reason the professor continued her speech with a smile .

" some of you are from Selmer will you please stand up I am not trying to embarrass you"

I was still deciding in my head to stand up or not but she seemed to have caught my unsure expression and nodded towards me, Out of peer pressure I stood up and so did Blair she smiled.

"brilliant" she clapped her hands as if we just solved the biggest mystery on this planet.
"Selmer is not really known but oh boy do they have the most crazy coincidences that happen there".

for some reason, I had the urge to keep looking at Blair to see her reaction we both weren't dumb and knew exactly why these quote on quote "coincidences"   Were caused by.

The professor seemed to have rambled on and on about the history of my hometown that bored me to death I stood up slowly from my seat wanting to ditch this class as I did all the time when nothing stood out to me .

right about when I was about to leave I heard the following words and froze "the azreed people" I turned around slowly heading back to my seat my head made a sharp one-eighty turn facing Blair her eyes were wide but I could tell she wasn't too spooked out like I was .

"see these people are almost like us yet they have abilities out of this world you might be thinking "really she's gonna tell us about aliens well what if I tell you these people very much exist and are hidden in the forests of Selmer".

And just like that both I and Blair both looked at each other she seemed to be sporting a great frown and a little scowl on her face.

The professor continued and on about the azreed and described them to be selfish and violent.

" they seem to have this façade where they seem to be caring but at the end of the day they want nothing else than to kill you."

"It was insane it was almost as if she was speaking from first hand experience.

There was a whole new insight on them that left me questioning a lot of things I guess I really had no idea what I was dealing with ,finally Blair snapped she stood up banged her hand on the table from all the rage.

"how the hell do you know about my people so much huh?, who the hell are you ?."

I quickly stood up I had to somehow help Blair not blow her cover.
" can we be excused she doesn't feel well ..
oh see in Selmer all of this is quite taboo to talk about since it's not real".

she tried to argue with me but excused us anyway I took Blair out of the hall

" Blair what the hell you almost got caught!" she ripped her arm away from my grip.

" I didn't need your help and I never asked you to be some representative of the azreed .

just because I didn't kill you because of your little guardian Reed doesn't mean I still won't" . 

she stormed off

With time to kill, I went to the garden which was a place where you would chill or a peaceful place to get work done .

I had sat down at a bench and recalled everything the professor had said she talked about the great fire which was the day the azreed made a contract with humans as one female who had moved near the territory overstepped her boundaries and was captured by the azreed they wiped her memory of her seeing them and on her way back from the camp she had seen younger azreed running away from people ,

that had lived in Selmer before she had ever arrived ,apparently they were running away for some reason  but she caught them at the right time and freed some   Child from a trap,
one child's  foot was stuck in a trap although the child did not speak she could sense the distress and helped him but instead of running away the child held her hand almost as a silent promise to something before running away.

the azreed set fire as a warning to the humans that lived there not to cross the boundaries again but once the woman was back  at her house it was almost as if she was programmed not to say anything about.

She would often have her dreams about them and would rather paint the dreams rather than speak about them.

A chill had run down my spine even thinking about the story I couldn't help but think all the similarities linked to my mother but who was this mystery child who my mother had saved my notification on my phone had disturbed my train of thought it was a text from Reed

"hey, call me it's urgent".
10:01 pm

"Hello, you said it's urgent"

"look I hate lying to you Leo because your someone very special to me so I decided I should tell the truth" he had a heavy sigh after his sentence

"Leo about MR MRS Filand I don't want you to hate me or be scared of me  I really don't want to lose you...."