Maybe In Another Life

Chapter 11

(Draft)

The hallways were dimly light by the occasional lights, scattered along it.

Outside the windows, a vacant blackness stared back at you as the cold autumn air knocked on the glass pryingly.

Soren walked down the corridors, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his hoodie.

The floor boards creaked underneath his feet, disrupting the whispers of silence.

He had finally made it to the phones, isolated at the end of the east wing's hall.

Underneath the warm yellow lamp, a slender silhouette leaned against the wall with one of the phones pressed to it's ear.

A gentle voice spoke, interrupted by scarce soft laughter.

He felt his heart beat against his chest hard, and suddenly, he thought his breathing became louder. Then, it was replaced with a deafening ringing in his ears, which had him confused.

He didn't understand what was happening to him. It was like all at once he became blind and deaf at the same time.

"He asked about you several times." Someone said on the other end of the line.

"Has he been giving you a hard time about me not being there to receive his beatings? Is he lashing out on you twice as much to compensate for my absence?" Mavis spoke worriedly into the phone.

"Don't worry about me honey, I'm rarely home, he doesn't get the chance to." Her mother reassured her.

Mavis felt a presence behind her, and a shiver ran down her spine.

Soren's torture finally ceased when a brown eye and a blue one locked with his two green eyes.

Mavis had turned around, the phone still in hand, and with wide eyes, stared at Soren.

He held her gaze for a second, then turned away, and began dialing a number.

Mavis's mother spoke something in her ear, but she was busy trailing Soren's fingers as they roughly brushed over the numbers he pressed. He licked his lips in anticipation then his deep voice became a background melody to her mother's raspy one.

"Mavis, are you still there?" She asked.

"Yes, sorry, I zoned off."

"You must be tired, I'll end this quick..."

"Don't worry about it maman."

"I'll come to visit you as soon as I can, I'll let you know before hand when my schedule'll clear up."

"I'm looking forward to it. I miss you." Mavis whispers.

"I miss you too mon cœur, have a goodnight. I love you."

"I love you too."

The phone hung up, and a piece of Mavis broke away. Her face returned to it's usual weird smug look, but her eyes dimmed and life in her faded.

She turned, leaning her full back against the cold wall.

Soren's own back was turned to her.

"So you'll come pick me up?" He said gruffly into the phone.

Despite his harsh demeanor, Mavis could hear distant chuckling on the other end of the line.

"Alright then, I'll see you next." Soren now hung up too, and turned.

The two found themselves starring into each other's eyes once again.

The faint orange light overhead casting a soft shadow upon both their faces.

Mavis looked at Soren in a weird way. It was almost scary in the dark hallway.

"What?" He snapped, his voice echoing among the walls.

"Where are you going?" She asks him, one of her eyebrows slightly arching.

"It's none of your business." He replies defensively.

"You're right it's not, but I'm curious." She stands her ground.

"Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?" He narrows his eyes at her, pushing away the slight amusement he felt.

"Don't you know cats have nine lives?" She smirks at him. "So... where're you going?" She repeats.

"Out. With family..." He vaguely tells her.

"Liar. Next weekend is Halloween. There's no way you're going out with family." She points out.

Soren felt like he was being held at gun point.

"I-"

A girl appeared in the hall, and she stood before them, her owl eyes darting from Soren to Mavis, from Mavis to Soren.

She finally cleared her throat awkwardly, and pushed past them, occupying the phone Mavis had been speaking at.

The two exchange a confused glance, before beginning to walk back to their rooms side by side.

"Well..?" Mavis, unashamed, meddles.

"My cousin is taking me to a Halloween party after we spend a day in the city." He ultimately admits.

"Can I come with?"

"Absolutely not." Soren was quick to answer.

"Please?"

"No."

"Aw come on! I just need a reason to get out of here. I won't even stick around with you. All I need is for you to get me out, then we'll part ways!" She tries to convince him.

"No. My answer is still no." He disregards her, beginning to walk quicker to put some distance between them.

Mavis stops in her tracks.

"Soren, please. I won't be able to get out of here all year long. This is my only chance. I don't have any relatives to sneak me out like you do. Please, I just need to feel free again. At least for a day." She pleads.

The way her voice cracked while she spoke, made Soren's stubbornness waver, but he continued to walk nonetheless.

When he didn't hear her footsteps trailing behind him, he felt a wave of new found guilt wash over him, and he gulped, already regretting his next move.

He walked back to where he had left Mavis, to find her still standing there, her neck bent back so her head was facing the ceiling.

She was palming her eyes, exhaling frustratedly.

"Fine, I'll get you out of here for a day." He barely managed to get out through gritted teeth. "But as soon as we get past these gates, we part ways."

"Deal!" She offered him a toothy grin, which gave him view of the gap in her front teeth.

It made her look very french.

"Thank you." Her smile turned into a more sincere one, and he simply nodded, at last heading back to his room.

Mavis smirked to herself, 'innocently' whistling, as she made her way to bed...