The first thing Jace noticed as he walked into the infirmary was that he wasn't alone. The second was that the one other person in the room with him probably wasn't the school nurse and the third and final thought was nothing but shocked awe that forced him to stand in the doorway with his mouth partially agape. On one of the few beds that were situated around the room that had the odd aroma of both rubbing alcohol and the faint smell of tea, there was a girl about his age, lifting her head off the pillow and slowly sitting up, yawning and stretching and acting like he wasn't standing there with the door wide open.
Despite it being the tail end of summer, her skin was pale, as if she'd spent every waking moment of the long break indoors. Her long, black hair fell all around her, slightly messy, but hardly falling in her face. She had a petite frame, and from what Jace could see that wasn't still covered by the white blanket that had now collected around her waist, she was built like a model. Logical thoughts aside, Jace wondered to himself if she were even real.
It also didn't help she was wearing nothing but a black tank top that shoddily covered her midriff as well as her chest and- as the sheet slipped free of her hips as she stretched- plain, black underwear. It seemed the rest of her clothes were sitting in a messy pile in a chair nearest the bed.
Jace wondered again if what he was seeing was real and not just some twisted illusion.
"Was that you?" The girl asked, rubbing her eyes and finally turning in his direction. The concept of talking suddenly became an anomaly to Jace, and all he could do was stare back at her like a deer caught in the headlights. The girl raised an eyebrow impatiently. "Um... hello?"
"What!? What was me?" Jace gasped, finally finding the thought processes to form simple words. The girl sighed, brushing hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. Her fingers were long and slim and each fingernail was painted with now-aged, cracking nail polish.
"The screaming? That was awfully inconsiderately loud." She explained. "Some people were trying to sleep, you know?"
"Wh-What? No, that wasn't me!" Jace immediately began to retort, raising his hands defensively. "That was... I would never-" The sound of a snort followed by almost mocking laughter cut him off.
"Geeze, don't get so flustered, you'll make me feel bad!" The girl laughed, holding a hand up to her lips as she did so. "I recognize that Chandra's screaming anywhere, so you can calm down now. I know it wasn't you who woke me up."
"O-Oh..." Jace stammered as the girl began to go about getting dressed like he wasn't even there, sliding out of bed and bending every which way to gather her clothes while she muttered to herself what time it was. The chaste, polite part of Jace knew it would be best to just look away and not oogle the girl he had just met while she dressed herself but... gods damn. There would be plenty of time to feel bad about staring later.
"So... why are you here?" The girl asked, finally acknowledging him again as she sat back down on the bed and pulled up her torn, black leggings.
"What?" Jace asked, his words a half mumble like he, too, had just been roused from sleep. He cleared his throat upon noticing and shook his head, eyes finally darting elsewhere despite the tempting view. "I mean..."
"You don't look all that sick." The girl noted, standing back up and grabbing a pair of dark-purple shorts and stepping into them. "I mean look at all that color in your cheeks- the very picture of health." Jace looked back to her, catching the knowing grin on her face. She'd been very much aware he'd taken in a healthy helping of her dressing, which only made the blush she'd been right about on his cheeks grow even more vivid. He turned his gaze away again, embarrassment and shame starting to consume him as he wished with all his might he could either rewind time or disappear.
"Just... here to see the prescription... see if they'd gotten my nurse- I mean-!" Jace shook his head again, to which the girl heartily laughed.
"Are you always this smooth, or am I just special?" She chuckled, slipping on the last bits and bobs that were sitting beside the bed- bangle bracelets that delicately jingled and jangled together, two pairs of earrings that were too small for Jace to make out what they were and a necklace that was so large it drooped below the impressively low neckline of her tank top.
"Not always- I mean- crap!" Jace muttered, the even more laughter he got in response not making things any better.
"How nice that you're getting a kick out of this." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "At least one of us is."
"Sorry, sorry, sometimes I get a little carried away." She smiled, getting out the last of the giggles before loudly clearing her throat. "If you're looking for Emmara, she's off on an errand. She should be back soon if you want to stay and chat. I won't bite, I promise."
"Emmara?" Jace questioned quietly before shaking his head. "N-No, it's alright. I'll just come back later. I'm really sorry for bothering you."
Unfortunately for Jace, the moment he began to flee was the moment someone else came walking through the door. A gasp from him and a cry of surprise from them was all either of the two could manage before they ran headlong into each other, knocking the other to the ground. The sound of them falling ungracefully to the ground was joined by the chaotic rustling of papers scattering and falling through the air. That and yet even more of the black-haired girl's laughter that was unsuccessfully muffled by her hands.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Jace began to profusely apologize. "I should have been looking where I was going!" He blinked, eyes adjusting and coming to find a girl who looked the age of yet another student slowly attempting to rise. She had soft-looking golden hair loosely tied back to reveal pointed ears. She wore business-casual clothing- a white blouse with a golden flower broach pinned to her chest and a beige skirt that hugged her figure and stopped just above her knees and brown tights. On top of all that she wore a white lab coat that draped over her slim, boyish figure like it was meant for someone several sizes than she- like a blanket.
"N-No, it's quite alright." She waved her hand dismissively, refusing the hand he held out to her as she rose to her knees. "I saw you standing in the doorway, I should have tried to get your attention." She began to pick up the papers that had escaped her grasp and had fallen all around them, Jace following suit.
"Sure hope those papers weren't in any particular order, huh, Emmara?" The girl laughed, sounding like she was still right beside the bed and not heading over to help the two of them at all.
"Liliana, please..." The other girl sighed, sounding more exhausted than she had merely seconds ago. She turned to Jace, looking incredibly apologetic. "I'm sorry for anything she does in advance- she's a bit of a handful."
"Hey!"
"It's alright, she didn't do anything." Jace assured her. He added a quick, "aside from dress in front of me like it was nothing" in his thoughts.
"I highly doubt that." The golden-haired girl sighed as she picked up the last of the papers and slowly rose to her feet. Jace did the same, now realizing he stood several heads above the girl who he was starting to realize spoke like someone a lot older than how she appeared. "Liliana especially likes messing with cute boys."
"Gods, stop talking about me like I'm not here!" The other girl groaned, finally walking over to the two of them and stopping beside Jace, holding out her hand. "Well, like she said, I'm Liliana. Liliana Vess."
"I'm Bace Jeleren- I mean Ja-" Jace fumbled with his words shortly after fumbling with the papers he had cradled in his arms as they slipped from his grasp as he moved to shake her hand. Liliana suppressed a snort.
"Bace Jeleren, huh?" She asked, clearly holding back laughter judging by her tone and how her face was contorting as a struggle over whether or not she should continue to laugh at his misfortune went on inside her head.
"Jace Beleren!" Jace snapped accidentally, noticing how sharp he'd sounded and repeating himself. "I'm Jace Beleren."
"Don't you have better things to do than to sleep away a perfectly good day in here?" The other girl asked.
"Oh, right, I forgot I had that thing with all those people that hate me!" Liliana gasped in mock surprise, sarcasm dripping from every syllable of every word. "I'd better get going, or I'm going to be late."
"Liliana..."
"I'll see you later Bace- I mean Jace." She spoke in parting, patting him a little too hard on the shoulder and brushing her own shoulder rudely against the other girl as she made her exit. Jace watched her go, restraining himself from craning his neck so that he continue to follow her with his eyes.
"You'll have to forgive Liliana, she's never really been one for tact." The girl sighed as Jace bent down to collect the papers he had dropped. "I'm Miss Tandris, but I'd rather you just call me Emmara- Miss Tandris makes me feel old. I'm the school nurse."
"W-What?" Jace asked as he raised his head in surprise. "The nurse? I thought you were a student!"
"Well, aren't you one for flattery?" Emmara laughed. "Though, I do suppose that being elven does have it's privileges."
"R-Right." Jace nodded. He really should have assumed right away, given her appearance. "I'm-"
"Jace Beleren- I know. I was there when you introduced yourself the first time." She finished for him, gently taking the papers from his hands and walking inside. "If you're here about your prescription, it was dropped off just yesterday. We'll be able to make any necessary refills once what we've been given runs out."
"Oh, thanks." Jace nodded. "That's really all I came here to check, so-"
"Why don't you stay for a bit? I'm about to make some tea and I'd much rather enjoy it with company." Emmara cut in, setting her papers on the counter and reaching into one of the cupboards and pulling out a tea kettle and a few cups that had clearly seen several uses. "I normally have afternoon tea with Liliana, but it seems we scared her off."
"We scared her off?" Jace asked, looking over his shoulder as if she were still there, laughing at him. Emmara giggled behind closed lips as she continued to grab things from drawers and shelves (it seemed she had quite a collection of items for making tea stored in the same places medical items were).
"You know, I'd really love to stay, Miss- I mean, Emmara, but I really should get back to my dorm room and unpack."
"Boxes and bags can wait, they won't be going anywhere." Emmara spoke in a scolding tone as she chose from an impressive collection of boxes of different kinds of tea (oddly enough mixed in with bottles of pills and boxes of bandages). "You humans are always in a rush to do things- once in a while you should try slowing down for a change. You may live shorter lives, but that doesn't mean you have to spend every lat minute running around frantically like a bunch of headless chickens. Now come in, sit down, and I'll make us some tea."
"Yes ma'am." Jace was quick to nod and head inside the room, taking a seat on one of the beds while Emmara filled the tea kettle with water from the sink.
"There's a good boy." She smiled. "And if you have any questions about Liliana, I'll be more than happy to answer them."
"E-Excuse me?" Jace stammered.
"Goodness, boy, I wasn't born yesterday. I know attraction when I see it." Emmara turned to him with a knowing grin. "Don't be so modest about it- Liliana's quite the looker, so you're not the first person to fall under her spell. It's best you just come out and admit it now before those feelings drive you crazy. And I won't tell a soul, I promise. Think of it as doctor-patient confidentiality." She winked at him before pulling out a small, portable electric stove from a cabinet below the sink.
"..." Jace was quiet at first, playing with possible questions in his mind first before asking them. "How exactly do you know Liliana? I mean... you both sounded really familiar."
"Oh, me and her go way back." Emmara chuckled, finishing setting things up. "I've known her for quite some time."
"So she's gone to this school for a while?"
"Hmm... not exactly." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose there are a few things I shouldn't be at liberty to say. The whole story behind mine and Liliana's friendship is really more for Liliana herself to tell. I can only say we've known one another for longer than people would think."
"Well, can you at least tell me more about her?"
"Now that I can do." Emmara nodded. "She's a bit of a lone-wolf, unfortunately- doesn't play that nice with others. A lot of the things she does are to get what she wants or get a rise out of people. But I've seen what she's like when she finally finds people worth her time: stills acts about the same, but she'll trust you a little more and might actually help you out from time to time- that is, if you get on her good side, of course."
"How do I do that?" Jace asked, unknowingly shifting to the edge of the bed. Emmara chuckled, her shoulders shaking in time with her laughter.
"Ah, there's the real question." She chortled. "She can act as tough as she wants, but in the end Liliana is just like any other girl. You just have to show her a little kindness and heart, just a little more than usual, that's all. She's built up some pretty high walls, but they aren't impossible to climb." She paused as the teakettle began to whistle, her attention occupied now by preparing the tea. "It also helps that you can just peer into her thoughts and see what it is she prefers."
"No!" Jace spoke sternly, causing even Emmara to jump, nearly dropping the teacup she was about to bring over to him. "Sorry I just... I'd rather not. I use my powers all the time, sure, but... using them for that purpose just seems really wrong. If I want to win her affections, I want to do it legitimately."
"Then you're a better man than I figured. If it means anything you have my blessing." Emmara smiled, handing him the cup. "A lot of men come snooping around about Liliana, but they're usually nothing but trouble."
"Ha, you're pretty protective of her." Jace commented, carefully taking the cup. He could feel the searing warmth of the tea through the china.
"Someone's gotta be. Liliana refuses all help, but she can't do everything. So I do what I can to try and lighten the load when she isn't looking." Emmara sighed. "She's got enough on her plate already as it is."
"I'm guessing that's another thing you'd rather Liliana herself tell me?" Jace questioned. Emmara merely nodded, looking down at her own cup.
"I can only say that she's... in a bit of debt with a dangerous lot of people. And the things she does around here are only so she can get help to get them off her back." Emmara explained, seeming legitimately troubled. "Liliana would never do something just to hurt people- I can't stress that enough. She's done a lot of cruel things I'm sure you'll hear about soon enough, but she'd never do anything just for the sake of being cruel."
"I'll try to keep an open mind." Jace assured her. "But I doubt you'd have a reason to lie about something like that."
"You're a good boy, mister Beleren." Emmara said with a relieved smile. Her words were like a sigh of relief. "I just hope Liliana can see that. She needs someone like you- though she'll never admit it."
"R-Really?" Jace questioned, feeling a swell of pride he couldn't bring himself to suppress.
"Heh, look at that smile." Emmara laughed teasingly. Jace attempted to wipe the grin he had just then noticed had spread across his features, and all the while she chuckled. "But yes, I do mean what I said. I just hope you're in it for the long haul and not just after a pretty face. Liliana is no prize to be won, you hear me?"
"I hear you, I hear you." Jace nodded. "I just need to figure out what I need to do for her to actually take me seriously. You saw what happened back there, I was nothing but a joke."
"You're a smart boy, I'm sure you'll come up with something." Emmara assured him after taking a sip of her tea. "You're off to a good start, though. It's been a long time since Liliana laughed like that in a great while. Maybe you just need to keep on acting goofy."
"You know, I'd really rather not..."
The conversation continued like that for only a short while longer before it diverged almost completely from Liliana at all. Before Jace knew it, he was speaking with Emmara as if they two of them had been friends for years. And all the while Jace tried to convince himself he was legitimately getting along with her, and not trying to befriend her simply because she knew Liliana so well.
"Oh, goodness, is that the time!" Emmara suddenly exclaimed mid-sentence as she looked up at the clock. "Time really does fly when you're enjoying yourself."
"Oh, geeze, sorry for taking up so much of your time." Jace apologized.
"Nonsense, you didn't take up anything." She shook her head, placing both of their tea cups in the sink. "But I do suppose I'd better not hold you here for too long. I have a staff meeting I need to attend, so I guess I'll have to send you on your way. But thank you very much for keeping me company- it's been a long while since I've gotten so caught up in conversation like that."
"What about with Liliana?" He questioned. "Doesn't she usually have yea with you."
"Yes, but that girl isn't as talkative as she used to be. Most of the time she just comes here to sleep." Emmara sighed before shaking her head. "But enough about that, I suppose it's time you attended to unpacking. Come back whenever you feel like chatting."
"Or, you know, when I get a really bad migraine." Jace added with a grin.
"Oh, right, that, too!" Emmara nodded as she walked him to the door.
"One more thing, though." Jace added just before he began to leave. "What exactly happened to Liliana. The way you talk makes it sound like something bad happened recently with her."
"Oh, that." Emmara sighed heavily. "But like I said, you'll hear about all that soon enough."
