The happiest months of my life, I can say, were the ones spent with Alexei. It was almost as though he was my other half. He knew of my love for fantasy, although I never told him to how much of an extent. It was manifest that he believed in fairies, and that they weren't what people thought they were.
We would go for long walks in the park, and occasionally eat fast food. He once even persuaded me to go on the ice, when it was too cold to walk. That ended in a bruised knee, and not to mention, the butt. Although both of us were almost drowning in the standards placed before us throughout our professions, we somehow managed to smile at each other. His smile was what brightened the haze of dancing, falling and learning. His laugh was a bright sound in the void of darkness and pain. He was my anchor, what stopped me from sailing completely away from the sea of sanity.
Until I started noticing things.
They were small little moments in time were I swore that I saw something in the shadows At first, I just brushed them off, sometimes, as simple hallucinations or the product my fatigue. Giggles in the darkness. The brush of fabric on the floor. The small intake of breathe that I knew wasn't my own. My thoughts slowly came back to the Labyrinth. Magic.
Alexei was just too good to be true.
The July air was warm and smelt like the fresh bread baking in the corner street shop. The morning came as it always did. Today, it gave a sense if renewal, like I was being reborn. I felt like the sun god Ra, in Egyptian mythology. He would live and age through the day, growing old, and be reborn with each sunrise. His sins would be washed away. If only that happened to me, I wished to myself. Finally, I turned to our rendezvous point in front of the bakery. I stood and waited. And waited. I had nothing to do today, so I wasn't pressed for time. Alexei, on the other hand, who had been growing in prominence with his ice skating, had a meticulous schedule and never arrived one second early. Almost as though he appeared from thin air. I liked to think that I had infinite patience, but when I started to tap my foot I resolved that it was too long of a wait for any person. This was ridiculous. As soon as I turned, ready to leave, I heard an agonized, "No!" coming from the alleyway next to the small shop. I walked towards the alley thinking that maybe someone was in trouble and I could help in some way. Maybe notify the police.
If only it was that way.
I heard a voice that I would be able to recognize from miles away. Alexei. At first, I was filled with relief because he was alright. But his beautiful voice did not match with the words that he said.
"Elli, shut up, the human will hear you."
"You only love me. How dare you plan to court her, how dare you kiss her!"
I froze, almost mid-step. Well, that escalated quickly. The voice was a woman's, a high nasally voice that I immediately disliked. It sounded like one of those clingy-girlfriends that you read about on the internet. Yet, I only knew this because Alexei was the one taught me about YouTube and Wikipedia. My hands balled up into fists and my heart clenched. I decided that I would investigate more before drawing any unnecessary conclusions.
"I know, I know, my heart is only for you. I am on a mission for the king."
"One that involves a whore ballerina, who can barely live of her own human paycheck? What does she have to do with the king?"
My face heated up. Screw the unnecessary conclusions. I turned the corner and saw Alexei standing with a very cliché glossy, blonde woman. She had the biggest blue eyes that I ever saw. Instead of looking like pools of clear water, they burned with the hate that seemed to come straight from hell. I plastered a smile on my face, fighting the urge to scream.
"Hello, Alexei."
"Hello, Sarah." He said, coming over to me with the mirror image of my smile. "How are you? I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks."
"There is a later time for those answers." I said, as coldly I could. "Do we have a friend accompanying us today?"
I stared at Elli, sheer curiosity overcoming me. I had never been good with holding grudges, after my encounter with the labyrinth. My mistake with the emotions of the goblin king had taught me a hard lesson, one that I was not willing to learn again.
She grabbed Alexei's arm.
"I am Ellryiana. His fiancé, or whatever you humans call us."
I blinked. Then smiled.
"Well, its nice meeting you. I have heard so much about you. Alexei would never shut up about how beautiful you were. Honestly, his words never did you justice. I am honored meet such a fine epitamy of beauty."
The first smooth lie of my life. I watched with satisfaction as a look of shock took over both of their faces. Although I have never been good with fashion, I decided that fashion was the only thing that she was good with.
" By the way, I love the necklace. You have such an artist touch with your clothes, something I wish I had."
I rolled my eyes and giggled as I had seen my classmates do behind Ludmilla's back. This was going all to well. Backing away, I said with a small giggle,
"Since you two look busy, I will go now. I wouldn't want to intrude on true love."
A small wave, and I was gone. I ran home. Marveling at my performance. Mourning my loss.
Damn me.
It was in that moment that I gave up. I just couldn't believe in reality anymore. That little red book lying on the floor, I picked up and sat back down on my little red couch. I lost myself in the world of the labyrinth. Where all of my fantasies had come true, and could've still come true in my mind.
I sat and read. The world was still around me, and sunlight poured into the room.
I would forgive him, I decided. As long as he never was within a thousand mile radius of me. I would take personal space bubble to a whole new level.
The sun slowly set leaving a bloody streak in the sky. I lived. I thrived on my imagination, flying with dragons and saying hello to my old friend hoggle. Finally, I fell into bed, a smile on my face.
Forgiveness. That's the weapon I would use. I quickly fell asleep.
In the darkness of the night, I was taken into the light of another world. A world that I would have to find my own way, because if I didn't it could cost me so much more than my life.
Beta Note: Blame the author for all of the mistakes. Have a wonderful day.
Authors Note: Someone's having a bad day…. By the way, I don't know if I told you yet, but there is a poll on my profile, on what I should update more frequently. Forever Dancing is not in the lead, GO VOTE.
