I didn't take Bella up on her offer immediately.
Not until after a week of complaining from my dorm roomie.
I was so tired and wanted to be able to rest in a peaceful environment. Maybe then I'd finally be able to get some good sleep.
I met Bella at her studio rental.
"It's cute."
It was a white wood slat beach cabin with a small dock.
Bella showed me the classy bohemian style insides. The studio's bedroom had two queens and the bathroom had a big tub. It was fancy in comparison to my previous residence at the dorms.
"Are you sure about this Bella? According to my current roomie I've been screaming in my sleep a lot."
She gave a sympathetic smile, "I sleep like the dead. Not even an earthquake can wake me, and believe me one's tried."
"And you are sure about sharing your space?"
"My parents would prefer if I had a roommate and it would be nice to have someone who's in on the secret." Bella looked at me, "I'm used to being on my own but I've always wanted a sister."
"The girls will tell you I'm more like a momma bear."
Bella laughed, "How about a trial run for a week?"
A week passed and Bella and I found a nice routine.
I went to classes and we'd take turns making meals on less busy days. Neither of us got in each other's way which was a miracle on its own.
The studio became the new hub where the girls ended up.
The cabin would smell like coffee and baked goods whenever we got together.
On rough nights I found myself waking up to make all sorts of confections. Our kitchen became always stocked with cupcakes, cookies and on occasion simple pastries.
In one of our discussions, the girls told me about Will who was starting to be a worrying problem.
"So you've told him he's crazy…yeah that's going over well."
Cleo winced at my sarcasm.
Bella blew on her cup of coffee before speaking, "I was thinking I could distract him when he goes to Mako."
"Or lead him straight to the moon pool." Rikki glared.
I cleared my throat. Obviously the girls had spoken about this already during school hours and hadn't gotten a full agreement yet in the course of action.
"Look, the best idea is not to give him any ideas but don't act like nothing happens at Mako. That's sus too."
"What would you suggest?" Cleo looked over at me.
"Well... you already treated him like he's nuts now don't engage or…" I continued when I saw Bella open her mouth with a retort. "Or say something generic like: 'Mako has always been a special place. Lots of endangered species live there that's why its protected.'" I shrugged, "That's what I'd say anyway. The more you push away the idea that something happened there the more he's going to be curious."
The girls looked at each other.
"It's like when you are a kid and your parent says you can't do something. Before you wouldn't even have thought about it but then because they say you can't you want to do it."
"I don't know." Cleo looked down at her mug, biting the inside of her lip.
"I can ignore him." Rikki looked at Bella.
I looked in the same direction.
"I can't." Bella whispered and when Cleo turned toward her too she looked up, "He reminds me of someone. I can't help it."
It was after a swim through the reefs, Rikki and I, that Rikki cornered me at the moon pool.
"What's going on? You've been off. Did something happen with him?"
I tensed.
"You can't keep ignoring your problem." Rikki looked at me and I could feel as her eyes searched my features for some clue to why I'd been not myself.
I pursed my lips and echoed something from a conversation that felt forever ago.
"I'll show mine, if you show yours."
Rikki let out a long sigh, "I did what you suggested back then and…" Her eyes darted around as if trying to find something else to look at rather than me. "You won't believe this but he's actually…" She mumbled the rest.
"What?"
"He'sactuallyLokiprinceofAsgard." Her words ran together.
"Loki? Asgard?" That was the only think I caught.
Rikki covered her face, "It's so weird but its true. He's an alien, my soulmate is an alien."
"Whoa." I was stunned.
"Yeah." Rikki spoke in hushed tones, "He's so…so…aggravating in the dreams."
"Is he hot?"
Rikki actually blushed.
"Oh Rikki are you blushing?" I needled her.
"Shut up."
I pursed my lips, a smile threatening to break through.
"What a pair we are. A soulmate from another planet and a soulmate from another dimension."
We looked at each other before bursting into giggles.
Rikki laid back floating until our giggles faded.
She turned her head toward me growing serious again.
"So what happened?"
I swallowed, "I got to talk to him longer the last two times, but…" I took a deep breath, "His world is different. Those who are different are hunted down and he wanted to change that. He wanted to give them a chance to survive but he was betrayed. He was going to do something that sounded too dangerous so I said I'd defend him and the others trying to escape." I lifted myself to sit on the edge of the moon pool, my silver blue tail still trailing the water. "At first I summoned a storm as a warning but then they…"
I looked at Rikki, memorizing how she looked at me now, before she'd look at me after I told her what I did.
"They shot arrows at him. He was hit, but they were going to send more his way so I…" I clenched my fists, "I summoned lightning and struck them down."
There was silence and I waited. I waited for the condemnation. A gasp. A yell. Anything but it was quiet.
My eyes were getting misty as I looked across at Rikki.
"You defended your soulmate and bought time for others to get to safety." Her face was a blank slate. I couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling. "You were a hero."
"I ki…" A gasping sob rose from my throat, "I killed someone. I took lives."
"Do you know that for sure?"
"I summoned lightning and they fell to the ground, they weren't moving."
"But you aren't sure?"
"What does it matter, Rikki! I harmed someone."
"To protect someone else."
Tears fell down my cheeks until I could taste their saltiness upon my mouth.
Rikki came close, hefting herself up to sit beside me. She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I laid my head on hers.
"I would have done the same."
"You don't know that…"
"I do." Rikki looked at me, "My first thought so often is to be violent but I hold back because you've taught me different ways. But you had no choice Darcy…and if I was in your place there would have been no one left threatening my soulmate."
The rest of the afternoon was spent in silent company, but I felt as if part of the weight had been lifted. I don't think it will ever fully be away but for now I think I'll be able to rest my soul for a bit.
