Chapter Three: Dreams of Déjà Vu

I made it to the dorms without anyone finding me and I managed to reach the side window. It wasn't ever locked and I was able to push it wide and creep into the common room of the Girl's Dorm. I sighed and sat down on the soft couches. I didn't want to go and wake up Amina by heading to my room, so I sat and stared at the ceiling. My eyelids were extremely heavy now and I couldn't keep them open any longer. They closed for a second and the next time they opened I knew I was dreaming.

I was stood in the middle of some tall and long hedges that leaned over me menacingly. They made my heart pound and my palms go sweaty. Looking down I saw the familiar pale blue frilly dress I had worn the last time I had visited this place. But that had been in the real world. Right now, I knew I was having a nightmare. The nightmare I had at least once a week. I was in the maze that had decorated my home before I had come to the Academy. That was when I heard the voice:

"Run away little girl. Make it fun, make it a good chase. I want you. I want you to play my game. Let me taste your blood!"

My heart was pounding and, although I knew I was dreaming, I ran. I obeyed the voice and raced through the maze. Green passed me by as I tried to escape. I could hear the sounds of pursuit and a cold, dark chuckle following me. All I could think about was escaping, to run away, far, far, far away. I didn't want to be caught. If this 'game' ended then I knew my life ended too. It was strange, I couldn't remember why I was in the maze, I couldn't think as my mind turned blank. Different flashes raced through my mind but made no sense. Tall figures dancing. People talking and laughing. Food piled high in an elegant fashion. Lights flashing and casting sparkles across a wide, crowded room. A party? Was it a celebration? But why was someone after me? I was dreaming but it still made no sense. And, of course, there was that feeling of déjà vu.

I was concentrating on that feeling so I wasn't paying much attention. Soon I was stood in a wide courtyard with a small fountain trickling water from the bowl of an angel into the pool below. I looked around and tried to decide on the best place to go when the dark laughter came from right behind me.

Spinning round, I tried to push my attacker away but it was no use. Strong arms pinned me to a cold body and my head was pushed upwards. Sharp pain flared in my neck and I struggled. My head was getting light. It almost felt like I wasn't connected to my body anymore until the arms let me go. I fell backwards into warmer arms and soft fingers brushed across my eyelids and shut them.

"Aya …?"

"Aya?" That voice was calling me again. But it seemed different much less gentle. This voice had a frustrated edge to it. I wanted the other voice to come back.

"Aya wake up. Can you hear me? Wake up already!" Someone was yelling at me, I didn't like that. "Go 'way!" I demanded and rolled onto my side. In doing so, I fell onto the hard (and cold) ground with a thump. "Damn it!" I yelled and sat up rubbing my head, which had collided miserably with someone's shoe. Looking up, I saw the concerned and amused face of Yuuki Cross staring down at me.

I sighed and looked about. It was still dark so it couldn't be morning yet. "What's up?" I asked, but Yuuki just shook her head and held out her hand. I took it, allowing her to pull me to my feet. I rubbed my head some more and she giggled. "Don't laugh, it hurt like hell," but I smiled back. Yuuki really was a pain but she was nice too, a little empty-headed but nice enough.

I sat down and relaxed. That dream had really been a bad one. I groaned and put my head back. "You okay? You look terrible and you were moaning in your sleep," I just laughed darkly and rubbed my neck and head some more. I could still feel the memory of that pain in my neck, like a dark stain across my throat. My head hurt too.

"Yeah I'm fine, just tired I guess," I lied as Yuuki stared at me with those big brown eyes of hers. She'd always been able to, somehow, read my mind. When I was younger she'd been my best friend. Then we'd grown up and along the way I seemed to develop the knack of lying successfully to my best friend. It made me sad because, as well as Amina, Yuuki was one of the few people I trusted completely. I just didn't want her to worry. Especially not with her looking so god-damn tired all the time. If I looked rough it was nothing compared to her. "Why were you down here in the first place," her eyes narrowed with suspicion. She was one of the school Guardians after all.

"I come down here when it's quiet, I hate crowds." Another lie, "I guess I must have dozed off," with a sprinkle of the truth. Yuuki looked appeased at least. "How was the Night shift?" I asked with a grin and chuckled teasingly as her face fell into a frown. "Uneventful to say the least, it gets so boring with nothing but Zero for company." Her face fell into the look I called the 'Z-Face'. "There it is," I sighed and explained when she gave me a confused look. "It's the look you get when you think about Zero. Your eyes go all sad and you get that funny little crease between your eyebrows." I giggled when she reached up to touch it. Then my face fell into a frown to match Yuuki's.

My friend was suffering, I knew that much. It really wasn't fair on her or, now that I though about it, Zero. I remembered his face when I spied on him in the forest. It was as tired and stressed as Yuuki's. It really didn't seem right. I sighed and knew I'd regret it soon but I opened my big mouth and said: "I could help out, you know?" Yuuki's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. I could feel myself blushing. "Well, you know, just because you're always tired. And I thought I'd help out. I understand if it's just you and Zero. I just wanted to help." I blabbered away and refused to look Yuuki in the eyes. "No one's ever asked to join the Guardians." She whispered almost to herself. "I just want to help," I repeated feeling stupid. "No I don't be silly, I'll talk to the Headmaster and see what he thinks." She smiled at me and I tried to return it.

We sat talking together for a while until we heard the tell-tale signs of students getting up. Water could be heard being run and stomping feet were thumping up and down the corridors. I sighed, stood up and stretched. Yuuki smiled but yawned wide. She really did look tired. Plus she had more scratches and scrapes on her then I could count. She always seemed to have a bandage or two on her every time I saw her. This time it was on her hand and left cheek. I hoped they weren't hurting her.

The common room filled pretty quickly, everyone was up and ready for a new day. Except me and Yuuki. I wasn't looking forward to today because we had our mid-term exams in a weeks time and all the teachers (and pupils) were stressing out. If you didn't get over 50% in them all then you had to retake the tests, which I had no intension of repeating. Math was my main concern. I watched as students walked past me with their noses buried in textbooks.

Yuuki said goodbye when we got to the first floor and she headed to her room. I continued up the stairs and reached the third floor. Then I walked to my room, opened it up and was enveloped in a huge overwhelming hug. "Aya!" Amina was clinging to me and seemed extremely stressed. "I stayed up most of the night waiting for you. Where the heck have you been?" She demanded tears shining in her caramel eyes. "Nowhere, I fell asleep downstairs with Yuuki," I explained then mentally kicked myself when Amina's eyes narrowed with dislike. She'd never like Yuuki or my friendship with her. Amina tossed her hair back and sniffed with disdain.

"Cross is a loser, Aya. I don't like her." I sighed, I heard this all the time. "She's so high-and-mighty all the time; she's just feeling important because she's a disciplinary member." Amina was working herself into a strop. I could almost taste her anger floating round the room, but also the subtleness of envy. "Amina, just admit you're jealous because she gets to talk to the Night Class students, Ichijo for example." I felt like giggling when she started spluttering, a bright red blush spreading over her face. I just shook my head and went to get dressed.

It was getting much lighter as I headed to my first class. Amina had taken offense to me taking Yuuki's side and she'd walked off without a backwards glance. I didn't really mind. What I did mind was the way everyone was whispering and staring at me. What was everyone's deal? I growled under my breath and glared at anyone who looked at me funny. "Hey, Rebel," I sighed and look around. A quick glance told me it was a guy from my class, his scruffy hair did nothing for him and I didn't slow down. He caught up pretty quick though.

"What do you want?" I muttered to him with an icy look. He just grinned and put his lanky arm around my neck. "Nothing much except you. There's a rumor going round that your parents have abandoned you … again." It was common knowledge that the rebel Aya Sakamoto had never been visited by her parents but now they'd abandoned me? It seemed incredibly stupid and I snorted at him. "Right, sure. That's a good one, for once." Rumors always circled around the Academy. I didn't really mind them except this one was right on the money for a change. It wasn't exactly abandonment but I did feel rather lonely. I gripped the boy's arm and twisted it, hard. He yelped and I let go, whistling to myself as he glared at me through teary eyes. I hate rumors. I was sure he hadn't spread it but I was seriously pissed off now. Like I said I hate rumors.