FOUR

She couldn't believe what was happening. Same place, okay; Knox, okay; but Charlie? Had something changed? Was she a factor in that? And what about actually talking to them? She had managed to summon up all of her strength in order not to look shaken and to play dumb. She didn't know them. She had to look genuinely oblivious. And, considering, she didn't really know what was happening at all. She was starting to think it was no dream, nor magic, nor a gravitational pull by some sort of black hole: it was a bigger plan. She had to ponder on that and all of the consequences. But not at that moment. That was her time. Against all odds, he had apparently taken an interest in her. And falling straight into his arms would be the best and quickest way to lose it all. She had to play her cards right.

She stealthily sized him up as he strolled beside her, keeping his bike with one hand. He had never dismissed his crooked smile, but the more they talked, the more that smile turned into something genuinely happy, not an alluring tactic, as if he was gradually leaving his facade behind for how comfortable he was. His rebellious lock of hair kept on bouncing on his forehead, hanging above his sparkling eyes. A faint fragrance of cologne perfectly balanced with tobacco scent emanated from him, occasionally tickling her senses like fingers under the chin. The modulation of his clear voice was coddling her ears, sending shivers down her spine when at the lowest. He was painfully handsome, and fully aware of that. It was not necessary he knew she knew as well.

Charlie contemplated her figure once more. She was slightly shorter than him. She was clearly used to indistinctly scold or charm people with the mere combination of her eyes and glasses. She could look through her lenses, then lower them a bit and send off daggers or pheromones. He frankly had no problem dying on account of both. She was just wearing Capri pants, a long-sleeved V-necked shirt and ballet flats, all in black. She obviously didn't need frills to amaze. She had a natural beauty, as her only makeup was some black pencil to highlight her lash line. Her ivory skin looked so soft. She had the vivid eyes of a baby, the smooth face of a girl and the harmonious body of a woman. In all honesty, she looked ageless. She was painfully gorgeous, and completely unaware of that. It was necessary she knew he knew, and it was his task to enlighten her. But it wasn't her attractiveness to stir his guts primarily. It was the sense of free spirit she conveyed. She walked, and talked, and gestured without abiding by the etiquette any other girl he had met conformed to. Confirming his first thought, her spontaneous don't-tell-me-what-to-do attitude was like a magnet. Anyone else would probably feel the longing to take her down, but he felt drawn to her like a moth to a flame. It was like observing a mirror. As if she could understand his intolerance of unjustified rules. As if she was just like him. A marrow-sucker. And although he considered her the same as him – and he was undeniably a human being from the earth – he couldn't help but think she was from another planet. Could she be? Ha-ha, sure.

"So, where do you come from?" he asked, following his train of thought.

"Why would you think I'm not from here?" she objected.

"Because you look like a fish out of water, and by fish I mean a shark."

October mentally kicked herself. It was not easy at all to blend into a new world, and even if she was doing her best, it was impossible to suffocate her true self and years of habits. Not to mention that she was totally against the smothering of one's personality, as long as it wasn't harmful towards the neighbor. Despite that, nobody should know about her. Be careful, girl, she warned herself, but smiled nonetheless.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was. Plus, I've never seen you before, and this town is not that big."

"Didn't you say you're attending Welton?"

"And…?"

"Isn't it a boarding school?"

"So?"

"So I guess you don't have many chances to wander about."

"Or this is what I want them to know."

She grinned.

"And you're dodging my question" he added.

October sighed. It would be rude not to answer. "I come from… Abroad. Quite far. It doesn't really matter. That's all you need to know."

"Ooh. Cryptic."

She smiled without elaborating.

"I suppose I cannot even ask you why you're here, then."

She looked at him, rummaging through her thoughts in search of a noncommittal answer.

"Changes are not that bad, don't you think?"

He just stared at her squinting his eyes, bewitched. Getting to know her was like opening Chinese boxes. He was about to ask for more information, when she spoke first.

"Here we are" she informed him, halting in front of her guesthouse. "I'm currently staying here."

Charlie had a funny look on his face while examining the building. "Spooky."

October laughed. "It's not how it seems."

"Just like you, right?"

She smiled, glossing over the comment.

"I gotta go, Dalton. Thanks for escorting me, it's…"

"You said Saturday, right? Four o'clock?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Our next date" he answered as if it was obvious.

She looked puzzled for a second, then burst into laughter. "You're maddening, you know?"

"Yeah, I've heard that. Maybe two?"

"Charles…"

"Okay, noon. But don't complain if my stomach growls."

She let her laughter fade before glancing at him in that fashion of hers. Melting.

"Four is okay" she accepted. Charlie felt suddenly taller.

"I'll pick you up here."

"Such a gentleman" she mocked him.

"You have no idea" he teased, raising his lip and right eyebrow twice as usual.

She chuckled and then watched as he straddled his bike and turned around.

"See you, Sibyl" he called, making her grin. She kept her eyes on him until he turned around the corner, trying to ignore her increased heartbeat.

While heading back towards the academy, Charlie felt like the freedom experienced just a couple of hours before was nothing in comparison. It was like having liquid fire mounting in his body, irradiating from somewhere in between his peripheral appendages. It didn't really matter if it was from his groin, his stomach or maybe something a little upper and deeper. It was better than any prank, any infraction, any booze he had ever experimented with. And, in a couple of days, he would also learn that he could sublimate that feeling into a liberating, heartfelt, barbaric yawp.