The movie continued playing on the television, but Gabrielle's attention had already drifted elsewhere.
Help please...
The voice echoed again inside her head.
Immediately, she coughed and looked away from Eadlin, pretending nothing had happened.
"Are you okay?" Eadlin asked.
"Yeah." She replied sharply forcing a smile.
Gabrielle gripped the edge of the blanket resting on her lap, she looked so nervous.
There was something about the voice made her uncomfortable, it sounded desperate, familiar and very close.
Eadlin laughed so loud that it snapped her back to reality. He turned to her but instead of a cheerful expression she looked so dull.
"You keep zoning out. Is the movie boring?"
She quickly looked back at the television.
"No, I'm just tired."
Eadlin didn't look convinced but he stayed quite.
It is probably because I made her stay that is why she is moody. He thought.
For the next hour they talked about everything and nothing.
From movies to school about teachers they disliked and the strange students in their class. Even Freddie somehow became part of the conversation. At some point Eadlin was laughing so hard he nearly spilled ice cream on himself.
Gabrielle laughed too.
For a while she forgot about magic, him about his worries.
Eventually the conversation became slower however. the movie was still playing when silence finally settled between them.
Eadlin leaned against the side of the couch they had dragged near the balcony doors.
Gabrielle sat beside him with a blanket wrapped around herself.
The night breeze drifted through the slightly opened balcony door.
They both stared at the city lights glowed in the distance.
Neither of them realized when they fell asleep.
Gabrielle's head eventually tilted sideways until it rested lightly against Eadlin's shoulder.
One of her hands remained curled around the blanket while the other on Eadlin's shoulder. While, Eadlin's head leaned against the wall behind him while one arm rested loosely beside her.
The soft sound of an alarm filled the room.
At first, none of them moved.
The alarm continued ringing gently from somewhere on Eadlin's bedside table.
Gabrielle was the first to stir. Her eyes opened slowly and she blinked several times, trying to adjust to the light. For a moment she looked completely lost, unable to remember where she was. Then the events of the previous night came rushing back.
Her gaze shifted towards him.
He was still asleep.
His head rested awkwardly against the wall while one side of his hair had fallen over his forehead. Gabrielle found herself staring.
The morning light coming through the balcony doors fell across his face, making his features appear softer than usual which made her smile slightly.
Then she quickly stopped smiling when she realized she was smiling.
The alarm continued ringing.
Eadlin groaned softly and shifted where he sat.
Gabrielle immediately looked away.
A second later his eyes opened.
Sleepily, he looked around the room.
His eyes met Gabrielle's who was still maintaining the same posture as the last night.
For a brief moment neither of them said anything.
His sleepy brain struggled to process what he was seeing.
Suddenly his eyes widened and with a frightened shout, he pushed her away on pure instinct.
Gabrielle, who had been sitting much closer than either of them realized, lost her balance completely and fell backward onto the floor.
"Ow!"
The sound immediately snapped Eadlin awake.
He shot to his feet.
"Oh my God."
Gabrielle glared up at him while rubbing her arm.
"What is wrong with you?"
"I am sorry!"
"So your first reaction was violence?"
"My first reaction was survival." He replied then helped her up
"From what? Bad morning breath?"
He placed his hand over his mouth to confirm then said; "You kicked me off the bed yesterday."
"That was self-defense."
Eadlin opened his mouth.
Paused.
Then nodded.
"Fair."
Gabrielle laughed.
Eadlin laughed too.
"School." Gabrielle cried out.
Elsewhere...somewhere between the human and the world of magic. A place filled with blue smoke which looked so harmful but aren't.
Joan unconscious.
Her body dragged across the floor while a long chain wrapped around her wrists. The metal scraped against the ground, producing a harsh sound that echoed through the corridor.
The man she had spoken to earlier held the other end of the chain as he walked forward without looking back.
The man finally stopped.
Waiting for him near the centre of the room stood a woman dressed entirely in black.
She looked young, with long dark hair.
She folded her arms.
He smiled at her and it seems like she got the message and without saying a word she leaves the room
He then takes Joan to a side in the room and chained her down.
Meanwhile, back at Gabrielle's house… Ariel searched through the living room for the third time. Gabrielle was nowhere to be found.
Alex seated at the living room, his eyes shut.
He opened his eyes, his eye balls were silver before going back to its regular colour after a minute.
"I can't find her."
Ariel looked up immediately.
"What do you mean you can't find her?"
Alex lowered his hands.
"It's like she's being hidden."
Ariel frowned.
She immediately grabbed Gabrielle's telephone from the kitchen table and attempted calling her.
The phone began ringing inside the house.
Ariel slowly lowered it.
"Wonderful."
"What?"
"She forgot her phone."
Alex stared at her.
"You know way too much about human things."
Ariel rolled her eyes.
"I work with humans. I learn." She picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Unlike some people." She added as she makes coffee.
Alex rolled his eyes.
"Maybe she already left for school."
Ariel looked at him.
"Why would she leave for school this early?"
"Because she was upset yesterday."
"Why?" Ariel asked.
Ariel paused
Alex continued. "You worked Gaby so hard." Ariel gives him a cup.
"She still doesn't know what her power is. Every time something happens or she wants to use magic, she depends on your magic."
Ariel froze.
Then slowly, a smile appeared on her face.
Alex immediately looked concerned.
"What?"
Ariel sat upright.
"Genius."
"What?"
"That's her power."
Alex blinked.
"What are you talking about?"
Ariel grabbed her bag.
"Gabrielle doesn't create wishes or do things like most of us."
"What?"
"She borrows power."
Alex stared.
Ariel was already moving around excitedly.
"Every single time something impossible happened, I assumed I granted the wish."
She paused.
Ariel pointed at Alex.
"but here is the problem." she said then puts some things inside the bag with her as she continues.
"She taps into existing power and uses it as if it belongs to her."
Alex looked completely lost.
"How is that possible" He asked.
"It does. I have read about it before."
Ariel moved toward the door.
"Every time she does it, I feel weaker."
Her smile disappeared.
"Something similar happened last night." She added.
Alex frowned.
"And?"
"I ignored it." She said looking a bit worried.
"Lets go" She picks up the key then leaves. Alex stood confused for a moment trying to make meaning out of everything.
Ariel opens the door ajar and stands resting on the door "Are you coming or not?" She said thn closed the door. Alex follows.
On their way to the school, Ariel tells Alex about Gabrielle's previous wishes and how the wishes were granted without her (Ariel) actually granting them but the thing is that, she feels weak, Her energy reduces and she has to rest to recharge. And the weird part is that Gabrielle can bring to pass her own wish since it is not her magic without breaking any law of magic.
On getting to school, they try to plan how they will talk to Gabrielle.
"And you need to apologize to her." Alex emphasized.
By the time Ariel and Alex arrived at the school gates, the morning rush had already begun. Students walked through the entrance in groups, some carrying books, others laughing loudly as they shared stories from the previous day. Cars pulled in one after another, dropping students off before driving away again.
Ariel stood near the gate with her arms folded while Alex remained beside her planning their day.
Then suddenly, a familiar black car rolled into the school compound.
The car stopped.
The driver's door remained shut.
Instead, the passenger door opened first. and Gabrielle stepped out.
Alex and Ariel blinked at the same time, turned to face each other then back at Gabrielle.
Gabrielle looked different although it looked like her usual shirt and skirt but this looked more classy. Even her shoes looked expensive.
The next second Eadlin stepped out from the driver's side. He walked around the car toward Gabrielle.
Ariel's mouth fell open then she marched forward fast, towards Gabrielle.
Gabrielle barely had time to react.
"Ouch!"
Ariel grabbed her ear then smiled at Eadlin.
"Where have you been?" she demanded.
Students nearby turned immediately while Alex clovers his eyes with his hand.
"Ariel!"
Gabrielle tried pulling away.
"You really had to drag me by my ear?"
"Yes."
"You could have just called my name."
"I did."
"You didn't."
"I was planning to."
Gabrielle groaned.
"Ariel!"
"Do you know how worried we were?" Ariel continued. "You vanished. You didn't even take your phone, also Alex couldn't track you. I almost started preparing a funeral speech."
Alex nodded.
"I actually did prepare one."
Gabrielle stared at him.
"You what?"
"It was very emotional."
Ariel finally released her ear then her face lit up.
"We cracked your magic."
Gabrielle paused. "My what?" She asked,
"Your magic."
"My phone."
Ariel frowned.
"What?"
"My phone first."
Gabrielle immediately reached into Ariel's bag. The moment she switched it on, several missed notifications appeared. Instantly she dialed Joan's number.
The call rang but it kept going to voicemail.
She called again.
Voicemail.
A third time.
Still voicemail.
A strange feeling settled in her.
"Joan always picked up." She muttered.
Alex noticed the change in her expression. "What happened?"
"Nothing." She said staring at the screen.
Gabrielle entered the classroom and sat down quietly. Classes began shortly afterward.
The seat in front of her was empty.
Joan's seat.
"Maybe she's sick." Joan concluded but those thoughts did not make her feel better.
Ariel had instructed him to use their twin-link ability and keep her updated on Gabrielle throughout class.
At first it sounded simple.
In reality it was torture.
Every few minutes Ariel's voice popped inside his head.
What is she doing?
Looking at her phone.
Five minutes later.....
Now what is she doing?
Still looking at her phone.
Another minute passed.
Now?
Alex rubbed his forehead.
Still looking at her phone.
You're not being detailed enough.
She's breathing too if that helps. He fired back.
Ariel ignored him.
Alex groaned.
The student beside him looked concerned.
"Are you okay?"
"No."
"Should I call the nurse?"
"No."
"What happened?"
Alex stared blankly ahead.
"You wouldn't understand."
Throughout the lesson, Gabrielle barely paid attention.
By the time classes ended, Gabrielle was already packing her things.
Before she could stand, a shadow appeared beside her desk.
Eadlin.
Gabrielle sighed.
"Eadlin."
"Gabrielle."
She stared at him.
He smiled.
"What do you want?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to go eat something."
"No." The answer came immediately and extremely sharp.
Eadlin didn't look offended. "Why?" He asked calmly.
"Because I have to work. Joan is also not around and I have to cover for her."
"I'll pay."
"No."
Eadlin stepped closer.
"Come on."
"No."
"You don't even know where I want to take you."
"I don't care."
Finally she sighed.
"Just stop."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"I can't." He said looking down.
"Why?"
"Because I think I am in love with you."