what the light revealed - chapter 9
*bounces up and down in excitement lol*
Hi friends!!! Work and school just eased up a ton so I’m looking forward to being way more active here. Enjoy today’s chapter, and thanks for the support as always!
:D
NINE
I awoke the next morning with heart palpitations, thanks to the blaring scream of my phone alarm.
Sleep was nothing but fitful. Multiple times I could feel my body dozing off, but my brain wanted to remain vigilant—wanted to stare at the bracelet all night if it could. I wasn’t sure when I finally succumbed to sleep, but judging by how exhausted I felt, it wasn’t for too long. It didn’t bother me to be tired, in fact, not much bothered me anymore. Not Eme stealing my clothes, not my mother loudly yapping on the phone for hours while I tried to read, not even the way my coils would shrink in the humidity after all the effort I made to keep them stretched. There were way more pressing things for me to focus on, and my mind had begun to adapt.
As I brushed my teeth, I looked at an unread text Alicia sent: I was going to call, but it would be better for us to talk about your new man in person! *wink emoji* Find me at lunch, my mom made lumpia and pandesal!
I groaned as I spat into the sink. Lying was something I was awful at, and every time I did it I felt horrible. The only thing that kept me doing it was that lying would keep them safe. Also, to my empty stomach, the food sounded mouthwatering. I figured I could stuff my face to limit how much I could answer their questions. I read another message from Tatsuya, and another—they were the ones I’d missed from last night. The first was calm, asking if I was okay, the second, five minutes later, was pleading with me to answer.
The third was a voicemail that gave me chills.
“Idara, pick up… please. I need to know you’re okay.” He had been running, and strained breaths punctuated his frantic sentences. “I’m on my way but... Please call me back if you can,” then it ended. I stood there, faucet running, as I realized just how much he meant what he said that day. ‘In return for endangering your life, I will endanger mine to protect you.' Along with his actual job of demon-slaying, he’d pledged himself to make sure I was safe from any demons that came within a twenty-mile radius. Anyone else would be happy—honored, even. He was doing what I’d hoped he would do, so… why did it feel so bad? Why did it bother me so much to see how stressed he’d become because of me? Didn’t I save his life? Didn’t I deserve it? I cut off the tap, wishing it was just as easy to cut off the intrusive thoughts. I got dressed in silence.
I wasn’t expecting Tatsuya to be there, hooded and leaning against the shed when I stepped outside to walk to school. I stared at him like he’d lost his mind. It was one thing to come to my house again, it was another to do it so openly. Alicia could’ve seen him from her front door. Even worse, my parents could've seen him wearing that cloak and chased him into the bushes. He stood up straight and casually waved a gloved hand at me.
“Tatsu, seriously?” I whispered, pulling him to the back of the shed, out of sight.
“What? I checked and made sure the coast was clear, I’m kinda good at that.” He pulled his hood back a bit so I could see his face. He had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn’t slept much, either. I sighed at the observation.
“Not that, why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be... working?” I gestured to his non-casual clothing.
“I am, I’m also trying to keep closer surveillance since we can’t use the finder’s GPS anymore.”
I shut my eyes and let go of a heavy breath. “Don’t let me be your new job. You have a sworn duty to your organization—or whatever it's called… that should come first.”
“HQ never saved me from anything, neither are they my people,” he snapped. I released his arm and held my own. I could tell by the acid in his voice that he didn’t care much for the people he worked for. I could respect that, I didn’t care much for my higher-ups either. They got to live in mansions while we scrubbed floors. It was still blindsiding, though, being called one of his people, the Beacons. This tiny tribe of 300 people—most of them in hiding, but two of us right here. It only made sense that we stuck together. I realized that it was the novelty of it that made me feel so apprehensive, and I would have to adapt to that, too.
“Ok.” I nodded, swallowed, and started walking down the sidewalk. He followed at a distance, slipping into the forest to be more concealed. As dead leaves crunched under my feet, I remembered the fear in his voicemail. He was here because he never wanted a situation like what had happened last night to ever happen again. I decided to not get in his way. I knew that if I ever needed to be saved again, I’d realize the error in asking him to leave me be.
☀
Alicia’s drama club showcase went off without a hitch, although throughout I kept glancing at my bracelet, worried I wouldn’t catch it lighting up until another demon launched itself at my head. I watched as they got off stage, finding Evan in the audience and him hugging them and twirling them around. An audible sigh must’ve left me then. They were most likely going to have a normal life—a career, a partner—and I just had uncertainty. I felt that I should’ve gotten used to my circumstance by then, but it was still a fresh wound in my side. One that I didn’t think any Light could heal. Their eyes found me across the room and they waved at me. I waved as well, again plastering on forced happiness.
At lunch—true to my word—I kept my mouth busy with chewing. I managed to dodge their questions about where our first ‘date’ had been, how old ‘Tim’ was, and where he went to school. They also chided me plenty about not telling them anything about my ‘relationship’ when they was always transparent about theirs. Not to mention, Evan was sitting right next to them the whole time. Very awkward, that was. I wasn’t sure how much was safe to tell them about Tatsuya, and thanks to their questions, I realized I didn’t even know much about him to begin with. Only the basics: Eighteen, tall, demon hunter, and indebted to me until death did us part. What I didn’t expect, was them to ask if we’d kissed. I choked on a mouthful of pandesal, chugging down water to avoid taking my own self out. But now that my mouth was empty, I had to answer.
“We… haven’t,” I said, avoiding their gaze—and ignoring the burning in my cheeks. They smiled, rubbing their hands together. “At least I haven’t missed that. Lemme know if you need any tips!” They blushed, looking at Evan, and in an instant, all the romance drained from my body. I could not see myself doing what those two did. The cooing, the nose-nuzzling, the hand-holding. The idea was nice but the execution scared the heck out of me.
☀
After school, I looked for Tatsuya, realizing I hadn’t seen him all day despite how adamant he was about being my bodyguard. I assumed he was busy working, and left it alone. I had been okay so far, hopefully it would continue. I told him in advance when and where my tutoring session was, so he’d know where to meet Chandler. The latter had texted me that morning to bring notecards to my session, and a recording device so that I could listen to what he’d say over and over. Simple enough.
With sneaker-clad feet and sweaty palms, I entered 201.
It was empty, save for Chandler—almost as tall as the ceiling—writing on the board. I was alone with him, the spectacle. His aura was a drawing force, powerful yet gentle, and that dichotomy was very confusing—and quite uncomfortable. I started to question if I should stay, or run away before he noticed I came in. Then, I remembered that I had a GPA to uphold—and parents to appease—and sucked it up.
“Hi Chandler,” I said first, picking a desk near me and sitting at it.
He turned, eyes filled with shimmering mirth as he smiled. “Idara! I worried whether or not you’d show up. You didn’t return any of my texts.” Within 24 hours I’d disappointed two people with my texting etiquette. Yikes.
“I’m sorry, I tend to acknowledge rather than respond. I definitely saw them, and I brought the notecards.” He nodded with wide eyes, almost like a child, and I wondered how his parents must’ve raised him, how his parents must’ve looked, even.
“No problem.” He responded, setting down the marker and dusting his hands off. He pulled out the chair in front of Mr. Daley’s desk and sat in the one behind it. “Have a seat.” Oh, he wanted me to sit… there. I gulped, picking up my bag and coming closer—his aura also feeling stronger. I took a deep breath as I sat and pulled out my notecards and textbook.
“Tough day?” He asked, hands folded and head cocked. I shrugged and opened my textbook to the correct chapter, hoping he would soon start teaching. All the while I avoided his crystalline eyes, fearing they’d swallow me somehow. I was wise to ask Tatsuya to come, there was no way I could ask Chandler myself if he was a Beacon. I’d either freeze or end up spilling all of our information to him.
“Hmm…” He purred at my lack of response. “When I have tough days, I listen to music until I feel better. It drowns everything out, you know?” I simply nodded, again praying internally that he would stop the small talk and teach. He nodded as well, holding a hand to his chiseled chin. “Not the conversational type, I see. That’s alright.” He smiled, flashing pearly whites. “I just like to gauge how students prefer to learn. Okay, we’ll get started.”
Thank you, Jesus.
The first half of the hour-long session went fine, other than him occasionally reaching over to point at my notes. I worried that if his skin touched mine I’d combust somehow with all the Light he must’ve had. He wove jokes into his teaching, the most memorable one was about how the Roman Empire split because it was cut with a pair of Caesars. I hated myself for finding that funny, but his eyes lit up when I laughed. I wasn’t sure how eyes like his could brighten even more, but they did, and I found myself admiring them as he spoke. The whites, the grays, and the blues, all eddying together and reflecting the setting sunlight like a painting—not even. No painting could capture how breathtaking they were at that moment.
I was so distracted that I didn’t notice the sound of heavy boots in the hallway, only the short knock that came at the open door. Chandler looked past me with a raised brow, and I turned to see Tatsuya standing in the doorway, wearing a casual t-shirt and sweatpants.
“Sorry I’m late,” he sent me a small salute, then fixed his eyes on the teaching assistant a foot away from me. “You’re Chandler?” He said, crossing his arms and appraising him. Although Tatsuya was also tall, he wasn’t 6’5”, and I could imagine Chandler crushing him like a soda can if he needed to. I swallowed again.
“I am,” Chandler replied, crossing his own arms. “Who are you?”