Chapter 5: Lingering Shadows and Unexpected Confidences
The night pressed against Manon's window, a vast, inky canvas dotted with the distant glitter of stars. A shiver traced its way down her spine, even through the thick layers of her pajamas. She stood at the threshold of the long, shadowy hallway, her gaze fixed on the celestial display. Every few seconds, her fingers tightened around the cool metal railing, as if it held the tangible answers to the swirling questions in her mind. The soft glow of her phone illuminated the details of her latest, utterly ridiculous mission.
"You look just like yesterday," a cheerful voice chirped from beside her. Manon didn't even startle. Ray, her small, fluffy bunny companion (or was he a manifestation of a talking necklace?), had a knack for materializing out of thin air.
"How's your mission going, Manon?" Ray asked, tilting his head, his long ears flopping slightly.
Manon remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the stars. A single tear escaped, tracing a warm, wet path down her cheek. Then another followed, and another.
"Manon, you're crying," Ray said softly, his fluffy form seeming to deflate slightly. He sighed, a tiny puff of air that tickled her pajama leg. "Why doesn't anyone like my story?" she finally whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears. "I stayed up all night, poured my heart onto the pages, and everyone just said 'no.' And now, this mission… what if I mess this up too? What if my book never gets published?"
Ray blinked his large, dark eyes, and in the blink of an eye, the white fur vanished. He was now a small, brown bird, perched delicately on the railing. "You know, Manon," he chirped gently, "sometimes you're already on the right path, but you just can't see it. Everyone starts somewhere. Even the authors you love, the ones who sell millions of books, they all faced rejection at first."
"Really?" Manon whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, a flicker of hope amidst the sadness.
"Really," Ray confirmed with a decisive little bob of his head.
Manon took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs, carrying with it a renewed sense of determination. "Ray," she said, her voice gaining a touch of its usual firmness, "I won't give up. Not now, not ever."
"That's…" Ray began, but when Manon turned her head to acknowledge him, he was gone, vanished as silently as smoke. He was always like that, appearing and disappearing, his presence sometimes warm and comforting, sometimes fleeting and distant, a little like… Dad. A small, sad smile touched Manon's lips as she subconsciously touched the silver necklace nestled against her collarbone.
The next morning, Manon chose her outfit with care, a bright, flowy dress that swirled around her as she moved, making her feel a little like the heroine in one of her own stories. Today, she decided, was the day she would put the awkward pool encounter behind her and maybe even treat herself to a giant slice of cake later. She remembered Ray's (or the necklace's) silent judgment about her being too harsh on her own writing. "Rude, but maybe a little true," she mumbled, catching her reflection in the mirror.
A tiny spark of excitement flickered within her. "Today's the day! My mission to… well, exist near Robin without tripping! Mission 001-adjacent, let's go!" she announced, bursting into Andrien's room. Her long, dark hair flowed behind her, catching the morning sunlight like a silken banner.
"Woah, Manon, what's with the sudden burst of sunshine?" Andrien asked, his voice laced with sleepy surprise.
Manon grinned, feeling a little of her usual playful energy returning. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Andrien was mid-push-up, his muscles flexing with each controlled movement. Without a word, Manon lightly hopped onto his back, feeling surprisingly weightless against his strength. His silver hair was neatly combed back, highlighting the sharp angles of his handsome face.
"So, Manon," he grunted, pausing his workout, "I heard you were at the pool yesterday, and then near the club, and… you were alone with Robin. How do you—"
"You know, you just 'know,'" Manon interrupted, exaggerating his usual know-it-all tone. "Your ears are 'everywhere' in school."
"'Everywhere,'" Manon repeated, her voice dripping with playful teasing.
Andrien stood up, his green eyes narrowing in mock annoyance at his sister, who was now dramatically pretending to be flattened on the floor. Before he could retort, a fluffy pillow sailed through the air and smacked him squarely in the face. Manon jumped up, her laughter echoing through the meticulously tidy room.
Andrien's room was a stark contrast to Manon's creative chaos. Sunlight streamed through the large window, illuminating the polished wooden floor. A neat row of dumbbells lined one wall, a sleek black workout bench stood in the center, and a framed poster of a majestic mountain range hung above his perfectly made bed. His desk, tucked into a corner, held only an open notebook and a pen. Everything was in its place, radiating a sense of focused calm. A small bookshelf held a curated collection of sports biographies and a few well-worn novels.
Manon dusted off her dress, a small smile lingering. "I'll head downstairs so you can, you know, freshen up. Please don't take forever. Sometimes, I swear I'm the one waiting on you!"
Andrien's eyebrows shot up. "That's why people actually want to be around me. You're lucky you have such a charming and sought-after brother, and you're hogging all my precious time. Do you even realize how many people would kill to hang out with me? You ungrateful little chipmunk."
Manon playfully kicked him on the leg as she headed for the door. "I'm not a chipmunk, I'm a rabbit!"
"Just get out of my room! I'm coming, I don't even know why I bothered coming up here in the first place," Andrien muttered, a fond smile playing on his lips as he watched his little sister stomp away, exaggerating her steps as if she were about to tattle to their mom.
Manon impatiently tapped her foot, waiting for the final school bell to ring. Today felt different. Today, she had a… well, a mission-adjacent goal. She smiled to herself as the bell finally shrieked its release. Quickly grabbing her bag, she whispered, "Yesterday was a disaster, but today… today I'll just try not to fall into any more bodies of water."
She searched the usual hallways and hangout spots, but Robin was nowhere to be found. Finally, a hunch led her to the back of the school, near the edge of the sports fields. And there he was. Robin was leaning against a brick wall, talking and laughing with one of the senior girls, their faces close. Then, he leaned in and… kissed her.
Manon's hands instinctively clenched into fists at her sides. She knew this was a mission, a bizarre, magically-induced task, and personal feelings shouldn't matter. But for some reason, a heavy feeling settled in her chest. She quietly walked towards the nearby garden, a small, secluded space filled with the scent of blooming flowers, and sat down on a stone bench, trying to clear the sudden fog in her mind.
"Manon, what are you doing here?" The familiar cadence of her brother's voice made her turn.
Andrien stood close by, his usual teasing smile absent. "You look a little pale. Everything okay?"
The question surprised her. Usually, he'd jump straight to teasing. "Do you… do you think Robin has a girlfriend?" she blurted out, the question feeling strangely vulnerable.
A small smirk tugged at the corner of Andrien's lips, his green eyes sparkling with a hint of surprise. "And why would you want to know?"
"Just… curious," Manon mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
"What's come over you, Manon?" Andrien teased gently. "The girl who once tried to trade a week of dish duty for my limited-edition comic book is suddenly interested in… boys?" He raised a playful eyebrow. "Spill. The. Details."
One of Andrien's eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise when Manon actually met his eyes, a hint of something she couldn't quite decipher in her gaze. "Please?" she murmured, the single word carrying a weight of unexpected vulnerability. He smiled softly. It was the first time she had ever confided even a hint of interest in a guy to him.
"Why him, of all people, Manon?" he sighed, his playful demeanor fading slightly. "You know he's not exactly just another face in this school. We're… rivals, in a way. And he has a bit of a reputation. Like… me."
He sighed again, looking at his sister with a newfound understanding. Then, he gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, a rare display of tenderness. "I'm not sure if he officially has a girlfriend, or if he's… planning to. But," he paused, a reassuring smile returning, "I'm pretty sure you can get anything you set your mind to, Manon. You always have. You decide who you want to… well, be around."
A genuine smile finally touched Manon's lips, and she leaned over to give her brother a quick hug. "Thanks, Andrien." He squeezed her shoulder before leaving her alone in the quiet of the garden.
Many questions swirled in Manon's head, a confusing mix of disappointment, curiosity, and something else she couldn't quite name. How am I even supposed to talk to him now? How do I just… approach him after that? Never have I ever felt this… complicated about someone before, she thought, picking up her bag and slowly leaving the peaceful sanctuary of the garden.