Chapter Five: A Stranger in Uniform
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The late bell echoed through the polished halls of Veldenmoor Academy as Aurelian swung the classroom door open and stepped into the corridor, the weight of a dozen boring lessons still pressing on his shoulders. He rolled his neck once, groaning at the stiffness, and started to make his way toward the stairwell—when he stopped dead in his tracks.
Just a few meters ahead of him, standing awkwardly by the tall windows that looked out toward the west courtyard, was the last person he expected to see in a Veldenmoor uniform.
Her.
The girl.
Celine.
Gone was the Eastrow blazer. She now wore the same dark blue coat with gold trimming as everyone else in the building. Except it didn’t quite fit her yet—it hung slightly off at the shoulders, her posture too rigid, her backpack brand-new and unscuffed. But her smile?
That was confident. Intentional.
“Aurelian,” she said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “We run into each other again.”
His eyebrows practically launched off his forehead. “You’re... you’re wearing—wait, did you transfer?”
“Veldenmoor Academy,” she confirmed, patting the badge stitched over her chest. “Effective today.”
“You can’t be serious,” he said, blinking.
“I am. Fully enrolled. Tour this morning, uniform delivered yesterday.” She tilted her head, watching him like a cat toyed with a mouse. “Didn’t think you’d notice me, honestly.”
Aurelian opened his mouth, but words got stuck somewhere between his lungs and brain. Something about the way she stood there, in the same uniform, felt almost dreamlike. Maybe it was the fact that she looked so comfortable already. Maybe it was how her eyes never wavered from his.
“I... wow,” he finally managed. “That’s... surprising.”
“Well,” she said, lifting one shoulder slightly, “when someone saves your life, it sticks with you.”
Aurelian flushed, glancing down for half a second.
But then—
Callen.
Elira.
The rooftop.
“Oh no,” he muttered. “Oh, crap. Sorry—Celine, I gotta go.”
He bolted, not waiting for her response. The sound of his shoes echoed hard against the tile as he turned the corner and charged down the corridor.
---
Aurelian found him exactly where he feared he would: leaning coolly against the wall at the entrance to the south hallway, just outside the science wing.
Callen Merrow.
Hand in pocket. Tie loosely knotted like he hadn’t cared since breakfast. That maddening, smug glint in his eye.
“There he is,” Callen said smoothly, as Aurelian skidded to a stop. “Here to wish me luck?”
“Not quite,” Aurelian muttered.
Before Callen could say anything else, Aurelian narrowed his eyes and summoned the sensation he was still getting used to—the flow, like a ripple in warm water behind his forehead. The words came, softer than breath.
“Elira is waiting for you on the rooftop.”
Callen blinked.
His expression turned puzzled for half a second... then he nodded slowly. “Of course. The rooftop.” He turned on his heel and walked away without another word.
Aurelian let out a shaky breath and took off again, sprinting in the opposite direction.
---
By the time he reached the cafeteria, the buzz of lunchtime chatter was in full swing. The long tables were crowded with students eating and gossiping. He scanned the room once, then again, and found her sitting by the window, a tray in front of her, untouched.
Elira.
He approached, careful this time.
She didn’t look up when he pulled out the chair and sat down across from her.
“So,” she said flatly. “Late again.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t answer my texts. Again.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why? Did you fall into another alternate dimension?”
He scratched the back of his neck. “Sort of.”
She looked up sharply. “What?”
“Joking. Kind of.” He paused. “Look... I know I’ve been screwing things up lately. I should’ve told you about everything. But I didn’t want to do this at school, you know?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Do what?”
He swallowed. “Ask you out. Officially.”
That caught her off guard. Her lips parted slightly. “You mean like... for real?”
He nodded. “I didn’t want it to be in a cafeteria surrounded by juice boxes and math homework. That’s why I didn’t ask before.”
She crossed her arms, but her expression had softened. “So what now?”
“I want to try again. Tonight. Dinner. Off-campus. My treat. And I’ll come pick you up this time. You won’t be stuck waiting around like last time.”
For a moment, she said nothing. Just watched him.
Then—finally—she sighed. “Fine. But if you bail again, I’m deleting your contact forever.”
“Fair.”
---
Back in class, Celine sat two rows behind Aurelian, her notebook open but untouched. Her eyes followed him—his posture, the back of his head, the way he leaned slightly toward Elira whenever she passed a note. There was a fire building inside her that she hadn’t expected. Something sharp. Something warm.
Aurelian never once looked back.
He was too busy thinking.
About Elira.
About the gem.
About the detention officer he'd manipulated without blinking.
About Callen, sent like a programmed puppet to the rooftop.
About how natural it felt.
“Magic has its perks,” he thought grimly.
“But I need to be careful.”
And yet... Elira had agreed to see him again.
Maybe—just maybe—things were finally turning in his favor.
For once.
---
Later that afternoon, Aurelian dozed off during a quiet moment in his Literature class. The hum of the ceiling fan lulled him, and he let himself drift.
In the dream, he and Elira walked down a softly lit street, late autumn leaves rustling at their feet. Her laugh echoed softly, her hand brushing his. He was calm. Whole.
Then—
Footsteps.
Not theirs.
Heavy. Even. Too slow for casual walking.
He turned, but the street behind them was empty.
He tried to call out—but the dream began to dissolve.
---
He woke with a jolt.
Celine stood beside his desk.
Her voice soft. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
He blinked the sleep from his eyes. “No, it’s okay.”
“I was just thinking...” she hesitated. “Maybe you could come over after school? I never really thanked you properly.”
He hesitated. “I actually have plans today.”
She followed his gaze to where Elira was gathering her books.
“Oh,” she said, her smile fading a little. “Of course.”
Then she straightened. Walked across the aisle. Looked Elira dead in the eye.
“Hi. I’m Celine. New student. Just transferred.”
Elira glanced up.
“Noticed.”
“Right. Well,” she added sweetly, “your... friend here saved my life the other night. Just thought you should know.”
Elira tilted her head. “Good for him.”
Then turned to Aurelian.
“I’ll see you tonight, dearest. Don’t be late.”
Her voice was perfectly pleasant.
But Celine’s l
ips thinned.
Aurelian sighed.
This was going to get complicated.
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