Otherworldly

This story is dedicated to someone very special to me who without I would've never started or finished writing this story. I love you and miss you so much, my love…

Capitulus I

Aurelia sat at her desk watching as the room slowly filled with students. Giggles and voices could be heard all around as everyone shared what they had done the previous day after school. Slightly smiling, she crossed her arms over her desk and laid her head down closing her eyes as she waited for the teacher to enter the room and take his place at the front.

Aurelia wasn't much of a talker; she preferred to listen and gain knowledge from what the people around her had to say, but this could also come as a disadvantage to her as not many wished to approach her. She was considered a loner at school; always dressing dark and not taking part in many conversations. If she did one day decide to speak out it was normally just a, "yes," or, "uh-huh," not much to continue the conversation with, so people decided simply to disregard it and continue on with their discussion. It wasn't her fault nothing they had to say interested her; everyone just seemed so immature to her lingering on topics about boys and love. Ah love, it had no place in her heart. She had dated many times before, but had gotten her heart broken just as many times, so she had finally given up on all hope of ever finding love and instead had dedicated her life to gaining as much knowledge as she possibly could and later using it to better her life.

Suddenly she felt it; a jolt of electricity ran through her body, the same jolt she had been feeling a lot lately. She quickly looked up from her desk only to find herself staring into the eyes of popular school girl, Levana. Blinking a few times, she quickly looked down as she closed her eyes. What was with her? Yes, Aurelia had always had a close connection to Levana, but ever since the last two months it had grown amazingly strong. It was as if she could feel what she felt, hear what she heard, and see what she saw, but the strangest thing to her was she could almost swear she had grown some kind of attraction to the girl, but why and why now?

Aurelia and Levana had met in kindergarten, and ever since they had vowed to be best friends forever, sharing the same likes and dislikes, and going everywhere together. It almost seemed as if they were talking to themselves whenever they had a conversation; they were just so alike, but times had changed and the two close friends had began to separate from each other as the years came. In middle school Levana had met a lot of new friends and had begun to hang out with them more often leaving Aurelia reading alone in her room as she waited for Levana's call which never came, but she had made new friends, Aurelia could only be happy for her, yet she felt something missing in her like a hole had been created in her heart. She dismissed it though as she thought Levana would always be her friend, but those feelings changed in high school when Levana began to completely ignore her and hang out with the popular kids instead.

Now there she stood talking with her friends and ignoring Aurelia as usual; she wasn't cool enough for her. Aurelia swore she could feel a tear run down one of her cheeks, but she quickly looked away and out the window as she tried to disguise it.

They had always been close, but what was happening these last few months? Why was she feeling so attached to Levana? It was unusual, and she had a strong urge to walk up to her and hug her, but she knew she would not be welcomed in Levana's arms, not anymore.

Unable to hold back tears any longer, Aurelia stood from her desk and quickly made her way into the hallway making sure to keep her head down as she walked past the large crowd of students heading to class. Once reaching the girls' bathroom, her pace quickened as she walked inside and locked herself in a stall. Leaning back on one of the stall's walls, she slid down to the floor and sat there for a while knees drawn to her chest and her arms tightly wrapped around them as she cried softly. What was wrong with her? She was not someone to cry easily, come to think of it she never cried. When her father had died she only shed a few tears at the funeral, but after that nothing. Her mother believed she was in a state of shock and even considered taking her to a psychologist, but Aurelia refused, instead she said she just needed some time to be alone and was granted such, but now, now she felt so much sadness it was consuming her. She just wanted Levana back; she just wanted to be her friend once more.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Levana glanced at Aurelia as she walked right past her not saying one word or even looking at her. Her long, black hair glided effortlessly behind her as it softly touched Levana's arm causing her to freeze. Her touch sent waves of electricity through her and she suddenly felt a strong connection to this girl, stronger than when they were younger and used to be friends. It was something unexplainable, but she had felt it a lot lately when around Aurelia. She wanted to talk to her, to ask her if she was feeling the same, but her friends might think differently of her so she decided not to. What was wrong with her? Why would she want to talk to a loner that's always depressed and does nothing but study? Yet she was quite alluring and beautiful, wait, what? Okay, now she really knew something was wrong; how could she ever think Aurelia is beautiful? Not to mention she's a girl for crying out loud!

Shaking her head slightly, Levana decided to have a seat amongst her friends as the teacher walked in followed by Aurelia who now held her head low trying to hide her yet wet eyes from the class, but Levana immediately caught sight of them. Had she been crying, but Aurelia never cries, or at least she never used to. Things were becoming very odd, too odd for her. Levana was one that liked to have everything organized, sort of schedule-like; changes caused her to enter a panic state.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Taking a seat at the back of the class, Aurelia dug through her backpack until she found her sketchbook. Pulling it out, she flipped it open to the last page-which was blank-and began doodling on it. Aurelia wasn't one to listen much in class; she preferred to study on her own at home where she was in the tranquility of her own room, but that didn't mean the teacher approved of it.

"Aurelia!" He called. "Would you please put that away?" Aurelia simply shrugged and placed the sketchbook back in her backpack as she situated herself back in her seat.

Not being able to keep her attention focused on the teacher for too long, she directed her gaze at Levana who was sitting a few seats to the right of her. She, too, seemed a bit bored by the discussion even though she tried to hide it by interchanging her gaze upon the teacher and back at the book repeatedly, but Aurelia could see it in her eyes that she was really not interested. Levana was an expert at hiding her emotions and feelings from others, but she had never managed to hide them from Aurelia. It seemed she had a talent for reading her mind.

Feeling as though someone was watching her, Levana turned slightly to look at her left, but Aurelia immediately turned to stare out the window. Lifting an eyebrow curiously, she glanced back at the teacher. Was it just her or was Aurelia watching her? But why? Not giving it much more thought, she went back to her boredom session as she pretended to listen to the teacher. Aurelia decided to stare out the window for the remainder of the class period. Watching the wind blow the leaves back on the tree branches was always much more entertaining than listening to a half hour speech, not to mention it relaxed her and she really needed that now.

Lifting her hand up to her shirt collar, she glided her fingers over a thin, silver chain which hid underneath her shirt. Placing it between her index finger and thumb, she pulled up on it, pulling it out from beneath her shirt and closing her hand around a small, silver heart that was attached to it as she continued to stare out the window.

Levana had given her that necklace many years ago. It was her favorite necklace and she would always wear it everywhere she went, but she had given it to Aurelia one night during a sleepover. She claimed this way she would always be with her, and if she ever felt alone she said to simply hold it in her hand and think of her. Aurelia wasn't one to wear jewelry, she actually despised the thought of it, but ever since Levana had given her that necklace she had not been able to take it off.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

When the bell rang, Aurelia dropped the necklace back underneath her shirt as everyone headed out into the hallways. She stood and picked up her backpack as she turned to head out of the classroom when she noticed Levana walking out with a large group of friends. Aurelia could do nothing but stand there frozen simply staring at her. It seemed like she was hypnotized causing the teacher to approach her and ask, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah… I'm fine," she replied as she faked a small smile and headed out into the hallway and towards her next class trying to avoid eye contact with Levana, but failing miserably as she froze a few feet away from her. Her arms and hands grew weak as she dropped her books by accident. Thanking them for bringing her back into the real world, she leaned down and began to pick them up as Levana glanced at her with a weird expression on her face. What was with her today? Why was she so depressed and clumsy? This was not like the Aurelia she knew, but of course the Aurelia she had known was years in the past, she could have changed through the years just as she had.

Sighing, she turned around and followed her friends to her next class leaving Aurelia to stare up at her in question. Why had she looked at her? Levana never looked at her anymore; it was as if Aurelia was simply a wall when she passed by.

Shrugging, she stood up with her books in hand and made her way to her next class thanking God Levana did not share this class with her. She needed some time without her in view so she could relax for a while and try to calm down. She wanted to know what was going on these last few months; it was not normal for her to feel this way about someone especially not Levana. I mean, yeah, she missed her a lot and wished they could be friends again, but not to this extent. Not to crying over her or freezing every time they made eye contact. Something was indeed wrong and she wanted to know what.

The rest of the day went by amazingly fast, and soon the school day was over. As Aurelia walked into the parking lot, she unlocked her car-a black Avalanche-and stepped inside. Placing the key into the ignition, she pulled out of the parking space as she noticed Levana saying goodbye to her large group of friends, and entering her car as well-a white Nissan Z-as a few of her friends got inside with her. Aurelia closed her eyes for a while as she looked down and then lifted her head back up as she drove out of the parking lot and home.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Once reaching the place she considered home, she parked her car as she got out and locked it. She lived in a townhouse which was decorated by flowers everywhere you looked; this was because of her mother's great obsession with flowers. Reaching the door, she unlocked it and walked inside. No one was home as usual; her mother was out working. Climbing the stairs, she made her way into her room and dropped her bag to one side as she jumped onto her bed. Her room was a very plain room; nothing out of the ordinary. Her bed laid against a wall and across from it a desk and closet could be found. To the right of the bed was a window with dark blue curtains flowing down, and a large mirror which Aurelia avoided as much as she could. She glanced up thinking about everything and nothing as she admired the swirls painted on the roof. Tomorrow was her birthday, but it was meaningless to bring that up as no one would probably remember especially because it was Levana's birthday as well. Everyone would be too busy wishing Levana a happy birthday to worry about her, but she didn't mind it really; she liked being unnoticed.

Sighing, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. The sound of birds chirping outside was very soothing to her and it helped her relax a lot. She just wondered what Levana could be doing now, probably preparing for her birthday the next day. A small smile painted itself onto her lips as she thought about the happiness that would be flourishing in Levana tomorrow; knowing her she was probably going to have a huge party and many friends to come to it just as she had on her sweet sixteen. Now she was turning seventeen and so was Aurelia; the two had many things in common it seemed. Slowly drifting to sleep, Aurelia dreamt of the days when Levana and she used to be best friends and do everything together. Oh, what wonderful days those were, what wonderful days…