Days went by, classes were like a blur, but Thalya only remembered the failed attempts to talk to Seina.
In the cafeteria, Seina vanished among the students.
In the library, she seemed to blend in like a chameleon — but her luck ran out when Thalya cornered her.
She was standing in the only place Seina couldn't avoid. Her arms were crossed. The black cap pulled low — hiding her "I could kill someone" look.
Seina saw her, but ignored her. She could feel her heart beating faster, her sweaty hands gripping the strap of her backpack tighter, her leg trembling as she walked like it was an involuntary movement.
Her attempt to pass unnoticed was in vain, Thalya looked her in the eyes as if sentencing her to death, and quickly grabbed her arm, dragging her back.
" Thalya… I…" Seina looked down at her hurried feet.
She didn't stop, dragged Seina to the empty courtyard, her fingers digging into her arm like shackles. The wind whistled through the trees, carrying away any chance of escape.
" Talk" Thalya's voice came out harsh, but not loud. That was worse. A command, not a request.
Seina swallowed hard. Words piled up in her throat, she wanted to say everything she'd seen, but didn't want the argument or the slap to repeat.
"I… don't deserve to talk to you".
Her eyes burned. 'Don't cry, not now'. she thought, but it was too late.
A tear slipped out, rolling down her face before she could wipe it.
Thalya stopped abruptly, let go of her arm, but blocked the way. Her furious look had changed, now it was something between confusion and concern.
"You disappear. You avoid me. And now you're crying because I pulled you to talk?" she pushed the cap back, revealing her tired eyes " what the hell is going on, Seina?"
"I… I have… dreams where you die, and it's my fault…"
"What?" she almost laughed in disbelief "it's just a nightmare, are you serious?"
"It's not just a nightmare, they're always the same. You vanish, and I… I never help you in time."
'And it all happens again because of the reset.' She wanted to talk.
"So that's it? You're going to avoid me because of a dream?"
"Yes… until they stop" she hide her trembling hands.
Thalya took off her cap and put it on Seina's head.
"You're unbelievable…" She sat down on a nearby bench. Her purple eyes admired the yellowish afternoon sky.
Seina approached timidly, but sat next to her, and stayed silent as she saw her fiddling with her phone.
" Here" she said, holding up the phone.
She looked at the phone automatically, and the flash right after startled her.
" Done" she said with a smile "proof that I'm not going anywhere, let's exchange LINE, so I can send you this selfie".
"Sure…" she took her phone from her bag and scanned the QR code with the camera.
Right after, Thalya received a message, just a waving sticker, she smiled and sent back a cat waving sticker.
Seina shrank into her corner, and after a long sigh looked at Thalya who was on her phone, her violet eyes glowing, her face blushing, and her smile warm, everything full of life.
'I want to protect her… save her somehow, but… I don't know how'.
She stood up, took off the cap and placed it on Thalya's lap. With a timid smile — that didn't reach her eyes — she said goodbye.
'We're on the seventh day, and I know what's going to happen soon… I don't want to see her die now, that's why I'll leave today… I'm sorry…'