novelapdf Chapter 30: Scrubbing
Chapter 30: Scrubbing
Kael: Chatty rat girl with light blue hair, Markus’ guide.Selina: Cat girl with black hair, part of the jock group. Laid her claim on Markus.Nora: Markus’ moth sister.I caught my reflection in the mirror above the sink. Dishevelled hair, dull eyes, and lips still faintly bruised from earlier. I grimaced and looked away.
Without another thought, I stripped down, kicking off my clothes in a heap on the floor before stepping into the shower. The tile was cold against my feet as I turned on the tap. A burst of water sputtered out before settling into a steady stream, pouring down in thick, hot rivulets.
My hair draped over my face, strands clinging to my skin, weighed down by the water. I reached out blindly, fingers brushing against the collection of bath items lining the wall. My hand found a bathing brush, one that Nora usually used.
I gripped it tight.
Then, I started scrubbing.
The bristles scraped harshly against my skin as I dragged it over my arms, my shoulders, my chest, anywhere I could reach. I pressed harder, faster, the rough bristles scraping away at the lingering filth I imagined still clung to me. My breaths came quicker, water mixing with the sweat forming on my brow, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
Harder.
Redness bloomed across my skin, pain flaring as I scrubbed without mercy. My body screamed at me to stop, but I couldn’t. Not until every trace of that feeling was gone.
By the time my grip on the brush finally loosened, my skin was raw, tender to the touch. My fingers trembled as I let the brush slip from my grasp, hitting the tile with a dull thud.
I leaned back against the wall, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths, water washing over me as if it could cleanse something deeper than just my skin.
But no matter how hard I scrubbed, the filth felt too deep within me.
Stepping out of the shower, the steam clinging to my skin, I drag my feet across the cold floor, too exhausted to even dry off properly.
I collapse onto the bed, the dampness seeping into the sheets, and let out a heavy sigh. Feeling too tired to care about anything but the pull of my body sinking into the mattress.
I just laid there, curled up at Nora’s remnants, inhaling the faint traces of her scent still clinging to the sheets. It was comforting, it soothed my mind, yet… I knew, I knew it was wrong.
She was right.
I shouldn’t have gone to that damn school.
I wanted to tell her that. To admit everything. I wanted to let it all out, to hear her voice tell me it was okay, that I could rely on her.
I stared at the doorway, waiting, anticipation tightening my chest. After a long while, I finally heard it, the clink of the front door unlocking, the soft creak as it swung open.
Nora stood there, weary… tired, her shoulders slumped, her head dipped slightly, and her eyes dizzily
Even with everything, her teasing, the smugness, the way she so effortlessly made my life a living embarrassment. I knew she meant it.
Sighing, I rubbed the back of my neck before muttering begrudgingly, “...I love you too.”
A small chuckle left her lips, satisfied.
I didn’t wait for anything else. Slamming the taxi door shut, I quickly turned and strode off toward the academy entrance, my heart still beating way too fast in my chest.
I steeled my resolve, to survive my second day here.
~~~
As I walked into the academy grounds, the usual hum of students filled the air, chatting, laughing, footsteps echoing across the campus. It was the same morning atmosphere as always, yet I felt oddly detached from it all. My mind was still reeling from the amount of stuff just going through my brain.
But as I climbed the steps leading into the main building, my eyes caught on to something. A pair of familiar round ears twitched peeking right above the railing as they shook idly. I went around, to take a look and the moment our eyes met, Kael’s ears perked sharply.
Her expression flickered, as if in surprise, before she quickly hopped off her seat and rushed toward me.
I barely had time to react before her arms wrapped around me in a warm, firm hug.
I blinked. My body stiffened instinctively, not expecting the sudden embrace, but the warmth of it wasn’t unwelcome. She held onto me tightly, her tail flicking behind her, and I could feel the faint rhythm of her heartbeat through her chest.
I let out a small, breathless chuckle, smiling despite myself. “Uh… what was that for?”
Kael pulled back just enough to look up at me, her usual smirk absent. There was something softer in her expression, something earnest.
“I was worried you wouldn’t come today,” she admitted.
Ah.
I looked at her for a moment, the sincerity in her voice catching me off guard. I just wasn’t used to someone outside my mother and sister who openly looked out for me.
A small part of me wanted to brush it off, make some joke to lighten the mood. But instead, I exhaled, the tension in my shoulders loosening just a bit.
“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” I said, giving her a lopsided grin.
Kael huffed, her ears flicking as if she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Yeah, but still... I mean, if you didn’t show up, I totally would’ve hunted you down.” She smirked, poking my shoulder. “Dragged your ass back myself.”
I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “Good to know I’ve got a personal search party.”
“You bet.” Her tail swayed behind her, her expression brightening before she nudged me forward.
As we walked side by side, something in my chest felt just a little lighter.
Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad. And as we walked, her hand latched onto mine, her voice light but firm.
“I’ll always find you, y’know? No matter what.”