Society

Chapter 36

I woke up the next morning and felt a small sense of comfort as I saw Emily's brown hair pressed against my arm leaving small red tracks when I lifted it away. She made a small groaning noise as she stirred pushing herself up right next to me, she turned and gave me a grotesque but comforting smile.

"Sleep well?"

I noticed there was a small hiss to her voice, must be because of her cheek, I pulled myself out of bed and sat upright next to her.

"Very well, never thought I'd be able to though."

"I guess that is always a good thing then, are you going to see Tanya today?"

My heart sunk at the unconsidered prospect, I let my heart calm itself to its regular low thumping before I considered what actions I should take.

"I don't know, she might look me out. I'm sure she will hate me right now, I'm a little worried about Neco, who knows how she'll act?"

"Surely Shara would know, wouldn't she?"

I sighed as I began getting ready for my day ahead, I grabbed clothes and began changing no longer caring about Emily's presence.

"Wherever Shara, Tanya will probably be there too, so it's not like I'd be able to find out beforehand. Actually I don't know if they're even still in the chalice they might have taken a mission and have left already."

I finished getting changed as Emily pondered my predicament when there was a knock at the door. I shot Emily a worried look and she got up returning a similar look of apprehension.

"Neco?" she said with faint hope in her voice.

"Maybe. Or it could be Tanya."

We heard another rap against the door, the sound seemed to echo throughout the room as if it were a cavern. Emily jumped to my side pushing me towards the door.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed at her.

"You need to find out, what if it's Neco he'll get worried, if it's Tanya... we'll chance it."

I stumbled forward so as to move of my own accord rather than Emily's.

I pulled anxiously at the door handle slowly opening the door bracing myself for a punch to the face but was greeted by another type of blast to the face, Neco stood beaming ear from ear.

I stepped back a little, stunned by his optimistic aura.

"You'll never guess what!" he nearly shouted at me, I shook my head unaccustomed to the loud noises of the chalice after my peaceful night with Emily. I opened my door and shooed him inside, his every step seemed a little too loud for my liking.

"So what happened?" I asked once he was sat in the living room.

"Tanya came to me this morning, she apologized to me. She was on her knees and everything."

I looked at him in disbelief.

"What are you talking about, she would never do that."

"That's what I thought, but apparently Shara chewed her out because of how she acted and she realized her 'mistakes'"

I stared at him momentarily stunned, I opened my mouth but just uttered unintelligible stammering.

Neco began to laugh and I snapped myself back to clarity and formed actual words.

"You can't be serious, she apologized? Tanya apologized, for real?!"

I let out a small chuckle before bursting out in laughter, I had been worrying so much for no reason. We sat crippled with laughter, the cavernous echo I heard before extended much further as our laughter carried through the halls and filled the house. As I laughed, doubled over from lack of breath, I spotted Emily crouched behind Neco, softly smiling at me and for the first time ever her face was whole, her beautiful smile stunned me, leaving me gawping in awe before she disappeared and I was dragged back to reality. Neco looked at me curiously.