A Heart Torn Between What Is and What Could Be

Arvanya's POV:

The moment our physics class ended, I quickly stepped out of the room, eager to escape the monotony. Esme and Calen trailed behind me, their laughter echoing down the hallway as they reenacted my reaction to the teacher's final questions.

"Aria, you should've seen your face when she said, 'Next question is yours,'" Esme teased, barely containing her laughter.

"Don't act like you weren't praying to every element to avoid the board," I retorted, smirking.

"At least combat class will make up for this," Calen said, trying to sound optimistic.

"True. Physics might put us to sleep, but at least combat keeps things exciting," Esme added with a grin.

"And the air elemental class! I can't wait to see what they're throwing at us next. At least it's not formulas and graphs," I chimed in, feeling a rare spark of anticipation.

Esme raised her hand dramatically. "But first! Snacks. My energy is at critical levels, and I refuse to attend another class without recharging."

We burst into laughter as we made our way to the canteen. Snacks in hand, we found our usual table and settled in, chatting about everything from classes to the strange exodus of air elementals from the academy.

As we sat down, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at me. The air elementals leaving the academy... It felt wrong, like there was something I wasn't seeing. I had this strange intuition that their departure was somehow tied to those visions I'd been having, the dragons calling to me. But why? What did it all mean?

Trying to push the thoughts aside for a moment, I asked, "If so many air elementals are leaving, why aren’t the authorities doing anything about it?"

Esme's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "You’ve noticed that too, huh?" she said, crossing her arms. "It’s strange. You’d think they’d at least address it publicly, but all we get are whispers and rumors. No real answers."

Calen, walking a step ahead, turned to glance back. "I heard they’re focusing all their resources on the fire and water departments. You know, the so-called ‘powerhouses.’" His voice carried a hint of frustration. "They don’t seem to care if air elementals fade into the background."

"But we’re still important," I said, my voice firm despite the unease creeping in. "We may not be as flashy as fire or as dominant as water, but air has its own strength. Why aren’t they doing more to protect it?"

Esme shrugged, her expression a mix of cynicism and disappointment. "Maybe they think we’re not worth the effort. Or maybe there’s something bigger going on that we don’t know about."

Her words hung heavy in the air, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to this than we realized—something deeper, something hidden. The nagging feeling in my mind refused to fade, as if the disappearing air elementals were a thread leading to a much larger tapestry.

Why was I so intrigued by their sudden departures? It felt important, connected to something I couldn’t yet grasp. I made a mental note to dig into it—if the authorities weren’t going to take this seriously, someone had to.

Before I could ask anything further, two fire elementals approached our table. Their confident strides and easy smiles made Esme and Calen freeze, their eyes widening in awe as if they were seeing celebrities up close.

"Mind if we join you?" one of them asked, his grin cocky but oddly charming.

I blinked, confused by my friends' starstruck expressions, but I couldn't find it in me to say no. "Sure," I said, offering a polite smile.

As they sat down, a shadow loomed behind them. My heart skipped a beat. Lucian.

My breath hitched as he stepped into view, his dark, piercing gaze locking onto mine for a fraction of a second. His presence was like a storm—silent yet all-consuming. My traitorous heart raced, and I clenched my fists under the table, trying to steady myself.

Why is he always nearby? Why can't I escape him?

It wasn't just his aura that unsettled me—it was the maddening pull. The bond. He was my mate, and every instinct I had screamed for me to be closer to him. But being near him only made it harder to stay composed.

Lucian took the seat directly across from me, his movements deliberate and confident. His expression was unreadable, but the faint smirk tugging at his lips set my nerves on edge.

The two fire elementals introduced themselves. "I'm Ryker, and this is Zane," one of them said, his grin playful. "And you must be Aria, the famous air elemental."

Famous? What?

Lucian's jaw tightened, and his gaze sharpened as he shot them a death glare. The two, however, seemed unfazed, even amused, as though teasing him was their favorite pastime.

Esme and Calen, meanwhile, were still staring at them like they'd stumbled into a dream.

"They're the Untouchables," Esme finally whispered to me, her voice barely audible.

"The what?"

Calen leaned closer. "Their group name. Lucian and his two best friends. They're the stars of the academy. Nobody talks to them, and they don't bother talking to anyone. Until now."

The weight of the stares in the canteen hit me all at once. Wide-eyed looks, hushed whispers. Fantastic. Center of attention. Again.

Desperate to steer the conversation, I gestured toward my friends. "This is Esme, and that's Calen," I introduced.

Ryker grinned, his charm dialed up to eleven. "Nice to meet you, Esme, Calen. But honestly, we're here for her," he said, nodding toward me. "We just wanted to know more about you, Aria. You're incredible—we've never seen an air elemental defeat Reed so easily."

"Yeah," Zane added, his curiosity clear. "How does an air elemental overpower a fire elemental like that? It's unheard of."

I felt my cheeks warm under their praise. "Oh, that? It wasn't a big deal," I said, trying to downplay it. "I had a couple of strong fire elemental friends at Aetheria Academy who helped me train. They didn't hold back, so I guess I picked up a thing or two."

As I spoke, memories of Dante and Nico surfaced, their playful banter and relentless training sessions flashing through my mind. A small smile crept onto my lips at the thought of them.

Ryker noticed, his grin widening as he leaned in. "Strong fire elementals, huh? Must've been some intense training."

"It was," I replied simply, keeping my tone light.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zane glance at Lucian, his smirk taking on a teasing edge. Ryker did the same, their expressions practically shouting amused mischief.

Lucian's face, however, shifted. His smirk disappeared, replaced by a hardened, unreadable expression that sent a shiver down my spine.

What is going on? Why are they looking at him like that?

The conversation continued, with Zane and Ryker's questions growing more playful, and Esme and Calen barely contributing, still caught in their awe of the Untouchables. Lucian, meanwhile, remained mostly silent, his gaze flicking toward me now and then with an intensity that left me feeling exposed.

And with the entire canteen watching us like hawks, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of chaos this newfound attention was about to bring into my life.

Just as the conversation was starting to feel somewhat normal—well, as normal as it could get with Lucian and his untouchable aura—a voice broke through the buzz of the canteen.

"Lucian, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

I turned toward the voice, as did everyone else at the table. And there she was, the Queen of Drama herself—Celeste. Or, as Esme likes to call her in private, Miss Perfection with a Pout.

My stomach twisted uncomfortably at the sight of her. Celeste was every bit as glamorous as the rumors made her out to be—flowing golden hair, flawless smile, and an air of superiority that could probably rival a monarch's.

And yet, as my eyes flicked to Lucian, I noticed his expression was... far from welcoming. His jaw was tight, his posture stiff, and his eyes held a flicker of something I couldn't quite place—annoyance, maybe?

What is with that expression? Isn't she his girlfriend? Why does he look like he'd rather be anywhere.

Celeste didn't wait for an invitation. She slid into the seat beside Lucian, completely ignoring everyone else at the table. I clenched my hands into fists under the table, my nails biting into my palms as the mate bond buzzed uncomfortably within me.

Zane and Ryker, who had been grinning and teasing just moments ago, now exchanged uneasy glances, their discomfort palpable. Esme and Calen exchanged bewildered glances with me, clearly just as lost in this awkward moment.

"I tried to find you everywhere, Lucian," Celeste said, her tone dripping with sweetness that somehow felt... off.

Lucian's reply was painfully formal. "I've been here."

The coldness in his voice didn't seem to faze her as she turned her attention to me, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Oh, you're the famous air elemental everyone's been talking about, aren't you?"

The way she said it made my skin crawl. Her tone was polite, but her eyes betrayed her. She knew who I was—of course she did. We both knew she was the one behind Reed's challenge yesterday.

"Yep, that's me," I said, keeping my tone neutral. Two can play at this game, Celeste.

Her smile widened, sickly sweet, before she reached over and took Lucian's hand in hers.

It was like being punched in the chest. The mate bond flared to life, its cruel intensity making my heart ache in ways I couldn't control. I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood, desperate to ground myself, to not let the pain show.

I glanced at Lucian, hoping—no, praying—for something. A hint of reassurance, an explanation, anything. But his expression was unreadable, his face a mask of indifference.

Does he feel it too? Or is it just me, stuck in this impossible situation?

Then it hit me, a bitter truth that twisted the ache in my chest even further. Of course, he doesn't feel it. How could he?

I've hidden everything from him—my scent, my identity, the very essence of what makes the mate bond real. I made the choice to conceal it, to protect myself, to keep the truth buried deep. Without those connections, the bond is incomplete. To him, I'm just another face in this academy, another elemental he barely knows.

The weight of keeping such a secret was suffocating, but the cost of the truth would be far worse.

Yet here I was, crumbling under the weight of the very wall I built to protect us all. The bond, the ache—it was mine to bear, alone, because I couldn't afford for him to know the truth. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Meanwhile, Zane and Ryker exchanged looks, their expressions clearly reflecting their displeasure. Zane leaned back in his chair, smirking mischievously. "Celeste, it's always impressive how you manage to find Lucian no matter where he is. Must be a talent."

"Maybe we should start a betting pool on how quickly she tracks him down next time," Ryker added with a sly grin.

Celeste, ever the diplomat, didn't miss a beat. "Oh, boys, you flatter me," she said smoothly. "It's just that I know him so well. Isn't that right, Lucian?"

Lucian didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on the table, and the tension radiating off him was palpable.

I couldn't take it anymore. The sight of her holding his hand, the suffocating atmosphere, the weight of the mate bond—it was too much.

My chest felt heavy, my thoughts spiraling out of control. I couldn't sit there any longer, pretending to be unaffected, pretending that the sight of her hand in his didn't rip me apart.

I pushed back my chair abruptly, the screech of the legs against the floor startling everyone. "Excuse me," I said, my voice steadier than I expected. "I need to go to the administrative department to get my library card."

Zane and Ryker offered me polite smiles. "We'll see you around, Aria," Zane said warmly.

"Don't let the paperwork overwhelm you," Ryker added with a wink, earning a glare from Celeste.

I managed a weak smile at them but avoided looking at Lucian altogether. My legs felt like jelly as I walked toward the canteen exit, Esme and Calen flanking me like my personal guards.

As soon as we were out of earshot, Esme whispered, "What in the elements was that?"

"No idea," I muttered, my voice hollow.

Calen sighed. "I don't know what's going on, but Lucian's face when she showed up? That wasn't the look of a happy boyfriend."

I didn't reply. All I wanted was to get as far away from that table as possible—and forget the way it felt to see Celeste hold the hand that was never meant to be hers.

As we left the mess hall, the tension from the earlier encounter still lingered like a heavy cloud around me. Esme and Calen filled the silence with their animated discussion about what had just happened.

"Did you see Lucian's face when she walked in?" Esme said, her tone a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Yeah, like he was chewing on something bitter," Calen replied, shaking his head. "And those fire elementals—they're nothing like I expected. Too friendly for 'Untouchables.'"

I stayed silent, my thoughts a tangled web of emotions I couldn't even begin to unravel. The mate bond was like a constant hum at the back of my mind, buzzing louder every time Lucian was near, and now, after everything, it felt deafening.

"Aria, are you even listening?" Esme nudged me lightly, her voice softening when she noticed my expression.

I forced a smile, nodding, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. My mind was too preoccupied with the weight of the mate bond and the haunting connection to the dragons in my visions.

When we reached the administrative wing, Esme took the lead, her confident strides guiding me through a corridor lined with ornate wooden doors. Each bore intricate nameplates, the gilded letters denoting the roles of the academy’s staff. At the far end, she stopped before a door with a plaque that read Student Affairs Coordinator.

“This is where the magic happens,” Esme said with a wink. “Well, the paperwork kind of magic, anyway. Let’s get you sorted.”

I followed her inside, the scent of aged parchment mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed tea. Behind a sturdy oak desk sat a man in his late forties, his round glasses perched precariously on the tip of his nose. His sharp gaze darted between a stack of forms and the ticking clock on the wall. A modest nameplate on his desk introduced him as Mr. Alden Harper – Student Affairs Coordinator.

Esme didn’t wait for pleasantries. “Good afternoon, Mr. Harper. This is Aria—she needs her library card and whatever else first-years require.”

Mr. Harper looked up, his expression both stern and efficient. “Full name and department?” he asked, pulling a form from the top of the pile and readying his pen with a decisive click.

"Aria Collins," I said, my voice steady despite the unease swirling inside me. "First-year air elemental."

He flipped through a box of neatly arranged cards, the faint sound of shuffling filling the room. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled out a card and handed it to me.

"Here you go, Miss Aria," he said, his tone professional. "This card allows you to check out books and access other resources. Don't lose it—it's not easy to replace."

"Thank you," I said, holding the card as though it were a precious gem. At least now I could focus on something productive—like finding clues about the visions that refused to leave me alone.

Esme and Calen led me out of the office, chatting away, but I barely registered their words. The weight of my thoughts was too much to shake off. As we headed toward the next air elemental class, my emotions churned like a storm. The earlier scene with Lucian replayed in my mind on an endless loop, his unreadable expression, the way Celeste had claimed his attention—it all made the ache of the bond even harder to bear.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus on the upcoming class. Air elemental studies had always been a source of comfort, a reminder of my connection to the world around me. But today, even that felt distant, overshadowed by the questions swirling in my mind.

The dragons in my visions—they called to me with an urgency I couldn't ignore. There was a reason behind their appearances, behind the way they seemed to connect to everything happening around me.

Tonight, I thought with determined resolve, I'll try to find some clues. Whatever it takes, I'll figure out what these dragons want from me.

As we entered the air elemental classroom, the soothing hum of wind magic greeted us, a reminder of the bond I shared with my element. Despite the storm inside me, I clung to that connection like a lifeline. The answers I sought wouldn't come easily, but I had to start somewhere—and tonight would be the first step toward uncovering the truth.