"I believe that I wouldn"t be scared. It"s still you and I trust you." Edlyn said but her voice was weak and lacked confidence. Ariana smiled at Edlyn, she loved Edlyn for trying but she knew her fears were right. "I think you mean hope but it"s okay. Now you understand why I"m so hesitant." Ariana said as she slowly rose from the hot spring. "I think I"m done. What about you?"Edlyn quickly got up. "Ya me too." Edlyn responded as her mind started to drift away. The girls left the hot spting and the Lumas quickly followed. They quietly got dressed in their robes and stepped out of the girl"s bathing area. "Edlyn?" A familiar voice called out. Edlyn eyes grew wide as she turned to the person who called out to her.
"Edlyn, hi." Xander said as a small blush crept to his cheeks. Edlyn froze as she looked at Xander then Cayden. Edlyn turned to Ariana and saw that she dropped her gaze to the floor. "Hi." Edlyn said awkwardly as she took a step back. "I have been trying to," Xander started to say but Edlyn grabbed Ariana"s hand and walked away. "Edlyn?" Xander called out again. "I don"t want to talk to you." Edlyn said harshly as she continued to walk away.
Ariana"s jaw dropped. She wasn"t expecting Edlyn to be so mean to Xander. "No, this isn"t right." Ariana said as she pulled herself from Edlyn"s grip. "Edlyn, you"re hurting the one you care about because of your stubbornness." Ariana said firmly but Edlyn just looked back at her and gave her a cold glare. "You are the one I care most about. I can handle my own affairs after we get dressed." Edlyn said before she walked off.
Ariana watched as Edlyn walked away then turned to Xander and Cayden. She rushed up to Xander who looked like a puppy who was just smacked with a rolled up newspaper. "She said she"ll talk to you after we get changed. So wait for her. I won"t let her run away this time." Ariana said to Xander then peeked at Cayden.
However Cayden looked indifferent. "Why are you helping me?" Xander asked in disbelief. "I want to see Edlyn happy." Ariana answered bluntly then turned. "Don"t mess this up this time. Find your courage." Ariana said before she walked away.
Ariana walked into the changing room and heard Edlyn slam her locker shut. "Edlyn why are you so upset?" Ariana asked as she approached their lockers. Edlyn gave Ariana a cold glare then walked into a stall with her big bag. "Edlyn you shouldn"t be so cold to Xander. He was so happy to see you and you practically slapped him across the face! He even acted like... wait. Wait, w-ait! When was the last time he saw you? Oh! Don"t tell me that you didn"t want to talk about Xander because you haven"t seen him for the last five days?" Ariana accused as she waved her finger at the changing stall.
Edlyn changed in silence. "Oh my G*d Edlyn! You avoided him for five days?! I know I joked about playing hard to get but this is bad." Ariana groaned. "It doesn"t matter." Edlyn grumbled back. "Of course it matters! You were crazy in love with him now you"re acting like he doesn"t matter! Why?! Why are you acting like this?!" Ariana asked in a frustrated tone. To her suprise Edlyn stepped out of the changing stall with a furious expression.
"If he wasn"t so G*d d.a.m.n slow with telling me his feelings none of this would have happened!" Edlyn shouted. "It"s his fault that all of this happened and I almost lost you!" Edlyn continued to shout. "Edlyn, you were the one that almost died." Ariana replied gently. "What"s your point?! The church is coming and I don"t know what will happen!" Edlyn said as her face scrunched up.
"Edlyn what do you think will happen? I just need to stay hidden when they come and," Ariana tried to explain but Edlyn interrupted. "You don"t get it! You will never get it! You have no idea how to stay invisible. My G*d Ariana, you are a perfect score student! Do you not think that the Headmaster will want to brag about you? Or if any of the teachers will? Don"t forget there is also a mole on the board of directors! Ariana you will be taken away from me and I will be left alone! Worrying about you! Wondering if your still alive!" Edlyn cried.
Ariana was speecjless. She watched as Edlyn cried her heart out. "What about you?" Ariana asked gently as she placed a loving hand on top of Edlyn"s head. "Remember what Faraji said?" Ariana asked. Edlyn stopped her heart wrenching cry and looked at Ariana. She looked confused and then it hit her. "You don"t think they might take us both?" Ariana asked. "Faraji said that he would never..." Edlyn replied with small hiccups and sniffles.
"Do you think they will care? Edlyn the truth is I thought the same thing. That you could easily be taken in as the next jewel eyed priestess and used that thought to make my grandmother watch over you and your family." Ariana admitted. "Y-you what?" Edlyn gasped. "Don"t get me wrong though. I genuinely wanted to be your friend but I had a lot of backlash because of my ident.i.ty." Ariana explained.
"Did your grandmother not think that because I was mute that the church never even considered me as the new priestess?" Edlyn asked as relief spread across her face. "No, I think she knew I was using excuses to be able to be friends with you but now... now I think I put you in even more danger." Ariana said with a heavy sigh. "How?!" Edlyn shouted. Ariana gave Edlyn a weary smile then held out her hand.
Edlyn looked at the hand and was confused at first but then realised that Ariana wanted to get changed. She handed the bag to Ariana and watched as she stepped into the changing stall. "If the church doesn"t make any leads with their investigation they will look at you and Viola. If Viola talks they will know the truth but if she dosen"t talk then they will automatically think its you who performed those miracles." Ariana explained.