Chapter 10: This Waterfall Was Probably The Best Spot For Someone Like Her

  Aaxya looked at me, her expression a readable map of confusion. I could sense she was questioning of all the "energy-saving philosophy" violations I was currently committing. I couldn't blame her; I was acting on a sudden, unexplainable spark of motivation, and she was the only witness to this glitch in my typical behavior.

  "Rosalie?" she asked again, as if trying to confirm the name was real.

  I nodded, my eyes locked on the figure atop the waterfall. I’d always viewed the hill as an unnecessary hike, but seeing her up there, I realized it was the best spot for someone like her—a place to regain one’s composure after the grueling hours of a school day.

  I briefly considered what it would be like to steal that spot from her. If I had Carter’s predatory mindset, I’d probably follow through just for the reaction. But then again, Carter didn't seem like the type to seek out a waterfall for peace; he thrived on the friction of a crowded room.

  The breeze picked up, carrying a sharp, evening chill. I adjusted my headphones and shoved my hands into my pockets.

  "Hey, Zeke? Don't you think we should leave our bags here?" Aaxya asked, her voice small against the roar of the water.

  "...Huh? Oh. Right." I turned around and pulled my hands out my pockets, grabbing my bags strap.

  I’d been so focused on the target that I’d forgotten the literal weight on my shoulders. Aaxya watched me, her eyes widening as she realized I was actually serious about the climb, and she quickly followed.

  I walked over to the fence near the stables. In the distance, Remi and her friends were still a blur of motion, seemingly inventing a new sport on horseback. The rules were as unclear as the fog this morning. I swung my bag off my shoulder and set it gently on the grass.

  Aaxya mimicked the motion, her bag hitting the dirt with a soft thud that sent a tiny cloud of dust into the air. She looked back at the school building—a fortress of gray stone—then turned to me, waiting.

  I gestured for her to follow, and we began the ascent.

  I was confused by my own actions. My only real intention for the post-school hours was dinner and a dark room, yet here I was, leading a girl to check up on a friend. I’ve noticed the social frequency of the school shifting lately. The people around me are changing—their personalities are warping under the psychological pressure of the post-assembly fallout.

  I doubt Rosalie fits into any neat psychological category I could invent on the fly, but her current isolation felt... deliberate.

  The sky had shifted into a deep, bruised shade of orange—a sunset I never would have predicted given the suffocating fog of the morning. In my peripheral vision, Aaxya moved with an effortless grace that made my own fatigue feel even more pathetic.

  "Sorry," I muttered, directing it toward Aaxya as we reached the halfway point. I was sorry for a lot of things. I wanted to apologize to her about putting her through this hike while I distanced the both of us from the real reason we came here.

  The hill wasn't steep, but my lack of cardiovascular investment was making itself known. My legs were already protesting.

  I’m sorry for dragging you into this, I thought, looking up at the silhouette of the girl on the cliff. Hopefully, there’s still enough light left to ride the horses once I find out why she’s hiding up here.

  We reached the summit, and the fatigue in my legs finally spiked. Aaxya lagged a half-step behind me, effectively using me as a human shield. As far as I knew, these two had never shared a single conversation.

  From up here, the waterfall looked less like a scenic backdrop and more like a drop into a gray abyss. The roar of the water was a constant, low-frequency vibration in my chest.

  Rosalie didn't look up immediately. She finished her page, placed a bookmark, and set her book on the grass with clinical precision. When she finally met my eyes, she was about to speak, but her gaze snagged on the figure hovering in my shadow.

  "...Is this your new friend, Zeke?" Rosalie questioned, her voice bypassing my poor ability as a human shield.

  "Yeah," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "This is Aaxya. She’s a transfer student from Marseille. I’d describe her as timid, hardworking, and... shy."

  The moment the words left my mouth, I felt like an idiot.

  Did I just introduce for Aaxya? Wait, I don't even know her last name. Why did I—

  Rosalie laughed softly, a delicate sound she masked with her hand. "Hello, Aaxya. I'm Rosalie Sterling. It’s a pleasure."

  Aaxya peeked out from behind my shoulder. It was a move so classically "shy girl" that it felt like an anime trope come to life, yet the genuine embarrassment on her face made it real.

  "I-I'm..." Aaxya started, her voice barely audible over the falls. "I’m Aaxya Dubois. N-nice to meet you, too."

  Dubois. So that was it.

  It was a reminder that no matter how much time I spent with someone, I was only ever scratching the surface. You can open a hundred doors in a person’s mind, but there will always be one that’s locked, the key buried in an event they don't even remember themselves. I stood there, a silent anchor between two clashing personalities: Rosalie’s collected, calming aura and Aaxya’s raw, vibrating nerves.

  "Do you like reading, Aaxya?" Rosalie asked, her gaze drifting back toward the horizon.

  "Mmm... yeah," Aaxya whispered.

  "I particularly like it up here. It’s the only place I can truly recharge."

  Aaxya nodded, her fingers twisting a strand of her brown hair as she stared at the grass. The conversation was already stalling. To bridge the gap, Rosalie turned her attention back to me.

  "Why the sudden hike, Zeke?"

  "I saw you up here. That's all." I looked up, pretending like I wasn't just zoned out.

  She picked up her book again, her fingers tracing the embossed pattern on the cover. It was the second time I’d seen her do that—a rhythmic sense of focus.

  "I always see you deep in thought, Zeke," she said, her tone teasing. "Do you spend your days wandering through mundane fantasies in your mind?"

  "I guess so..."

  She made a soft, confirming 'mhm' and looked toward the bay. "Do you want to know why I didn't talk to you in History today?"

  "...Sure."

  "..."

  Aaxya took that as her cue to retreat, sitting on the grass a few feet away. The wind began to howl, tugging at my school jacket.

  I decided to take a seat on the grass along with her.

  "I'm worried about Ophelia," Rosalie said, her voice losing its playful edge. "She isn't doing well. Heckler’s words at the assembly... they struck a nerve. I would have been devastated, too."

  I nodded silently. I knew Ophelia’s breakdown wasn't just about one speech. It was the weight of her "perfect" mask finally cracking under the pressure of too many responsibilities. It takes an indomitable spirit to live that lifestyle, but even the strongest spirits have a breaking point.

  I shifted my focus on Aaxya, who was busy taking in the view of the landscape beyond the waterfall.

  Is she feeling left out? I should've just never came up here to talk with Rosalie. I placed her in a position where the only person among a few she knew was me. The very thing I didn't want for myself is happening to her, and I caused it.

  I have no idea how to include her in the conversation though...

  "What do you think about Heckler?" I asked, my eyes darted back at Rosalie.

  Rosalie shifted, stretching her legs out and leaning back until she was staring at the sky. "He’s smart. Possibly the smartest freshman Aethelgard has ever seen. I heard he dominated the junior high rankings, too."

  "He did," I muttered.

  And I had a front-row seat of his performances too. Late at night, I often wished that I could've done something right. Maybe then, I would've been able to go toe-to-toe with him.

  I wish for those things, but wasn't built for that type of responsibility. Maybe I was destined to be the failure, and I only liked the idea of being the gifted kid that became the successor of his parents.

  "Hey, Zeke. Did you know I play on the Chess team?"

  I blinked. "Really?"

  "Does that surprise you?"

  "Kinda. Though you do seem like the type to think three moves ahead."

  She cracked a small smile. "I come up here to reflect on the underlying problems, so to speak. Take Remi down there." She pointed to the paddock where Remi was still playing her makeshift horse-sport. "Ever since the assembly, my view of her has cleared up. I don't see her as an 'issue'—I see her as proof that Ophelia isn't the perfect girl everyone wants her to be. It was a cruel lesson, but a necessary one."

  "I see." I looked down at Remi. It was cynical, but she was right. Perfection is a facade—a beautiful, fragile lie that makes it impossible to truly connect with anyone. Remi was the anomaly that proved the system was broken.

  "That's all I wanted to say, Zeke," Rosalie said, her eyes shifting to Aaxya. She opened her book to her bookmarked page. "I won't take up your time. I can tell Aaxya is feeling a bit like a third wheel."

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  I turned to her, slightly surprised.

  Aaxya perked up, her face a mix of surprise and guilt. I stretched, the tension in my shoulders finally beginning to dissipate. "Thanks, Rosalie."

  Then, a spark shot up my spine.

  "Oh, wait," I added, "Didn't you want to go horseback riding, Aaxya?"

  Her face was filled with confusion initially, which transitioned into a calmer tone rather than a forgetful shocked expression.

  "I did, but it's okay, now.."

  Now, Aaxya seemed to have lost her appetite for horseback riding entirely. I’d spent the energy, but the intended outcome was evaporating.

  Aaxya’s expression shifted, morphing from her usual timidity into something more serious, almost apologetic. She looked at the stables, then back at me, her fingers still nervously catching on the hem of her jacket.

  "U-uh, but... if you really wanted to—" she started, her voice trailing off as she tried to salvage the plan.

  She was struggling to fit a final word in, a desperate attempt to ensure she wasn't the one being a "burden" to my schedule.

  "It's fine. We can go back to the school, if you want." I interrupted.

  She looked at me, her mouth opening, but then she caught herself. Instead of words, she offered a smile—one so genuinely warm and sweet that I’m fairly certain I contracted type 2 diabetes on the spot. It was a complete violation of my internal climate control.

  Rosalie watched us from the grass, her eyes softening as she cracked a small, knowing smile of her own. She was like the puppet-master proud of her own work.

  I instinctively rubbed the back of my neck, my brain scrambling to find a sentence that fit the puzzle pieces.

  I rose to my knees and dusted off my pants. "Ready to go, Aaxya?"

  "Mhm!"

  I offered her a hand. "Let’s head back to the school. Do you want to hit the library before dinner?"

  "Yes!"

  The joy in her response was immediate. I’d expected her to be gloomy after being sidelined in the conversation, but she seemed more energized than before. Maybe for her, just being "at the table" was enough.

  "Let's go," I said, leading the way down the hill.

  As we descended, I reflected on what I did this evening.

  I’d spent energy I didn't have, engaged in a conversation I didn't plan, and ended up exactly where I started—walking with Aaxya. But as she skipped slightly to keep pace, her smile so warm it felt like a biological hazard to my cynical world, I decided the energy was worth it.

  Down at the base of the hill, I watched Remi and her friends begin to pack up their gear. I found myself surprised—I’d subconsciously assumed their high-energy antics would last forever. Even extroverts have a limit, it seems.

  Remi wiped her forehead with her forearm, slung her bag over her shoulder, and started walking. Then, with a sudden spark of realization, she turned toward the hill and spotted us. She waved—a broad, high-energy gesture that made it impossible not to wave back without feeling like a social pariah.

  I looked at Aaxya; she was offering a return wave, though it was a minimal, cautious motion. The contrast was staggering: a collision of two completely opposing frequencies.

  She waved at us with a big smile, it's almost impossible not to wave back without feeling awkward. I looked at Aaxya, and she seemed to be gently waving, minimal motion. A huge contrast between two girls with opposing personalities.

  I wondered, not for the first time, if Aaxya and I were really cut from the same cloth. When we first met, I felt an obligation to lead the conversation. Did that put me higher on the food chain? Or was I just a different kind of prey?

  My mind drifted back to the "End Social Cliques" plan Ophelia and Alizée had pitched. From this height, the flaws in the plan looked even more glaring. You can't just pair a high-octane athlete with an introverted genius and expect synergy; it’s a forced social construct that serves only to highlight why those archetypes oppose each other in the first place. If Ophelia actually believed that plan would work, she was dangerously optimistic. If she knew it would fail and did it anyway... then she was playing a game far deeper than I’d realized.

  Was it all calculated? A sophisticated flawed plan that was meant to fail just to highlight how imperfect Ophelia was? Why did Alizée go along with it then? I'm not even sure. Maybe my own thinking was flawed.

  "Okay, you guys go ahead! I'm gonna walk with Zeke and Aaxya!" Remi shouted to her group. They waved back, disappearing toward the stables.

  Please don't, I thought, but the momentum was already set.

  I couldn't help but feel a lingering suspicion toward Rosalie. Our interaction on the cliff had been polite, but there was an underlying chill—an "Ice Queen" energy I hadn't detected before. It was as if she were using her words to nudge my perspective, specifically regarding how Remi had dismantled Ophelia’s "perfect" image. Was it an act of cruelty, or a necessary revelation?

  I'm trying too hard to read in-between the lines, who am I kidding.

  Aaxya and I reached to the bottom of the hill. Remi seemed to be able to wait at the bottom of the hill without emanating any awkwardness, that's a skill in itself.

  "Aaxya! Zeke! What's up!" Remi beamed.

  "Hey, Remi," I responded, already feeling drained.

  "Zeke, are you coming to the dance Wednesday? I know you said you’d skip, but I’m hoping the sunset changed your mind!"

  "Uhhh." I didn't answer immediately. Instinctively, I pulled out my phone. I’d kept it on ‘Do Not Disturb’ all weekend, but now I needed to check my notifications. I scrolled through the Student Council group chat and felt a sinking sensation in my gut.

  Objective: Ballroom Setup. Attendance: Mandatory. Purpose: School Dance

  The event layout on this app made it seem like a death sentence, but even after knowing there's no harm behind it, I just want to forget about it.

  The assembly disaster hadn't killed our workload; it had just shifted it. The only silver lining was that the Council’s "advertising" table would be stationed outside the ballroom. I wouldn't have to endure the sensory overload of the music.

  I am honestly glad I decided to check the group chat beforehand, now I'll anticipate when I'm gonna be dragged to the ballroom by Alizee or something.

  "Uh, Zeke? You gonna answer, or are you just gonna stare at that screen like you’ve seen a ghost?"

  I snapped back to reality, the screen’s brightness momentarily blinding me in the fading light. I fumbled with my pocket, failing twice to slide the phone in properly before finally securing it.

  "Oh. Yeah. I’m going," I said, my voice flat.

  "Great! What changed your mind?"

  "Uh, I didn't really... change my mind. I just don't have a choice. Council orders."

  Remi looked shocked. "Wait, really? Was there a text?"

  Oh yeah, almost forgot we're both on the council. Well, the texts were sent about fifteen minutes ago, Remi was still playing with her friends then.

  "Fifteen minutes ago," I said. "You should check your notifications."

  I watched her scramble. She fumbled with her phone, her face twisting into a mask of intense focus as she scanned the chat. After a few seconds, she sighed. "Hm. Okay. Seems like your lazy-self doesn't have an excuse!"

  "...Yeah, I guess."

  I glanced at Aaxya. She was staring out at the bay, lost in the kind of deep, observational thought that only introverts truly master. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention, and she turned so quickly that our faces were inches apart.

  Too close.

  "Alrighty, Zeke. Let's head back!" Remi called out.

  I pivoted forward immediately, my heart rate spiking as we started down the pebbled path. I was the meat in a social sandwich, walking between Remi and Aaxya.

  Suddenly, Remi surged forward, turning on her heel to face us while walking backward. "Hey! I never got to properly introduce myself! I'm Remi Cross. Any friend of Zeke’s is a friend of mine." She extended a hand toward Aaxya.

  Quite an unorthodox way of trying to talk to someone.

  Aaxya looked nervous, but she held her ground. She seemed to be adjusting to the school’s chaotic social frequencies.

  "I-I'm Aaxya Dubois." she responded, taking Remi's hand.

  Remi giggled. "You've got such a cool name! That officially makes you the coolest person I know!"

  She has an innate talent of making people feel included too, that's the hallmark of socializing.

  I decided to grant them some privacy and turned up the volume on my headphones, letting the music wash out the introductions.

  We walked for what felt like hours, though it was likely only minutes. Eventually, a comfortable silence settled over the three of us. The nature walk was ending, the trees thinning out to reveal the sidewalk that connected the campus to the dorms.

  Just an hour ago, I had walked up that hill to talk to Rosalie, then I came back with a new perspective. It's almost like that hill changed me in a way, not like a life changing event, but like a much more mature point of view of life. Did I use Rosalie's words to justify my hidden viewpoints, or did she tell me all the information I needed? There's no telling how much more she would've told me if I didn't bring Aaxya along.

  Now that I think about it. It's better that Aaxya was with me, it's definitely a lot better than being alone. I contradict myself with that statement, but if it means others can be happy if I'm not, then the world can spin just fine.

  The world was dark now, the moon reflecting off the water of the bay with a brilliance that made the sidewalk lights feel redundant. Remi looks left and right as we exit the section, nearing the sidewalk that connects the school and the dormitory.

  She looked at me, eager, her black hair swaying in the night breeze.

  "Okay, Zeke. Heading to the library like always?"

  "Uh, yeah. How'd you know I was headed there?"

  "Well," she smiled, "I think everyone who's close to you definitely knows that's your ultimate hibernating spot. We won't do anything but acknowledge it!"

  I felt a strange sense of relief. Being associated with the library was a brand I could live with.

  "Alright. I’ll see you later, Remi."

  "See ya! I'll be waiting for my friends at the dorm. Bye-bye, Aaxya!"

  "Goodbye, Remi."

  "Bye-bye, Aaxya!"

  Remi waved and vanished toward the dormitory lights. I watched her go, then looked at Aaxya. She waved back at Remi with significantly more confidence than she’d shown on the hill.

  "Library?" I asked.

  "Library," she agreed.

  Aaxya and I turned back toward the school. The forest path gave way to open ground, and I found it strangely refreshing—though I’d never admit that trees weren't refreshing in their own way.

  We slipped through the side entrance, and I glanced at the wall clock: 4:36 PM.

  I debated starting small talk. Now that she’d survived an introduction to both Remi and Rosalie, I actually had a legitimate reason to speak. But before I could formulate a sentence—

  "Hey, Zeke?" Aaxya asked.

  "Huh? Yeah?"

  "Do you like Remi and Rosalie? As... friends?"

  Those words caught me off guard. "Wh-what’s with the sudden question?"

  "O-oh, um, I was just wondering. I liked them very much. They are both very... very—"

  She trailed off, her posture becoming almost robotic as she searched for the right English word. Her brow furrowed, her eyes scanning the floor as if the vocabulary were hidden in the tile patterns.

  "Thoughtful?" I suggested, filling the silence.

  "Oh! What does that mean?"

  "It means they care about people. In their own... specific ways."

  "Ooh! Yes, that!" Aaxya’s eyes lit up. She balled her fists in a moment of pure, unscripted determination.

  She seems way more comfortable with me compared to the other day.

  For a second, she looked entirely comfortable, the shy shell cracked wide open. Then, realizing her own intensity, she immediately shrank back, her shoulders hunching.

  Still, it was progress.

  We moved through the hallways, the same old melancholic hallways, with a side of nostalgia. I'm not sure why, but these hallways are eerily liminal when the lights are out.

  Maybe sometime in the future, I'll choose the courtyard over the library, but I won't fully abandon the library, I just want to shift my perspective on resting.

  It's almost like having two reliable sleeping positions, what a weird analogy, I guess I really am into sleeping.

  The walk felt shorter than usual. Typically, the distance from the stables to the library feels like a lifetime, but this time around it was more like instant travel.

  Aaxya seemed perfectly content with my presence alone. She didn't demand words, which is the highest compliment an introvert can give.

  As we neared the library doors, I spotted a group of students filing out. It was Band, the quintessential "Music Club". They were heading for the stairwell in a hurried pack, leaving the room behind them in an uncharacteristic silence.

  What could they possibly be doing in the library? Studying the art of music from the books?

  Aaxya and I shared a look—a moment of silent "social telepathy." That’s strange, we both seemed to think. I realized I was staring at her a beat too long; she became overwhelmed by the eye contact and looked away. The motion was silent, but it spoke a million words.

  We finally entered. Aaxya headed straight for the couches near the fireplace. The library was bathed in a soft, orange glow, but my eyes were drawn to an object left behind by the Music Club: an acoustic guitar, leaning precariously against the arm of the sofa.

  Aaxya picked it up with a delicate curiosity before taking a seat. I sank into the couch across from her, the cushions welcoming my tired legs after the "exercise" of the hill. I lowered the volume on my headphones, a gut instinct telling me that the silence was about to be broken. I leaned back and closed my eyes, letting out a long, ragged sigh of relief.

  Then, I heard it. A gentle thrum.

  The thrum transitioned into a melody, light and intricate. Then came the humming—soft, rhythmic, and hauntingly clear.

  I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. I didn't want to ruin the moment. For Aaxya, this guitar wasn't just an instrument; it was an escape hatch. After the social weight of the day—the introductions, the hills, the predatory delinquents—she was finally speaking in a language that didn't require a dictionary.

  Then she began to sing.

  It was in French. I didn't understand the lyrics, but the emotion didn't need a translation. I’ve spent my life looking for the right words to describe everything, but as her voice drifted through the empty library, I realized there was only one that fit.

  Ineffable.