Abyss of Dreams (2)
VANE
The grand marble dome adorned with opulent upholstery and chandeliers unveiled a spacious room filled with elegantly dressed guests.
Aria's golden eyes sparkled with excitement as she eagerly awaited Vane's opinion, "How is it, Vane? It's my grandpa's birthday, one of the great generals! What do you think, what do you think?"
"It's grand," Vane replied, his words failing to impress Aria, causing the little girl to furrow her brows, sensing the emptiness behind his response.
"You're so bland! You just said those words, but don't mean them, right?" Aria questioned, her expression unwavering.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"At least say something, you wall! You won't have any friends other than me at this rate. Come on, say something!" Aria pleaded, but Vane's heart remained unchanged.
"…"
"You're more tasteless than corn soup! Maybe we should play a statue game; that way, you'd at least win in a game!" she suggested, her tone laced with frustration and jest.
"…"
"…"
An awkward silence ensued, and Aria grew increasingly frustrated, blowing raspberries at Vane.
Finally returning from his mental recess, Vane noticed her frustration and decided to intervene.
"Look, there's a boy there; go play with him," Vane suggested, his tone shooing her away as he pointed at a boy stealing glances at her.
"Eeh, no, I won't play with a creep who keeps looking at me," Aria voiced her disgust, catching the boy in the act, and he turned away, embarrassed.
The ballroom shimmered in a golden hue, tables were set for dining, and delicious aromas wafted from the buffet.
Guests danced, and people cheered, but in the midst of it was Vane; his heart unmoved by the spectacle or the sumptuous food.
"I'll be sitting here; you meet your relatives," Vane recommended, adding to Aria's frustration as she rolled her eyes.
"They're all bo~ring! Most of them are just old people who leech off my grandfather—stupid leeches! Besides, no one is as fun to play with as you!" Aria expressed her disinterest astutely.
"Sure, but I won't be doing anything—suit yourself," Vane said, moving to a chair, making her reconsider saying 'fun to play with.'
"Tch! Why are you so bo~ring?" she rolled her eyes, expecting a response.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Ugh! Fine! I'll wait here with you until it ends!" she declared, sitting next to Vane near a table.
She looked bored yet happy to be with him, but the boy didn't care and looked into the distance mindlessly.
Now that I observe this 'Vane,' he seems mature, unlike kids his age, and rather indifferent.
His speech, demeanour, and composure were remarkably mature and his friend was relatively normal—astute and immature.
He looked no more than 12 and displayed such behaviour—irregular, very, but it's too early to judge.
After a prolonged period of quietude, the silence was broken by an unexpected character.
"That boy is coming with others; you should go with him, it's better to be with them," Vane suggested, causing Aria to scowl at him.
"Arghh! How many times have I told you? Those young masters are just dumb and stupid!
They don't even match up one bit to your handsomeness or your intelligence! Stupid brats!" she scolded the 'brats,' being a kid herself.
A trio emerged from my periphery, eyes turning to them—luxurious clothes, styled hair of different colours, exuding confidence.
Their leader, the guy stealing glances, extended his hands seemingly for me, but he moved on, offering it to Aria.
"Hello, I-I'm… uh… I'm u-h, I-I-I'm sor-," he catastrophically failed and bent down his head in embarrassment, but his lackey pitched in.
"He is Lord Raul Valorne the 3rd, from the great family of Valorne! If you may, young miss, would you please introduce yourself to his lordship?" a lackey of 'Raul' answered in his stead.
An awkward silence ensued when Aria still did not meet Raul's hands, and he hid it quickly.
"I am Aria Valorne—sorry to say, but I'm busy playing with my friend here, now if you'll excuse us," she spoke eloquently, her voice laced with irritation, turning to face me.
"Valorne!? What!? You're from the main family!?" the other lackey questioned, while all of their countenances contorted into bewilderment.
"Yes, my mother is Avery Valorne; you can meet her there…" she said pointing to Avery, "Now, if you'll excuse us," she spoke coldly, more irritated at them.
The trio was dumbfounded to find out that Aria was from a high status—so was I, because I didn't believe her claim about her grandfather, but now…
It seems the lackeys were hesitant due to her status, but Raul didn't give up and said,
"Why!? I-I am also from the m-main family! We a-are both from the s-same family! We s-should be socializing amongst o-ourselves," he stuttered out, but what an illogical statement, truly.
"No, my friend here is more important," her voice laden with pure irritation, no longer apologising for the rejection.
Hearing her rejection, Raul looked devastated, as if he lost some prize, and they decided to retreat, not before one of them had something to say.
"Alright! Fine, Your loss! But, could you tell us which family your friend comes from?" one of the lackeys questioned. Vane, a passive observer, finally participated.
"I'm leaving; the ball ended. See you later Aria," the boy dismissed the banter with a mere sentence, and moved on, disregarding the kids.
Aria's golden eyes darted towards his retreating figure, and she ran towards him, leaving the trio to eat dust.
"ARIA! COME BACK!" Raul shouted, eliciting curious gazes on the children—how much more will this kid embarrass himself?
Aria, however just ignored him and walked, matching Vane's brisk pace, struggling to keep up with him, but he didn't pay heed.
"You should've gone with them," Vane insisted immediately, shooing her away while not even meeting her gaze.
"And you should've said something, you- urgh! You could've at least defended yourself! How dare that bastard demean you like that!?
And why are you like a wall, anyway!? Why do you always want me to be away when you know it's not going to happen!?" she asked, frustration and sadness tinged in her voice.
Vane paused his walk, now in a corridor, and replied, uncharacteristically.
"You should play with other kids, Aria—it's vital for your development and for your own good," he said, still not looking at her.
"Why!? I don't understand—why do you keep doing this? Is it that I'm not as mature as you? Do I not spend enough time with you!? Am I not pretty enough!?
Tell me why!? I should at least deserve to know this after we have been friends for 3 years!" her shout caught the attention of passersby, but she quickly lowered it, asking with frustration unbridled in her voice.
For a while silence presided, and both of them walked into an empty corridor, lit dimly, the backdrop—a beautiful garden to the side and an indigo sky, illuminated by the moonlight.
Now with privacy, Vane finally turned to Aria—whose face seemed to be on the verge of crying, but he stood, indifferently, and replied.
"It's none of them, Aria, you simply should not be involved with me. I hope you seriously reconsider hanging out with me; you should know what's best for you," Vane said, calmly, and his heart was as tranquil as water.
"Why, why, WHY! I don't understand! If that's the case, why don't you want to be with me!?Please tell m- hic Vane! You are the only person I could talk to! I-I don't want to l-lose yo- hic, p-please!" her earnest pleas came out as muffled words, and met Vane's eyes—his indifferent eyes.
The moonlit sky illuminated her face—which was undeniably beautiful, enough to be a top supermodel in my old world when she grows up.
Regardless of her beauty, Vane gazed at her, and what I sensed when he stared at her, I sensed nothing, he felt nothing.
Standing silently, he contemplated for a while, watching the teary Aria looking at him while wiping her tears.
"P-p-se."
The scene was starting to blur, signalling the end, and he finally replied, still indifferent.
"Ar- I-I-", the voice grew indistinct, leaving me in suspense as to what Vane said, but the darkness didn't wait, assuming various shades, countless times.
Countless times…
- - - - -
"GASP," I inhaled greedily, the scenarios—still vivid in my mind, and I experienced the past of a person.
Vane Terrance's past, to be precise, and also my past, in this world, for we share the same face, same name, and hence, the same past.
"I am… Vane Terrance?"