บท 49: Moving on with life
Day six.
Ji-ho's bond with Archer had grown and it showed in small but meaningful ways. She could tell when an attack was about to come without him having to tell her. She could sense exactly where he was even when they weren't together in the same room. It was happening too fast for her liking.
Archer on the other hand was able to sense his sentinel's emotions. It equally fascinated and disturbed him. Ava was like a radio tower broadcasting several frequencies and he the receiver being able to read most of them. He wished this wasn't so because it was obvious that Ava was growing frustrated with what was going on between them. He sensed her rejection, her desire to be free of the bond. He had no right to get mad at her about it so the psychic remained quiet and did his best not to think about the future.
_______
Day 7
Ji-ho had fulfilled her promise to Demi. She had given Archer one week's assistance and she could say with conviction that her whole 100 per cent had been given to accomplishing the task.
The room was quieter than usual as Archer brooded with his datapad. Ava would leave the next morning and the thought of it depressed him. Why was he like this? Archer had never needed anyone, never relied on anyone. Being a psychic was a burden to him if it meant that he would be pining over someone he hadn't even chosen to sync with. So many people wanted to be born with the mutation, and maybe he'd wanted that too before. Now he knew better. It was a curse that turned him into a slave to his sentinel.
Neither of them spoke to each other till dinner arrived. Even the meal was quiet and unappetizing.
"You haven't touched dinner," Ji-ho pointed out to the surly psychic.
"I'm not hungry."
Ji-ho knew what was up. Archer was upset that she would be leaving tomorrow. She felt sorry for him but Ava's task for her remained the priority. Until she made it to Draconus, there would be no distractions no matter how bad she felt about it.
"Want me to get you something from the cafeteria?"
"No."
"Archer-"
"Must you leave?"
Ji-ho placed her spoon back into the bowl of soup. She made eye contact with Archer and reached out to hold his hand. He was a victim of his circumstances and she had nothing but sympathy for his suffering.
"If I stay, this thing between us will only grow stronger. You know I should leave, don't you? It's for the best."
"For whom?" He asked.
"You, and Camilla? You're engaged to her."
Archer hated that. He wished things were different. If he'd manifested sooner then his parents would have never used him this way.
"This would be so much easier if she cared about me even a little." His admission came with a sad smile.
"She does.."
If she cared, Camilla would have visited more. His fiance cared less about him and more about the money and assets that came with him. She had been fiercely protective of what was hers till a confirmation had been made that Ava posed no threat to her relationship with Archer.
Archer exhaled and smiled at Ji-ho. "Thank you for all you've done for me, Ava. You have no obligation to me but you've been kinder than I deserve."
Ji-ho was at a loss for words. It was Demi he had to thank. She would have never helped Archer if the prefect hadn't persuaded her to.
"Stop it... You're making me feel bad," she responded. "Archer, you're strong and I know you'll be alright even with another sentinel."
Not every psychic had the luck to meet their perfect sentinel. Even Commander Ilya Petrov, the strongest psychic functioned well enough with a bevy of sentinels since one alone couldn't handle him. Archer would be okay. He would just have to get used to being without a synced partner.
"I will," he smiled, heart-achingly handsome as the day she had seen.
________
Ji-ho returned to classes and she was welcomed with hostility from her classmates. Everyone had heard the news. Ava Robinson was a sentinel who had synced with Archer Svenson. To add to this grave sin of hers, she had also rejected him. Who did she think she was?! Though Mischa had stopped picking fights with her, the bully's underlings tried and failed to mess with Ava.
The girl was no longer a weak coward. Ava gave back as hard as she received, letting them understand that it was not worth it to pick a fight with her.
Aside from the awakening of her sentinel abilities, Ava had also come out with flying colours in the first cycle of tests. She hadn't just topped the class but also her entire batch of first years. The professors loved Ava. She was untouchable.
___
Two months later, Archer appeared back at the academy and Ji-ho's path crossed with his. For a second, they both felt a tremble in their bond. It hadn't grown weaker despite the distance they kept between them.
As the students curiously watched them, neither acknowledged the other and walked on like they were strangers. It was for the best.
_____
Two years then blinked by and Archer graduated top of his batch. His record-breaking performance and scores led him to be swiftly snapped up by the military.
Ji-ho was happy to see him thriving without her. It was the outcome she had been hoping for. Wishing him the very best, she buried herself in her studies and vowed that not only would she beat his scores, but she would also set a record that would leave its mark on the Academy.
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