Four days. Four long days had passed since Eydis vanished. It was eating me alive. She had been gone too long. Every night I went out to look for her, hoping someone had seen her. But I had not been successful. She vanished, just like Constance and no one seemed to know why.

Ari told me that's just how things were here on campus. 'People get offers that are too good to pass up and they leave'. Onto the next bigger and better thing. It's just how things are. But I couldn't believe that. Eydis wouldn't leave without a goodbye.

Odett's fist left a bruise across my cheek which had now yellowed. No one seemed to care how I got it except Ari. He cared about everything. Maybe that was a sign, most people here didn't care about one another, all too busy with their own studies. So when people vanished, they didn't even blink an eye. Was I like this too? There were very few people that I knew or cared to know. If someone vanished, I probably wouldn't notice.

"Telvi, did you even hear what I said to you?" Ari asked as we ran around the rink for a cool down.

The ice was too 'soft' to practice on. After attempting for a few minutes, Irena quickly gave up and pulled us off. She made us complete some off ice practicing instead.

As we untied our skates, I heard whispers, fear that the summer would be too hot to operate the ice rink. Ari seemed particular bothered by this fact. I didn't linger on these thoughts. Taking a few months off was the least of my concerns. It would be no different than Hell. 

I shook my head as I took a deep breath. "Eydis has been gone for days and no one seems to care," I stated. "That's been on my mind."

He placed his long delicate hand on my shoulder and gave a sympathetic look. "Welcome to the training program. I hate to break it to you, but if she hasn't come back, she won't. I would stop looking if I was you."

I'm sure he meant well by it, but it provided no comfort. Instead, it knocked the air out of my lungs. I would never give up. 

"I've told you before, this is what happens. People just vanish. One day you see them, the next...." He makes an explosion motion with his hands.

"Ari, Telvi! Speed it up! You're going too slow," Irena shouted at us.

"I would like her to run with us, then she would be quiet," Ari muttered under his breath.

A giggle escaped my lips as I sped up. It has been a minute since I laughed. Although, it fell flat. It sounded more like a wheeze. 

"Anyhow..." Ari huffed as he kept pace beside me. "When my contact is over, I hope to work here, in Regal. There is no way I'm going back to that slag place. It's barely home. I think most people stay in Regal. Once you get a taste of the Motherwealth, you don't want to go back."

He was wrong. I still planned to return. I shook my head.

He gasped. "You really like Hell that much?"

"It's home. It's where my family is."

"Family samily..." he waved his hand in the air. "if I even talked to them, they would want me to stay. It's better for my future."

"They don't write you?"

He shook his head causing sweat to fall to the ground. With the warmer weather, it brought more hot and humid trainings. I think I preferred the cold. "I didn't fit the mold back where I was from. Too forward thinking they told me. I'm pretty sure they were itching for me to leave."

"Alright, practice is over. You can have your social hour now," Irena sighed in defeat.

Both Ari and I halted to a stop. I placed my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. 

Ari looked at the holographic watch as it flickered the time in front of us. He shook his hand as if it would stop it from flashing, but it didn't work. He frowned and hit it, still didn't work. "Walter, these things never work." 

"At least you work," a guy that I had seen around the rink said, walking up to us. 

Ari smiled and wrapped his arms around him. He kissed him on the lips and I couldn't look away. I had never seen two people of the same gender embrace in such a way. A pang of jelousy rose in me. This is what I could have had with Eydis if I told her what I felt four days ago. 

I would agree with Ari on one thing, the Commonwealths were a little too conservative. There was more than one way to live, and they didn't see it. Life in Regal was more brilliant, and it wasn't just because of their clothing choices.

"Telvi, have you met Justo?"

"No, but it's a pleasure. I've seen you around. Are you here for training too?"

Justo smiled, intertwining his fingers with Ari. "Just got here last month. I'm here for culinary."

"That's exciting. How do you like Regal?" 

"I love it. It's the best thing that happened to me." 

"Justo and I were about to go to the food hall. Do you want to join us?"  

My stomach growled loud enough that Ari heard it. That was enough of an answer for him as he took me by the hand and pulled me towards the food hall. 

"Alright, we all need food."

___________________

"You're telling me you don't care about your siblings?" I asked Ari as we walked back to the dorms after eating.

Ari was in a chatty mood. It probably was related to Justo. There was a pep to his step as he held his hand. They looked so happy, so in love. I wanted to be happy for them, but thoughts about what could have been with Eydis consumed me.

Ari shook his head as he looked up at the sky as a plane passed over us. It flew low enough to make the ground rumble. "Son of a twister, that was close." 

I nodded. 

"I've noticed more planes within the last few days. They always fly in that direction," Justo said, pointing to the horizon. 

"Interesting," Ari hummed, although he seemed less interested in it then I was. 

Justo was right, there were more planes within the last few days, and they kept flying low. I was sure one of these days, they would hit a skyscraper. These large planes were always going in the same direction. I wish I knew what was over there and why they needed to go. Was Eydis on one of those planes? carted off to another location to develop something important?

"Anyhow, it's hard to miss someone when they don't write to you. I think they were always jealous of my skating skills and upset that they weren't chosen to be here."

"I never had a goal of coming here," I stated.

But him and Justo gasped. "Walter, are you serious? Girl, you're crazy. I think everyone here had the goal to come here."

Well, not me. I'm surprised I hadn't mentioned this to Ari. I thought he already knew this. But then again, I don't think I had ever heard him talk about his family. 

"Then why did you train? For kicks and giggles?"

"My mom got me into it."

"Then why are you here if this was never your goal?"

"Because of the money. My brother needs it, so I agreed to go."

"They don't often give money out to talent. Normally it's just the entisement of coming here. That's the sell. They must have really wanted you."

"Something like that." 

Ari smiled as we approached the dorms. "Well, enjoy your day off tomorrow. Justo and I are going back to my place if you know what I mean." 

I didn't. But I thought in this case it was better to nod and smile at him. 

They ran off like little giddy school kids, holding hands, dragging each other along. There was so much joy. I had never seen Ari so happy before. I just hoped I could find joy like that.

As I approached the girl's dorms, I heard a faint sound of singing. My heart raced. I knew that voice, that singing. That was a song I had heard before. I looked up towards the sound,Eydis was standing on the edge of the roof of our building.

My breath caught in my throat as I looked up at her walking on the edge, singing a song. She held her hands out, unfazed by the height. Her tone was even and bright. She returned. She was here. Finally I could hold her and tell her how I really felt.

"Eydis, what are you doing? I've been looking for you all over!" I shouted up to her.

She looked down at me. There was a look of confusion on her face. "I should be asking you the same question. What are you doing?"

I shook my head. There were more important things I needed to say to her and yelling up at her wasn't the way to do it. "Get down, before you get yourself hurt."

She stopped and sat down, leaning over the edge to stare at me. I hated when she was up there. It always left me breathless. I think she enjoyed scaring the poop out of me. 

"Who are you?" she asked.

I forced a laugh to hide my nerves. Her tone sounded serious. But she had to be joking. "I'm Telvi, your roommate."

She shook her head. "I don't have any roommates."

This wasn't funny anymore. She needed to drop this act. It was making my heart skip a beat. 

"Telvi, there you are! Went to the rink and found you weren't there," Ezra said as he ran up to me with a letter in his hand.

The letter was the least of my concerns right now. My eyes darted back towards Eydis. "Please get down, I want to talk to you," I begged her.

"Why do we need to talk when I don't know you?"

I knew I hurt Eydis, but she would have dropped the act already. Something was wrong. Nervously, I looked at Ezra. "There's something is wrong with Eydis."

He looked up at her then to me. "Let's get her down. You stay here, talk to her. I'll go to the roof," he said starting towards the building.

It was a simple task, but looking up at her, five stores up, it felt too impossible. There was so much that could go wrong. Ezra had to be fast.

"Why are you up there?" 

She giggled as she got up and walked along the edge like she was fearless. "To look at the sky, obviously."

"You like to do that?"

"I love it. Seeing the planes is my favorite."

I paced around as I tried to think of something else to say. "Did you see the planes today?"

"There were so many today. They flew over us like speeding bullets. One time, I saw my dad use a gun. Those bullets move so fast..." 

Ezra head popped up right beside her. He placed his arms around her and guided her off the edge. "Got her. I'm coming down."

I breathed a sigh of relief then wiped the sweat from my brow. My clothes felt wet and clammy. I wanted to free myself and rip them off my body. I took off my coat hoping it would help. Now I just felt cold and wet. 

Within a minute Ezra was back on the ground with Eydis beside him.

What I saw wasn't the Eydis I knew four days ago. Her sparkling eyes seemed dull and her smile was empty. She looked thinner then when I last saw her. Her cheeks were slightly hollow and her clothes hung off her body. We were probably the same weight now. Her brown curly hair was cut nearly to her scalp. Bags hung under her eyes as she stared at me. This wasn't Eydis.

She looked at me then Ezra then around herself. "And your who again?"

"Telvi," I replied as I glanced at Ezra for help.

He frowned in silence. I wished he said something. I needed his support. 

"And this is Ezra." I pointed towards him.

"Ah, that's an odd name. You both have odd names." She met my eyes and smirked. "But you're cute." 

Tears welled in my eyes. All the memories we had were gone. She didn't know me. She vanished and when she came back, she wasn't the same person. 

"Telvi, we should get her to your room," Ezra warned.

I nodded. With the sun setting, going inside was the best bet. "Are you tired? I can get a bed for you," I said to Eydis. 

She nodded with a yawn. "I would love one."

So often she would pull me around by the hand, but never once was I the one that initiated it. Not until now. I wrapped my hand around hers and guided her towards our dorm room, hoping that she would recognize something. 

Later, the three of us stayed in the dorm. Eydis was asleep on the bed, Ezra and I were silently watching, waiting for her to wake up and say more. I tried to pry information from Eydis before she slept, but she spoke so little. She was lost and confused and Ezra insisted we not push her. 

"Telvi.... it's late...." Ezra sighed.

I think he stayed, hoping she would wake up. At this point I didn't think she would until tomorrow.

She curled up like a cat, taking as little space as possible on her bed. It took her only a few moments to fall asleep. She was exhausted, from what, I wish I knew. 

I had seen her sleep like this countless times before. It was familiar, but deep down I knew that it wasn't not anymore. Something within her had changed, there was still parts of her that remained the same.

"I know..." My eyes drifted towards his. 

The sun had set long ago, and I was tired myself, but I didn't dare close my eyes. I couldn't. What if Eydis ran off again? I had to keep an eye on her. It was my responsibility. 

"You should sleep. Training will start in a few hours." 

I already decided I would skip training. This was more important. I couldn't leave her. Not like this. "I'm not going." 

"You can't just do that." 

I shrugged my shoulders. "And what are they going to do?" 

Ezra's face twisted up as if he knew better. "As a Commonwealth member, I don't think you have that flexibility." 

There he went, reminding me that I wasn't like him. I never would be and if it wasn't him, it was his dad reminding me of this fact. I wasn't sure if he meant it as negative as it sounded. I flinched. 

He stood up and stretched. "I have to go. And please go to training." It sounded like he was pleading. With that, he left. 

My eyes fell on Eydis again. She would be safe under my watch. "I'll protect you. Whether or not you know who I am," I whispered to her.