Part 4

Neither Yuri or Emily mentioned anything about the picture incident. Yuri performed spectacularly the next few days and their orchestra concert was a great success.1

Thomas walked over to his dormitory after a day of exhausting performing. His fingers were numb from playing. He reached his dormitory and found his dorm mate, Willis Patan sitting on the floor, three cups upside down in front of him.2

“ Want me to fortell your future for you, Vacur?” Willis asked, wrinkling his forehead.3

“ No thanks, Patan. I’ve outgrown fortune-telling.” Thomas said coldly.4

“ Come on, Vacur. Try it.” Willis nagged, pulling on Thomas’s sleeve. The boy swung free and rolled his eyes, sitting down across from Willis.5

“ Pick one.” Willis instructed, mixing the three cups up. Thomas gave an impatient sigh and picked the middle one. Willis carefully opened the cup and took out a piece of paper. 6

“ Ooo, this is a love spirit. It says the girl of your life is getting closer to you now. You will find on her a card that says the same thing as I said to you.” Willis said, with a look of awe on his face. 7

Thomas rolled his eyes in annoyance. “ It’s just a bunch of crap, as usual.” He muttered, climbing into bed. 8

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Yuri walked along back to her dormitories after a day of music class. Suddenly, a shoulder knocked into hers and immense pain shot through her shoulder bones. It was Thomas. For a moment their eyes met. Yuri stared deep into Thomas’s blue eyes and saw something. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it looked like a streak of sunlight through all the ice. She stared at him for a long while and he stared back. Yuri couldn’t believe that any two people could look so alike in the world. The girl thought of Simon’s handsome face, and his wonderful blue eyes, and that he would be standing here right next to her, them still joking and laughing like old times, if he hadn’t died in that horrible accident. If it weren’t for that other stupid driver, Simon would still be here— A single tear rolled down her cheek and she let it trickle down her chin.10

“ Why do you always cry whenever you see me, Kowan?” Thomas asked, narrowing his eyes so they looked like slits.11

“ You remind me of someone,” Yuri said vaguely, looking as if in a trance.” Someone that meant the world to me, someone who would be here today if that car accident hadn’t occurred one year ago.” Yuri turned on her heels and sped down the hall toward her dormitory. She hated facing Thomas. She didn’t look back to see Thomas staring after her for a long time. Somehow he remembered so clearly the way she looked at him. The way her tears rolled down her cheeks when she looked into his eyes. He slowly felt his heart crack.12

Why did he care, Yuri thought. Why would he care that she cried. Unless he really is Simon? Before Yuri could go into solutions of how that was possible, something on the ground caught her eye. It was a card that was laying face down. Curiously Yuri picked it up.13

“ The boy of your life is getting closer.” Yuri read the card out loud. The girl smiled wanly. She didn’t believe in fortune telling, but all the same Yuri stuffed the card into her pocket, then went off to her dorm.14

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Emily Radley sat in music class, her beady eyes focused on Thomas. How she loved his icy glare and his hair was silvery and admirable. The time ticked by slowly as Emily spent thirty minutes staring at the side of Thomas’s face. She noticed his glance turn to Yuri several times and the girl’s eyes narrowed into a sneer. He never even looked at me, Emily thought angrily, her glint filled with not envy, but jealousy. What’s so  great about that Yuri girl anyway? Emily had always been known as the princess of Beauty to all her schoolmates, and her wealthy background was most admirable. Most boys’ desire was to have Emily as their girlfriend. And yet, Emily thought glumly, the only boy she loved never even showed the slightest interest toward her. But somehow, Emily Radley was going to get what she wanted, even if her father’s money couldn’t buy it.16

Emily took out her most expensive quill and very carefully and slowly slid it into Yuri’s schoolbag. The girl glanced around to make sure no one was watching, before she burst into a fit of fake tears. All heads turned to her.17

“ Miss Radley, what’s wrong?” the teacher, Ms. Spinner asked, her chalk breaking in half out of her surprise. 18

“ My quill! My most expensive and precious quill is gone! It was a gift from my grandma, before she died!” Emily sobbed, pretending to look devastated. Everyone began to look around for her pen.19

“ Everyone, turn your bags inside out.” The teacher ordered. Everyone did so obediently. Emily saw with grim satisfaction that Yuri looked dumbstruck when the quill fell out of her backpack. 20

“ Yuri Kowan, how dare you!” Emily cried, pointing a menacing finger at Yuri. “ You are a thief!”21

Everyone threw loathing looks at Yuri and the teacher scolded her. ”Miss Kowan, you must understand that thievery is strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated at this school. I will have to report this. Do you have anything to say?”22

Yuri looked at Emily in disbelief but did not say anything. Emily sneered at her. “ No, this is unacceptable, Ms. Spinner. I will take the punishment.” Yuri said after a moment.23

Thomas stared at Yuri in astonishment. He saw Emily frame Yuri. Why hadn’t she denied it? He thought, bewildered.24

Long after class was over, Thomas watched Yuri wash the board and scrub the tables. He stood waiting until she was done, then stepped up to her.25

“ Wanna go for a walk?” he asked quietly. Yuri looked up in surprise.26