Ember waited for Lula to completely disappear before she finally let go of Camie. The latter jumped as far from Ember as she could while the latter looked at her scratched hands:
"What are you? A cat? Do you see the state my hands are in?
-You should have let me go when I asked you to.
-And what would you have done? Would you have fought her?
-Yes."
Camie was still up to do it. She just needed to find Lula.
"That's the stupidest plan I ever heard. She was obviously trying to anger you.
-Good for her.
-You are seriously so slow. If you hit her, she would probably have gone to a teacher or Amaltheia and play the victim.
-I don't care. All I want is to punch her eyes in.
-And then what? Let her win the war?
-No. Then I would hit her some more."
Ember sighed:
"You are so annoying. Fortunately I came in time."
Camie suddenly understood who she was talking to and she frowned:
"And why are you here by the way?"
Ember suddenly blushed:
"Don't go thinking that I rushed here to save you. I was just passing by, and you were standing in my way."
Camie took too long to answer, and Ember immediately added:
"Don't go imagining weird things. I don't care that you were in trouble. I just stepped in because you were blocking the way."
Camie looked at the path that was big enough for five people, but she preferred not to argue.
"Of course you were.
-Why are you smiling like that?"
Camie touched her face. Was she smiling?
"I am not."
Ember crossed her arms on her chest:
"Now that you are no longer in my way, I can finally go to class."
Camie did her best to hold back her laugh:
"I am so sorry that I blocked your way. Thank you for helping me."
She quickly raised her hands in peace:
"Not that you wanted to, of course."
Ember felt that Camie was making fun of her, but she didn't have time to say anything that they heard someone running up to them:
"Camie!"
Théa ran up to them, her face red and her breathing all over the place. She seemed very worried for some reason, and she raised her hands towards Camie's face before stopping herself at the last second. She let her hands fall back but continued staring at Camie intensively:
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"
Camie had no idea who Théa was talking about and glanced at Ember. The latter seemed very hurt about that:
"Why would you look at me? I'm the one who helped you."
Théa looked at Ember for the first time and her eyes were ice cold. Ember had never seen her like that. No matter how many times she had bullied her, she hadn't once lost her composure. But now there she was, staring her up and down with murderous intent.
"We both know that you are not the kind of person to help."
Ember had no idea what to say. She did deserve to be looked at like that and she didn't know how to apologize. For once she really didn't do anything wrong but did she deserve to explain herself?
Feeling the tension, Camie had to step in:
"Ember didn't do anything wrong. She saved me from a very difficult situation."
She turned to Ember and smiled:
"And I am very grateful to her."
Théa didn't like the shy smile Ember shot Camie. She didn't like Camie thanking Ember. She didn't like them bonding. She didn't like any part of it.
"She threatened you."
Ember froze, remembering when she tried threatening Camie with the article.
"I... I'm so sorry. I..."
But Théa didn't give her time to finish:
"You shouldn't do anything to be sorry about in the first place.
-I know... I...
-Then we are done here. You can leave."
Camie pinched her lips. She didn't like going against Théa but she had to say something:
"Théa... Ember really helped me this time. Actually, it isn't even the first time. We..."
She thought about it a second before saying:
"We are buddies now."
It was way too early to say that they were friends. However, Théa didn't seem to like the word buddies either.
"I trust your judgment, Camie. However, I would like to suggest that you think about it twice before making friends with..."
She looked Ember up and down and her glare was so disdainfull that Ember had to look away:
"Her.
-I... I think I will go. I have class. I... Bye."
Camie frowned. Didn't Ember change because Théa and her finally got close? That was what happened in the visons, but it seemed things changed. So, what was it that changed Ember? And why was Théa so cold towards her?
Ember didn't say more and ran away. Camie did feel a bit bad, but she didn't want to force things more. They could take things slow. One step at a time. Seeing Ember leave, Théa sighed before finally getting her usual smile back:
"How did your day go, Camie?
-Hum... It was fine. What about you?"
Théa frowned:
"Are you sure? I am sorry to insist but I saw the article. Are you okay?"
Camie needed a second to remember what she was talking about:
"Oh, yes. I don't care what is being said about me.
-I am glad to hear that. Either way, I have good news and ran here as soon as I saw."
Théa took out her phone before extending it towards Camie. The latter took it and read the new article:
"What is this?"
Théa seemed very excited for some reason and every time Camie saw her like this, her heart froze:
"The animal protection Society used the picture of the article and completely turned the story around.
-I see that... I look like a hero here.
-Right? You look amazing!"
Camie suddenly remembered the time Théa called her cute and she quickly looked away. Théa cleared her throat before continuing:
"Anyway, I doubt that you are going to be in the center of attention for much longer. Or if you are it's going to be in a positive light. What do you think?
-Me? I don't know. It's good but what about Black Gold? She completely disappeared from the picture."
Théa shrugged:
"I am sure she will be fine.
-But she could still be targeted by the rumors. I look like a hero, but she is the one who saved the dog, not me. I just cried there and clung to his fur like a toddler.
-You are being too hard on yourself. You rushed into the middle of a panicked crowd to protect that dog with your own body. If that's not a hero, then what is?
-I don't...
-Don't worry. I am sure that Black Gold doesn't care about what is being said about her."
Camie shook her head:
"No matter how strong you are, if you hear criticism every day for years, you will start believing it. I don't want her to feel bad...
-Camie. Look at me."
Camie flinched. This sounded exactly like back on the roof, and she did her best to calm her heart. She needed a second but finished by looking up and what she saw made her freeze. Why did Théa look so happy? She was... Radiant.
"As long as there is someone to believe in her, she will be fine."