Chapter 10: Doubts
As soon as Nekare saw that his gaze was focused upon her, she immediately stopped smiling, her face instantly turning deadpan.
'What the fuck?'
Was she actually a Nephilim?
A cold, bead of sweat dripped down his forehead.
Gray shook his head.
He went back to his original position and took a deep breath to ease his anxiety.
If he learnt how to lucid dream, he might get a prophetic dream that'll allow him to understand her true identity—just like how it worked for Casanova's.
For now, the girl didn't seem too threatening. Gray just felt awfully suspicious about her.
But…if she were a Nephilim, it was plausible she was refraining from attacking. They were inside school, a place filled with people, after all.
Since being too careful never harmed anyone, Gray decided to take the routes packed with people.
Following that, he would meet Casanova.
Gray took his phone from his pocket and sneakily texted his sister, asking her if everything was alright.
The latin professor looked at him with suspicion, but couldn't catch him red-handed.
…
Before he noticed, the hour ended.
It appeared that amidst his great worries, he had lost the sense of time.
Glad that the fear of having his phone taken was gone for the moment, he grabbed his phone again, noticing that Kathy had texted him back.
As soon as he opened the text, he received his needed reassurance.
Gray: Is everything alright at work?
Kathy: Yes, why do you ask?
Kathy: If you try to fake being sick again, I swear I'll $&$@&&@*€?
'It's her…' Gray's sighed, his worries eased.
He quickly replied with a dumb excuse and put his phone away.
Gray couldn't risk getting his phone taken once the professor entered into the class.
He needed it to stay contact with his sister, in case something happened either to him, or to her.
As he remembered what happened inside his first revelation, he gritted his teeth.
Even though it wasn't real, he felt that Kathy's death was his fault.
She had tried to call him, but he was unable to respond, leaving her to die alone.
'If only I went there earlier.'
'…If only I didn't try to help Casanova's subordinates.'
"Montoya, is everything alright?" a professor asked.
"Uh? Y-Yes, I'm alright." he replied, utterly confused by another professor he couldn't recognize.
'This is getting annoying.' Gray ranted silently.
If he started to forget the most important people in his life, he needed to talk with Casanova about this once more.
Yet since the man didn't give him a clear response, it was likely it wasn't anything serious.
"What's wrong with you?" Rowan whispered.
"What do you mean?" Gray replied.
"You were looking at the professor in a weird, almost furious manner, dude. Is it because he failed your exams last year?"
"N-no. I was just zoning out." Gray said, stuttering.
…He really needed to calm down.
Rowan raised his eyebrows and inspected him for a few moments before brushing his answer off.
After the embarrassing incident, the two kept listening to the boring class, acting as if nothing had happened.
…
Once break started, he went outside with everyone.
He knew that, if Nekare truly were a Nephilim, she wouldn't dare to perform an assault with so many people around him.
From what Casanova disclosed, he figured the Nephilim prioritized secrecy. Needless to say, he barely knew about them.
He couldn't dare to try to predict their most minute behaviors.
Gray could only speculate based on Casanova's descriptions.
As he recognized his lack of information, he intended to inquire for more details about their species.
…Even if he predicted that the man wouldn't give him all the answers he sought.
'Since I'm aware of the true reality hidden between the shadows, I can't tape my eyes shut. I have already seen the truth, I might as well seek for more.'
Gray looked at the students talking, unaware of what was hidden beyond their grasps.
They reminded him of the people who stayed inside a particular cave, belonging to a person whose name he couldn't remember well.
They were only worried about the shadows inside their cave, unable to go outside without getting blinded by the light.
Yet, they were happy.
And that happiness based upon ignorance was something Gray couldn't hope to reach anymore.
How could he feel safe when there were Nephilim and unknown creatures lurking in the shadows, pretending to be humans?
…
Gray walked towards his class, accompanied by Rowan's friend group.
His plan was to surround himself with as many people as he could, forming a kind of human shield.
Nekare would naturally never blow her supposed cover by attacking many students just to get to him.
In the midst of his overarching worries, he realized that his behavior closely resembled that of someone with an obsessive compulsive disorder.
He then reassured himself, thinking that nobody wouldn't act like this if their lives were in danger.
Regardless, he still acknowledged the fact of not possessing a true incriminating evidence proving Nekare's identity.
'Ever since I had my first prophecy, my behavior turned more erratic. Casanova's words only worsened my anxiety, turning me into an overly paranoid person.'
…
Rowan's friend group dispersed in smaller groups as everyone reached their classes.
Gray now had music class.
As the professor entered, he was pleased to see that he could recognize him.
His name was Aldo Marchisella.
His most recognizable features were his grey hair and his aquiline nose.
Gray could also remember his personality very clearly, recalling of how he was a man who loved joking about everything.
There were multiple instances where he pulled various pranks on the class and the teachers.
With these acts, Aldo was regarded as one of the most liked professors in the school—and he was proud of it.
Had it not been for his antics, Gray would have surely hated music class.
Even though he didn't enjoy the subject as a whole—instead preferring to just listening to it—what he liked about Aldo's teaching was that the professor didn't think he was superior to his students.
He was an humble man who treated them as if they were his friends.
…
After the hour ended, Gray was stretching on his chair, when strangely, his name was called by the music professor.
When he turned toward the sound, he saw the teacher signaling with his fingers to leave the class.
'Did I do something wrong?' he pondered.
Of course, Gray couldn't help but think of the worst possible outcomes.
One of them was that Aldo Marchisella was a Nephilim collaborating with Nekare on a mission to harm him.
Aware of his baseless paranoia, he brushed away these fleeting thoughts and began to follow him.
The two walked for a pair of minutes.
When they reached the teacher's office, Aldo said to take a seat, instantly noticing Gray's slight anxiety.
"Calm down, Montoya. You can relax."
"My colleagues are saying you weren't paying attention in any of their classes," he couldn't help but chuckle. "One of them even thought you were high, can you believe it?"
'It was the english teacher…I'm sure of it.'
"I know you don't partake in such activities, but as a teacher…I have to ask regardless. Is everything alright at home?"
'Yeah…I'm just having issues in falling asleep.'
The professor looked at him and sighed.
"Haaa, it's the same for me. My back is killing me these days. It's impossible to fall asleep like this."
"Anyways…you should take some melatonin, I heard it helps with sleep. And if it doesn't work, you should see a doctor."
Aldo stood up from his chair, stretched his back and groaned loudly before continuing to speak,
"I'll tell my colleagues about your situation—I'm sure they won't bother us about it anymore."
"Gosh, they always tell me to talk with every student."
Gray thanked Aldo wholeheartedly and went out of his office, glad that nothing bad had happened.
He wanted to stroll around the school like he always did, but he then remembered the risks of being alone.
Gray quickly looked at his hand, eager to build the habit that would follow him across dimensions.
He decided not to waste time and speed-walked to his classroom, not seeing anything amiss in his journey.
He knocked, and once the professor told him to enter, he opened the door.
In front of him, the piercing glare of over twenty-five students was posed before him.
Nekare was one of them.
Gray's heart dropped.
He subconsciously reciprocated her gaze as he stood motionless in front of the open door, as if they were the only ones who existed inside the classroom.
During their brief exchange, he noticed that her gaze didn't exude any particular emotion—and it reassured him.
"…" Gray then regained his clarity, going back to his seat.
Rowan immediately began with his banters.
"I saw you watching Nekare. You should ask her to hang out."
His friend sobbed exaggeratedly and wiped his non-existent tears and said, while sighing multiple times, "I'm proud of you…"
'How can the english teacher think I'm the druggy…Look at him!' Gray judged him silently.
As he told Rowan to shut up, the two started listening to the lesson once more.
Like for Aldo, Gray noticed he could recognize the grammar professor.
His name was Marco Cazzognolo—he was one of the youngest teachers in his school.
His black hair was styled in a pompadour and his beard was short. He was wearing a dark-blue cardigan paired with pants of the same color.
'His surname surely helped me in remembering about him.' Gray chuckled briefly.
(Aliveuntilmidnight notes for your understanding: Cazzo means dick.)
As he now knew his professor's thoughts about him, he decided to listen properly.
While he was focused on the lesson, Rowan suddenly asked,
"Do you want to hang out later?"
"I'm busy today. For real this time," he replied truthfully.
His friend snorted and taunted him, "Like those times you said the same and read books and web-novels all day?"
Gray shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile, "It was Lord of the Mysteries, what was I supposed to do?"
Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke with annoyance, "It's been a long time since you started it, when are you going to finish it? I mean, I always see you reading, how come you didn't reach the end?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I finished it some months ago." Gray replied as he wrote the things that the professor had written on the blackboard.
While the lesson wasn't too complicated, he preferred writing in case he would forget anything.
"For real?!" Rowan blurted out, attracting everyone's attention.
As Marco Cazzognolo heard him, he scolded the young man, telling him to stay focused on the lesson.
Rowan quickly apologized and he began on listening to him.
After the lesson ended, Rowan confessed of he ecstatic he felt.
This meant that Gray now could hang out every time he wanted!
Hearing his confession, Gray couldn't help but snickering.
Rowan, clearly confused, asked what was going on.
Amidst his laughter, Gray couldn't hear what his friend was saying at all.
Every time he ignored Rowan's question, the young man grew increasingly frustrated.
"Just tell me!" Rowan yelled angrily.
Gray, still laughing, said, stopping multiple times to breathe, "I'm reading the sequel."
Once he saw anger course through his friend, Gray laughed even more.
After his rage subsided, Gray reassured him, promising that they would hang out the next day.
…
The rest of the school day flowed quickly and without any issues.
Montoya checked his hand multiple times, doing his best to follow Casanova's instructions.
He also glanced at Nekare a couple of times during the last hours, expecting to see her to do something bizarre.
However, the only thing he saw was the sheer amount of focus she put in listening at the lessons.
Once the bell rang, Gray left the class and followed the mass of people who were walking in the hallways.
As he left school, he only walked in the places where multiple pedestrians were gathered.
When there weren't many people, he followed random couples and third wheeled them.
He stalked them like their own shadows, only switching groups when they reached the roads where he wasn't supposed to go.
After thirty minutes, he reached the villa where Casanova worked.