You Make Me Feel Alive

Taking a deep breath, Afonka glanced around the tower each footstep he made sounding like the crackling of breaking ice. The deafening silence was almost as bad as the hustle and bustle of the common room that made the Hrabrost want to crawl into a ball and cover his ears.

He'd escaped out here to try and calm down, but it wasn't working. At least he'd been able to sleep again. Reminding himself to thank Faye for the dreamless potion idea, he sighed softly, taking a seat in a little alcove. Staring out the window, he rubbed his ears softly, hoping for something to break the eerie silence.

Tessa decided to walk up to the tower with Ariel. She had to stop thinking about how much she missed Lena. Classes where all that bad, because she got to see Afonka. And when she didn't get to see him, she had Ariel.

She then walked in. Tessa hoped that she wasn't interrupting anybody.

Flicking his gaze up at the sound of footsteps, Afonka tensed slightly. He desperately hoped that it wasn't Feliks. He didn't think he'd be able to deal with him today. Pushing himself a little further into the shadows, he peeked out from under his bangs, waiting for the footsteps to near.

Sighing softly in relief as he realized that it was Tessa, he grinned at her. "Hey Tess."

Tessa smiled when she heard Afonka. It was someone that she wanted to see. She loved being around him all the time. Because Lena wasn't here. She was walking towards him.

“ Hey Afonka.”

Moving forward a little and out of the shadows, Afonka grinned at Tessa. Really, she was just - amazing. Bouncing up and down in a rare moment of happiness, he hummed softly to himself. He felt better these days, more like his old self.

Though the slightest noise set him off, he still felt better. More rested and a little less jumpy. "It's great to see you, Tess. How are you?"

Tessa smiled when she found that Afonka was in the room. She was glad, since Lena wasn't here. And she told her never to let go of Afonka's or Ariel love. She loved it that he was happy. It was like old times. “ I got to listen to the present you got me. And I love it.”

She noticed that he was a bit jumpy. “ Hey, I am doing fine Afonka. Got to see Lena the other day.”

"That's great!" Afonka grinned, his voice echoing slightly, though his slight wince since was an improvement over what his reaction would have been in October. Rocking from side to side, he moved over on the bench to make room for Tessa, "I'm really glad you liked it."

"How is she? I still haven't met her yet." Frowning slightly, he shook his head slightly, "But it's good that you saw her. Say hi to her next time you see her for me."

Tessa smiled. “ Yeah.” She then started to blink just a little bit. “ You don't sound like yourself.” She knew that he might not be over Phillie's death. Tessa then went and sat down beside of him. “ I love it really.”

“ Lena is good, she misses me. You will get to meet her when she gets back.” She was smiling. “ I will be sure to tell her that next time when I see her.”

"I don't?" Afonka squeaked out, swallowing hard. "Oh." Hugging himself for a moment, he sighed before saying, "I guess - I don't know. It's just that ever since Phillie died, it's been weird."

Pausing for a moment to rub his hands nervously together, he looked at her, "And - and Feliks - well, he's just mean." Pausing to glance around nervously, he relaxed when Feliks didn't suddenly appear, "So I guess," he shrugged, knitting his eyebrows together, "that's why I don't sound like myself."

"It'll be nice to meet her," Afonka said, smiling weakly, "If you like her, she has to be great."

Tessa then hugged him back. “ I know you haven't been the same since Phillie died. I know miss her to and wonder why she did it.” She smiled. “ I just miss the old Afonka.”

She then could tell that he was a little bit nervous. “ It is alright. I know I meet Feliks once and I thought that he was nice.” Tessa could tell that Afonka was nervous around him and didn't like him. “ I am sorry that he done this to you. Anything I can do to make it better?”

“ I would love it if you would meet Lena. She is awesome.”

"I miss the old Afonka too." he said softly, shaking his head before resting it on her shoulder. "I just - I don't know. It's like - ever since she died, every little sound freaks me out, and it's just -" pausing, he shook his head again, sighing softly.

"You thought he was nice?" Wrinkling his nose, Afonka frowned, "Feliks is terrible. He's -" about to continue, he cut himself off, glancing around. Lowering his voice, he spoke faster, "He's a bully. And he's mean to practically everyone." Glancing sideways at her, he shook his head, thinking, "I don't think so," smiling at her, he added, "but thank you."