Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Aurel's POV

I turned around upon hearing the knock on the door, knowing it must be Gray checking to make sure I was okay. Even though I lied and said I was fine, I was far from it. My body felt shattered, and there was a lingering sting down there.

"Aurel, do you need my help?" Gray asked, making me wince. For a moment, I gazed at the large mirror in front of me, reflecting our images. Once again, I could only tightly shut my eyes, the image of us spending the whole day together causing me to sigh. I took a deep breath, looking at my body marked with red spots from Gray.

"Aurel," Gray called again.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I'll be out in a moment," I said, choosing to end my shower. I quickly grabbed my uniform and changed in the bathroom, ensuring I wouldn't feel embarrassed facing Gray like this. It only took a few minutes before I emerged from the bathroom, and Gray immediately turned around to look at me.

He even approached and examined every inch of my small body.

"You still look pale. Shouldn't you just take a break?" Gray said, making me shake my head.

"I can't. I have a test today, and I need to practice with Maudy and the others. There's a competition coming up," I replied, causing Gray to click his tongue in frustration.

"Well, I wish I could watch over you all day, but I've got something to do today. I have to go with Brenda," Gray said, sounding disappointed in himself. I finally reached out my hand and gently stroked his firm jaw.

"It's okay. I'll be fine there," I said. Gray stopped my hand and held it tightly, kissing the back of it before looking back at me with a warm gaze.

"I was actually going to tell you to just rest at home. I was going to ask Stella to keep you company," Gray said, making me look at him with a questioning gaze. The name he mentioned felt unfamiliar to me.

"Who's she?" I asked.

"Oh, right, I forgot you haven't met her yet. She's Soulmates with Thunder," Gray explained, causing me to fall silent once again, trying to process the name Gray had just mentioned.

"Does she go to the same school as us? Is she in the same circle as you?" I asked again, making Gray nod.

"Perhaps you've encountered Thunder before, but Stella is a bit of a loner. She only appears at certain times, but she's quite pleasant. You'll surely get along," Gray explained.

"Alright, we should leave now, or I'll be late," I said, causing Gray to once again wear an expression of disapproval. He seemed reluctant to send me off to school. He pulled me close, hugging me tightly.

"If only it wasn't something important, I'd definitely accompany you. Look, even your face still looks pale, let alone down there—" I immediately extended my hand to stop his words. I knew what Gray meant, and I didn't want him to say it.

"I can handle it," I said, feeling my face heat up. Gray removed my hand from his mouth, then burst into laughter. Was he mocking me, I wondered.

"Alright, let's go downstairs. I'll walk you to school," Gray said, and I nodded. I glanced around the room, which still looked deserted.

"Is Brenda not at home?" I asked, making Gray nod his head.

"As usual, she left with Rex," Gray answered, causing me to nod. I had been staying with Gray in this house for two days now, and I didn't know what reasons Rex gave to Aunt Anna. Maybe he just told her that I was staying over at a friend's house. Gray then opened the car door, and I got in followed by Gray. He slowly drove the car while holding my hand.

"Isn't it difficult for you to keep holding my hand like this?" I asked, making Gray shake his head.

"I could even drive this car with my eyes closed," Gray said, then actually closed his eyes. But I immediately stopped him.

"Hey, don't mess around. I still want to live long. What if something bad happens?" I said, making Gray smile. He seemed to be really teasing me.

"You look cute with that expression. Don't worry, I'll make sure you have a long life with me," Gray replied, reminding me of the questions still swirling in my head. This was my chance to ask him.

"By the way, can I ask you something?" I inquired, causing Gray to look at me for a moment before nodding his head.

"Sure, ask whatever you want to know," Gray replied.

"How old are you?" I asked, making Gray pause before smiling again. Lately, he's been smiling a lot in front of me, and I like it. His smile combined with his handsome face is like a mesmerizing sight.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you," Gray said, piquing my curiosity even more.

"Just tell me," I insisted.

"If compared to others, I'm still a baby because I haven't lived as long in this world as they have," Gray answered, making me nod.

"Okay, then?" I asked again.

"Guess it, and if you can guess it, I'll give you a reward," Gray said, turning it into a guessing game. I agreed and started thinking. I once read a book that mentioned vampires and werewolves having very long lifespans. They could live through different eras and adapt to changing times.

"I think around 100 years old," I guessed.

"Close, almost there," Gray said, causing my eyes to widen. I couldn't believe that he had managed to survive for almost 100 years in this world and still looked my age.

"Are you sure you're over 100 years old?" I asked again.

"Yes, more precisely 250 years old," Gray replied, leaving me speechless. I couldn't comment any further. Was this a sign that I was involved with an older man? I thought, and Gray burst into laughter. It seemed like he was reading my thoughts right now.

"You're reading my thoughts again?" I asked, and Gray nodded.

"After we performed one of the soulmate rituals, I started being able to read your thoughts quite clearly, and I can sense your feelings. So don't try to hide anything, and just so you know, I'm not old at all. My father has lived for thousands of years, and you'd be surprised to hear Brenda's age," Gray explained, making me look at him enthusiastically.

"Brenda's age, huh?" I asked.

"Brenda is much older. She's my sister, and I hate that fact," Gray said, making me give a thin smile.

"She's 600 years old," Gray replied, leaving me silent. It's like a legend from the books I read. I remained quiet, wondering if he had spent the past 250 years in the human world.

"Since when were you banished and expelled from Wentira?" I asked again.

"Since this world still loves warfare, there's no such thing as peace yet, no school that allows its students to be as free as this," Gray replied, and it's been quite a long time, I could guess.

"Then during all that time, you were waiting for your soulmate's arrival and the resurrection?" I asked, causing Gray to change his expression. I'm not sure why, but he looked sad, disappointed, angry—emotions I could read from Gray's current expression. I reached out my hand.

"I'm sorry if I touched a nerve. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to know more about you," I said, making Gray shake his head. He then held my wrist and kissed the back of my hand.

"It was torment all that time. A very long time. I just kept waiting for your arrival," Gray said, making me somehow feel like someone incredibly special, awaited by someone their whole life.

"And when I have you, I'll never let you go," Gray added.

"But how could I not be able to be with you for a long time when your lifespans can be that long? You know, the average human lifespan isn't more than 60 years. Some lucky ones might reach 90 to 100 years, but I'm not sure. I still stay up late, eat unhealthy food, and dislike exercising. You know how unhealthy my lifestyle is," I explained, making Gray smile.

"I'll do whatever it takes. I'll make sure you stay by my side. So never worry about the age gap between us," Gray said, making me nod again. We've just begun this journey, and I don't want all this happiness to crumble just because I'm thinking about things that might be far ahead.

Gray then parked the car right in the school parking lot. But before I pulled the door handle, Gray pulled me towards him. He gave me a sweet kiss on the lips before caressing the side of my face, which immediately turned red.

"I'll text you during classes, and I'll pick you up later. You can text me if anything happens, okay?" Gray said, and I nodded before getting out of the car. I waved my hand and watched Gray's car disappear down the road. I turned around. I had to finish my classes today and attend the club meeting, but for some reason, just a few steps later, I felt like my body wasn't okay. I don't know why, but the sudden cold pierced through my body, making my steps unstable.

I almost fell, but someone caught my waist, causing me to turn around. I looked to see who had helped me.