Key To A Goblin's Heart

MIKE'S POV

What's the simplest life that you can imagine for a guy who has just moved to a large University town? Sleeping, eating, library, classes, repeat. I had hardly any time for other activities, such as mingling with friends, drinking or partying. Long ago, my mother had instilled in my head that those were "bad influences" and I better watch out for them. I intend to follow her word for word, I wish to pass my MCATs with flying colours and become a surgeon as I had dreamt. 

I had little time for anything else. 

Except, I am not a simple guy whose only ambitions are confined to passing the MCATs. I am not the friendless guy who abhorres company, and who would give anything to stay out of people's way. I am not the guy whose life is as simple as it seems, because I am much more than that. I had seen the alternate reality, and I am a semi-Goblin. 

Funny huh, how I would have laughed at this statement only a year ago. How Jake would laugh if I told him all this now! Of course, he remembers nothing of the past, for him the past is an oblivion that has nothing to do with his recent losses. He is already mourning them, and nothing can be more aggravating, than seeing my friend mourn for the same losses twice!

I don't exactly remember what has happened, except that Jake's memory regarding our recent adventures have completely been wiped out. I remember going to the Goblin lands, facing the Hobgoblins, Jake almost dying in the process, I remember how we saved him and were brought before the Queen for investigation. After that, my memory is a complete blank. Try as I might, I am unable to retrieve any of it. 

The Queen must have done something, I concluded. That was the only plausible explanation, given that she was furious of our instrusion. But, whatever she has done, seemed to have no effect on me. Was it because of my Goblin blood? She didn't seem to believe it, but what other explanation can there be? Jake was completely like his older self, without any memories of Cassie and others, while I am plagued with her memories day in and day out. 

I had gone to the flat which she shared with Sofosys, pretending to be his daughter. The flat was empty, put up for sale and just this morning I saw a new couple arriving, with two children and they seemed to have taken possession of the place. I had tried breaking into the school computer system(with the help of one of the computer nerds I knew), but there was no evidence of either Cassie or Sofosys on the system. They had simply vanished from the face of the Earth. 

I don't know what made me more miserable, that I won't be able to return to that kind of life before, or that I won't get Cassie with me in my present life. Both the situations were equally distressing. 

I got up from bed, and started dressing up. It's going to be a long day, every day since my return from Mafhaelore had been just too long to suffer through. My entire world has been turned upside down. My studies have gone berserk, I couldn't even concentrate on the simplest topics and it took me twice as long to read anything now. 

Jake had it easier than me, his lack of memories was a major contributing factor to that. Moreover, Jake's prolonged absence from College was mostly attributed to the fact that he had recently suffered a double tragedy, the death of his girlfriend and his father, not to mention the enormous responsibility of a company shoved on his shoulders. The professors had cut him some slack, and he could continue with his life as before. 

My life, on the other hand, hadn't been so easy. My professors were furious, I had no excuse for my prolonged absence from College and almost everyone had assumed that I had dropped out. I tried mumbling an apology, saying that I had to go home because my sister was sick, but none of them really believed that excuse. I had also tried to come up with the excuse of a mental breakdown that had forced me to enroll myself in a sanatorium, and surprisingly, that excuse was well received. 

Thus, I am official lunatic now. 

I don't know how to process so much going on right now. I had no idea if I would ever see Cassie or Victoria again, and I really didn't feel good about losing either of them. I had lost Victoria once, but I didn't have the heart to lose her once again. And Cassie....the thought was too heavy to bear. 

"Hey Mike, wanna go to Chris' party today?" Jake asked with the familiar boisterous air. 

He was wearing a peculiar rainbow jacket, and had what seemed to be a feather crown on his head. Alas! His weird fashion sense has returned again!

"I am afraid, I have a lot to study." I said gravely, "the mid-terms are just round the corners, and I am grossly behind on everything."

Jake pouted, as if dismissing my comment. 

"Chill dude! They won't fail you. They are way too concerned about your mental health, now that you have had a mental breakdown and had to get admitted! They would be lenient and so I think you should get some relaxation too. Come with me to the party, meet some hot chicks and you will be as good as before!"

"No, thanks." I tried to decline his offer politely, "I am just tired. I want to stay home."

"Come on! Please!" Jake droned, "I really need someone to go with me tonight! After Linda's... death...well everyone's just...weird to me. I can't bear it, Mike. Is it not enough that I don't remember what had happened to her? Now, I have to face all their inquisitive glances too!"

Jake sat furiously on the couch frowning to himself. 

"I don't know what kind of person I am anymore. I mean, what kind of boyfriend doesn't even remember how their girlfriend had died? You say it was car crash, but why the hell can't I remember anything about it! Why wasn't I with her then? Why did she have to die, while I continue living shamelessly?"

Jake covered his face and started weeping. It's the third time in a week that he had broken down into tears, and I didn't quite know how to console him. Afterall, what can I say? That your girlfriend had died protecting you from a Magical being?

"You know the strangest thing, Mike?" Jake continued saying, "I just happen to remember a name, vaguely. Donald. Do you know who Donald can be? Was it the one whose car collided with Linda or something?" 

"Donald?" I frowned, "I have never heard that name in my life."

Jake sighed, then stretched his arms above his head and made a face. 

"Please come, Mike. I need you tonight, bro." He said pleadingly. 

How could I deny him after this? So, I reluctantly agreed to accompany him to whatever party he was going. 

I had a thumb rule in my life, that I hated parties of all sorts. They were usually full of raucous characters, trying to do the stupidest things and ending up hurting each other in the process. Also, God the noise they made usually gave me a headache!

But, somehow, this party was an exception. I think mostly because people had exams in a week or so, that it was sparsely populated. No one was singing at the top of their voice, or drinking themselves to their death. A few acquintences greeted me politely, before muttering behind my back about how I had recently recovered from a bout of insanity. 

There were mostly Jake's friends, who patted him on the back and started offering us drinks from plastic mugs. Jake immediately joined them, while I declined the offer of drinks and was left to entertain myself. 

I had bought my iPad with me, so I found a quiet corner and sat down to do some reading. Fortunately, nobody bothered me here, but my mind kept wandering off in different directions as I tried to concentrate on the words before me. 

Suddenly, I saw a mane of familiar grey hair flashing before my eyes. I looked up immediately, and saw myself starring right at Cassie. I looked at her shocked, then rubbed my eyes twice but this was no hallucination! This was Cassie standing right before me. Did she come here to rescue me? Why did she look so sad? I wanted to hold her and tell her how much I had missed her these past few weeks. 

I got up, wanting to talk to her and make sense of the mess that's been all over the place. But as soon as I got up, a mob of people suddenly entered the room, shouting and flinging stuff at each other. The raucous crowd had finally arrived. I had just turned my eyes from her for a single second, and when I looked back, Cassie was gone. Lost among the rushing crowd.