I searched for Liam. "Why didn't you say you would be my teacher?" I exclaimed, shoving the schedule up in his face.

"I will?" he wondered in surprise and took the paper from me.

"Don't play dumb," I said. "You knew."

"No, Aline," he replied. "I didn't, I swear."

He looked at me where I stood with my arms crossed. "It must have been a last minute change. It must have been when they saw how difficult it was for you to control your ability. And they must have seen the two of us hanging out, and chose me as your teacher to make you feel safe."

My anger subsided a little. "Maybe you're right," I said, turning a bit. "Sorry."

"It doesn't matter," he smiled.

I said goodbye to Tristan and Katie before walking with Liam and Bruno out to the car. I had already gotten used to wearing the school uniform. It fit perfectly and I liked the little detail with a tie in the colors of the Blue Topaz. It showed the month I was born in.

It didn't take long for us to get going after saying our goodbyes. In just minutes we were already several kilometers away. It felt like Liam was trying to escape, escape the fact that from tomorrow he would be my teacher and not my guide.

But still, he had said he would come home, see Mom again after all these years. And maybe he would even look at Simon a little quickly. Just to see how he was doing.

I had already decided that would be the first thing I did anyway. After Liam and Bruno left again, of course.

I slipped the key into the keyhole and unlocked the door. Once inside I heard footsteps on the stairs and mother appeared in front of us. She stared at us at first, standing so still that for a second I thought she was not pleased with my return. But then I noticed who she was looking at. Liam. She recognized him.

I don't know if it was from his visit that day or if she now realized who he was.

"Hello, Mrs. Blake," he said to tease a little.

But Mom hadn't let it go yet. "It's Ms, young man," she said, staring at him with narrow eyes. "I thought it was obvious by now."

Liam looked almost a little scared, as if he knew what Mom was like when she was angry. He probably did too. "I know, I know," he laughed. "I'm just teasing you, Ms. Blake."

Mom looked at him contentedly. "Thank you very much," she said.

Then she turned to me. "You never said they would come home with you. Then I could have prepared coffee. A cup of tea maybe."

I shrugged. "I didn't think you'd be happy," I said. "After... you know..."

She dismissed it. "It's calm now." She turned to Bruno and Liam. "What sort do you want?"

Bruno was about to answer, but Liam cut him off. "Thanks, but we'll probably go. Gotta get up early tomorrow and get our lesson ready." He winked at me as he said the last thing.

Mom saw it because the first thing she said when they left was: "What was that about?"