The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Thirty Four - Day Out

Crystal Raine Meadows

A day has passed not so peacefully, Calyx gave me a hard time on my training yesterday because he knows that I'm leaving for the next day.

He was so ruthless and as usual, he didn't say anything to me yesterday. I was actually expecting him to talk to me or something, but he didn't.

We just trained all day and if he noticed something I'm doing wrong, that's the only time that he'll talk while staring at me intently.

He also trains a lot on his own, I don't understand why he's training that hard when he's a human dragon, they don't have to fight because their mates will fight for them with the elements that they will share with them.

Plus if there are crucial times sure physical strength is needed, but Calyx looks like he's training himself for something so big.

I find it really admirable to see him train like that, it made me accept that Mr. Light was right, he is the strongest human dragon in our University for this new year.

"Crystal! What time are you leaving again?" I heard Ate Kathy shouting from below, it's so early in the morning and her son might still be sleeping.

I already took a bath and did my morning rituals. I will probably study for a moment because we'll meet up at noon. They said we'll go sightseeing in the mountains after eating at a fancy restaurant in the White Market.

"At noon! Can I pack some extra snacks, Ate Kathy?" I yelled so that she could hear me and she just answered yes.

After drying my hair, I have decided to open the big red book of the ancient dragon languages with a smile. 

My nose embraced the smell of the old and new book that aroused my appetite for reading more of this kind of stuff.

Dragon languages are not really necessary for me to study, it's just used for displays or if you want to understand a dragon more.

This might also be handy if I had a mate someday that doesn't talk that much in his human dragon form, I stopped and furrowed my eyebrows. Calyx slipped on my mind for a moment when I mentioned those words.

What the hell? Why did Calyx slip off my mind when I thought about dragons that don't talk that much? I just sighed while shaking my head as I continued to read more about this book. I'll bring this back sooner or later.

I didn't realize that my door opened until someone patted my shoulders, which surprised me for a moment.

"G-Gah! You scared me, Ate Kathy!" I complained, but she's just staring at me intently while shaking her head.

"You'd be dead if I was your killer, you should focus more on enhancing your senses," she scolded, so I bit my lower lip before nodding.

"Y-Yes, I-I'm really working on that," I solemnly answered, so Ate Kathy just pinched my cheeks.

"O-Ouch! O-Okay that's it, what is it that you want Ate Kathy?" I raised my eyebrows at her before letting go of my notes.

"There's nothing that I want, I just want to inform you that we're starting to pack some things and furniture because we'll be moving to the flower park village soon," she beamed, so my eyes widened.

"R-Really? How soon?" I curiously asked. I wondered about moving to the flower park village, I couldn't help but think about the fact that Calyx lives there.

"Maybe two weeks from now after your field trip!" she informed me, so I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"F-Field trip? What is that?" I curiously asked so she cupped her mouth before scratching the back of her head.

"Shocks, that was supposed to be a surprise for the students, it's an event created by the student council, Hailey informed me about that, you guys will be having a trip to all Districts while learning new things!" she announced, so my eyes widened.

"W-Wow, that's a really great opportunity to learn and visit some other small libraries around! I heard we all have different kinds of libraries in different districts!" I squealed excitedly, but Ate Kathy just glared at me.

"You're not just going to visit some library woman, you're also going to have fun with your friends, part of the field trip is being closer to your friends and mates," she explained, so I pouted at her. Is that really necessary?

"I'm already close with my friends and I don't have a mate yet," I informed her, so she just looked at me before patting my head like some tamed animal.

"Maybe you already found yours and you're just oblivious to it, sometimes we don't realize how much a person means to us, just like when I first met your Kuya Draven," she smiled like she was reminiscing some happy moments.

I smiled because I heard how those two met, if it wasn't for Mrs. Hailey, they wouldn't make up with each other.

"Now you hurry up, didn't you notice the time? It's almost noon," she informed me, so my eyes widened in disbelief.

"Y-You could've told me that first!" I panicked and started fixing up my things first before getting dressed. She told me that she'll wait for me downstairs while preparing my snacks.

After fixing my notes, I decided to slip into my comfortable clothes. Skinny jeans and a fitted black shirt partnered up with some black sneakers.

I should've worn the white one, but we're hiking a mountain today, so I don't want my sneakers to get dirty.

My feet paced towards the mirror and put some light color on my lips and powder, I don't want to look pale today.

"There, I'm ready," I smiled at my reflection before grabbing my bag that's filled with books, notes, water, extra clothes, a first aid kit, a survival kit, and towels. It's a bit heavy, but I can manage, being ready for a lot of things is more important than not being prepared.

I descended downstairs and was greeted by the sweet smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies of Ate Kathy. That smells so good!

"Good afternoon to the happy family!" I beamed before kissing little Trevy on the forehead, so he giggled as I bowed at Kuya Draven.

"Good afternoon, Crystal, you look excited," Kuya Draven greeted, so I just laughed before nodding my head.

"I am, and excuse me because that smell is taking me away," he chuckled at my statement as I left the dining table.

"Wow, did you bake a lot of cookies for me?" I excitedly tapped my hands on the kitchen island, so Ate Kathy just smiled at me.

"Of course, you're going out with your friends, I want you to have so much fun," she mumbled while putting those cookies inside a big box with parchment paper on the inside. I can't wait to taste those!

"Here, make sure you share it with them, don't be greedy," she warned, so I scoffed before laughing at her.

"Of course, I'm going to share!" I argued, so she made a funny face like she doesn't believe me.

They teased me until I bid them goodbye from their main gates. I decided to take a stroll and went to Jenny's house, that's where we'll all meet up.

It took me a while to get there and knocked at her door, "Hello! Jenny! I'm here!" I called from the outside.

The door was immediately opened, so we both cheered and hugged each other, "I'm so excited about hiking! We've never done this before!" she beamed, so I agreed with her.

"Yes! I took some books too about animals just in case we might find something interesting," I informed her, so she pouted at me.

"Leave those books! Just enjoy the breeze of nature! Come inside and let me check your freaking bag!" she dragged me inside and noticed that the boys were already there as they waved their hands at me.

"Good afternoon, Crystal!" they both greeted me, so I just greeted them back before wondering why they're all here so early.

"Oh um, was I late?" I asked, but Jenny just shook her head as she took me inside of her room. It was like nostalgia hit me when we were having sleepovers before here.

"They were just excited like us and came here so early, now let me see what's inside that freaking bag," she ordered while gesturing her hand to have my bag.

"B-But, we may need it, you know? What if we got bit by the poisonous snake there?" I claimed, so she shook her head at me.

"We're not going to be bitten silly, give me the bag," Jenny insisted, so I have no other choice but to give it to her.

She started rummaging inside of my bag and removed all of the things she thinks that I shouldn't bring.

"Five books? You brought five books on this one day out?" she glanced at me. so I just shrugged my shoulders.

"I need to be knowledgeable about a lot of things," I mumbled, so she just sighed and removed all of the stuff we didn't need aside from food, towels, water, first aid, and survival kit.

"There, you're all set nerdy," she teased, so I shook my head at her, she's really impossible sometimes.

After that we went out of the room to meet up with the boys in the living room, "We're all set! Is everyone ready?" Jenny excitedly asked so we all nodded at her.

"Good! Let's go! The mountains can wait, but not us!" she cheered as Rowen came to calm her down because she's jumping all around the room.

"We should eat first, Jen before going to that mountain," Rowen scolded, but Jenny just complained.

"Is she always like that?" Liam tapped my shoulders, so I just giggled before nodding at him. He must be so overwhelmed by her bright energy.

"Yes, better get used to it," I winked, so he just smiled before offering his hands to me. I stared at it for a moment before gazing at his chocolate eyes.

"Your bag must be so heavy, do you want me to carry it?" Liam politely asked, so I shook my head at him before smiling.

"No, it's alright, Jenny already unloaded some stuff she thinks that is not important," I explained, so he just gave me a small smile before pointing at the exit.

"Let's go out together then?" he invited, so I just nodded as we talked about some stuff while riding a ferry dragon towards the White Market to eat at a fancy restaurant.

Luckily, no one found out that I was scared of heights because we rode separated ferry dragons. I suddenly missed Flash.

He's probably training right now with his cold, ruthless master. I shook my head at my absurd thoughts.

"Why am I thinking about him? This is an outing that I get myself to relax," I mumbled while sighing deeply.

It didn't take us a while to arrive at the White Market, it wasn't my first time being here since I sometimes accompany Ate Kathy to do some grocery shopping.

She knows all of the good stuff here and this place is so festive that makes you want to do some impulse buying.

We talked and bonded with each other until we arrived at that fancy restaurant, Rowen talked with the receptionist, but it looks like we have a problem.

Rowen paced towards us before scratching the back of his neck, "Our reservation was canceled, we're an hour late," he sighed, so our eyes widened. Wait, is it my fault that we're late or something?

"W-What? It says here that we just arrived on time, maybe they're just mistaken," Jenny pointed at the paper, I paced towards over there to check and she's right, we're a bit early either. What the hell is wrong?

"Yes, I told them that, but they said that we're mistaken, there's someone reserved at that time," Rowen continued explaining, so Jenny got furious and almost went over there to attack them.

Luckily, Rowen stopped her and calmed her down, Liam and I stayed quiet while sighing at the sight of them.

I stopped and dazed off for a moment before exclaiming, "H-Hey! Why don't we just eat street foods? It would be much fun since we're going to roam around the White Market, I know a lot of goods!" I suggested, so Rowen and Jenny stopped as Liam went to my side and raised his thumbs.

"That sounds fun, shall we go and find some goods?" Liam invited, so Rowen and Jenny stared at each other for a moment before smiling. 

When they agreed, we cheered and the adventure of our food hunting started.

To be continued...