The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Forty Five - Realization

Crystal Raine Meadows

Hours, minutes, and seconds passed by like bliss as it's the start of our pre-examination tests. Mr. Light announced that after this, we'll be having the main examination at noon after lunch, which surprised us for a moment.

"W-What? B-But we're not prepared for that for sure," some of the students complained, but I remained quiet from the rest of the class.

"These pre-examinations will be your review, like it or not, it's going to happen today," Mr. Light firmly said, so a lot of students groaned and grunted like they're pissed off.

I'm glad that Jenny and I also prepared last night for this, so we're not panicking that much. I'm confident in all the things I've taught her.

"Hey, you're quiet over there," I flinched after hearing Liam talk to me. I slowly looked at him, he's just smiling at me intently.

"I-I'm sorry for pressuring you on answering me or being with me, I know it wasn't right, sorry for taking this long to apologize, I was just so embarrassed," he whispered, so I just smiled at him.

"I was really upset that you are not talking to me, you should at least know that," I pouted while I'm feeling a bit teary.

He sighed before reaching out to caress my hand and gripped it intently, "I'm truly sorry, that won't ever happen again," he reassured, so I just smiled before biting my lower lip.

I also have to answer him, so that I won't intentionally give him false hope, "I'm also sorry Liam because--" 

He used his fingers to stop me, "And please, you don't have to answer me anymore," he gave me a sad smile.

"From the beginning, I knew what your answer was," he mumbled before scratching the back of his head, "But it was worth a try," he winked at me, so I just chuckled as we both reviewed for the exam.

I felt a thud from behind and glanced at the back and noticed that Calyx was just glaring at me, so I furrowed my eyebrows at him while shaking my head as I decided to review.

It didn't take us a while until the start of the pre-examinations. We kept our notes away and Mr. Light gave out the papers that's filled with questions that we will be facing later on. After he distributed it, we focused on our own papers.

We didn't take much time as we're all finished answering at 10:30. Jenny stretched her joints and ran towards me.

"Thanks to you, I might survive this year and graduate," she mumbled happily, so I just chuckled while shaking my head. She's exaggerating again.

"Now, now, don't get too happy, we still have the main exams at noon," Rowen wrapped his hands around my best friend's shoulders, so Jenny just pouted.

"Hey, hey, don't go flirting at the sight of me," I complained while pointing my fingers at them, so Rowen and Jenny just glanced at each other before laughing.

"I didn't know you hate this kind of scenery," Rowen continued laughing together with Liam, "I'm just glad that everyone's okay now," he meaningfully said.

We all just smiled at each other as we gave each other a group hug, "Hey you guys, do you want to join us?" David Ronin jumped on my side and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

I was about to complain when Calyx appeared on our side and punched David away from me, "W-Woah dude are you alright?" Razer Black asked while checking David's face.

"Yeah he's alright, he's barely breathing," Razer smiled at us, which made me shake my head. Barely breathing and he's still alright?

"That was just my normal punch, you might sleep on your deathbed if I used my full force," I heard Calyx humming while pacing away from us.

"Don't listen to him, he's a jerk," David smirked before looking at Calyx. He already left the room after he punched David.

"Why did he punch you? Are you guys not on good terms?" Jenny confusedly asked while looking at David who just laughed at her question.

"Oh don't mind that i***t, he just doesn't want anyone around his property that I don't know if he has plans to claim it," he mysteriously said, which confused us for a moment. Property?

"Now where were we? Oh right! Do you guys want to join us at the Library?" David asked while looking at my group. They look confused that the student council was asking us to come with them.

"Oh please don't bother coming, Crys, they just want you to cook them some lunch,'' Rayleigh appeared while glaring at those boys who just pouted, which made my group laugh.

"Oh well, it's been a while since I tasted Crystal's cooking, count me in!" Jenny beamed before running to Rayleigh's side to get to know her better. They looked like they immediately clicked with each other.

"Well, we don't have a choice, we go where our girls will go," Rowen smiled at them as Liam shook hands with the student council.

"Well let's go! No time to waste!" All of the boys cheered as they sprinted away from us, we girls sighed in unison before staring at each other, we laughed to our heart's content as we decided to follow those boys.

I didn't know that from the far corner of our room, there are a lot of students watching us have the fun that we deserve as we leave our room.

***

After we arrived at the library in the north before deciding to enter the place towards their special room. I smiled because I didn't know that some students are really serious about studying for their examinations.

"I thought I was going to be screwed at that last equation, I'm so glad Crys woke me up to answer that," Jenny sounded relieved, so Rayleigh just chuckled.

"See I told you, that's why I never stopped telling her to solve that," I stuck out my tongue to her, so we three just chuckled and arrived at the main door of the special room.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you've been here right, Crys? When we didn't talk to you?" Jenny asked, so I just frowned at her statement.

"Yeah, I've been here and you don't have to remind me about that and I had fun here," I stuck out my tongue again, so Rayleigh just laughed.

"I'm just glad that I'm finally talking to girls my age," Rayleigh played with her fingers for a moment, which worried me.

"Everyone likes to avoid me because I'm part of the student council, so those boys became my company," she gave us a sad smile, so I frowned at her.

"I didn't know that they were avoiding you, why didn't you tell me that?" I curiously asked, but she just shook her head at me.

"It isn't a big deal, it wasn't lonely because Peter is always there to keep me company," she blushed, which made me smile.

I wrapped my arms around hers, "Well from now on, you have those boys and us, right Jenny?" I glanced at Jenny who immediately agreed with me.

"Thank you guys," she almost teared up, but I just shook my head and opened the main doors of the special room. Our eyes widened after seeing it was a mess and Calyx was just studying peacefully on the corner like he didn't care what's going on.

"Peter! I said that cupcake was mine! I reserved it for myself yesterday! You're being greedy!" David sounded furious, but Peter looks like he's dedicated to keeping the cupcake he was holding.

"There's no way I'm letting you have this!" Peter screamed as they started running around the special room.

Jenny and I glanced at Rayleigh who looked like she was starting to lose her patience, "Enough, or I'm calling Mr. Light right now!" she screamed, so the boys stopped with their eyes widened.

"W-We're sorry, please don't call him," the boys said in unison, so she just rested her palms on her forehead before looking at us.

"See what I have to deal with every single day? I love them, but they're just being too much sometimes," Rayleigh complained, so Jenny and I chuckled at her statement.

It didn't take the boys a while to clean up the special room, Rayleigh threatened them to do so. It's a bit hilarious because they look like they're all scared of her.

Liam and Rowen were busy roaming around the place while Calyx was still busy reading, he's truly serious about studying.

After the whole room was cleaned, Rayleigh told the boys to study with Calyx as we girls will make our lunch first.

"We'll prep the ingredients and you chef," Rayleigh pointed at me as I started wearing the apron, "You'll start cooking," she winked at me, which made me smile.

"Yes ma'am, will do," I winked and saluted at both of them, so they laughed while shaking their heads at me.

My eyes peered at Calyx who looked at me for a moment before glancing at his books again, I just shook my head and decided to start cooking creamy meatballs.

It's my favorite dish that Ate Kathy cooks professionally. I didn't waste any more time and decided to cook lunch for us so that the remaining time that will be left is for our studying hours.

Even if we're busy cooking lunch, I could still feel Calyx looking at me intently from afar. I'm starting to get anxious about the way he stares at me.

"If someone keeps doing those stares a candle might melt here!" Rayleigh complained, so I looked at her and she just winked at me.

"Don't mind it girl, just focus, he does that a lot to you at our classroom," she whispered, so I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

What does she mean Calyx does that a lot? I just shook my head and immediately mixed the ingredients they prepared for me.

It didn't take me a while to finish because I have two girls aiding me on my side, I missed having moments like this. Lately, it feels like I'm pressuring myself too much trying to forget all the things my classmates did to me.

Though it's not that affecting me that much anymore, I'm just afraid that someone might attack me again for no reason.

Plus after these examinations, we will have our field trip before the field exams. I can't help but be nervous about it.

"Alright, it's finished," I beamed before glancing at those two who just raised their thumbs at me as we prepared the dining inside of that room.

The boys immediately ran to their seats as they waited for me to serve the main dish for our early lunch for today.

My eyes peered at Calyx who just casually sat down beside the student council while his hands were hidden in his pockets.

"Woah, you're not going to eat at the ramen house today? That's a first for this year," David teased, so Calyx immediately glared at him.

"Shut up if you still want to live, David," Calyx threatened, but David just laughed while hugging his stomach.

He must really like to piss off Calyx a lot, "Quiet down boys, or Crystal won't serve you any dishes," Jenny scared them this time, so the boys pipe down.

After I served the main dish, all of them happily took their own serving because I created many meatballs for us to share.

Everyone looked pleased with what I cooked and I couldn't help but be proud of myself for what I did.

"Your cooking tastes so amazing! I missed this Crys!" Jenny beamed while serving herself another batch of meatballs.

"Thank you," I smiled while taking mouthful bites of my food before staring at my newly found friends. I'm glad they like what I'm cooking for them.

"What else do you cook? Do you also bake? Can you bake chocolate chip cookies?" David curiously asked and he received a blow from Calyx on his head. These two must be really close to each other.

"That's a great idea, I'll bring lots of food too," Liam suggested, which made me agree with him.

"Sure, I'll try to bake one on our field trip," I promised, so David cheered while sticking his tongue out to Calyx, who looked highly pissed.

"Do you also use science in cooking?" Rayleigh curiously asked, so I almost choked on the meatball I was planning to eat.

"N-Never use science at cooking, it'll be a mess," I warned her, so she just nodded while writing down on her notes, which made me chuckle.

I stared at the odd group before me and I couldn't help but smile because we're in one place and getting along well with each other.

The rest of our early lunch went by peacefully as the boys volunteered to wash the dishes, we girls decided to rest and study for the upcoming finals at 2 PM.

To be continued...