The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Forty - Jacket

Crystal Raine Meadows

My alarm rang, so I groaned and immediately stood up before shutting it off as I proceeded to do my morning rituals.

Ate Kathy was worried about me after I got home yesterday, she was worried why my eyes were red and sore like I've been crying for a long time.

So I told her that Calyx and I trained with heights today, so she looks really surprised at what she has heard from me.

She didn't know that I was scared of heights and just like Calyx, she asked how I managed to ride Kuya Draven and the ferry dragons.

I told her everything that will calm her down and reassure her, she didn't interrogate me that long as I've decided to pack some of my stuff that I will not use for the remaining weeks before we move there in the flower park village.

After that, I also studied last night because I don't have much time to study so eagerly when I'm at school.

I dried my hair with a clean towel and used some blower to dry it off faster. After wearing my uniform, I descended the stairs and was greeted by the smell of our freshly baked white bread.

"Good morning to the happy family!" I greeted them, so all of them just looked at me before smiling. They're all gathered in the dining room.

"Raine! Raine! Raine! Good morning!" little Trevy raised his hands, so I chuckled before giving him a small tap in the head.

"Good morning indeed, Crystal," Kuya Draven greeted, so I just nodded at him before sitting on my designated chair.

"Good morning," Ate Kathy immediately placed my hot chocolate on the side, so I thanked her before taking a small sip to warm up my stomach.

"Crystal, I noticed that there's an unfamiliar jacket on the laundry, it's black in color and has red linings on the edges, is it yours?" she asked, so I furrowed my eyebrows while trying to remember if I borrowed some jacket.

My eyes widened when I remembered Calyx threw it at my face when I was almost harassed by Henry, I just remembered that I still have to give it back to him jeez! "I-Is it clean, Ate Kathy?" I curiously asked, so she just nodded at me.

"Yes, it is clean, are you going to take it back now?" she asked, so I just nodded at her before scratching the back of my head.

"I-I almost forgot to give it back to him," I bit my lower lip before putting some butter on my warm white bread.

"Is it Calyx's?" she asked, so I flinched before slowly nodding my head at her. I glanced at her and she's just smirking at me.

"What's with that weird look, Ate Kathy?" I complained because she looks like she's teasing me again and this freaking early in the morning.

"I'm glad to hear that you two are getting along so well," she claimed, so I scoffed before laughing at what she said.

"W-We're pretty far from that, he's like a freaking glazier during a snow day," I mumbled, so Ate Kathy just laughed at my statement.

"You're close, believe me," she winked at me, so I just sighed while shaking my head as I peacefully ate my breakfast.

What happened yesterday lingered in my mind again as I felt his warm hug and soft caresses on my back. I don't know why I feel like I wanted him to do that to me again.

It just feels so right, I bit my lower lip and just shook my head at my absurd thoughts, I must be out of my mind thinking those kinds of things.

After finishing my breakfast, I brushed my teeth and threaded my bag lightly on my right shoulder. A knock on my room was to be heard and I saw Ate Kathy handing me over that familiar jacket.

I smiled when I remembered that he threw this at me to protect me from being harassed, Calyx acts like he cares and doesn't sometimes.

"I've never seen you smile like that before, this jacket must have a sentimental value to you," Ate Kathy teased, so I flinched while shaking my head.

"He threw this at my face when I was harassed when my skirt almost flew," I informed her, so Ate Kathy stopped as her face became serious. Crap, I almost forgot that I didn’t tell her that because it was long ago before all the worse issues had happened.

"You didn't tell me about this, were you being bullied that much in your classroom?" she asked, so I bit my lower lip before averting my gaze at her.

"I don't want you to worry that much, so I kept it until you finally heard the worst thing that has happened to me," I explained, so she just sighed while shaking her head at me as she pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you for telling me and please, from now on, you have to tell me what's happening that bothers you," Ate Kathy whispered behind my back, so I hugged her intently.

"Yes I will, thank you, Ate Kathy," I sincerely said as she escorted me out of their house. I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

After we got out of the main door, she tilted her head after seeing Flash on the front waiting patiently for me.

"Is he always there waiting for you every morning?" Ate Kathy asked, so I giggled before nodding at her.

"Yes, he always waits for me every morning and every time my classes are over," I shared before pacing towards Flash.

I took out some roasted veggies and let him have his breakfast, "I see, well, have fun at school, Crystal," Ate Kathy bid me goodbye, so I waved my hands at her before waiting for Flash to finish eating.

After he ate, I slowly mounted him and heaved a deep long sigh while holding on to his saddle intently.

"O-Okay Flash, fly slowly because I'll try opening my eyes from now on whenever you fetch me," I mumbled as I felt my fingers shaking.

Flash growled like he was worried about me, "I'll be fine, go on and take me to school," I ordered, so the small red dragon just roared and slowly flapped its wings.

I tried to keep my eyes wide open, but it was just too much for me to handle as I just kept on blinking like an i***t up in the sky.

Flash slowly landed on the main entrance and roared, so I just sighed because I didn't manage to keep my eyes open for one minute.

I patted Flash's scaly head before giving him a small smile, "Don't worry, I'll manage to get a hang of it soon, I don't want to burden your master," I happily beamed before bidding him goodbye.

My feet brought me to my lockers and got some reference books, I closed and locked them before proceeding towards my room.

I halted when I realized that Jenny, Liam, and I didn't bid each other goodbye on good terms yesterday.  Jenny and I quarreled for the first time and it makes my heart ache just by thinking of it.

My eyes peered at the main door of our room, they're probably here and I don't know what I'll say if ever they speak with me.

Jenny stepped over some line and I also got upset because she didn't write me a letter after everything that had happened.

She always writes to me if I feel something, either sad or happy, so it feels so odd not to receive anything from her.

I just shook my head and reached towards the handle of the door. I was almost surprised after seeing that some of our classmates were back from suspension.

Clara is back too, I heard that she was about to get expelled but her parents bargained with the Leaders so she managed to stay here.

Oddly, no one dared to look at me as they minded their own businesses. I felt relieved to reach towards my chair without someone approaching me.

I sat comfortably on my chair and didn't realize that my group of friends was looking at me intently from the side.

On my peripheral view, I saw Liam looking at me intently while he's playing with his fingers. Jenny, on the other hand, was secretly glancing at me while talking to Rowen.

Her pride must be one of the reasons why she can't approach me right now, she has to approach and confront me. I wanted for her to do that because she was at fault.

I just sighed and focused on my notes, the door slammed opened and it revealed to us the student council together with Calyx.

He looks so deep in thought while pacing towards his chair, I wonder what he is thinking? I just shook my head because it's not my freaking business.

After he stood comfortably on my back, I didn’t hesitate to take his jacket off my bag and gave it to him, "H-Here, I almost forgot to give it back to you," I called him, but he just looked at me intently.

"Are you alright, woman?" he didn't mind his jacket as he stared at my eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows at him, is he talking about yesterday?

I nodded, "W-Well, I feel better than yesterday that's for sure," I gave him a small smile before giving back the jacket to him.

"H-Here um, thank you for what you did that day, sorry it took me this long to give it back to you," my hands were hanging in the air as he stared at me intently, how long is he going to let my hand hang in the air?

"I don't need it," he coldly replied as he kept on fixing his things before settling down on his chair.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him as I stared at his jacket, "You don't want this back?" I confusedly asked, so he just looked at me intently.

"No, your clumsiness might've been clinging on that and it might infect me," he coldly said, so I glared at him.

"That's not how it works and for your information, this was freaking washed, jeez," I complained before turning my back on him.

I was being nice to him because he comforted me yesterday and now he's back on being a blizzard jerk!

"Woah, I didn't know you two were this close now," David commented, so we both glanced and glared at him.

He laughed when he noticed our reactions, "Jeez, if looks can kill, I'll be dead meat," he raised his hands in defeat, so Razer Black just laughed.

Numerous eyes were to be felt looking in our direction and I saw my group of friends looking at me intently.

They must be curious why we're like this right now. Shaking my head, I focused on the class when Mr. Light arrived and taught us about the topic included in the pre-examinations.

Pre-examinations mean that it's just the preparation for the upcoming big exams, after this, it would be the moment of truth of my physical tests.

I also have to work on that more from now on. The second bell rang and I fixed my things. I felt bad that Jenny, even Liam, wasn't talking to me yet.

I just sighed and continued fixing my things before threading them on my right shoulders, I guess I have to study alone in the Library again.

"Hey Crystal," David tapped my shoulders, so I flinched before looking at their group, "Do you want to join us at the library?" He invited me.

"L-Library? Are you going to study there too right now?" I curiously asked, so David just nodded at me.

"Yes and not just any places in the library, but I'm going to invite you to our special room there," he smiled, so my eyes widened as I felt my hands shaking with excitement.

Being part of the top five student warriors or human dragons will gain access to a very special room in the Library. That’s where you can study and stay when you’ve got nothing to do, those rooms also contain lots of history and legend books that you can read about this world, there are also some reviewers over there that you can read or study for your paper exams.

I glanced at Jenny and Liam, they're just secretly glancing at me while averting their gazes at what I'm currently doing right now. Rowen looks like he's trying to push them to talk to me, so I just sighed before looking at David.

"I-Is it really alright for me to come?" I could feel my eyes shining because of my excitement, so David just laughed before wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

"Yes! Of course, you are very--" David was cut off when Calyx grabbed his hands away from me as David screamed in pain.

"D-Dude ouch! Stop squeezing my hands!" David complained, but Calyx just glared at him intently.

"Don't put your hands to where it doesn't belong," Calyx firmly said before casually exiting our classroom.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him, so David just laughed while stretching his joints.

To be continued...