The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Twenty Eight - Back to School

Crystal Raine Meadows 

After a week, there was an announcement that we're finally getting back to the University again. Ate Kathy informed me that things are starting to recover more at the Diamond Districts with the help of many people around the realm that weren't affected by the natural disaster.

Though everyone's still wondering why didn't the natural disaster post alarmed, it was created for us to be ready and to avoid accidents like what happened at the Diamond District.

I tried studying about it and tried to get information from Ate Kathy and Kuya Draven, but they said they don't have any that could help me understand.

Jenny and I were always writing to each other, she always informs me about the condition of Rowen and Liam. I'm just glad to hear that they were all doing fine now and those people I helped to lessen their pains at their current hospital right now.

Despite all that trouble, I can tell that I was improving on my physical ability, I'm more flexible, my stamina improved, and also my footwork and power.

Though sometimes, I still trip over a lot of things, which is a phenomenon I couldn't solve why is it happening. But all of my improvements are all thanks to Calyx.

He's starting to be nice too despite his cold expressions, he always brings extra bottles of water for me and towels, which I found really...cute. He isn't the caring type of person, so I don't know why he's doing all of that.

I blushed at the thought and started wearing my uniform. It's early in the morning and I'm thinking of embarrassing things.

"Crystal! Come down and eat breakfast, you've been in that room for like hours!" Ate Kathy complained from below, so I just sighed and bit my lower lip.

"You're exaggerating, Ate Kathy! I just wore my uniform right now!" I screamed and didn't hear another response.

I took my time to get ready before looking at the mirror to see my reflection. After seeing I look decent enough, I paced downstairs and my nose immediately embraced the smell of freshly baked chocolate cupcakes and cookies.

"Woo! It looks like Ate Kathy's favorite foods are our breakfast this morning," I beamed before greeting them a happy morning.

"Well yes, eat up because I heard that you'll be staying late at your University today, something about clean-up drive," she informed, so my eyes widened.

"W-What? We're going to clean the University? Are they for real?" I complained, so Ate Kathy just nodded at me.

"Like it or not, it's your reality now, so eat up!" she beamed, so I had no other choice but to sit on the chair and started eating some rice meal that she also prepared this morning.

Ate Kathy's so sweet to bake something for me to eat late in the afternoon. I'll bring some extra to give to my friends and...Calyx.

After eating breakfast, I brushed my teeth, recounted my books and notebooks, brought some extra clothes because I left training clothes on my lockers that haven't been used since the disaster.

"I'm off! See you guys later!" I bid them goodbye while running downstairs. I threaded my bag lightly on my right shoulders before reaching out to the doorknob of our main door.

"Don't be so hasty, you know your sickness, your clumsiness," Ate Kathy reminded me, so I just bit my lower lip before nodding.

I closed the door behind my back and noticed that Flash was waiting for me in the front, "Hey Flash! Good morning!" I greeted, so the small red dragon just approached me and bowed.

He purred when I reached out to its head and massaged its chin, "Let's go to school early today," I inhibited while mounting his saddle.

Without a warning again, he flew up, so I whimpered before closing my eyes as I held onto his saddle intently.

"D-Don't fly that fast, Flash, or I won't give you any roast veggies!" I threatened, so Flash did go slower which calmed me down as my eyes were still closed.

I felt that he was flying down, so I peered at where we were and noticed that we're in the enchanted forest.

"F-Flash, we're going to the University today and not training," I wanted to scold this dragon that keeps on doing things that I don't like to do.

"Why are you still here?" I flinched when I heard that voice, I turned around and noticed that Calyx was approaching us while his hands were resting on his pockets.

I almost gulped because he looks extremely out of this world right now, my heart is panicking and I still don't know the reason why.

"Hey woman, answer me," he impatiently requested, so I bit my lip before pointing at Flash who just hid from the tree to poop. That small red scaly dragon! I'll not give him some roasted snacks later on! Why would he do this? Jeez.

"A-Ask your dragon, he's the one who took me here, I thought I was in school when we landed here," I stammered before scratching the back of my head.

"I can walk from here, you can take the ride," I suggested, I turned my back on him and started walking when he gripped my shoulders from behind.

"Ride with me," he coldly invited, so I could feel my heart pounding so rapidly against my chest.

"You won't mind? You don't have to push yourself, I know you like it to be alone," I claimed, so he let go of my shoulders before forcing me to look at him, which shocked me for a moment.

"Who told you that? Who wants to be freaking alone?" he sounded like he's pissed, so I wondered for a moment because his red glinting eyes were so full of emotions.

He let go of my shoulders and paced towards that small red dragon, "Are you coming or what? If you want to be late then be my guest," he stated before mounting Flash's saddle, so I swiftly sprinted over there.

"I-I'm coming!" I sat behind his back and after we settled in, Flash flew up and I don't have any handle behind my back.

I could feel the fear rising to my chest as I closed my eyes and held on to what's in front of me.

"H-Hey woman, don't touch me," he complained, but I just held on to him tighter because I'm afraid that I'll fall or see what's below us up in the sky.

"J-Just let me do this, please? There's no handle here," I shakingly explained, so he just didn't mind me after I felt that Flash landed.

The lids of my eyes slowly opened and I let go of him when Flash softly flew to land on the cemented grounds in the main gates.

I didn't notice a lot of eyes watching us as I went down on the saddle first, "Thanks, I'll see you at training later," I bid him goodbye and Flash, but surprisingly he came walking beside me.

"Are you following me?" I curiously asked, so he furrowed his eyebrows at me before smirking. My eyes widened because it's the first time I saw an expression on his face.

"We're classmates, so I'm obviously walking on the same path as you are," he firmly stated, so I blushed when I realized what I had just said.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I just thought I-I," I didn't continue my babbling because I've got nothing to say. I'm too embarrassed right now!

After we arrived at the room, we entered the main door together, a lot of noise pipe down after they saw us enter.

They all look like they're wondering why we're together right now,  so I lowered my head and sat peacefully on my chair.

Why do some people on the right side of the room feel like they're wanting to kill me after what they saw? Does Calyx have a fans club? I just shook my head.

"Woah, Calyx my man, you entered with Crystal together, that's good," I heard David Ronin complimented as I heard slamming of fist from behind.

"Shut up Ronin, or I'll strangle your neck," he threatened, but David Ronin just laughed on our backs as they continued pissing off Calyx.

"You can't blame us dude, it's the first time we saw you enter with someone today, it's pretty refreshing," Razer Black said this time, so Calyx continued cursing them from behind.

"Crys," I flinched when I heard Jenny's voice on the side. Rowen, Liam, and her are already attending the class this early. Crap! She's going to interrogate me, isn't she?

"O-Oh um, good morning Jenny," I gazed at her and she's giving that look, the look like she wants some information right now why she saw us together.

"You're going to talk to me later, is that okay?" she calmly asked, but I could feel her eyes burning with the desire that she wants to know as soon as possible.

"Alright, alright," I politely answered, so she just nodded at me as we waited for the professor to arrive.

"Are you and Calyx together?" I flinched when I heard Liam ask that, so I nervously laughed while shaking my head.

"Are you even hearing what you're saying, Liam? Why would I end up with that guy?" I asked while biting my lower lip.

"It is possible, you know? He might have affections for you and I don't like it," he smiled at me, so I stopped for a moment.

He didn't look at me anymore when someone called him to talk as he excused himself, what the hell does Liam mean about that? Calyx doesn't have affection for me, he's just teaching me because it's his punishment.

I just shook my head and focused on class. While waiting for our professor, our classmates were talking about what happened in the disaster. Some of us we're still absent too because they were probably affected badly by that disaster. 

The class started and Mr. Light looks like he has been not sleeping for days, but surprisingly, he can still teach us very well.

He informed us about the news about the disaster and thankfully, a lot of things have been recovered.

"And also students, don't forget that we'll have a clean-up drive later, don't go home or you'll meet me in detention," Mr. Light threatened, so a lot of students gulped and pipe down as we waited for Mr. Light to leave our room.

After I stood up, Jenny grabbed my hand and dragged me away from our room, "Hey! Jenny! Slow down!" I complained, but she insisted on dragging me so the boys won't come after us.

"So what's going on between you two?" she immediately asked after we settled down on a bench near the garden.

"W-Who? Are you talking about Calyx?" I curiously asked, so she nodded at me and she looked like she couldn't believe I'm asking that question.

"Don't play dumb with me! There's also something off about you!" she argued, so I just sighed while scratching the back of my head.

"Jenny, nothing is going on between me and Calyx, we're just tutors and students," I calmly explained, but she just shook her head at me.

"Then why did we hear that you went to school this morning and you two entering the room together is proof of it!" she insisted, so I just sighed and explained to her why we ended up together in one dragon.

After I explained, Jenny looks like she's finally understood what happened, I like this part of her sometimes.

"I see," she mumbled while playing with her fingers, "I'm sorry for being like this, I'm just worried about you," she mumbled, so I tilted my head at her because she looks like she's about to explain more.

"I-I just don't trust Calyx that much because of how rude he was to you and many people," she mentioned a fact, so I chuckled because I agree with her.

"I agree with you, but I know you won't believe me that he's also nice sometimes, we've been training a lot alone together, so I think I could tell and claim that," I smiled before standing up.

"Plus, I'm not going to keep things from you, so let's go and have some lunch because we'll be proceeding on our own training and will meet up in the fields," I invited, so she just smiled at me as we both paced out of that garden.

We took our time and ate lunch together, the boys wondered where we went but Jenny and I didn't bother answering them.

After lunch, we bid each other goodbye and separated ways as I went to the special training room. I was excited to learn a lot of new things today because Calyx mentioned that the other day.

We'll be training more aggressively today and with weapons this time. After I arrived at the training room, I checked on my lockers to get my training clothes and paced towards the restroom to get changed.

I giddily tied my hair and tried to get out because I'm already done, but to my surprise, I think it was locked from the outside.

"U-Um hello?" I rummaged at the doors and even used force to open them but it didn't budge, "Hello is someone there?" I called out, but no one answered me aside from soft giggles that slowly disappeared from the outside.

"H-Hello, please open this door!" I begged and tried to open the door, but it was no use.

I-I'm scared of being locked in, I-I...

To be continued...