Embers & Spells

3 – Oil and Water

The advantage of being popular at school was it was easy to find a group whenever needed. Mr. Angeles, our Physics teacher, loved throwing activities every now and then and forced us into groups. For him, the many brains involved in thinking, the easier the activity would be. But in reality, it wasn't always the case. Two would probably be serious in solving problems, while the other two would be busy chatting.

I had never been grouped with Agatha in the past years. I was the kind of student who was always the last one to find a group. And I was picked because there was nobody else to choose from. Seeing Agatha in the same circle as me, it felt odd. She surely was on full display that we were now friends and some people she knew started smiling at me, like they were doing it the entire high school years. And what made the whole day even more strange was being in the same group as the new transfer guy, and the Math wiz.

The classroom was full on chattering and mumbling, the sunshine dripping from the window blinds made me dizzy. The tables were arranged into circles, all seemed so into solving the sample problem written on the white board. I tried to focus but my mind already rejected the idea of understanding the activity. It was something about projectiles, but the lesson was far lost in me to comprehend.

“Tana? Hello?” Agatha gently tapped my arm, her wide eyes focused on me.

“Yes?” I asked, lost in their conversation, or whatever it was.

She gestured her hands toward Inigo. His chocolate mesmerizing eyes was on me, his thick eyebrows and straight nose perfectly matched his full lips. He had a face that would leave a lasting impression. He smiled at me, showing off his dimple, as if his beauty wasn’t enough pleasure in the eyes.

Agatha smiled at me. “This is Inigo, the new student. I told you about him, remember?”

“Really?” Inigo leaned closer to us, once again seeking my eyes. “Good things, I hope?” he said, a gentle smile on his lips.

“Yes, nothing as bad that you’d be the next talk in town, don’t worry.” My response was followed by silence, as if I said something I shouldn’t have. “I mean… It’s all good- “

Inigo chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re cool, I like that.”

“And sorry, you are Rhys, right? Arawn Rhys?” Agatha muttered, tapping the table.

A soft sigh escaped from the mysterious guy, his austere jawline added edge to his sharp cold eyes. This was the first time I had seen him up close and his aura seemed the same- a bit reserved and intimidating.

Arawn just looked at her.

Agatha blinked.

Inigo cleared out his throat. “I think we should go on with the activity now.”

“You can answer problem four. One to three is done,” Arawn stated, addressing Inigo.

“Should we go over the answers then?” Inigo replied, pointing at his notebook.

Arawn pushed his notebook to us. “You can just copy.”

“That’s so great!” Agatha chimed in, reaching for Arawn’s notebook.

“I am capable of solving problems myself, but thanks.” Inigo replied, refusing to look at the notebook.

The Math Wiz tilted his head to the side, as if trying to understand the situation. “I’m not saying you are not capable. I’m saying you can just copy since it’s already done.”

“We can’t just copy your work. We should work on this as a group, isn’t that the idea of this activity?” Inigo seemed the kind of guy who won’t be told what to do. He looked pretty smart himself.

Arawn rested his back on the chair, a ghost of smirk on his face. “Ideally, it is. But since you are busy introducing yourself as the new transfer student in campus, I thought you’re not interested in this little activity. After all, we don’t have all the time to solve this.”

For a moment, the room felt smaller, the walls closing in on us. I had never witnessed guys being on their full-on display of their egos, claiming who should be the alpha. Just like wolves claiming territory or pack.

My stomach churned. No. Not from hunger, more from annoyance. I had been feeling irritable the past couple of days. “We still got twenty minutes to check it over. I don’t think there’s harm in checking.”

“At least we think alike,” Inigo commented, turning toward me.

The guy kept his silence while Agatha looked like she enjoyed the show. I wasn’t one to usually burst out like that, especially that outcasts like myself didn’t have voice in this kind of circle. This was a first for me. Wasn’t this the effect of having my soul damned in the underworld? That my true self and desires were bare and the evil side of me already unleashed?

My chest heaved and a lump formed in my throat. The underworld was a destination I had never imagined I would end up to. I have to save myself. I really have to save Erin.

Once again pushing the chaos swirling inside my head like a tornado, I averted my eyes and my gaze fell onto Inigo. He quietly worked on the activity, the rising heat from their conversation seemed gone from the look on his face. Peeking over at the Math Wiz, I saw him watching the new guy, as if Agatha and I weren’t even present. One thing was for sure, though. They were oil and water. They would repel each other.

****

“Tana Axle Riva?”

I looked up, meeting Ms. Roche’s eyes, an expectant look on her face. “That’s me,” I said as I stood up.

Ms. Roche was the go-to of the students wanting to apply to be a student assistant. She was small and thin, hair always neat and kept in a bun. She looked more like a librarian. She gave me a smile and handed me a paper.

“You said you’re good in computers and designs, is that right?” she asked.

I nodded.

She pointed at the paper she gave me. “That’s your contract. A graphic designer at COMMS office is a great fit for you, my dear. Wednesday to Friday, three to six, then six hours on Saturdays. That okay?”

I opened the contract and instantly looked for the rate. It was an extra money I needed now more than ever. “This is more than okay, Ms. Roche. Thank you.”

She smiled and nodded, waving her hand. “They are waiting for you at the office, I believe. Read and sign that contract, then give it back to me tomorrow. No rush, Tana.”

I felt the excitement coursed through me, knowing I was accepted. But Exhaustion suddenly crawled down my shoulders seeing the time was almost five.

As I headed toward COMMS Office, my heartbeat drummed for reasons unknown to me. Seeing familiar faces doing unfamiliar things made me a bit anxious. I used to wish to be seen, to easily make friends, but now that it was happening, I found myself lowering my head. Entering the office, I talked to the secretary in the front desk and she led me at the far right of the room, to where there were two computers, barely fitting on the table.

The COMMS secretary, Ms. Dana, introduced me to the head and muttered the things I would need to do. She then turned around, pointing to a corner leading to the pantry. “Oh, and if ever you needed anything, you can ask Arawn. He pretty much knew anything, given that he’s been assisting with us for three years now.”

Peeking to where she gestured her hand, I saw Arawn leaning at the doorway, with the same disinterested face. Beside him was another girl, another familiar face.

“Arawn, Claire, this is Tana Axle, our new student assistant.” She introduced, a small smile on her lips. “I’ll give out tasks on Saturday. Everyone, be here on time, okay?”

“Okay,” I answered when Arawn kept his silence and just nodded his head.

“Will do, Ms. Dana,” Claire said, her tone sweet and pitchy.

The secretary then walked away, leaving us three in the tiny space.

“So, you’re the new bestfriend.” Claire’s voice rang out, her eyes with thick mascara focused on me.

“Sorry?”

“Agatha’s new pet,” she muttered. The sweet tone of her voice quickly melted. “I mean, she used to pick up strays and befriend them.”

I bit back my smirk, not wanting to add fuel to her unfounded hate. I could dismiss her nonsense. Or I could have easily made her feel pain but I held myself. No more harming humans even though they deserved it. I wouldn’t want to dig my soul deeper into hell.

I chose silence.

“If you’re done barking, can you run along and have the permit approved by the student council?”

I glanced at Arawn, surprised to hear him say that.

Claire rolled her eyes and stomped away, like a kid.

It dawned on me that she was hanging out with Agatha before. She made it pretty clear she didn’t want to hangout with me.

“I didn’t know you’re a student assistant,” I said to Arawn Rhys, attempting to converse to lighten the mood.

“We can’t always know everything, can we?” While he had a deep and manly voice, he made sure his tone to sound bored.

“You’re not very friendly, are you?” I retorted, annoyance in my tone. I wasn’t sure what his problem was, but I hoped he would stop acting like an ass.

He just clicked his tongue, still frozen on the doorway. “You tell me, Tana Axle. We’re both outcast at this school.”

I raised an eyebrow, still trying to act cool. “Excuse me?”

He said nothing and just walked away.

To say that I was left surprised was an understatement. How could some guy be as an asshat as he was?