The next morning is hard, after staying in my room for a whole night and not talking to Iris or Elis, I don't think I can face them today. I stand facing the door, I jump up and down a bit to psych myself up. You gotta do this El, can't be like your old self, gotta toughen up and move on. What happened yesterday was only an accident, you didn't mean for it to happen. Even if Rainen did give me "that" look, I still have to interact with him, we're partners after all.

Last night I had Byu fly around me a few times, just to keep me company. I dismissed it after I started feeling sleepy.

After a minute or two of jumping up and down, I hear a voice down stairs, "Hey! Don't make so much noise!" I stop and hold my hands close to my chest. Whoops, I'm so embarrassed, I didn't mean to bother anyone. Before the rest of my determination leaves me I start reaching for the handle.

A knock comes from the other side startling me. "Hey El?" Iris says. "Are you coming to school today?" the nerve slowly starts draining out from me, I wanted to at least get out the door first before this happened. Now I might just run away again. Iris always takes the initiative.

"If you don't..." she pauses. "if you don't want to come with Elis and I we'll leave. At least try to come to school today, please?" she says nothing else.

"Let's go, she'll come out later by herself." Elis says, from her voice I can detect a faint sadness. I'm sorry I can't muster up any courage, I'm sorry that I'm too cowardly. They walk away, I listen to their steps as they grow quieter.

After I'm sure they're gone, I open the door and peek outside for anyone else. The coast is clear. One step at a time, my body draws nearer to the stairs. Somehow everything seems bigger, as if I've grown shorter. Slowly but surely I make my way to the far off academy building. Normally it would keep growing ever so slightly as I would close the distance with every step, but it's size multiplies every time I look.

I'll attribute that to my head constantly looking at the ground to avoid any kind of eye contact with others on the street. I left at seven thirteen, right now, from the clock in the middle of the expanding city square, it's been thirty minutes. Judging by how close it looks, I'll be there soon. Thank goodness that the guards don't shut the gate until eight exactly.

I wonder if they heard about the incident. It's best if they don't, I don't want them asking me about it, that happened enough yesterday with the teachers. I even thought about climbing the walls to avoid them.

I pass by without a hitch, they say nothing and only stare straight ahead, that makes it a lot easier for me. I'm glad guards are kept out of the loop of what's going on inside. With a few huffs and puffs I make it to the door of my classroom. Unable to open it I stand there for minutes.

"Ellar?" Miss Ein approaches me carefully yet calmly. "Are you going inside?" she says with a gentle smile. This is unlike the usual strict and stern Miss Ein.

"Uhh..." I don't know what to say. Such an easy answer to such a simple question but I can't say it.

She tilts her head to the side, "It's alright for today if you choose not to go." something unexpected comes out from her mouth. My brain tries to process her response, I wasn't expecting anything like this. "I don't want you to push yourself."

"N-no." I say. "It's okay, I'll go in." I've got to be strong if I want to leave those things behind. Miss Ein nods, I reach for the door but stop before my hand touches. I turn to her, "Miss Ein." I say.

"Yes?"

"W-will you teach me how to c-control my magic?" I ask.

She raises an eyebrow, I suppose I caught her slightly off guard too. After thinking for a short time she says, "Mhm. I'll help you." she pushes her new glasses up. "Stay here after class." she says.

"Alright." I open the door and walk in. Remember that thing about needing to overcome? Well I really want to take it back. Sixty pairs of eyes immediately focus on me, it's almost unbearable. I want to run away, I need some kind of book to hide my face.

Miss Ein puts her hand on my shoulder, "Everyone, please take your seats." and says her signature line. She hits me on the back with the flat of her hand, "You too Ellar, take your seat."

Thanks to the order that Miss Ein brings, I'm able to walk up the steps and sit next to my friends without too many eyes burning a hole through me. Both of them grin widely, it reminds me of the time someone asked if they could be my friend. I couldn't stop smiling the next morning and my parents started to suspect something was happening.

They found out I was sneaking out of the house and yelled at me. That was the first time something like that ever happened. Less and less I got to see them, their parents would pull them into their houses at night and my parents boarded up the window, my only connection with the world.

"Glad that you're back." Iris says, interrupting my thoughts.

"Umu." Elis mumbles trying to sound uninterested but her attempt at hiding her smile in her hands fails.

"Yeah. Sorry about y-yesterday." I say.

Elis's lips form a frown, "No need to say sorry. Sometimes... people just need some space." everyone I personally interact with seem to be feeling it. Her reply came back with its own hidden feelings.

"But I-"

"El. It's okay, we understand." Iris says. My shoulders relax and I slump into the chair. "But, it hurt to lock us out you know." she pouts. "We thought you hated us."

"Yeah, Iris was sweating a lot from pacing back and forth."

"Ku." I stifle a laugh.

Iris plays it off naturally, "S-so mean! I was concerned El. A-and you just laugh at my anxiety? *Sniff Sniff* That really hurts, right here." she points to her heart while wiping away invisible tears. I try to resist the urge to apologize but fail.

"S-sorry." I say.

"Now El. There's no need to say that." she smiles. "Just go get something to eat with Elis and I after today okay?"

"Y-yeah." I return her smile, "But I have to meet with Miss Ein today." I say. I'm glad they're different from my other ''friends.'' Miss Ein occasionally glances up at us but doesn't say anything. Iris starts to say something but Miss Ein raises her voice.

"Today class, we'll be learning about water magic." she quickly takes another glance at me. "I'll have everyone practice using it after I explain."

---------

"Since we're short one person, Ellar, you'll be practicing with me today." Miss Ein says. A confused look appears on my face, I turn my head to where black hair usually sits. He's gone.

"Let's go now." everyone stands and follows Miss Ein. A few people mumble about me as they pass by.

"Can't believe Miss Ein is giving her special treatment." one says.

"I don't like her partner, the guy who should be in a swords class, but even he doesn't want to be her partner."

I force myself to tune them out. Elis and Iris look visibly angered. Why would Rainen leave? Was it because of me? Tens of thoughts run through my mind as I start for the training grounds. The cold air outside has started to seep into the building.

"Just like any other day, one will be attacking and one will be defending. Just use the spell taught in class." she claps her hands and everyone disperses. "Alright Ellar, I'll defend while you attack."

I nod.

"Make it more powerful than you usually do. I can help you better after that."

"C-can I also ask something else?"

"What is it?" she asks.

"The problem is more like, like... I can't choose what happens sometimes. A-and why are we learning about water magic? The other classes don't seem to be learning it." the other classes would always be on the same page as us, so it's weird that there's no other class out here.

"I heard your little conversation with Iris and Elis, don't worry about it tonight. Go have some fun. That's why we're doing this in class. Also, this might be a intermediate spell but it's one of the harder spells to control." she tells me.

I nod in understanding.

"Okay. Here I go." I gather mana into my raised hands. Magic is either taught through feel or some have incantations. After gathering sufficient power, I start forming the shape, a simple circle. I set a few points in the design to have more mana than the rest so it can work, "[Bending Waters]!"

The ball leaves my hands and flies towards Miss Ein. Her barrier's up, its yellow radiance shines more brightly than the others.

Parts of the sphere, where I put in extra mana, bulges rapidly, like a child kicking their mother's stomach. Eventually, the bulges become so long they start hitting her shield and the ground, now's when I have to control it. I concentrate and will the whip like arms of the water to focus in one direction.

Dull sounds ring out as the arms smack against the sides of the barrier. At first, they're slow, but they begin to speed up. Soon enough, it's like watching a sword fight where one opponent is attacking but the other defends perfectly without breaking a sweat. I wish I could say the same, my hands are shaking, it's getting harder to control it.

"AAAH!" a shrill scream comes from another group. My spell's long arms flew over in their direction and almost hit one of them.

"Ellar! Diffuse the spell!" Miss Ein orders.

"I-I can't!" I yell back. I'm trying to stop my mana from flowing into my hands but it won't stop, it's like it has a mind of its own. Another shriek comes, Miss Ein starts chanting, I focus all of my attention to keeping the ball focused on an area with no people.

"S-someone stop this!" a girl I don't know yells. "This is crazy!"

"[Erase]!" the sphere disappears. "Is everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?" Miss Ein asks in a hurry.

"She could've killed me!" a boy shouts. "She needs to practice separately from us!" a few heads nod in agreement. I find myself looking at the ground. "I don't think that many of us want her here, right?"

"Shut up!" Elis roars. "A weakling like you, you're the one who shouldn't be practicing with us! El has just as much of a right as anyone else!"

"Why don't you go and partner up with her then you midget." Elis doesn't say anything. "See! Even you don't want to partner up with her. She's not normal."

"Y-you!" Elis raises her fist, it's coated in fire.

"UGK!" he falls to the ground clutching at his stomach. With her hand up, Iris stands confidently with an angry expression.

"You need to stop talking." she says.

"Y-you shot a rock bullet at me!"

"I only did it because you're being an asshole!" she screams.

"[Fireball]!" it flies from his hand.

"[Earth Bullet]!" Iris retaliates with her own spell that disperses it and crushes his hand.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHH! MY HAND!" he rolls around in agony before trying to fire another one. This time Elis steps in and punches him out cold.

"Stop this!" Miss Ein rushes over to them. "Everyone back to the classroom. You two, stay here." she points at Iris and Elis. "I can't believe you two did this. Neal, Elliott, bring him to the infirmary. I'll talk to these girls here. Ellar, you leave too."

"But-"

"It's okay El." Iris says.

"We're fine." Elis responds.

I reluctantly turn around and return to the classroom.

--------

I wait impatiently for Iris and Elis at the front doors. I could've gone to get a book but I don't want to miss them. As much as I'd like to hide my face right now, I can't leave here until those two come out.

Finally, after what feels like hours of the other students watching and commenting on me, Iris and Elis come out.

"Are you guys okay? Are you in any trouble?" the look on their faces make me want to hide. But their somber looks go away as I say that.

"Hehehahahaha!" both of them burst into a fit of laughter.

"What's going on? What's so funny?" I ask, was it so bad that they've gone crazy?

"It's, it's not-nothing El." Iris says trying to stop laughing. "It's just that you said it without stuttering."

I ask confused, "Wha-what's so funny a-about that?"

"Y-you u-usually st-stutter." Elis says stuttering. "It's just nice to see that you can say a few sentences without being so nervous."

My face starts getting hot, "I-I d-don't get n-nervous that much." they burst out in another fit of laughter.

"Co-come one El." Iris says still giggling a little. "Let's go get something to eat." she pulls my arm and leads me into the city away from the academy.

"I-I don't stutter." I say.

"Mhm, of course you don't" Elis says.

"W-was that supposed to be sarcastic?" I ask.

"No, I wouldn't do that to you El."

"You're doing it again!" I say.

"Nice. No stutter." Iris comments and Elis giggles all over again.

"Gosh." I cover my reddening face.

After a few minutes of walking Iris stops. "Alright!" she says. "We're here! It's a restaurant that's supposed to be pretty good. Or, at least that's what a few of my sources say."

"Inside we go!" Elis busts through the doors and is greeted by a woman who leads us to our seats.

"Your server will be here shortly." she says and walks back to the desk.

"What are you going to get Iris?" Elis asks.

"Hmmm. Not too sure."

"Better say it before our server comes, ah, she's already coming, they're fast!"

She has long dirty brown hair, it's easily visible from a distance. Her bright blue eyes sparkle as she gets closer, she pulls out a pad of paper and greets us.

"Hello, I'm Anne. How may I serve you?"

---------

Fufufu. Returning to Rainen next chapter.