The moment a person activates their magic, their eyes glow a bright color depending on their emotional state, and heart-shapes appear inside the person’s pupils. I’ve always thought that boosted eyes--as I like to call them--are the most awesome looking things to ever exist. But alas, I have never fallen in love before, and so both the magic and boosted eyes within me still remain dormant. However, just because you have those, doesn’t mean you’re immune to something such as a simple cold, like my unfortunate only friend, Cassandra.

Cassandra caught a fever a few days ago, so she hasn’t been coming to school lately. And I’ve been worried sick about her, I hope she’s doing okay. But even though Cassandra’s sick, everyday she still oversees my training at the beach. I run laps back and forth as I watch her read a book while enveloped in cozy blankets to stay warm at a nearby spot on the sand. I start walking, admiring how adorable she looks, even when she’s dressed like a slob for once. She notices me staring at her and getting distracted, and so she blushes a bit in embarrassment--which I of course confuse for a symptom of her fever.

She tells me in a nasally voice, “J-Just because I’m sick, that doesn’t mean you get to slack off, too. Okay, Belly? Sniff, sniff. Arpie High’s entrance exams are only four months away.”

Four months away, I think to myself, but for some reason I’m not as worried as I usually am. Maybe it’s because I’ve begun to show signs of improvement, or maybe it’s because of Cassandra and the tranquility she brings everywhere. My chest begins to ache again, and my body wishes for more of Cassandra. I really… want her--bad.

And so, I begin walking towards her, and for every step I take, the more I feel like running away. By the time she notices, I plop myself down next to her in the sand and I sit in silence for a good few seconds while she stares at me awkwardly. Say something to her you idiot! But try to sound cool while you’re doing it, too! C’mon you got this!

But of course, my dumbass voice decides to go through puberty now and cracks under pressure, “H-Hey, Cassandra?” Not only that, but I say the dumbest thing ever, “C-Can I tell you something?”

Her own heart begins to pound, “Sniff. What-What is it, Belly?”

“I know that I don’t have much to offer and I’m not strong at all, but for all the times you're sick--for all the times you don’t feel well--remember that I’m always gonna be here for you no matter what, too!”

This is the first time I’ve ever told anyone this. Cassandra’s face turns bright red and she even squeals a little and tries to hide her embarrassed face with her book.

“Stop it, Belly, quit being cheesy or else you’re gonna make me get carried away.”

W-W-W-What the hell do you mean by ‘carried away??’ And of course, my simple brain with simple needs only needed those two simple words in order to stray off into a fantasy of Cassandra in bed, erotically crawling towards wearing nothing but only the sheets of the bed covering anything inappropriate as she looks at me with a naughty eyes and sticking her tongue out in an arousing manner. As I seem to be completely lost in this fantasy Cassandra lightly smacks her book on my head to snap me back into reality.

We stare at each other for a few seconds right before she smiles and asks me, “Pervert, what exactly were you thinking about?”

“Huh? Ah. I-It's nothing.”

“Hmmm? Really?”

“Positive.”

“Well, anyway, thank you, Belly, for those kind words. Believe it or not, this is actually the first time any guy has ever told me that. Sniff, sniff.”

“What? R-Really? That’s impossible!”

“Mhm. Positive. Sniff.” She blushes and leans a bit closer as her and I watch the sunset, “And I’m going to make you keep what you said, too, you got that, punk?”

“Haha. Yeah, of course. Don’t worry Cassandra, I’ll never leave, and I’ll always be by your side.” We both lean a little bit closer.

“You-you better, Belly. Sniff!” I can hear a small high-pitch in her voice, as if she were about to start crying. “Promise me, Belly. Promise me that you’ll never leave my side. Sniff!”

She looks down towards the sand, trying her best to hide her tears. I’m completely baffled by this, for as long as I’ve know Cassandra, I don’t think--I truly don’t think I’ve ever witnessed her be so open with her feelings before in front of anybody. I don’t know what to do.

But I remember all the months her and I have spent together, day and night. How she’s always been there for me, but I have never once been there for her. I really am an idiot. I really am a selfish piece of shit.

“Cassandra? Hey, don’t worry…” I don't know what else to do but this, “I promise that I’ll always be by your side, no matter what. I will never ever leave you.” I lift her hand and pinky promise.

“Belly…” she whispers, “Sniff… Th-Thank you.” and she smiles once again like the Cassandra I’ve always known.

We start to lean closer and closer each other. This is it. I think to myself. I’ve finally found the girl with whom I want to share my peaceful life with.

But as we are about to kiss, a powerful shockwave approaches us at the speed of sound. And I recognize this power--this magic. It's Joshua, it has to be.

An abundant amount of sand is blasted through the air, a blast that can leave several severely injured. Cassandra and I get completely blown away, but fortunately, her and I were okay because for the most part as we landed in the water, and almost everyone else had already left the beach due to it almost becoming nighttime. Still, however… Cassandra is sick, she can barely move or write her own name, let alone oversee my training!! Why?! Why?!?! Why do this?! What the hell is this asshole’s problem now?!?!

I make it up to the surface, “Gasp! Cough, cough! JOSHUA!!! Cough!” I almost drowned, but I didn’t care, I was too full of rage, I wanted to destroy Joshua, but then I quickly realize that Cassandra has yet to make it up to the surface.

“Cassandra… CASSANDRA!!!!” She must’ve gotten trapped in her covers!! She can’t swim like that!! She-She’s going to drown and die!!! “CASSANDRA?!?!?!” I run and throw myself back into the freezing ocean water, “CASSANDRA, PLEASE BE OKAY!!!!”

But then I hear it. Another shock wave approaching.

BoommMM...

Is-Is he seriously trying to kill us?

I take a deep breath and dive under water, hopefully to avoid the shockwave as much as possible. A loud Boom! passes over me, and I could feel a touch of what felt like Cassandra’s covers. I quickly turn around to look, and there she is. Sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean. She’s unconscious, I have to save her!!!! I swim and I swim, and I just keep swimming but I just can’t reach the sort of depth she’s in. Cassandra… she’s going to die because of me, I violently grit my teeth in anger, If only I had some sort of magic, then maybe I could save her… But I’m still… I’m still too weak!! How funny that I begin to cry under water. I’m sorry, Cassandra… I’m sorry, I can’t save you… I might as well just die with you… I’ll fulfill my promise at least. I’ll fulfill my promise of never leaving your side. At the very least…I’ll do… that… I could faintly hear another shockwave over the surface of the water, but it was mostly inaudible due to the lack of oxygen in my brain. Everything begins to go black. All of my senses, one by one, begin to fade. By now, I’ve accepted it. I’ve accepted that I’m going to die by the hands of my biggest bully afterall--Me...

But I refuse.

C’mon, get up!! Don’t you dare fucking die. Don’t even think about dying!! I exhale all the air I have left in my lungs, and slowly begin to sink towards Cassandra’s depth. You can’t die and you know that. You still have so much to do!! I grab Cassandra’s arm and pull her up towards me. You still have to make Cassandra proud, you still have so many new friends you have yet to meet!! I begin to kick as hard as I possibly can, trying to escape the jaws of death and make it to the surface. You promised yourself that you’d prove everyone who thinks of you as a failure wrong!! You promised to someday defeat Joshua, with or without magic!! I can see the light, Cassandra’s going to make it, You promised Cassandra that you’d always be there for her, no matter what. And you know you will accomplish this--all of this--WITH YOUR OWN STRENGTH!!!!

“GASP!! GUHH! COUGH! COUGH! I MADE--BLUB, BLUB, BLUB, GASP--I MADE IT!!!!” I reach the surface with Cassandra in my arms. As I make it to the shore, I gently lay down Cassandra, and then throw myself next to her trying to catch my breath. “Hah, huh. Hah, huh…” I then think of Cassandra and look at her. Please, please be okay. I slowly raise my hand to touch her face. I can’t live in this world without you Cassandra… Please… don’t die.

After performing half-assed CPR--minus the kissing, just the chest pumping--I pick her up and take her as far away from the water as I can and gently lie her down on the sand. A few seconds pass, then a few minutes pass, and before I knew it, it was nighttime, but Cassandra finally begins to open her eyes. “B-Belly? Are you okay? Achoo! Sniff…”

I say, overjoyed, “Cassandra, you’re finally awake!! Yes, thank goodness!!”

Her eyes meet mine, “You… you saved me. Didn’t you?”

I really didn’t know what to answer. I’m still not sure whether it was really me who saved Cassandra or someone else. Because… “How can someone as weak as me ever save you, Cassandra?

Cassandra smiles and sits up, then touches my face with her warm hand, “Have you ever heard that old saying, Belly? The one that says--love makes you do the craziest things? I think… I really think you went through something similar like that today, huh? Hahaha.”

I can’t understand. How can someone have so much faith in me? How can someone believe in me so very much? Why? How? Cassandra… I really am falling in love with you.

“Uh.” Cassandra falls, but I catch her in my arms.

“C-Cassandra?! Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I’m fine don’t worry. I’m just wondering something. What the hell happened to my clothes? All I’m wearing are my bra and panties.”

Oh, crap! “Ah- Um. Well, you see, you’re clothes were wet and you have a fever and--and I’m just a simple man with simple needs?”

Cassandra’s face all of a sudden turns brilliantly red and teary, “You… You fucking pervert! SNIFF! DIE!!”

“I regret nothing. Woosh!” and I run for it. “Aaahh!!”

“Get back here! You jerk! Achoo! Achoo! How could you do this to me?! Achoo!”

And as Cassandra chases me around the beach, trying her best to cover her wet, sand-covered body with her arms, I graciously run for my life.

However, as this is occuring, Joshua watches us from afar, and his eyes glow a violent red-orange color with broken-heart-shapes in his pupils. He walks away, thinking that he has no hope of ever getting close with Cassandra, as her and I have. For the first time ever, Joshua has lost against me, and I didn’t even know it.

But honestly, I wouldn’t have cared one single bit either way. I’m just happy that Cassandra is okay.