Enchanted Life - 6. Chapter 6 Touching

When the fight between Mason and I was over, I eventually had to free him from the Black mirror enchantment. It wasn’t my plan. I wanted to kill him because he was trying to kill me during the fight. The announcer and the other teachers requested for me to let him free from the dark glass encasing that held him prisoner.

I let him free, even though I didn’t want to.

Ashlynn’s bleach blond hair was bouncing in his face when I walked to him. He kept jumping around me in tiny circles, asking the same question repeatedly.

‘How did you do it?’ ‘How did you do it?’ ‘How does the black mirror enchantment work?’

I could only answer one question at a time. I know he was happy I was able to pull a win out for the sorcerer’s group. Because it was taking everything inside of me not to jump around like Ashlynn was doing.

I won my fight! I also knew there were some things I could teach Ashlynn and Talan now that my true skills have manifested.

As I was leaving the field, I was walking to the stands, sweating. I stretched my physical form to its limits almost. If it wasn’t for the daily training I think I would have passed out before the match ended. My powers definitely needed to recharge after being choked, nearly killed, and using most of my abilities for the Black mirror enchantment.

Which seemed to be the talk of the guys. When I made it to the stands to take my seat. I kept getting congrats from other fighters who won. I got high fives from some of the other guys, even some of the losers were nodding their head to show their compliments to my win.

I was so proud of myself. Earlier when I sat In the stands I was so nervous I couldn’t think straight, my knees kept shaking, my hands were sweating and I could not get one of my thoughts to process anything correctly. My mind was a mess, and my focus had left. Somehow I was able to regain everything I was missing when the time presented itself.

I didn’t let myself down.

When Chance saw me sitting in the stands he left his group and came to sit close to me. which was one bleacher above mine. At first I didn’t know who had sat down. I thought it was another random fighter coming to get a better view, or someone just plopping down.

Until I felt someone’s hand clamp down on my shoulder. Then a fire like whisper grazed my ear and rush past my neck. “You better had won.” He proudly smiled. I didn’t have to look at his face to know he was smiling, or to know it was him who was whispering.

My brain had his voice programmed to be recognized anytime he was speaking. I could always tell when he was around now. His existence was becoming a part of my existence. Anywhere he was I wanted to be, anything he participated in I wanted to be a part of, everything he knew I wanted to know. It sounded ridiculous but I am coming to realization about my feelings toward him. I’ve been putting them off and keeping them on hold but I can’t do that anymore.

Chance’s whisper was in my ear again. With the same fire, and with proudness only I could feel. “If you would have lost, I don’t think this tournament would be worth fighting in.”

It was so wonderful to have a guy like him be proud of you. It was something worth winning for too. I would fight in another match just to hear him say those simple words to me again.

What is wrong with me?

I think Chance still wants to fight me. He wants to ‘light me up’ as he would say, but the way I’m feeling, I think I can take him on.

After the last battle was fought in the arena. The announcer thanked everyone who participated and thanked everyone who came to watch. Then he let the fighters return to their dorms. All of the winners knew they would be returning tomorrow for the second day of the tournament. All of the losers will be in the audience cheering, now that they can’t participate in the fights.

I was in my dorm, Letting the shower water get hot. Every now and again, I would stick my hand under the sprinkling shower head to see if the waters temperature had warmed. While I was waiting, I had the unbelieving idea that the first day of the tournament was over. The idea kept striking me in the head.

I don’t see how I managed to win the fight against Mason. How did I pull my strengths together to defeat a worthy opponent like him? I don’t even remember where I learned that black mirror enchantment anyway. I never went over the enchantment with Ashlynn or Talan when we were training at the gym.

Was this something that was in my blood line of sorcerers? There had to be some connection with my family and the black mirror enchantment. Today when I was fighting Mason the thought just occurred without question. It was like I knew how to cast the enchantment. It was like it was my fortieth time casting the black mirror.

It had to have come from one of the women sorcerers on my mom’s side. My grandma, great grandma, aunts or someone had used this enchantment often. It felt too familiar to me. How could that be? And if one of my ancestors did use the black mirror enchantment, what did they use it for? Whatever the reason was, I knew it definitely was not for a tournament.

When the shower warmed I let those thoughts rest, and climbed into the tub, pulling the shower curtain across the rod, so that I can clean my days work of stink off.

When I started soaping my body in the soft bubbles. I noticed my arms were beginning to get heavy with soreness. I could barely reach my legs to rub them with suds because my arms were hurting from the fight. My hands were trying to relax in the warm water flowing down from the shower. The muscles all over my body wanted to loosen but they seemed to be tightly held by the tension I put them under today.

I would need a full body massage on each of my joints before the tournament was completely over. I was starting to see that the fight zapped more from me than I thought it would. At least the showers increasing hot water lessened the throbbing in my tense arms and leg muscles.

Dirt, and tiny pieces of grass were being washed away from my skin, and swirling down the drain. Leaving me with a new layer of clean skin. I also tried washing my hair. I knew since it was a long length, it may have picked up some filth when I was on the battle field.

I was busy messing with my hair when I started thinking about day two of the tournament. I wonder who my next opponent will be? What will their skills be? Will I have enough techniques to beat them? …will my muscles be less sore in the morning so I can at least try to win something? There was a lot to think about. More than what I was thinking about before day one of the tournament. I knew above all else, that I must be better tomorrow than I was today.

I started rinsing my hair out, and then I began washing my neck. When my wash cloth wiped its softness around my tender neck. It stung. There was a dry rash burning against my neck for some reason. I kept picking at it trying to wash away the pain, trying to let the hot water take care of what the wash cloth couldn’t.

What was wrong with my neck?

That’s when I understood. I knew why my neck felt like a rash was growing on it. I left the tender bruised skin alone. It will only get worse if I keep rubbing it with this towel.

I felt the print of hands still wrapped around my neck where Mason was choking the life out of me using the extended shadow arm. The hand grabbed me with such vengeance that it left a bruise around my neck.

I still think it was by luck that I was able to get out of the hand’s grasp.

I turned the spraying shower water off. I needed to get in bed soon. There was more fighting to do tomorrow, and I needed to be ready on all accounts. I have to get sleep so that my awareness is sharp, and my alertness can pick up on incoming attacks that other fighters will be launching at me.

After drying off, I stepped into my room. I dried the remaining wetness from the tips of my hair. When I got closer to my bed I didn’t suspect to see what I was seeing. Especially since the tournaments were putting every group against the other.

That’s right. I didn’t expect to see a bundle of covers wrapped to cover a body on my bed. Which I knew was no one other than Chance. Why was he here when he knew that we could be matched up to fight tomorrow?

This wasn’t a good time to be friends. Especially, when the battles could come to someone’s death. I don’t like sharing a bed with someone who is my friend, and tomorrow I might have to kill him, or he kills me.

Maybe this is what he wanted… he wanted to get close to me. Wanted to get so close to me that if we ever had to fight I wouldn’t kill him, Because of our friendship. That way, he could take an easy win!

Maybe that was his strategy all along. Chance was no fool. I’m sure he was using his strategies outside of the field as well as in the battle field. His strategy for me was, to play like we were friends so he could light me up in front of the millions of screaming fans.

I won’t let that happen!

It won’t happen!

We can play friends but he shouldn’t think that I will go lightly on him. I have something to prove. I have to be recognized as someone great. I have to earn my title as the greatest sorcerer amongst them all. I can’t let a ‘friend’ get in the way of that. I have come too close to be thrown off my element.

I studied Chance’s sleeping body as he laid wrapped in my covers. I came closer to the edge of the bed never taking my eyes off of him. I slid one leg into the bed, noticing his black muscle shirt exposing his olive toned arms. My sight could depict every line, and smooth curve that gave him his muscular tone.

I finally, slipped into the cool covers of the bed. When I did, I couldn’t stop staring at Chance’s back. His back was hardly showing, thanks to his muscle shirt, but I could see the groves in his back. Where his back was even toned. My eyes went up to his streaked head closely staring at how his hair sprawled out on the pillow.

His body was inactive. His body was at rest, and his breathing was slower than it normally would be because of that.

I wanted to turn my back to his back so that I could get my sleep for tomorrow, but I couldn’t. From what I was seeing and trying to understand, something else was twirling my mind. Something I couldn’t really explain. All I knew was it felt like something good, then it started feeling like something bad.

My mind continuously toyed with me. Feeding me things I knew wasn’t real. Making me imagine things I didn’t feel like entertaining, giving me a hard time.

Suddenly, I scooted over towards Chance’s back…

What am I doing? What am I thinking?

As much as I found myself fighting these ideas, I found myself doing them anyway. There was a struggle happening inside of me. There were so many things, and so much going on I didn’t know what to think about first. I didn’t have a clue of what to do or what not to do. Everything was colliding and running together.

Chance’s back was giving off body heat. My chest was only three inches or less behind him. I know I was way too close. Way closer than what was considered comfortably normal to a guy, but I was in another mind.

If Chance woke up anytime while I was this close. I’m sure he would batter me to the pulp. There was no doubting his actions but I was being tempted by him. I was being drawn into his body even though he was not awake.

I was being snatched into his fire…his tempting hot fire.

How long had I felt like this? Did this just come over me or has it been something I was trying to keep away?

The temptation of his body heat was lingering on my chest and rolling down my stomach. His heat was keeping me from caring if I got battered. I was only staring anyway. It’s not like I was touching him or staring at private areas.

I wanted more of him though, and I don’t want to back away!

He was hard at sleep. While I was awake watching him like a sleepless stalker. In the stray light I could see my breathing moving the tiny unsightly hairs on his bold shoulder. Each of my breaths were moving the small hairs… that’s how close I had come to him, but I still wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to be closer.

I wanted his body heat to be on me.

My chest to his back… or his chest to my chest.

I laid my head down on my pillow, holding my mind back from all the tempting thoughts. I resisted something that tried to summon itself through me. I knew if I let my thoughts get the best of me, I would lose a friend for sure.

Lately this guy has been in my head, not as a friend either. In my head in a different than normal way. If he knew what was going on in my mind and what I was struggling to fight against, he would dissociate himself from me and his friendly late night visits will be no more.

How could I think of a close friend like that? I feel so perverted for doing that. I almost feel like I owe Chance an apology for thinking of him like I was right now. This wasn’t my first time thinking of him. Throughout the day I had to stop myself from thinking about him off and on in class. Every night, I anticipated his knock. Wanting him to come by but I was only showing my negative side purposefully, so I would believe: I wasn’t attracted to his body, or his personality.

Regardless to what I thought about him, I always wanted him around. I complained in the beginning that he was trying to be my friend to find out my powers, to see what I was capable of, but that wasn’t true. I knew it wasn’t true but I wanted to believe it was. I complained that he was up to something, and that he was trying to get me not to kill him in the tournament but that wasn’t true either.

I wanted to think all of my negative thoughts, and strange feelings toward Chance wasn’t what they were. Sometimes I think these different thoughts of him have been in my head since day one, I always have thought of him the way I do now, but I didn’t want to think about him like that.

I like him.

I really like him. Admitting it, was harder than realizing it.

What is wrong with me? I didn’t come to Celestial Academy for this. I closed my thinking, and turned my back to his back. I was no longer facing my temptation. I wouldn’t have to worry about doing something out of my character.

This was my best move. I faced away from Chance’s glorious hard structure. Turning my back to help myself better resist my sudden thoughts. I did it to prevent myself from carrying out the perverted ideas I was having.

Chance was laying on his left side facing the wall. With our backs to one another, I could go to sleep, and stop thinking about my friend in ways he would find disturbing. In ways that made me want him more, picturing him as more than the friend he introduced himself as when he walked into my dorm.

I didn’t have to think about him much after I wasn’t facing him. Because my plan worked. I wasn’t thinking too hard about him anymore.

I was drifting into sleep when I saw him flash in my head. I wasn’t completely in the dream world yet, but I was just about to enter, and a picture of Chance flashed before me. Bringing me back to where I was laying in the bed.

I thought I had got away!

I couldn’t hold back what was being thought of in my mind. Why couldn’t I keep him out of my head?

Suddenly, I couldn’t deal with the temptation anymore. It had become so great that I couldn’t burden it any longer. I was losing hold over myself.

The moment I tried to quiet the uproar in my mind, it only spun out of order and became worse. More flashes started to rapidly shoot through. I started seeing flashes of: muscles, olive skin, his blood streaked hair, his fingerless gloves, his flames, his handsome attractive face. It seemed like everything about him was flashing behind my mind. Even the things I probably didn’t know I was noticing about him were coming to mind.

My body flipped to the side so that I was looking at his back. My eyes were scanning him from behind, I was looking at his back, his hair, his shoulders...anything that the covers left exposed, my eyes wanted to see.

Then it came to the point where seeing wasn’t enough… I wanted to touch him!

My fingertips tingled with sweat. Waiting to see if I would put them to use, wanting to feel the heat this boy was giving off through his smooth skin. I know my fingertips anticipated the feel of his muscle under their touch… I wanted this badly.

It’s only touching, right? Just a small feel wouldn’t hurt, would it? Was I really going to do this? Was I really thinking this?

What if he wakes up? What if he feels betrayed by me after I touch him? This was enough to get me kicked out of the bed, kicked out of his life, and kicked out of Celestial Academy.

It was the hardest battle I’ve ever had. Trying to weigh my options, trying not to go along with the temptatious boy of fire laying next to me.

…but yet my hand slipped from under the cover anyway. Slowly reaching to his body.

I wanted it!

I was careful, being gentle with my hand, and steady with my reaching so I wouldn’t wake him. It was such a short distance between us but it still seemed like it was yards away. Easing my hand slowly on his sleeping body heat. My fingertips made slight contact with his rising and falling shoulder. The skin of his was moist. It probably came from sweating in his sleep.

When my fingers were on him, and he did not wake. I instantly felt red hot sensations of fascination on contact. I should have stopped. It would have been smart to discontinue the touching. It was already going too far. I went from thinking about him and his magnificent features, to watching him like a stalker, and now I’m touching him.

It wasn’t suppose to get this far.

I lifted my fingers from his sapping warmth. My fingers were trying to drink his existence. Trying to make some of him become a part of me. It was so odd that when I lifted my fingers from the connection, they started to feel empty with coldness. The longer I kept them away from his marvelous tight skin, they felt like icicles were growing out of them.

My fingers wanted more. They wanted another drink of his sweet, moist, heat. My fingers were feeling cold without him so they needed something warmer to melt the ice. To fill the emptiness growing in them, and inside of me.

Using the edge of my thumb I glided it in the crevices, and dents that formed his firm triceps. I allowed the curiosity to overcome me. I let the temptation become me, and I continued on with my exploration.

The heat, the toned arms, everything about the contact I was making with him was filling me with everything I was craving for. I think I can let my hands explore more of him since the sampling didn’t wake him.

His breathing remained constant, when I let all of my fingers land on his biceps. I eyed him closely watching for any signs of waking, while I slid my fingers from his arm, to his shoulder blade, and down his spine. It was an amazing excitement of feeling beneath my touch.

I dragged my fingers from his spine and to his rib cage where I loosely drew circles for a moment, and then I made a trail to his back again. Rubbing the fabric of his muscle shirt, that I wanted to tear off so I could make skin contact with him.

How could someone be so enticing?

I thought, running my index finger down each ridge of his spine. I remember watching his fight during the tournament. I observed how well his fire ability had developed. I loved how he could handle himself at the sense of danger. My attention was dedicated to him, and it never left him the whole battle.

I wanted him to be the center of my world. I wanted him to be the main jewel in my crown.

Just then, I thought I was caught!

His breathing had changed. He moved around a bit making a snorting sound. I tried to move my fingers but they were stuck! I gulped down, trying to prepare myself for an apology and a convincing explanation. I thought he was about to wake but he returned back to his original sleeping position.

I was scared. I couldn’t believe how stupid I was being. I let go of him, just in case he was awake for a moment. I pretended to be asleep until I knew for certain he had at least five minutes to go back to sleep.

That was close. I really thought he caught me red handed.

Seeing Chance’s sleeping body gave me another quick invite to touch him. I knew whatever I did, it should be gentle and quick.

Using my fingers I brushed them across the textures of his arms. Once again the feeling was unreal and wonderful. I glided my hands to his chest. I had to reach over his arm a little to feel the fullness of him there. I was so thrilled to have my hand close to his beating heart. I was so timid to have my hand above his chest where he was taking his slow sleeping breathes.

Moving with a slyness in my touch, I grazed two of my fingers slightly over his round nipple that peeked halfway from his muscle shirt. It stunned me at first, because they were soft, and so warm too. I had never felt anything like that.

Letting my hands roam his body more I imagined that I was trying to repaint his entire image. From his tough arms, to his blood streaked hair, everything from the groves and curves of his muscles. I wanted to find the right colors to blend to create his olive skin tone. I wanted to create everything he had, especially from the waist down.

“Dude…dude…get up!” Chance woke me, “Get up! It’s day two of the tournament,” I could barely open my eyes, “We made it to the second day. We both need to be at our best.” He cheered.

I was hoping I didn’t have to fight him today. I thought jumping out of bed. I started readying myself for the tournament. I know it will be harder than the first day, because I will be facing one of the winners from yesterday’s fight. I didn’t know who that would be, but I want to be in the finals. So, I better somehow win.

Chance was mostly ready. He held the TV remote and clicked the flat screen TV on. I was washing my face in the bathroom sink, when I heard him flicking through a series of channels. It sounded as if there were plenty of shows on, that he didn’t want to watch. He stopped flicking the channel when I was adding an extra layer of deodorant.

A song started playing from the TV. A song I had never heard before. The more the tune was played. It affected my mood, and thinking. It was more like the song was knocking me off course with reality. Knocking me back into the world I was in last night. Images of Chance being sleep, and my fingers rubbing on him, and taking advantage of him tumbled in my head.

I blinked hard ridding my mind of the images.

The song kept playing in a none stop easy melodious rhythm:

 

I worry, I weigh three times my body.

I worry, I throw my fear around.

But this morning, there’s a calm I can’t explain.

The rock candy’s melted, only diamonds now remain.

Ooh ooh ooh ooh

By the time I recognize this moment

This moment will be gone.

But I will bend the light, pretending that it somehow lingered on.

 

Maybe this morning melody was Chance’s way of preparing for the fights today. Listening to music, wasn’t something I hear him do often. I barely ever see him watch TV so I know he has to be trying to get psyched for the tournament.

“Julius?” I heard Chance blurt. He was so innocent and he had no idea what I did last night. What kind of friend am I?

“Yeah?” I answered from behind the closed bathroom door. I didn’t want to have any guilt in my voice.

“When you finish in there, can you do me a favor?”

“Just a sec.” I said putting the finishing look to my sleek long hair. But I could still hear the song playing from the TV, and it wasn’t making me feel any better about what I did.

 

And I will wait to find

If this will last forever.

And I will wait to find

If this will last forever.

And I will pay no mind

That it won’t and it won’t, because it can’t

It’s not suppose to.

 

I was listening to every word of the chorus trying to block it from my head. It was making too much sense to me, and I didn’t want to come to the conclusion, this song was bringing me to. I wish this song would end already.

I brushed my teeth, and put some oil on my skin to hold in it’s moisture. When I rubbed my own skin I began to feel awkwardly guilty touching Chance in his sleep. Then I began to feel like I couldn’t face him today.

I gave myself a quick small talk in the mirror. I stared into my yellow iris’s and gave myself the best pep talk I could to prepare for the tournament, and throwing my guilt aside to face Chance.

I was finished. I rushed out of the bathroom. Remembering he wanted me to do him a favor. “What is the favor you wanted?”

His eyes went from the TV and set on me. “I need you to paint my fingernails black for me.” he said staring at his colorless nails. “On my right hand.” He wiggled his fingers. I couldn’t say ‘no’, definitely not after what I did last night. I felt gallons of guilt while looking into his smiling face.

I went ahead and painted his nails the best I could. I wasn’t a pro, but it was the best excuse to not look at him and talk to him. While I was painting his nails, The song kept playing on TV. I would occasionally look at the screen so I could see what this song was called. The song that was giving my conscience the heavier side of guilt.

 

And I will wait to find

If this will last forever

And I will wait to find

That it won’t and it won’t

Because it won’t

And I will waste no time

Worried about no rainy weather

And I will waste no time

Remaining in our lives together.

 

As the song was ending small white letters popped up in the corner of the TV screen. Giving me the song title and artist. It was funny how this song reminded me of the things I couldn’t say to Chance. It’s so coincidental that this song in particular had to play this morning. When the song went off a new one came behind it. Even though the new song was playing I didn’t pay attention to it.

The song: 'Clarity by John Mayer', was still playing its soft morning melody in my head. Making me think about Chance with every word that was in the lyrics.

The thought of our friendship not lasting forever bothered me to no end. The song was telling my emotions so many things that I never thought about before. Questions about things not lasting forever, and how some things in life you will have to wait and see if they last.

What if Chance and I aren’t destined to keep being friends? What if he finds out about my crush on him and he stops our friendship? What if I somehow told him how I felt and got a positive response?... no that last one is a definite NO!

But I don’t have forever to feel like I am feeling. How do I let him know, without risking our friendship? How would I live with myself if I never get to tell him how I feel, and he slips through my fingers?

I sound insane! It’s crazy how one song can take you to another level of thinking.

I finished his nails. He claimed I did a good job. I didn’t argue with him about that, I took his word for it. “Thanks man.” He looked over the paint job, blowing on the black nail polish so it would dry. “I don’t know, for some reason I feel good today.”

“Really?” I felt so bad.

All the students did as yesterday. Walking down the sidewalk in no particular order, to get to the arena. The second day of the tournament was here. Talan was walking with Ashlynn and I, even though he wouldn’t be fighting today because he lost his fight.

He was only coming to support both of us.

The further we walked to the stadium, we noticed complaints were being voiced by the students who were in front of the stadium doors. The crowd of students were not moving forward. They were stuck in one place shouting complaints. Whatever was happening, I know the Celestial students were upset.

“Julius, you beat my friend Mason yesterday.” It was James. He approached out of nowhere. I barely heard his metal linked chain hooked to his heavy black jeans. I could normally hear the metal rattling on his pants, but today he appeared out of nowhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t poof where I was using his shadow powers.

It was almost scary being near him. I didn’t know if he was intending to avenge Mason or what? My only thought was to play it cool with James. I didn’t want to get on his bad list.

“Yes, I did. It wasn’t easy.” I replied. I wanted to give Mason a little credit. So James wouldn’t kill me. Talan and Ashlynn were listening closely to every word being said between James and I. This was one of those times I was glad they were around me. I’m glad they walked me everywhere I went.

Chance better be happy that he left a mere ten seconds before they came pounding on my door. He almost got caught. I shouldn’t be thinking about him.

Talan and Ashlynn were in earshot. If James had any dark force manipulation tricks in mind, my sorcerer friends would certainly come to my aid.

James continued talking, “You are a strong competitor. I guess Mason underestimated you.”

“Maybe he did.” I didn’t know what to say back. I was scared. James’s spikey hair seem to stand taller and loom above me. It was so frightening being around him.

“I knew you were strong. I tried to tell Mason that the first few days you came to this school.” James said in a creepy undertone. It was like he was hardly moving his mouth to make his deep creepy voice. “I knew if I fought you, we would probably tie.”

Tie? How could my abilities match to his? He was well known for his gifts. He was supernaturally talented with his shadows. I still had plenty to learn about my own ability. How could he think we were equals?

“You seemed surprised.” He said again, with a more creeping tone. “You don’t think you are good?” James asked, but before I could answer he said more. “Even if I did win against you… I wouldn’t feel like it was a true win. I wouldn’t feel right fighting against you, period.”

“What are you telling me?” was my selection of words. I didn’t know his opinion of me was so high.

“If I fought you, I would be in a lose/lose situation.” He murmured heavily. “But we don’t have to worry about any fighting for today.”

“No fighting? What does that mean?” I was wondering where he going with this. What did he do?

“Today, I was suppose to be in the tournament, but nobody gets to fight today because the tournament got cancelled.” He shrugged. I could sense the darker presence of his shadows moving. Something about this was off.

I looked at the complaining students in front of the stadium doors, and everything started making sense. I understood why they were shouting and yelling.

“Cancelled!” Ashlynn, Talan, and I yelled out in unison. There was a shock like never before in each of our eyes. It was unlike Celestial to cancel a tournament. I didn’t think it was possible. From what I heard, Celestial has held tournaments while they were in severe life threating weather. Nothing could cancel at Celestial tournament…nothing!

“Yes, cancelled.” James confirmed, without using any emotion. “Celestial Academy has never cancelled a tournament, but whatever reason they cancelled the tournament, It has to be big.”

“Oh my goodness!” Talan squeaked. His silver eyes were shining like liquid metal. “What happened? Why would they do this?”

James gave another shrug, making his shoulders hunch over weirdly. He paused for a moment, watching the complaining crowd around us. “All I know is, the arena doors have been locked shut until further notice. There is a note on the doors indicating ‘All students must report to regular class.’” He looked down on the cement sidewalk at something. He got oddly quiet for seconds, and then he spoke. “Maybe when everyone gets to class we will find out there.” He assumed walking away shoving his hands in his pockets.

When James left he took the strangeness with him. I wonder did he know how strange he was.

“I hate this school!” Ashlynn stomped, “I’m might drop out.” he started to complain.

“I’m with you on that.” Talan joined in on Ashlynn’s rant. “Everytime we try to have fun, something like this…” Talan pointed at the locked arena doors. “happens.”

“I know.” Ashlynn continued with him.

I didn’t know why Talan is upset. He wasn’t going to be a part of the fun. He lost his tournament match yesterday.

Ashlynn kept griping, “That’s exactly why…” and Talan was adding his comments in, here and there. They stood there exchanging hated word for the school. Words I never heard them use to describe Celestial.

That’s when a particular groping came upon me. While they were busy running their mouths I felt something touching me, like hands gliding over my body.

I quickly looked around to see if someone was playing with me, but nobody was near me. No one was close enough to grope my arms, and chest.

The hands kept moving on me. I tried to brush my shirt off when I felt it on my chest. Then, I tried wiping my neck and my hair with my hands when I felt it go in those areas.

I glanced around again. Looking to see if anyone was doing this but I could only see Ashlynn, and Talan talking.

What is this? What is going on?

I started to think it was bugs or something in my clothes but it wasn’t that either.

I started believing my mind was playing games with me. My conscience was continuing to give me reminders of why I should be ashamed of my touchy hands last night. Is this pay back from my mind? Is this how Chance might have felt if he was awake when I was taking advantage of him?

I violated Chance. I set my self up to feel guilty today. Even my mind was playing dirty games with me.

Suddenly, it felt like a body was against mine. Pulling me into a strong hold, as if it was a firm hug. I felt arms around me and a body pressed-

There it is again! The hugging.

This felt like someone was hugging me from behind. I scanned around looking for anything that could tell me something. It was too real to be my mind. It couldn’t be my guilty conscience.

I didn’t see anything. There was nothing there…until I looked at the ground.

My shadow was being held in a hug by….. When my eyes looked not too far from the stretched shadow, I saw James. He was standing at a distance watching me with his arms crossed. He was at a safe distance not to be seen by eyes, no one could put together what he was doing unless they were staring closely at the ground.

Although James’ arms were crossed, his shadow was touching my shadow, and hugging my shadow, right there on the ground. No one’s eyes could see, no one else could feel the shadow-play but me.

His stretched out shadow was holding mine continuously in a full embrace. Every touch, and grope he made his shadow do to mine, I could feel it happening on my body.

When I made eye contact with him, he smiled for the first time. It was an eerie smile that I never seen anyone use. I couldn’t understand him.

Goths were weird.

One snap of his fingers, and his embracing shadow shrank instantly. It retreated back to its owner’s side where it was its normal small shaded size. The same instant his shadow released mine, it slithered to him and he walked away as if nothing happened.

“What is wrong with you?” Talan asked taking me out of the weird encounter no one could see.

“Yeah you don’t look too good.” Ashlynn stated with a small concern.

“Oh, nothing…nothing. I’m just shocked about the tournament being cancelled.” I answered with a nervous lie, hoping it was enough for them to buy.

“Tell me about it.” Talan agreed. It was good to hear that he bought it. I didn’t want to explain the Chance guilt I was feeling every minute, or the thing that just happened with James. I didn’t know who to talk to.

Where is Aaronn? This would be a good time to ‘keep in contact’.

Ashlynn stopped complaining long enough for all of us to walk to our original class. It was still early in the day, so we might be loaded down with paper work on offensive battle skills.

I didn’t care about the work. Things around here were getting interesting. In some weird ways…

Like that hug from James. What was that all about? He did it so sneaky that nobody even saw it. I don’t know how to explain it but I think he was a cool guy.

James was a goth. One of the scariest, and most frightening of is kind. He had a mysterious way of making me think he was cool. It was hard to figure him out.

On the other hand, Chance’s presence was magic to me. More magic than any of my enchantments could create. I was being drawn in by him, day after day. I was captivated by him but he didn’t know it. That was the part that bothered me. He wasn’t looking at me the way I wanted him to. He was too busy trying to make his girlfriend smile.

I couldn’t get upset with him about it. Maybe it’s better for him not to know.

We were all in class seated. Waiting on the teacher to give us our lesson. Instead, the announcements came on.

Announcements:

“Teachers and students we had to cancel the tournament as you all know. But I will get to that in a minute. First I have to make a brief announcement to the teachers.

Teachers you have a letter in your boxes…” as the lady on the announcements went on telling the teachers about a letter they will be receiving, Ashlynn kept talking to Talan. I couldn’t hear the lady on the announcements words because their whispers were making it hard.

“Ashlynn quit talking while the announcements are on.” the teacher commented.

Announcements:

“Now about the tournament. The reason the tournament was cancelled was due to the sacred scrolls we keep locked away in Celestial hall, are missing. Those scrolls have been around as long as our school has been. It was built through the secretive information on those scrolls. Those documents are the most powerful and important items we own. The principal has ordered that there will be no tournaments until we have found our schools sacred scrolls.”

The class was rocked by the news. Whatever these scrolls were they had some kind of secretive power that helped make the school. It’s probably what keeps this school thriving.

Who stole them?

I guess everybody wanted to know that. If the scrolls were stolen what would the person do with them? It’s probably a teacher…or a student who wants revenge on the school.

It’s probably someone who lost in the tournament, and they wanted everybody else not to participate because they lost.

It could be Mason. He has enough craziness, and reason to do something like that, since I beat him.

Announcement: “Oh one more thing. We need these students to come to the office: James Walker, Chance Meraz, Aaronn Everette, and Julius Rainy. Come to the office please.”

What? What do they want me to go to the office for? I didn’t do anything! I don’t know anything about who stole the scrolls. If that’s what they are wanting to know, then they are out of luck. I didn’t even know the scrolls existed until today. I’m new here.

Maybe it was Chance, maybe James or Aaronn. They’ve been here long enough to know how to get the scrolls. How did I get tied into this?

I was getting out of my desk when I heard some of the students saying “You’re in trouble.” everyone’s eyes were following me to the door as I was leaving. They were giving me a look as if I stole the scrolls. Ashlynn had a worried look stuck on his face before I left.

I arrived at the principal’s office. As expected: James, Chance, and Aaronn were already seated in front of the principal’s large desk. There was one empty chair beside Chance, and I sat down there.

There was too much worry, guilt, and strangeness in the room. I mean, there’s James here who hugged me not too long ago. Then there’s Aaronn who wanted to be friends but never spoke to me. Then there’s Chance who I fell totally guilty sitting by because I was tempted beyond my knowing to touch him, and finally there is the principal. Who probably thinks one of us stole the scroll.

It was a total bucket of turmoil stirring in the room. I was confused with every thought I tried to create. This wasn’t a good environment for me.

The principal had a bald spot in the middle of his head. With white fluff hair around the edges. He was an older man wearing glasses, accompanied by sets of wrinkles.

“Thank you boys for coming.” I looked on his desk, seeing his name was Shwartz. “I called the four of you to my office for an important reason. We have a big situation on our hands. Our school scrolls have been reported missing.” Principal Shwartz crossed his fingers and set them on his desk as he talked.

I wanted to point at James and yell ‘he did it!’ or point at Aaronn and blame him. Whatever it would take to get out of here freely, I was willing to do. I didn’t want to be kicked out of Celestial for something I didn’t do. I didn’t want to go back to my home to fight with my dad everyday. I couldn’t live like that anymore.

“Our school needs those scrolls. Our school depends on those scrolls.” Shwartz was being very serious. These scrolls were no game. “I want those scrolls back! For us! For our school!” the principal raised his voice in an urgent tone to get our attention.

Fixing his tie a little, he said “Some of the teachers and myself went into the lounge when we heard the news.” He reached for his white coffee mug. “We all decided after watching the tournament, who the best four fighters were.”

What did that have to do with anything?

Why did they think I would be in the top four anyway?

He took a hot sip of the black coffee, and wiped his mouth. “You four,” He pointed at us. “Were selected. We thought the four of you would be best for this mission assignment.”

They thought I was fit for a mission? I was still sort of new. My head spun for a moment. When the reality of a mission came into mind, I didn’t know if I wanted to go through with it. I didn’t know if I could please the teachers and principal’s wishes.

I was still trying to get over the principal not thinking I was a suspect, like most of the classroom did before I left.

“We suspect our arch rivals have stolen the scrolls. Their school has always wanted the success Celestial Academy has. They have always wanted our secrets, and our great power. They weren’t granted the opportunity to develop like our school has.” Schwartz was getting a pen out of his cup full of pens, and he uncapped it writing something on a paper laying flat on his desk. “I know our school has did some terrible, sneaky things to other schools, but what else would you expect from a school of villains?” I didn’t know if the principal was trying to joke or what. I didn’t know whether I should take him serious at the moment or laugh to make him think he was funny.

 

After not hearing any laughs or words from the four of us, the principal asked, “Will you boys go out there and bring the school back it’s scrolls?”

Chance looked at me. I knew he wanted to ask me if I was going to attend the mission. My only plan was: if Chance says he is going, I will go. I can’t abandon him. It would be out of line. Especially since, I have a soft spot for him.

“I will.” James shot out first. His eyes darkened. His hair and his clothes grew so dark that they seemed to be made completely from his strange shadows. When James’ hand went up and he accepted the mission. He looked like he was making an oath.

Principal Shwartz wrote something on his paper with the blue pen after hearing James accept.

I could see black wavering tendrils moving around James’ raised hand, as he held it in the air. His shadows were ready for the mission.

“…I will.” Aaronn raised his hand in a mannerable way. He shook his sleet white hair from his violet eyes. Which were glowing like purplish ring, shaped jewels.

Aaronn’s psychic awareness was ready at any moment. From his glowing violet eyes, I knew he probably would see a vision soon. Who knows?

The principal wrote something on the paper again.

Chance glanced at me. Why did he have to keep looking at me? That was making me weak. There was a surprise in my heart when he said, “I will.” Raising his hand high in the air.

There was flickering flames burning at his fingertips like lit candles. I was sitting close enough to feel his heated orange fire.

There was a sting of remorse in me. I couldn’t let Chance down. I owe him… at least I felt like I owed him. The principal wrote something else. I looked at the sparks flinging from his eyes, and I was left with one choice.

I let myself think of my decision twice. Before I could fully reconsider, and stop myself. I went with my first thought.

“I will.” I proudly confessed. There was blue glittering sparkles swirling with white, tingling in my palm. The sorcery inside of me was ready for the challenge, but I was still scared because I didn’t know what we were about to face.

Tingles of magic , blazing fire, radiant violet eyes, and tendrils of shadows shook the principal’s office slightly from our powerful abilities being crammed in one small space. There was even a weird color of green projecting on the walls of the room.

“Good!” Shwartz jotted something down and dropping his blue pen on the paper. “Now we can get you boys ready.”