The Elixir

~Truths

"Oh, and remember, children, my study session has changed from right after school to an hour later! I especially hope to see some of you there, with midterms coming up."

Xara rolls her eyes into her textbook. Professor Saurcleave is probably her nicest teacher but she doesn't seem to know a thing about teenagers. Who will want to sit in the library with their teacher, studying more? But if she's already hinting at midterms, it must mean she doesn't have much hope for her class to succeed.

The minute the bell clangs it's release, Xara stuffs her books and notes into her bag, letting the notes join the other older ones crumpled at the bottom. Vieva, being the control-freak that she is, has already started studying for midterms, which isn't for another two months. Other than Saurcleave, Vieva's probably the only person at Ruxnorth Academy that has already started thinking about the midterms.

Xara shoves her way lightly through the horde of students piling to get out the door. Not that she can blame them. These next few weeks are really their last chances to relax before the midterms loom before them. Obviously, Xara doesn't have a problem in any of her classes, but it's still tedious.

She squeezes her way through, just before someone thwacks her bag right out of her grasp. They toss back a hasty apology before running to catch up with a gaggle of students clustered near one of the pillars. Xara scowls. She's surrounded by idiots.

She drags her bag and uses that momentum to swing her bookbag over her shoulder-

Right as someone exclaims, "Ow!" Xara veers around, gasping when she notices a boy sprawled on the floor behind her. She must've hit him with her bag!

She hurries to his side. "I'm so sorry! I didn't even-" Then she looks closer. This boy seems vaguely familiar. He moans loudly, squinting his eyes shut. Black hair, lean build...

"Founders! Were you trying to kill me?"

"It was an accident," she retorts defensively. "And it's your fault too, genius. What were you doing, sneaking up on me like that?"

The boy struggles to a seating position and when he blinks blearily, a jolt of recognition jabs at her.

"Caedric?" she asks in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

He hisses as he rubs the side of his head, hair mussed. Students have loosely congregated around them, and he glares at them all. "Move it along, nothing to see here."

Everyone disperses, moving along with their Friday afternoon.

"I saw you leaving class and I came over to say hi and help you with your books, when you nailed me with the bag." He stumbles to his feet. "Great. The left side of my vision has been reduced to blurry blobs."

Xara winces. "That's going to leave a bruise."

"You think so?" he says dryly, trying to finger-comb his hair back into position.

"Well, for the third time, I'm sorry."

That familiar smirk-smile surfaces. "It's no trouble. It gave me an excuse to talk to you."

Xara feels heat rise embarrassingly to her face. Caedric seems to read her thoughts. Xara's gaze lingers on his eyes. Though they are from the same blood, Vieva and Caedric's eyes are so vastly different. Vieva has eyes that burn hot and ever-bright, yearning to be released, whereas Caedric has molten eyes that simmer and smolder slowly. Her skin sears under his gaze.

"You're staring." He challenges her with his resplendent amber eyes, a dare glittering in it's lava depths. "Though I can most definitely imagine why."