The white butterfly tango

Chapter XII

Esma sat at the academy stairs right near the entrance and leaned her whole body onto the brick handrail, finally having at least a bit of rest for herself. She felt terrible and extremely mad for not being good enough. It was like Mike said, she'd never fit in.

"How did you like your first day?" The girl heard a familiar voice and raised her sight to make sure she wasn't mistaking him for anyone. As she did it, masked face greeted her with the usual annoyance in his eyes.

She wanted to answer but the second the words were about to appear in her mouth, her stomach let out a treacherous growl, telling the boy much more than the girl could possibly say herself. Esma frowned and looked away, embarrassed to show how weak she really was.

"Now that's an answer..." The expression on the boy's face changed into a bit neutral one and he took few steps, to lean onto the handrail behind her, holding his hands in the pockets of his blazer.

"I didn't manage to finish the training on time," Esma mumbled, realizing how pitiful it ought to have sounded for the boy. He wanted to say something but Mister Hubert appeared beside them and intervened in their conversation.

"Mikey! Did you eat anything?" He held something in his hands and was smiling sincerely.

"I didn't feel like eating," Mike answered with a bit of annoyance but that was the most sincere, she'd ever seen him. Apparently, he was close to the teacher if was willing to speak openly like that.

"Or you didn't feel like talking?" Seemed like Mister Hubert knew more about the boy than he did himself as his statement caught him by a surprise.

"I didn't feel like either." The boy hid his sight and spoke truthfully, letting the teacher know about how right he was to think so.

"Take an apple." The man with black curls tossed him the fruit in some kind of package and Mike caught it without any problems. The boy nodded, pulled it out of the package, glanced at the fruit just in case, and only then took a bite. "And this one is for you." The teacher then sat beside Esma on the stair and handed her the treat. Hers didn't have any package and she thought of how caring he ought to have been towards the boy.

"Thank you." She mumbled and took the fruit from him, without realizing how immediately took a big bite into it. The girl was chewing and only then realized that Mister Hubert didn't have to do it for her as she didn't manage to fulfill the task.

"That wasn't the worst result for the first day, so don't give me that look." Mister Hubert smiled a bit and nodded his head.

"Can I ask?... Why are we here?" Esma felt happy to hear that and took another bite of her apple after asking.

"Because we have to evaluate participants' strengths before the big tournament." The teacher answered sincerely without trying to hide anything.

"Me too?" Once again, the girl spoke without thinking, putting herself into an embarrassing moment of silence. Her cheek turned red the second she realized that question was inappropriate.

"Can you show the teachers at least something worthy?" Mike got surprised once again and chuckled a bit. He knew the girl just probably thought out loud but that was why it looked even more hilarious to him.

"I expect you to pay close attention to what will happen here, kid." Mister Hubert, however, spoke up seriously and took a glance on the ground.

"Come on babies, come on! I want you to show them all how skilled you are." That voice they could recognize everywhere. Miss Kilijanek entered the grounds with her students who followed her every enthusiastic step.