A new year at Nine Petal Academy means a new crop of students, including a boy who can't control his magic, a thief, an angel, and even a suit of armor? Adela, Lei, and their friends are tasked with welcoming the new class of first years and helping...
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I hummed as I ate some cookies that I had made in cooking class. Master Elliot was subbing for our real teacher, who was on maternity leave. Had no idea that someone that young could have a teaching license. Thought he barely graduated high school. Nat said it was probably because subs could have some of the requirements waived as long as they showed ample skills.
"Huh? Carter?" Huo said as soon as I walked into my ninth-period class.
"W-what are you doing here?" I asked, blushing. I had not expected one of my classmates to be here... Especially not one of the boys!
He turned away. "I should be asking you that. Didn't think that a brute like you would do something like dancing." He gasped. "Wait, this is a ploy to get girls, isn't it?"
I shook my head and waved my hands. "No, it's not! Just what do you take me for?"
"An uncultured guy who sucks at talking to girls." He chuckled. "What else?"
I gritted my teeth. To think I started to see him as a good guy!
"Wait, you're oddly chatty right now," I said, smiling. "Why is that?"
He rubbed his arms and stared at the small class. "Well, I figured this was going to be a course with few people, and thus far, it is."
I tilted my head. "Is that really it? Well, you were chatty the night before yesterday too."
He scoffed. "How was that chatty? I do not have a motor mouth, unlike a certain blondie with bandages on his arms."
I blinked. "I have a motor mouth?"
He narrowed his eyes at me. "You probably have heard of it before, right?"
I chuckled. "I don't recall."
Huo sighed and walked away.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Getting away from you. I do not want to be associated with someone like you any more than I already am."
"Meanie! If you want people to think well of you, you could start by being nicer. You'll make more friends with honey than with vinegar."
Hou scoffed. "I don't need to make friends. Lidia and the other orphans are enough for me."
"You say that, but I doubt it's true."
He grumbled. "So annoying." His blue eyes turned to look at me. "Honestly, I don't get you. Wasn't what I said insulting? You did call me 'meanie'."
"Yeah, so?"
He shook his head. "That means you dislike me, no?"
"I dislike your attitude at the moment, but not you."
He turned away again. "Honestly, I think you're more confusing than the neurotypicals and my sister." A chuckle escaped his lips. "Though, I guess I would be more confused if you were a neurotypical. Their egos can be rather fragile."
