Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 29: Tourney

"I am having the best day of my life!" Iridia proclaimed. With Iridia barreling at Brielle's shoulder in excitement, she almost fell, but it was endearing to see Iridia so excited.

Brielle had been trying to stay away from both Kelam and Iridia for the past few days, which was exhausting to say the least. She'd finally gotten Iri back in her life and she couldn't stomach to be in the same room as her? A genuine nightmare. Still, Brielle couldn't help but smile just the smallest bit as Iridia marched up to her in the chemistry classroom practically vibrating in ecstasy.

"And why is today such a marvelous day, Miss Trilliaris?" Brielle chuckled as Iridia wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"You remember the darling head cheerleader, Miss Shreeavara? Well it was at some point decided that she would be transferring to Arda Midhair Catholic High School." Brielle raised a curious brow, encouraging her to continue. "Now, who are the people that follow her every step, wherever she may go?"

"The Clefs?" Brielle said, a twinge of excitement in her voice.

Iridia nodded. "And ever in character, guess what they did?"

"The Clef brothers transferred too?" she whispered, scarcely daring to hope.

"Yes! We're finally free of them!" Iridia grabbed her from the front and shook her shoulders. "We never have to deal with Samson or any of them again—" she leaned closer with a wholesome beam on her face, speaking much quieter to mask the words beneath the pre-class chatter, "—and that night will never come back."

Brielle couldn't help but match the smile. Iridia's positive expressions tended to be rather contagious; it was part of her charm. "I never thought it would end."

"All right class, let's settle down, please," Mr. Wedlow began. "The lab for today will be calculating the molar mass of butane. To collect the gas, you will need to—"

Iridia was scrawling down notes much faster than Brielle, spiking the competitive spirit in her. Brielle cared about how her notes looked for the purpose of future referencing, but Iridia was just going. Ideas were hastily scribbled in the corners and margins so she wouldn't forget them—she was definitely excited to be playing with flammable gases—but she still managed to record all the minute instructions given. Brielle was only momentarily distracted by a small strand of hair loose from her ponytail at the base of her neck, and only infinitesimally compelled to fix it.

"Partner up, and come up to the front of the classroom to collect your materials."

"Wanna be partners?" Iridia asked, finishing up her scrawling.

"Sure," Brielle said, then laughed. "Goodness, you write so fast, it's mind-boggling. I wonder how it's possible for you to ever read it back."

"Well, the answer is I don't really read it again." Iridia laughed as she cleared their space to set up. "I don't have the patience to write cleanly, much less write eloquently."

Your poetry would argue otherwise, a part of her wanted to say in reply (and Brielle was curious about how neat the writing was on the page Kelam had read).

Brielle wondered if Luna had read her poem, what she'd thought of it. Was it actually good, or was Brielle just fantasizing? Maybe even imagining herself as the subject?

No, that would be foolish. She was more mature than that.

"Okay," Spencer said, "let's... one more time."

It was the day after Halloween: a cold and sober Friday morning. Brielle crossed her arms and paced while he leaned back on his hands on her bed. She'd been pacing for the past five minutes. "Are you really going to make me repeat it?" she said. "Again?"