Celestial University: A Bully Romance

Chapter 56: Melting Tensions

"Shugoda's services shouldn't be used to clean up your messes!"

"We did what we could for the sake of our daughter!"

"Who didn't even bother to show up!"

Xia, Taylor, and Rigal stood nervously compliant in the spiritual plane watching their parents argue. The former rose her hand.

"With all due respect, Ainsley said they don't see them as a -"

"I don't need you to tell me what to call the child I raised!"

"Maybe if you didn't treat him like such a tool, they'd be here!"

Xia covered her mouth as even Taylor and Rigal were shocked, realizing she yelled at them out loud. Vines wrapped around her, choking and squeezing her entire torso and chest.

"No one asked you to speak!"

"That's enough," Xia's father said. "She may be out of line," burning the vines, "but they're trying to keep each other together. Not go behind our backs to spread discord. After all, Ainsley handled the threat themselves. The question is, how? Our children, do you have any ideas?"

"Nothing, they was on our podcast, completely fine."

"Monitor them closely. This change in behavior isn't normal."

Taylor immediately left, much to the monarch's ire. "Where is he going?"

"My son has his priorities for the kingdom he needs to address, keeping our people in line. This is your mess, you wash it away," his father claimed, signing off.

Xia couldn't help but laugh to the other's chagrin.

"What, that was funny, cuz he's the water king," sensing the silence. "Well class is starting, gotta run."

Alone, Rigal sucked his teeth and shrugged. "I can't be looking like a beta," also leaving.

Candy was heading to class when Sven's crew started attacking her.

As if eyes were in the back of her head, she froze the mud balls. The shadow beneath her made small ramps for a fist to punch them back with their own attack.

The sight of others who noticed Candy's sudden competence grew more as she was heading for Nabu. She tried to stay composed, grateful the attacks depleted when Kayla, Delphine, and another friend blocked her path.

"Acting pretty Major, Ms. Minor. With that bravado, I'm surprised you haven't been constricted to join the army. Should I ask Rigal to call them a favor," Taylor's girlfriend asked.

"I don't really need it, thank you," listening behind her, and hopping away, when Delphine jumped in front of where Candy was going to sprint towards.

"Echo location, did you forget? So why are you coming from that forest now?"

She winced, listened, and kicked the ground, pushing her away and covering her leg in stone akin to the shape of a bear. "Please, leave me alone."

She got the warning Kayla was from behind, who ducked in time from the blast of her Toucan mouth, which hit Delphine while she formed and kicked an ice ball into her mouth.

Others gasped at her fight back, shocking their audience, including her shadowy supporter who warned her to stay eye focused too late.

Delphine's howling scream pushed the young fae back, stopping enough for Kayla swooping in to smash her with a frozen beak. Candy looked away when the sound of a collision made her open her eyes, spotting a stretchy hand swinging a briefcase, backhanding the Toucan fae's mouth.

"Lorena? Why do you always ruin our fun?"

She retracted her elastic hand. "You want to beat up someone who helped Ainsley save the other students," pointing to those recording her. "You think Taylor's gonna be happy his circle's getting dragged through the mud on Quilter when he gets back?"

"I hate when you get all logic and reason-y. Meet us at Nabu so bae can come get us," leaving.

Lorena sighed. "That's not a word," spraying water from her mouth and clearing Candy's ears with it. "The rest of you can leave," making the crowd disperse with just a word.

"Thanks, I could've handled it though."

"Those girls can be vicious whether or Taylor's around. Though it seems you've become more confident."

"Not really, I just want to start standing up for myself more."

"Is that why you started living in the Shadowscald Woods? The prince has been presumed dead, hasn't he?"

"Oh, right. I'm sure he wouldn't mind," moving her eyes away for a second. "Where's Taylor anyway?"

"Probably at our dumb family meetings," Ainsley responded, handing Candy the textbooks they needed.

"That long?"

"Probably until the media dies down with the incident. You're still looking for an interview about that?"

The stoic look on her face dropped. "You'll give it?"

"On one condition," Ainsley claimed, asking them to find information on Cluster.

"Who's that?"

Candy handed her a complete draft of the attire. "We saw him in the distance at night and everyone was turned to stone."

That got her attention even more. "I'm interested."

"I want to make sure he, them, whoever they are, aren't pulling the strings around anything else...or this."

"Okay," handing them a business card. "Color me interested. We'll talk later."

Leaving them aside, Candy and Ainsley waited until they were out of dodge and no one was around, for Sehki to jump out, clutching his head.

"Holding that for long is annoying. Wow, I wasn't expecting you all to work that well."

Candy sighed. "That was just lucky she was around at all."

"Why did you want her specifically," the earth heir asked him.

"I want allies both in and out of the school. And I think I've got a way to see if she can help me out," showing them news articles.

"What the?"

"I heard the rumors but is it true?"

"Someone's been attacking movie stars from behind the scenes, and we've got a cult that may have directed Gorgon's actions without even the rulers of the world knowing? That's a movie mystery missing a protagonist. And I think I've found my co-lead for the role."