Elements of Love

Chapter 4: the Spark Flickers

"You seriously stirred up trouble this morning, on your first day no less." Derik said to me as we were walking down the hall after school ended.

"Yeah, well, out of all the students to do that, I feel as though I'd be near the top of your list." I replied as he took me to the first club room.

The school is known for its wide array of clubs, from any sport you can think of, to more hobby centralized things like literature and other arts, to stuff like debates and engineering, quite frankly, if it weren't for the generous owner of the school, this would be a very prestigious private school for the upper class.

"I understand you don't want to do club activities, you're busy with other activities at home; but please look over the ten on this list." Derik said as he handed me a list of ten clubs and where they were, starting with the astrology club, which was right in front of us as we ended talking, impressive timing. Oh, and about the whole killing Phaze thing, when he was called over the speakers, the rumors died out, because, well, who'd call a dead man to the office?

Anyways, I entered the astrology club and saw a girl with golden hair, and Aaron, who I talked to after, and apparently runs the skating club.

"Hey Aaron, whatcha doing here?"

"Oh, I'm just talking with Star here, head of the astrology club."

"Her name is Star, and she runs the astrology club? That's pretty funny."

"I don't think you're one to talk, 'Soul of flames' Alma Flammarium." Another student with thick green sunglasses piped up.

"It's fine, I'm used to people making the connection." Star said.

"Alright, well, the simulation seems to be running well, so I'll be going now."

"Thanks, tell Phaze and Tylar I said hi."

"Alright." The green glasses guy said as he stepped out.

"Who was that? Reminds me of Phaze."

"I don't know his name, but he rotates with Tylar and Phaze when it comes to fixing the simulator. Also, yes, I agree, they do act the same." Star replies as she turns on a projector type light.

"I've been wondering, but what's 'the simulation'? It's been brought up repeatedly." Aaron asks.

"Oh, I guess you haven't been here over the summer. Well, you know Phaze, always building giant feats of engineering and advancements in technology, with only Tylar being able to keep up at all with his mind."

"Yep." Aaron replied. I didn't know that.

"So, he made an interactive holographic table using motion sensors to understand what you wish to do, with stuff that a touch screen laptop would usually do, but three dimensional and you can't even touch anything; and we're using that for an interactive experience to view the universe, you know, to get more people interested in astrology." Star casually explained.

"Oh. I thought he just quipped and didn't care about jumping on people's nerves."

"Your kind of right, Alma." Aaron started "But he can be tactful when needed, he's- like- strategically quippy; and he knows when to not press someone's buttons."

"Clearly not." I reply immediately, "Or else I wouldn't have almost killed him this morning."

"Well, was he hurt?" Star asked.

"Well, I guess not."

"Did he convey a message to you?"

"I suppose."

"And did he leave an impression?"

"Alright, I see what you're saying Star, but why would he take such an interest in me of all people?"

"He didn't tell you about your situation, our.. predicament?" Aaron stepped in.

"... no?"

"Oh, I guess he must have a reason to do that, best not to give too much away." He said before turning to Star."

"Speaking of, did you prepare for Friday?" he asked her.

"Not yet; it's nice he gives us a week to do these things, but sometimes the tasks are herculean, and other times they seem a bit too easy." Star replied before turning to look at me for the first time, finally looking away from the hologram, which was floating around the international space station, or, what's left of it after the incident. Her eyes are.. gold?

"Alright I have a lot of questions, first off-"

"No time for questions, Alma, we have nine other clubs to visit." A new voice said from behind me; I turned around and it was a girl with purple hair and eyes, deep purple though, not like Phaze.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Okay, maybe time for that question; I'm Moon, also a part of Phaze's group."

"The group of oddly colored hair high schoolers?"

"Well, you'd fit right in with your maroon locks." Moon points out before waving at me to leave with her to visit the next clubs. Some of them notable, like seeing the swim club and Kyle, who is surprisingly well built; or seeing Derik at the archery club, but he wasn't shirtless so I couldn't tell how well he was built; great aim though.

The last of the ten clubs we visited had a beautiful melody playing from inside. We entered to see the member of the club absolutely mesmerized by none other than Phaze and his piano skills, he was very impressive, and I've never heard the song he was playing, but it was good, reminded me of the works of 'Prototype,' a groundbreaking artist that Started in early 2018.

"He writes these songs himself." Moon says, then everyone looked at the entrance and saw the two of us.

"Phaze, they're here." One of the members said.

"Great, thanks for letting me know, Tierno, looking forward to the piano contest." He said as he got up and walked over. "So, any of the clubs suit your interests?" he asked as we left the room.

"No arson clubs, so no." I reply jokingly.

"Alright, well, sorry for keeping you for so long, you can head home now."

"Wait- that easily?" I reply to Phaze in shock.

"Yeah? You want to stay here?"

"No, but.. I kind of want answers."

"About what?" he asks as we start walking towards the entrance.

"Well, the 'predicament' that Aaron mentioned, or why you all have weird colored hair that matches your eyes, well I guess in your case, just eye; also what you do on Fridays, or maybe how you are a super genius and still feigned ignorance when you weren't injured at all from my fire, or maybe how you were able to deduce my past so incredibly well; or maybe why flora has cat ears, because I saw them twitch when she got scared, so I'm pretty sure they're real, and that's weird, because she also clearly has human ears."

"Are you ready to open up about your past yet?"

"No; but I don't see the connection between traumatic past, and present cat ears."

"I'll tell you when you're ready to open up about yourself."

"That seems unfair."

"It is, I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but I have my reasons for it and you're just going to have to accept that." Phaze said as we left the school entrance, and then I saw Blaise.