Duelcrest Academy

12. Hope

I saw a figure enter the room, still immersed in darkness.
Instinctively, I grabbed the wand that I had placed on the bedside table. I might have given up, but I wouldn't let myself be taken out like this, in my bed, without putting up a fight.
However, before I could casIt a spell, the room lit up. The intruder must have turned on the light with magic.

I observed the person who had burst into my room, mouth agape with surprise.

«Man, you look awful...» exclamed Sophia Thornton, looking at me like I was a some kind of disgusting bug she had found squashed under her boots.

«Y-you! What the fuck are you doing in my room?!»

I was too bewildered to feel insulted at her comment. And I probably did look awful. Taking into account the mix of sleep deprivation and crying and the fact that I hadn't showered that day, I musn't have been very pleasing to the eyes.

«Believe me, I could think of about a thousand more enjoyable ways to spend my evening. Unfortunately, your friend has been tormenting me all day to come talk to you. I don't know what she hopes I'll achieve, but when she threatened to camp outside my door all night, I decided it was better to come and check on you,» she said, pointing at someone behind her.

The shock of that sudden visit hadn't made me notice Amy, who was currently standing in the doorway, now devoid of a door. She was busy staring at the floor, trying her best to avoid meeting my gaze.
It wasn't hard to understand why. After all I wouldn't have known what to say to her either.

«So,» Sophia continued, «could you explain to me what your brilliant plan is? Don't tell me you're so stupid as to think that the last-place finisher gets sent on vacation to some tropical island? That would be too much even for you...»

Once again, I decided not to give in to provocation. I had to keep my emotions under control and try to appear as rational as possible.

«I simply realized what the best thing to do is,» I explained in a neutral tone, «knowing that I have no chance of beating Valentine, being eliminated in the first round rather than trying to survive as long as possible, seeing many of my classmates die, is the most logical thing to do.»

For once Sophia's mocking smile faded, replaced by a serious expression.

With a harsh voice, she replied, «So it's true then... I thought there was something more to it, but then your friend was telling the truth...»

For a few seconds, her eyes locked onto mine.

I lowered my gaze, unable to stand her inquisitive gaze.

When she spoke again, her tone was firm:

«Think you can fool me? Logic my ass... There's nothing logical about giving up and accepting death. The truth is that you're scared, right?»

«I...» I couldn't deny it.

«That's fine. There's nothing wrong in being afraid. In drastic situations like this, fear can help us avoid reckless choices. It's an emotion that stems from our sense of self-preservation after all,» Sophia replied, interpreting my silence as agreement.

«But what you're doing is letting fear consume you. From fear, you move to terror. Reason is thrown out the window, and you look for the easiest way out, in this case: giving up,» she continued.

I could feel her stern gaze on me.

«So don't try to justify it. You're scared and you want to escape. It's not strange for someone to react this way. But, I admit, from someone that talked big about herself, I expected something better...»