You can't find me

Chapter 38

Ari's POV

The next school year has officially begun again and I don't know who tipped someone off but I got put in all advanced classes that barely anyone in my year was able to take. Apparently the teachers thought I needed more rigor. Which let me tell you, it's been hard as hell staying up with the workload.

I slog down the stairs of the science building after having learned a bunch of nature spells that are impossible to pronounce and also having been the test subject for all the students in my class to try everything on. 

Even though I got healed after, I'm sure that there's a few broken bones and sprains somewhere in my body. 

I pull down my skirt to cover up the scratches and bite marks I had gotten from the bug spells a few guys had pulled. 

Today my dark red hair had gotten a lot of attention when someone thought it was a good idea to cast a waterfall over my head and all my brown powder had come off in an instant. 

I tie my wet hair up in a ribbon as I now limp towards the combat session taking place outdoors. 

Ian gives me a puzzled look from where he's standing in the courtyard and points at my hair. I pull up my hood to cover it even though it won't be any use when I start combat.

I slouch down onto a bench and wait for the teacher to arrive. Ian jogs over and takes a seat next to me. 

"Hey. You okay? What's with your hair?" He reaches forward and takes a few strands in his hand and feels it. "What the hell? This is your real hair color? How come I never noticed?" he exclaims.

He's about to pull down my hood but I grab his arm to stop him. 

"Really Ian? I already have enough people looking at it. And no, I did have brown hair before." I take a deep breath before saying. "It just happened. As in my hair color one day just changed." I say with a shrug like it's no big deal. 

His brown eyes stare into me as if doing so will let him know whether I'm joking or not.

"Yeah, okay then? You know you gotta figure out why that happened, right? Before someone you don't like tries to figure it out for you.."

I glance around to see if anyone's near us but our classmates are all doing stretches which we should probably doing as well. 

"I knoww. It's one of my priorities. I'll ask around once I get the hang of my classes."

*Clap clap*

I look away and see our teachers in their combat robes coming our way. 

Ian gives me a look saying we'll talk after class and runs off to his group.

"Listen up everyone! We will be pairing up with Mage Jamesons class today for a mission that the committee has organized to test all of your skills." 

Ian's class on cue walks over to ours and I go up to him while we wait to say what else Elena, my combat teacher, has to say. 

 "There will be two teams. And your goal will be to bring back one of your own teammates from captivity as well as make sure that your team members are safe throughout. A few graduates will be joining us today either as a team captain or player. Foul play is encouraged..." she continues to speak and I raise an eyebrow to Ian. 

"Did she just say-"

He whispers back, "Yeah, I think she did."

I'm about to question why when air is knocked out of my lungs and I'm tackled to the ground. 

"Heyy, Ari! Guess who's taking part of this mission!" Coralie squeals while being on top of me. 

"Ouch." I groan.

She gives me a "sorry" look and get's off of me. 

I stay seated on the ground and pat her head. 

"Look who's so excited for running to their death. How the hell did you even know about this? We just found out now!"

I rub my legs where she just sat on and where I was injured. 

"I applied!" she says with a grin. 

I blink at her.

She whacks my arm. 

I'm gonna go to the infirmary before this game even starts. 

"Oh come on! At least I'm here. I guarantee you this is gonna be more fun with me in it." she says and winks at me. 

"Oh I'm sure it will." a deep voice says and I turn to see Ian smiling at us. 

"AHHH I FORGOT! YOUR HERE TOO! My gosh this is going to be so fun! I hope we're all on the same team!" she says before throwing him into a bear hug. 

I get off the ground and dust off my skirt. 

"I hope you all paid close attention to what I said. Now for the team captains..." 

I haul Cora up as we she announces them. 

"Mage Zaniyah Edith and Mage Ian Sterling!" 

And look back for Ian but he's no where to be seen. 

Until the girl and Ian both step up from behind Elena and greet everyone. 

"Holy shit! How did he do that? Forget about that!" she turns to me. "He must've freaking knew all along." 

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into a side hug. 

"Really got to say.. We have to take "can't trust anyone around you" to heart. He was right next to us." I say in frustration. 

Cora smacks her face. 

"Ughh it's my fault. I've been hanging out with him this entire week because he said he had time off from classes or something." 

We both look back at him as he dodges a punch that one of his friend attempts to give after walking up to him.

"Should've seen that it didn't seem right. Goddamn it I wouldn't want to get on my boyfriend's bad side." she says with a slight tremble in her voice. 

I wouldn't either. I really did underestimate him. 

"Now listen up for whose team your on!" Mage Jameson says. 

Please please let us be on the same team.

Cora looks at me hopefully as we hear people either going to the left, Zaniyah's side or right for Ian. 

"At least there's an even mix from both classes at least in both teams." I say with a little hope.

Zaniyah's eyes look over at the both of us as Jameson speaks. 

"Coralie Iverson onto the left!" 

I cross my fingers as he goes on. 

"Aurora Valentino on you go to the left!" 

I scream and jump up n down with Cora. 

The entire courtyard erupts with loud chattering as he concludes the list. 

"YOU'LL HAVE AN HOUR TO STRATEGIZE WITH YOUR TEAM BEFORE WE BEGIN! GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!" the teachers yell in unison before leaving us alone in this mess. 

Zaniyah calls us all over to form a circle and we head on over. 

I halt in my steps and Cora follows. 

"Wait. That means we're going to have to go against Ian." I say with dread. 

"Oh fuck. I totally forgot about him." 

We both look over to his group and see him already looking at the both of us. He holds contact for a few more seconds before freaking smirking at us and then turning back to his group.

She pushes me forward and brushes the topic off like it's nothing. 

"Eh it's okay, Ari. We have each other." she replies to her own statement with a shrug. 

Little did she know how good her own boyfriend was in combat. 

(She's not into the combat field)