J.ade, A.ir D.efying E.lementalist

XXI: Rain or Shine

Chapter 21 - Rain or Shine

The bell rings and both of us struggles to stand up. My knees still feels like its jellies but fortunately, I managed to get up to my feet. For about five seconds.

"I think I ca-" I start then fall back on the black, hard stair case.

"Ouch," I groan. En looks down on me, trying to suppress his laugh. I roll my eyes and then try to stand up again. Then falls back again, halfway there. Why is this so unfair? Why can En stand up and stay standing up and I get to not? Grudgingly, I try again.

This time, I manage to stay standing. Thank goodness.

"Uh, You aren't in your uniform yet." En might as well throw a bucket of cold water on me. My jelly legs mans up and I bolt out of the lobby and to my room.

On the stairs, I steal a very quick glance on En and see him already walking toward the direction of the Fundamentals classroom. The rational part of me understood that. However, my flirty side complained. He should've at least had the courtesy to ask me why I was rushing. Which should be annoying on my side. But whatever.

Fiercely shaking my head off the silly thoughts, I switch my focus back to where I'm heading. 

With no more than thirty seconds, I'm over my dresser and yanking my uniforms out of its slumber. Wasting no precious time, I quickly squeeze my way into it, without having to tear the thing up. Which brings me back to my point before, why the hell do we still have to wear uniforms?!

After three minutes, I burst into the room. Chest heaving and forehead sweating, I curse silently when I notice that Ms.Levine and all the other Rounins crane their head to take a look at the late student.

"Umm, Well. Err," I try to fomulate an excuse. But the sudden need for reasoning skills threw my brain in temporary dysfunction, giving me an exact number of zero excuses. And it didn't help that all Rounins are looking at me like I commited a huge sin.

"Ms. Masters. We were just starting. Please go join the class," the teacher calmly says after a few heartbeats.

Without hesitation, I excuse myself and then sit at the back. I didn't take my time to search the room for Chesca or Jay or Gale. I had to get out of the spotlight fast.

"Going back, we are now on the second fundamental," Ms.Levine starts. I'm thankful that she didn't thrust me out on a big mess like I thought most teachers would. 

"Channel, " she continues. "Channeling is the skill to be able to focus the blended energy on a certain point and then partially releasing it out to the open. This fundamental will ensure one's desire as to how or where your elements should come out."

"Channeling is what we are going to attempt to do today," she pauses and makes eye contact with everyone on the room. "Wipe that worried face of yours, though. This lesson, I believe, will be as easy as eating peanuts." she gives us a kind smile.

"First. hold out your arm," she orders. We follow her example as he held out her arm too. "Then, applying what you learned yesterday, focus on your palm."

Ms.Levine gives us ten minutes to concentrate. Everyone shuts their eyes and starts to focus. After a few minutes, I was half-expecting a levitating arm but it didn't. I feel only a warm spot right on the middle of my palm. 

"Slowly, slowly," Ms.Levine speaks after many minutes of complete silence. I nearly opened my eyes at the initial shock but fortunately regains myself. 

"Get that warm feeling out," she says. I resist the urge to frown, how are we going to do that?

"Just will it out," our teacher answers my mute question.