Adventures After School: Recovery

Chapter 3: Big Mistake

Author's note: Hello again! Since this is a reboot of the first two drafts of Adventures After School (A2S), I'd like to state again that this is the FINAL draft I'll make. Not kidding. No more deleting. Please give me some constructive criticism along the way, since this is a practice novel and I could reference to memes, anime pop culture, and probably John Cena, I want you to help me improve. Tell me which parts I made mistakes in, and I'm gonna use those mistakes as reference to guide me. Thank you!

~ Azrael

**

Frank knew something wasn't right even before he stepped foot into the classroom. While he thought part of it was the voice of a girl he heard at the end of freshman year, part of him also had a feeling he'd see the rumored "Ghost Witch" of Winchester—or worse—someone brought back to life.

He knew that one of his teachers, Klara Ludenberg, was a well-known Caster in the city of Westerfield. She was the first Caster in millennia to perform a death-defying magic: Cornerstone Wing, better known as resurrection magic.

But for what purpose?

He looked at Carla. She was back to having a conversation with Sucre and Warren. They were laughing at a skit that Jack and Kilra made, and it was about a narcissistic man who throws axes at his enemies. Kilra played a blue-haired woman (though she had no wig) who was mute and played the harp.

Carla clapped her hands after the skit ended, whereas Warren and Sucre were nodding their heads in approval. Frank looked at Carla again. Though he was sure she died three years ago, seeing her alive again made him feel like he had been punched in the gut.

For him, seeing her alive has become even more disturbing considering she was his older stepsister. His supposedly dead stepsister.

Carla rose from her seat and approached Frank. She looked at him sadly. He turned his gaze away from her and sighed.

"Frank." Carla began. "We need to talk."
"Again, you spoke my mind." Frank replied. "Let's go outside."

Frank stood up from his seat and led Carla outside. They were both met with a sea of students walking back and forth to their classrooms. He showed her the stairway leading to the rooftop of the high school building.

After they got there, Frank paced the rooftop. He was in shock because Carla was alive—and Marina kept it a secret from him. His eyes flowed with tears as he saw her standing in front of him. Carla took him in her arms and hugged him.

"Frank, I'm sorry about me." Carla apologized. "Miss Ludenberg brought me back last year. Marina kept me a secret from you because... Olivia will go ballistic when she sees me."
"On top of that, Olivia knows I'm dead. At least I'm supposed to be. You have to tell her that Cornerstone Wing has been recovered by one of Westerfield's best Casters."
"Moreover, you have to tell her that Cornerstone Wing was used to bring back certain people from the dead. Tell her I was one of whom Miss Ludenberg resurrected."

Frank nodded and hugged Carla back. She then let go him after a minute, wiping his tears. She smiled at him as they both went back into the building. Once they were back, they were both greeted by the confused face of their childhood friend, James Antonio.

He was wearing a black hoodie—again—with his uniform. Instead of the formal black shoes, James sported black Converse to go with his navy blue slacks.

"I ain't confused about Frank at all." James clarified. "What I'm confused about is... you, Carla. I thought you were supposed to be..."
"Long story, James." Frank said, pointing a finger at his friend's lips. "Keep your trap shut. Carla and I will tell you later."

The three walked down the staircase leading to Sophomore Hall and headed back to their classroom. They were met with a scowling girl who wore the same uniform as Carla—the only difference being that her blouse had sleeves and Carla's had none.

"Welcome back, boys." She greeted, though it didn't come off as positive. "And new meat."
"Yeah, hello, Chloé." Frank sighed. James just went into the classroom and Carla followed suit.

Once they were in, Chloé glared at James and raised her middle finger at him. Because she was in the way of Frank, he shoved her to the side and walked to his seat. She growled, enraged at Frank and James.

But then she noticed something else. They knew the new student. The thought of getting back at him filled her with delight as she took steps to Carla. Unfortunately, she made a mistake.

Carla felt like she was about to be hit. Her left eye suddenly glowed and changed its color to teal, the light of the glow making her classmates look at her. Chloé was this close to striking Carla, but she did not realize the consequences of her actions.

Carla pushed Chloé's right hand down and landed a high kick on her face. Chloé flew backward and the speed of her flight made her body slam the door shut. She fell on the tile floor. The Fuentabella twins, Jack, Warren, and Frank stared at Carla. Her left eye was still teal in color.

"The Sensory Orb." Warren whispered to himself. "A defense mechanism created by the Xeraphina clan—whose real name is still a mystery."
"There's only one explanation for Carla's fast reaction time, Gaster." Frank began. "She's a daughter of the Xeraphina clan. The last one."

Chloé got up and ran straight to Carla. She roared as she raised her fist to punch the bespectacled girl's face. But Carla caught her by the fist. She kicked her opponent on the stomach and dragged her foot away, leaving Chloé to bend over in pain. Once Chloé's guard was open, Carla wrapped her left arm around her opponent's neck and then locked the other girl's arm around her nape as well.

Jack grinned as he and his classmates watched Carla grab for Chloé's pocket, crouching down and throwing her to the back. As Chloé fell, so did Carla. The bespectacled girl wasn't unconscious, so she stood back up. Her left eye stopped glowing. Chloé was lying on the tile floor, tired and slowly breathing.

"Whoa." Sucre said. "I-I'm speechless. This... wow. I can't believe it. You stood up to her."
"Bitch deserved it." Jack smiled, walking up to Carla and patting her. She faced her classmates.

A brunette girl wearing the same uniform as Chloé approached Carla and nodded her head in approval. She introduced herself as Katrina Vantas. The bespectacled girl noticed something else—Katrina wasn't a Caster. She was a human.

Katrina took her seat next to Warren. She put her bag down on her desk gently and sat down. She was new here, and so was the girl she saw in the fight. The bell rung, and everyone in the classroom immediately took their seats.

Everyone but Chloé.

Klara Ludenberg entered the classroom. She saw Chloé lying on the floor and helped her get up. But she looked at her student sternly.

"Chloé, guidance office. Now."