Element

✭ Chapter 7

After all my classes end, at 4:00, I have two hours of free time before dinner. The events of the day play over and over in my mind while I wander alone in the garden tended by the earth elements. My thoughts keep drifting back to the boy with the hazel eyes. He made a deep impression on me, in a way not really anyone else has. I don’t think it was the fact that I was able to help him. I've helped people before. I don't even know his name! Why has his face… and his eyes...invaded my mind? I feel scatter-brained right now.

Deep breath.

My shoes crunch on the path. The fragrance of lavender and roses wafts over towards me. I stop to smell one especially beautiful bloom. It’s pinkish-white petals have not a scratch, and I marvel at how perfectly symmetrical it is. Why can’t life be like roses?

I stay in the garden for the two hours just trying to sort myself out. The sun slowly sets in a brilliant late-summer display of orange, pink, and yellow. Night air reaches towards me, and I shiver slightly. I breathe in the sweet, earthy air of the garden and stand up, brushing any dirt the bench may have left on my jeans. The hazel-eyes are almost out of my mind now.

I walk over to the Dining Room finally, and sit down with Kaelie. Soup's on the menu for tonight, and it's really hot.

"Good first day?" I ask her as I blow on a spoonful to cool it down.

"Yeah, pretty good. I love the fourth-year flying teacher!" she says.

"Me too!" I say. "She's so funny and nice."

"Yeah, I know," she replies. "And- she asked me to try out for the Battle Team! Can you believe it?! I didn't think I was that good."

"Really? Me too!” I smile at her. “And you're better then you think," I say, reassuring her. "We should try out together. But it's so far away, not until the end of the semester."

"Yeah, but that's good. We can practice a lot before," she notes.

We cautiously sip the soup for a while. Parisa is sitting at a table with some other air elements, but she doesn’t seem to know them because she never joins in the conversation. I feel bad, but she’ll have new friends in no time.

Brooke strolls by Kaelie and me, and I grab her attention. "Brooke!"

"Wha-? Oh, hi guys," she says, momentarily confused. "What's up?"

"Well, how was your first day?”

“Good. It was good. My swimming class was really easy.”

“Same with my flying class. Hey, are you trying out for the Battle Team? Fourth-year is the first year you're allowed to sign up," I explain.

Kaelie nods in agreement. "We should all three try out. It seems challenging, yet fun," she says.

"Yeah, I guess so. Isn't it dangerous though?" Brooke asks, with a bit of concern on her face.

"It's all safe, I’m sure, or else they wouldn’t have it.” I say.

“There’s surely padding and protection and stuff,” Kaelie chimes in.

"Think about it," I say with a smile

"I will," she says, returns my smile, and walks over to the water tables.

"Do you think she will?" Kaelie asks.

"I think she will. She’s not one to go down without a fight.”

“Well, yeah.”

“Let’s just finish our soup. It’s getting late.”

“Yes, mother,” she says in a sarcastic tone, and we both laugh.

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This chapter has been revised and edited.

Apologies for the short chapter. But we hope you all are enjoying the story!

-Megan and Wien :)