The Flame

CHAPTER 17

I woke up by a loud banging on the door. It was almost a wonder that the door didn't break right away.

"Guys wake up, you are getting late for classes...Guys" screamed Merlin from the other side of the door. With a half opened eye I peeped at the digital display above the door frame. It read 8.34 am, "Oh Crap".

"Kat...Kat get up, it's getting late", I cried, vigorously shaking her up.

"What the hell, Rose, let me slee..." she said muffled by a yawn mid-sentence. "Oh no, it's 8.36 already?" she cried "The hell" she swore, running towards the washroom. I ran towards the door to open it before it comes crashing down.

"Yes, I'm coming Merlin", I screamed opening the door. Unlike me, she was already dressed up in her magenta uniform, and her neatly styled hair.

"Get dressed up fast, we all are waiting for you", she said.

"All? Who all?" I asked moving forward to get a view at the people sitting on the couch and flipping through channels on the plasma screen. It was Alicia and Clarke. "No Sonya?" I asked her, eventhough I knew the answer. I wanted to act as if I didn't know anything about the 'me being a red-blood' whole conversation with her.

"Na, I think she doesn't like our company anymore" replied Alicia automatically as a matter of fact. I thought it was better I didn't say anything to that, after a few seconds I spoke again.

"Listen; could you all do me a favour?", I asked them hesitantly. To which they all nodded and encouraged to go ahead "I have no intention in sticking around your classes today so just keep Kat company okay?". I whispered, having a small peep behind me ensuring Kat wasn't there to hear what I said.

"Sure but what do you intend on doing then?", Clarke asked flaring up with excitement. She probably thought I was staying back to do something fun.

"I don't know," I told her honestly, "anything than going through one of your boring classes", I replied back.

"Careful there friend, even though you are a late bloomer, you will have to pass through all those boring classes one day", Merlin teased. Oops! Danger, Danger...my brain told me...Rose change the topic...change the topic.

"Yeah, but until then let me have some fun", I winked.

"Don't worry, friend, we will take care of your other half", Clarke said laughing.

"Other half?", I asked them, laughing. "I'm straight guys", I said still laughing out loud.

"Oh really, so how many guys have you dated before?" asked Alicia still maintaining a jovial tone.

"I'm sure more than Merlin must've dated" I teased Merlin who went scarlet immediately. (By the way...that was a fluke)😂

"Hey, why would you say that?" she asked looking a little offended.

"No offence my friend, but you will always be my nerdy little friend for me". I said, hugging her from behind.

"Oh no, no you didn't even take a bath yet", she screamed pushing me away, reaching for a pillow and throwing at me, which made others laugh.

I, in turn, took another pillow from the couch and aimed it at her, she carefully dodged it and so it hit Clarke instead of Merlin, now she got into the game too, she took another pillow and aimed at me to miss it. I ran towards the fallen pillow grabbed it and aimed at Merlin again, who got the hit now "Yesss!!" I screamed, and breathlessly started laughing. The pillow was clearly ruined by our small fight that the feathers inside were flying all over the room, and us laughing uncontrollably between them when Kat entered.

"Oh, my god, what just happened here?" she screamed, clearly taken back by what she saw.

"Nothing, just that some birds came by to say hi" piped out Alicia, smiling sheepishly.

                              ***

Convincing Katy to go for classes without me, felt like a mountain lifting task, but finally, she gave in after agreeing on meeting her for lunch. She was running late so left for her class soon, which left me all alone in this massive room.

I immediatly slipped into the bed and drifted off to sleep again.

                               ***

I woke up after just thirty minutes of sleep; my rumbling stomach woke me up. "Nice", I told myself, rolling my eyes.
I washed myself immediatly and got into my classy uniform with my visitor badge, and walked towards the podium, set to fill my stomach first.

The dining hall was empty when I reached there, all the students were already in their classroom. All? No...Well, an exception is always there, isn't it?

"Why do I always see you outside your class?" I asked walking towards him. He looked thrilled to see me behind him.

"We are partner in crime Rose" he replied gobbling bits of his pancake. I just rolled my eyes.

"No, seriously, how do you get away with this? Won't they notice if you keep missing all of their classes?" I asked him, I indeed wanted to know, how he pulls this off, maybe I could use some to his tricks when Professor Benn wouldn't stop talking about insect behaviour...I was in my own thoughts, when something strange occurred to me

"Wait, I never introduced myself to you, how do you know my name?" I asked him wide-eyed, as realization hit me that never once did I introduce myself to him, nor did he care to introduce himself to me. His long silence made me more curious about what he'd say.

"Everyone knows you" he answered sincerely turning towards me. I gave him a puzzled look which made him continue. "You're the badass who put Genn on line Rose, that kind of thing gets around here fast", he said smirking. I didn't know whether I should feel overwhelmed or embarrassed by the reason I got famous around here, but I could feel hot blood rushing towards my cheeks. I released a strand of my dark hair from the back of my ear, to form a sort of curtain, hiding my face. When he didn't get an answer from me after what felt like minutes, he spoke again.

"Oh, see Rose doesn't have a witty reply? Score one for me", he said beaming.

"Oh, please" I rolled my eyes, reaching for the scrambled eggs and toast. "You haven't replied to my earlier question yet?" I pointed out "You have a class going on right now, and here you are sitting here having your breakfast and doing nothing" I continued grinning.

"Who said?" he arched an eyebrow "I'm multitasking Rose, I'm having breakfast, at the same time thinking about the schemes to make this world a better place, and also at the same time flirting with a beautiful woman sitting beside me", he answered back smiling.

"World a better place, who are you kidding?" I asked him, laughing, carefully avoiding the last part, which did something to my insides.

"No one, Adrian is many things but not a liar" he winked, getting up from his chair, and leaving.

"Is that the way of telling me your name Adrian?" I called out after him.

"You are so so awesome Rose" is what he said before disappearing into the hallway. I felt an unusual warm fluttering within me that had nothing to do with the warm and tasty breakfast; I didn't even realize I was smiling to myself, which was pointed out my Olivia.

"Having a good time Rose?", she asked out while passing by.

"Yes, Headmistress" I automatically replied, still keeping up the smile on my face.

                                  ***

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