Twist of Fate

Chapter 16: Distraction

My muscles were screaming as I collapsed onto my bed that felt like heaven after a long day of classes. Though it was the first day, I had been exhausted to my limits. The first class was tiring enough, Instructor Liran, he made us call him that, made us stand in a moving boat on one leg as two others rowed. Only four or five of us could do it for over a minute, myself included, though I only lasted a few seconds less than five minutes.

To be honest, it was easy, almost like balancing on a beam, but the movements of the waves and the crude rowing of the rowers made my muscles overwork. As one of the ones who lasted the longest, I was praised by my impressed classmates, but that didn't please me at all. I never showed it, but I was feeling abnormally agitated after I lost my balance. I wasn't one to lose it when I failed something—I should've been glad I hadn't fallen in the water like some had—the reason behind my bad mood was the fact I was beaten. One of my classmates had stood longer than I had. It was only ten seconds but they beat me.

Being beaten usually didn't piss me off either, yet the person who so clearly beat my time made me want to get up and try again. The one who beat was the aloof hazel eyed boy around fifteen or sixteen that wore a scarf even in warm weather. When he was standing in the boat, directly next to mine might I add, he had the audacity to look bored, as if doing it was tedious.

In fact, when he did lose his balance, which was exactly at the five minute mark and wasn't exactly losing balance, I saw his gaze turn to me, the one who had stood the longest so far. And then he smirked. At me. The guy actually smirked as if he were superior to me in some way. After this happened, I felt the irrational urge to prove I was nowhere near inferior to him. I used every chance I got to show I was not one to be looked down upon.

And I mean every chance. Coincidentally, he and I took all the same classes. In every single one of them, the physical and liberal classes, he beat me in everything. His physical and mental prowess were astonishing, I had to admit, he was far above our other classmates. He may have even beaten me in that raw ability category.

I couldn't stand the guy, but I didn't hate him. Despite his talent, he was always alone and isolated. Almost like me. He wasn't the kindest or most social person I'd ever met, but for him to be so alone didn't feel right. I didn't pity him though. Pitying another is by far the most disgusting thing I could ever feel.

So I didn't, I just competed with him in classes. Doing my best was the only way I knew to not go against my aversion of pity. Though, I suppose I could've been a tad bit less competitive. There were multiple reasons. For one, I was so distracted by our competitions I never learned the guy's name. To be fair, I didn't think he learned mine either.

"You look like a ton of bricks fell on you," Raifa said, laughing. "Was your first day really that hard?"

I halfheartedly threw her a glare. "Thanks for the lovely compliment."

Raifa grinned and sat on her bed. "The bath is free now. If you want, you can take a bath."

I rose from my bed with a groan and searched for some clothes. I set them on the bed as I pulled off the boots and jacket of the uniform Raifa lent me. I'd need to have them washed after today before I gave them back. Then I headed to the bathroom. It was a pristine white tiled room with a large tub shaped into the floor with steps. It was already full of water that had white bubbles floating in it. Raifa had done me a favor and set it.

I took off the rest of my clothes and put them in a pile. Then I walked down the steps of the bath into scalding hot water. It burned but it felt so good for my sore muscles. I relaxed, breathing in the same rosy sent that filled the room. After relaxing for a bit, I cleaned myself off and climbed out.