Chapter 16: The Lunch

"Holy shit, Xiao Lan!"

The young witch looked up from her mashed potatoes and gravy, a spoon's in her mouth as she gave a questioning look at one of the twins. Jin Qiu is standing perpendicular to her, and he's slowly sliding down into his seat.

"I saw the board!" The twin picked up his own spoon, but his black eyes are on his younger cousin.

"Yeah, she one-shot everyone." Yin said in place of Xiao, and she passed her brother a napkin which she accidentally overtook. "And two people down in one minute. I'm so proud..."

"And the weapon? A water bottle?" Jacob asked from the opposite side of the table from his twin. "You're given a sword, and you used a water bottle."

Raxithak sighed, and he pressed his lips together. His amber eyes stared at Xiao, and immediately she felt guilty, but...

"I was drinking water when the recorder came, and he said I can't change." Her voice came out smaller than she intended.

"Who bullied you?" Alexander asked, a smile on his face. It's genuine but at the same time, it's cocky. "Number ones gotta stick together."

The prince wasn't even in the top fifteen last time, but today he was just like Xiao: straight 3 top of the board in his section.

"Would you beat them up if she tells you?" Yin asked, clear curiosity in her voice.

"No, I just wanna know." Alexander let out a chuckle, and Raxith eyed Xiao from across the table.

"I'm sorry, I don't know his name." The young witch packed another spoon full of mashed potatoes.

Without a word, a pair of fingers began making their way to Xiao's apples, again. And without wasting a breath, the young witch slapped the prince's hand.

"Ouchie...." Alexander dramatically faked his wound. "Can I have one please?"

Xiao pressed her lips into a hard line, and she picked two slices and deposited them on Alexander's tray. That's all he gets for today.

Jacob broke into a laugh at the sight, and he made a suicidal move by saying, "Empire apple sucks though. I prefer honeycrisp."

The group moved on to a civil discussion about apples, which escalated to Yin about to jump on her oldest brother for criticizing Pink Lady apples. Before she could do that, a team of four people approached their table. Leading them is a tall blonde boy with crystal blue eyes, and his hand is rested ok the handle of his sword, the tip encrusted with a gem as blue as his eyes.

Xiao immediately recognized the leader: Harvey Cassius, the person who destroyed the young witch's sword in the last competition and went on to get first place. The blond almost killed Raxithak, only stopped because the time was up. Harvey is the type of person who doesn't take his opponent's yielding into consideration.

Next to the blond but one step behind him is another blond who looks exactly identical to Harvey, but a few years younger. Xiao unfortunately recognized this person too. Gillian Cassius, Harvey's younger brother whom was ranked thirteenth from the last competition.

"Hello, gentlemen." Harvey greeted them, and the cousins turned their heads to look at him.

Alexander and Raxith had to turn around to make eye contact with the asshole. Yin still held a fork pointing at Jacob, the boys rudely interrupted her while she's threatening her brother.

"What do you want?" Jin Qiu was the only one who returned the greeting.

The entire cafeteria seemed to quiet down at their interaction. After all, this is the strongest magic user student in the Monastery, and he's at a table where a prince is eating.

"Can't I say hello?" The blond snorted, and behind him, his buddies eyed the team.

"No. Go away, we're eating." Jacob's answer earned a wince from the standing group, and the twin looked back at his sister. "Yin, Pink Lady is cute, but it's not good for eating."

The witch mentioned began pointing her fork accusingly at her brother once more. "It's aesthetically pleasing and delicious! Not too sweet and not too tart! It's perfect!"

A vein on Harvey's forehead twitched since he's being ignored, so he turned his attention to Alexander. The prince's bright green eyes are looking at the squad, and he's taking a bite of one of Xiao's peeled and sliced piece of apple.

Harvey was about to say something, but Alexander beat him to it.

"If you're looking for trouble, I recommend you shut up." With that said, the prince turned back around to face the cousins.

Xiao took a peek at the blond, and he somehow radiated anger. Well, the spoiled brat is used to getting whatever he wants, isn't he? He can't also risk fighting in the cafeteria, since physically fighting outside of the arena would disqualify anyone from the competition.

"Do you eat with your eyes?" Jacob continued the argument with his sister. "Because you can't get a fill out of a fruit that lasts for two bites. Xith, Xan, back me up on this. My own siblings had abandoned me."

Jin Qiu flashed his brother a middle finger as he took a bite of his peach. Raxith shrugged and continued to eat his salad like there isn't a group of people constantly boring holes into his back.

"I don't mind apples as long as they're peeled." Alexander said casually before he took a bite out of the last slice of apple which Xiao gifted him.

"See, Jacob, his opinion isn't valid because just like Xiao, they think apple are better off without color." Yin lowered her fork.

Xiao gave her female cousin a look. The witch doesn't think that way about apples, she just doesn't like the taste of apple peels.

"Your highness," Harvey addressed Alexander, and the prince cringed at his own title. "Why would you be with people who don't consider your opinion?"

The young witch flinched when the prince's fist hit the table. The entire cafeteria quieted down, and all eyes came on their table.

"Harvey, you're graduating in four days." Alexander put on his smile, one with his teeth and dimples showing, one which is so fake that Xiao felt hostility. "You don't wanna be thrown out now, do you?"

The two squad members behind the blond brothers looked at each other. They're probably evaluating whether or not poking Alexander is worth the risk.

Raxithak put his hand on his roommate's shoulder, and the prince's blazing green eyes turned to look at him.

"You're not denying the fact that the Devinskies are—"

"Harvey," Jacob licked his lips, his dark eyes glared at the blond boy. "This is a family group. Jin and I. Yin and Xiao. Xith and Xan. If Xan doesn't like us, he'd left since day one."

"But I'm here now." The prince took Raxithak's hand off his shoulder, and then Xiao heard Gillian gasped when Alexander rested his elbow on her male cousin's shoulder.

The angle is a little weird, but it's the thought that counts. Whatever thought that is...

Harvey turned around and gestured for his brother to follow. "I told you these assholes aren't worth our time."

"But..." Gillian was about to talk back to his brother but he decided against it last second.

"Top ten or nothing." The blond said to his brother before he made his way through the crowd.

Xiao watched the squad disappeared out the exit, and she looked back at her group. Jacob and Jin Qiu are also graduating along with Harvey. Unlike her, their graduations don't mean they have to settle down with a spouse and raise children.

The thought is enough to motivate the young witch. The higher her rank, the harder it is for her father to choose a suitor worthy of his daughter.