[13.3] How *NOT* to Get Out of Class

I entered the class that was already underway. Felix noticed me and waved, "Reika!!!"

I walked over to him and looked into the pan boiling on a stove. I frowned, "Did I accidentally walk into the cooking class? Where's the cauldron?"

He giggled, "What are you talking about? This is potion's class. But what are you doing here? I thought you took the crafting class."

I scratched my head a bit embarrassed, "I got kicked out."

His eyes widened, "How? Were you being mischievous again?"

I shook my head, "No! I created a living book that may or may not enjoy stabbing people with a fork."

A strange look of thrill passed through his eyes.

I frowned, "What is it?"

The strange look disappeared immediately as if it was never there to begin with. He grinned and shook his head, "N-Nothing. I'm just surprised you can bring an inanimate object to life."

I looked at him closely and realized that the odd excitement I had seen earlier was gone. Did I just see wrong?

The teacher walked over to us, "Felix. Do you think you could watch over Reika?"

I frowned, "Why am I being babysat by a child? First the golden-haired brat and now the crybaby? I've never been so insulted."

Felix chuckled, "I don't think he means it like that."

...He didn't even deny the crybaby part.

The teacher spoke, "I only meant that you are new to this class and Felix is one of our best students. He can teach you correctly."

I looked at Felix closely, "You're good at something?"

He hung his head as if he was hurt by my words, "H-Hey… I may be a coward, but making potions is my talent. See? Try it."

He pulled out a cup and ladled the potion into it. He handed it to me and I took it hesitantly. What if it's poison?

I looked at Felix's innocent and childlike smile.

I don't even think he understands what poison is.

I shrugged and gulped the drink down. I licked my lips, "Why does it taste like flowers?"

He blushed, "I put in some flower petals to help with the taste."

I turned pale, "So you did poison me!?"

"Flower petals aren't poisonous…" His shocked face turned red as tears began to form in his eyes, "You think I would poison you?"

"No no no no!" I panicked when I realized he was about to cry, "It was a joke! Just a joke!!"

He wiped away his tears, "Oh… Okay… But how do you feel?"

I rubbed my chin, "Less tired… My body feels lighter and not as exhausted."

He clapped, "Perfect! My potion is supposed to calm the mind and rejuvenate the body."

I snickered, "Well I do feel rejuvenated. I feel so light, I could even blow up the school again!"

"Please don't joke about that…"

"Ah. Sorry."

He handed me his notebook, "Here are my notes. If you follow this, then you should be able to make the same potion."

I nodded and followed his instructions. Once I finished, the two of us stared into the pot.

I forced a smile, "It seems to have… A different texture compared to yours."

He frowned, "Different texture? It looks like black tar. Did you follow my instructions?"

"I did!"

He tapped his chin, "Hm… Maybe it's fine?" He poured it in a cup and tapped the student next to him, "Here."

The student was so engrossed in his potion that he took it absentmindedly and drank it. The student froze realizing what he had just done. His head slowly turned to us in horror, "What did you just give me?!?"

Felix grinned at him, "How do you feel?"

"I feel…" The student yawned, "I feel a bit sleepy."

Suddenly, the student's head crashed into the table and he was in a deep sleep.

I looked at him in wonder, "Huh."

The teacher ran over, "What happened?!"

I stared at the potion that was left, "I guess I made a sleeping potion."

Felix poked the student, "...A very potent one."

The teacher rushed the student to the nurse. Before he left, he glared at me. "You. Out."

…

The Headmaster sat across from me in silence. My strained smile twitched as he continued to look at me with his cold stare.

Unable to handle the silence, I spoke. "Nice day isn't-"

"You got kicked out of another class." He interrupted with a sharp tone, "What did you do this time?"

"I-I just tried to make a potion. I followed the instructions exactly! It's not my fault I failed!"

He shook his head, "You even force-fed your disturbing concoction to a fellow student."

"Hey! That wasn't me! It was Felix!"

He sighed, "And now you are even blaming another innocent child. Felix has never done such a thing in the past."

"But it's the truth?!?"

He ignored me, "I have no choice. I have to put you in combat class."

I felt my whole world come crashing down, "Anything but that…"

…

Cyrus grinned at me as I stood in front of him with my arms crossed. He snickered, "I thought you didn't want to take combat class."

I stuck out my tongue, "Don't get so cocky. I'm only here because I got kicked out of the other two classes."

"Oh? And what did you do to get kicked out?"

"Neither one was my fault! I just… Messed up a bit."

He laughed loudly, "I thought you were an amazing magician? Could it be that you are actually bad at something?"

I stomped my foot, "I'm a painter! I don't make pottery, I paint it! I can assure you that my hands are very skilled!! Just not at crafting!"

A red blush came across his face. He gulped and looked at my hands, "...Is that so?"

I froze.

I had to hold back from smacking him, "How old are you!? How can you have such perverted thoughts!?"

He flinched, "I-I wasn't thinking that!!"

I crossed my arms with a sigh, "Who am I kidding? Boys your age are obsessed with naked women."

He covered his ears in a nervous panic, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?!"

I continued lost in thought, "I remember when I was in middle school and the boys in my class stole a nudie magazine from their older brother and they were all gathering around it giggling. Just disgusting."

"Huh?" He tilted his head, "Middle school? Nudie magazine? What is that?"

I averted my eyes, "That's not important."

Cyrus still pondered the meaning while the teacher walked over to us. He was a rough-looking man filled with scars, "Both of you. Go run 5 laps."

My heart nearly stopped, "Say what?"

"If you can flirt, you can run."

My mouth dropped in horror and disgust. What kind of teacher would say something like that?! Disgusting!!

Not to mention that would make me a perverted criminal!!

DISGUSTING!

The teacher pointed, "Run."

Cyrus saluted him, "Right away."

"Oh f*ck that." I turned around and was abruptly pulled back by my collar, "ACK!"

Cyrus pulled me along, "I will run with you!"

I wanted to cry, "That's really not necessary!"

He didn't listen to me and continued to pull me along. I could either be dragged by my collar or run. Since I didn't like being choked, I chose to run instead.

I ran so far, I was tempted to lie down and die. I heaved heavily as I struggled to move my feet.

Not… good… It's no good. I can't go on…

Cyrus frowned at me, "You haven't even finished one lap. You still have four more to go."

I gasped, "Four more?!?"

There's only one option left...

I looked at my legs with a crazed smile. "I have to break my own leg. I can't be forced to run if I don't have a working leg."

Cyrus froze, "Wait. What?"

I took a deep breath as I grabbed a rock, "This won't hurt a bit."

Cyrus ran towards me, "Wait!! Stop!!!"