8 Eight

Following Zira through the school made me question whether I would ever get my head around this place, directions I mean. I was pretty confident on my navigation skills actually, I mean not everyone can know their way around the city like the back of their hand, it was one of the few things I could be confident about. But this place was a fucking maze.

All the corridors looked the same, I couldn't see any of the signs because I don't have any sight and they can't put a charm on me. Every room Zira pointed out seemed random, none of the grades were assigned to certain floors, there was a magic lab next to a staff room next to a support course classroom. This whole place was a mess.

The only thing I decided was important to know was that we were in a basement classroom which were used for exorcisms and a cram school for all sorts of kids. I mean the did one thing right, they kept me away from most the other students. The school was still a fucking mess though.

In the end, I zoned out and just lead Zira lead me to our classroom, looks like I'll just have to meet Zira every morning when he goes to get breakfast.

When we finally went into a classroom we got a few looks from a couple of the geniuses who were also eating down here, which we both ignored. I followed Zira to the seats the furthest away from the door, me taking the desk in the back corner. Since there were almost 30 seats for just 10 of us, it looks liked people were going to be pretty spread out and thank the stars for that.

Zira sat down in front of me as I popped open the can I had bought, me taking a massive gulp of the fizzy caffeinated drink, squeezing my eyes shut at the sensation. I wasn't used to fizzy drinks, I'm not even meant to drink them with the sugar content.

I opened my eyes once my head cleared, watching my best friend busy himself with setting his desk up. I guess him sitting in front of me was to stop me from distracting him, such a nerd.

Hang on, what's that? I noticed a black marking on his neck that I hadn't noticed before, half hidden by his collar. It looked like a sigil but it was probably a family mark or something to do with him being an Emerson.

Before I could ask, the door opening grabbed my attention, a guy walking in. Well I say guy, he was a kid, a pretty girly looking one at that. It's not like he was trying, but his face could just go either way and his sleek, light blonde hair didn't help. Connor Alexson wasn't just known for his pretty face though, he was a genius at controlling magic. Control I couldn't even start to dream of, if he isn't a chaneller, no one is, although he would be the first in a while.

His god-like control aside, he was just a kid. Think he's the youngest actually, he apparently used to live in Japan since his dad is a diplomat or something and ended up a year ahead there, so he entered the academy a year early too. I remember the massive deal made at the council when it was requested, from what I remember hearing, he also doesn't speak. So, he's just a bratty kid.

Said bratty kid was now standing in front of me, looking down at me. No, at my desk. I looked around the classroom and saw most of the back seats were free. Was he serious? "I don't give a fuck, I got here first, kid." He frowned, as if he didn't get why I reacted like that. He then just sighed at me and sat down at the seat next to me.

He fucking sighed at me, bitch. I guess it's true he doesn't speak though.

"That was mean," Zira commented as I took another sip of the too sweet drink. I just shrugged.

"It's true, a pretty face won't get you everywhere in life."

"Don't pick on the youngest kid just because you aren't the youngest for once."

I kicked Zira's seat in response to his low blow. People don't guess it but I was a summer baby, I was literally born half way through August, unlike this lucky bastard whose birthday was in November. Zira just snickered like his evil self before pausing, looking around. His prince days were going to slip away soon enough.

I looked over at the kid next to me staring uninterestedly at his desk. The cheeky bastard was listening. "Zira, I wouldn't give my seat up to you even if you begged you're the whole fucking reason I'm here." The kid silently scoffed, glancing over for a second. I got to say, he has balls.

I hear a sigh and a thud and see that Zira had dropped his head onto the desk, his food levitating probably so it didn't cover his face. Damn mages.

"That's not the point!" Apparently he was giving up with that whine. "Why don't you just go and read the manga?"

"No way!"

Zira sat up, picking up a piece of toast up from his still levitating tray, turning back to me, looking confused. "Just read it, will you. You're being loud."

"But something bad's going to happen!"

The tray fell with a clatter. Now he really had given up.

"Don't look at me like that, you don't get the suspense! You spend so much time translating and working out what the slang means and researching the fucking context before even reading it, by then the whole effect is ruined!"

"Oh my god, you are such an embarrassment! And you call me a geek!" I suppose he had a point, but no one other than Zira would ever have the guts to say that to me, let alone get away with it. I am way too fucking good to him, lucky ass bitch.

"And you call me a shitty best friend? Remind me why I'm here again?"

Obviously it's at the point I exclaim that the rest of the class start streaming through the door. They all stared as if we were really arguing and my temper would go any moment. For fuck's sake, have they never seen a playful fight before?

"Stars, it's just banter, chill yourselves." They just kept looking at me warily, the occasional confused glance at Zira for sitting by me, shamelessly judging me. Of course they would never think bad of the princely Emerson prodigy who was most likely the Elix. Obviously that would be completely out of the question... fucking idiot.

Farida walked in last, looking at the ground as she walked past the hoards to a seat in Zira's row but a few away from us in the corner. Zira stood up and went over to her, me suddenly looking at the tray that was on the table, the mess cleaned up without a second thought.

I guess manga it is; I am going to regret this.