An Envious Encounter

BRAD'S POV:

I was standing near the tree, a little away from them, watching her giggling and laughing with that boy. Yes, I saw her getting bullied, my blood boiled seeing her in that condition, I was still in a debate with myself whether to act recklessly or to handle the situation maturely, I even informed the guards to come. When her eyes met mine, I saw how much she needed me, I didn't want to wait more and I was about to come forth but a guy came and took her by hands leavening me there all dumbfounded. Before I could act and understood, she was gone. I followed them immediately, I thought she would yank his hands off, but instead, she was laughing and giggling with him. I can see him flirting with her, to which she gladly responded too. I clenched my fist in anger and punched the nearest tree, gaining her attention towards me. She turned around and looked at me with a poker face. But before she could come towards me, I left. I cannot face her right now.

I came to my room and lay on my bed, remembering how I met my friends for the first time. I was certain, that good and loyal friends are very rare. But Shawna was different from us. Her innocent and loyalty made our friendship stronger. Junnie was a very calm and sweet girl, I would be lying if I didn't notice her before. We were friends since Jenny and Junnie met at a fair. She use to visit our house often. But I have always maintained my distance as I knew she was higher in class and money. I did notice her before, not just as a friend, but also as a wonderful woman she has grown to but I was scared. Scared that she won't be seeing this as anything more than friendship, but when she did confess, I was happy and sad at the same time. What if it is just an infatuation? what if she fell out of love soon? Like my parents did... Our parents fell out of love but still stay together just for the sake of us. I have seen my mother crying all night waiting for my father. She had trusted the wrong person... They were a lovely couple but one day... Dad said he fell out of love with mom. She cried and begged but all he just did was ignore her. But unfortunately, they were still together just for our sake. People changes with time. I have been through this, so I don't want to make the same mistake. I want to wait till she realizes what she exactly wants.

But all is waste now, I knew it was just infatuation for her, as I can see her moving away from me, after my denial. She never tried again. She fell out of love as I have thought of.

Tears escaped from the corner of my eyes as I drift into sleep thinking all this.

SHAWNA'S POV:

I was in my room, thinking about what happened earlier. I yelled at Priam. I feel so low on myself. I locked the door and cried holding my knees. I know I have hurt him, but it was all for his good. Till Mr. Ben Dunnie returns or Dekker find him for me, I cannot take any risk on him or my friends either. I cannot lose him. I have to fight this journey alone.

Suddenly a knock on the door brings me back from my absurd thoughts. I thought it was Priam as usual. I quickly got up and opened the door so that I can say sorry but my eyes widened when I see Dekker standing in front of me.

I exclaimed-" Dekker?"

He bowed before me and said-" Princess, Queen Harney has sent me here to look after you"

I asked with a frown-" Grandma?"

He said-" She was little upset thinking about your health and your safety, So King Jonny and Queen Harney sent me here to look after you."

I sighed as I asked him to come inside. I know how stubborn can grandma be. I asked-" Come in". I gave him space to enter my room as he stood in a corner. I said- " That's okay I understand them, it is good for us too, You know your work, keep finding him and report me on time okay?'

He nodded and replied-" I have talked with the Guards here, I will be staying downstairs. call me if you need anything princess."

I hummed in response as he left after bowing to me for the last time.

I took a deep breath before putting on my cardigan and walking towards the library. It was already past 7 in the evening I was searching for some books to read. Then suddenly Jenny walked in there with John.

Jenny approached me as she smiled and asked-" Shawna!! How are you feeling now? I haven't seen you all day."

I smiled and replied-" I am okay now. And I am sorry I was a little busy and Dekker came so was..."

John exclaimed with a little shock-" Dekker came here?"

I replied while looking at him-" Yes. Why?"

John frowned and looked away before replying-" No-nothing!".

I couldn't understand why he asked like that as we started talking about random things while I got to know about cresseda bullying Junnie this morning.

I yelled in a low voice-" What? When did this all happen? Why didn't you guys inform me?" I looked at them waiting for them to answer.

We were interrupted when a voice spoke from behind-" How should we? When you are busy and ignoring us?"

We turned around and saw Brad standing with some books.

I asked-" Brad! When did you come here? " he took a seat at our table as I said-"It's not like that. I-I... Let me explain.". I was out of words as I felt a little bad keeping my distance from them.

Priam entered with Junnie while holding her by the shoulder. He was consoling her. We looked at them when we heard their voice. He was trying to cheer her up. My eyes looked at his hands holding her and a bit of jealousy worked inside me. I knew it was wrong. He is just helping his friend which is mine too but I cannot help it... My heart keeps hurting. I was at fault I yelled at him and how can I say anything after that... I looked down feeling ashamed of myself.

They sat at the table, joining us

I looked at Junnie as I said with a worried face and holding her hand-" I am sorry Junnie, I didn't know."

She said in low voice-" It's okay Shawna, I understand. If it wasn't because of Lucifer I would have..."

I asked while cutting her off in between -" Who is Lucifer?"

Brad replied with a bitter chuckle-" Her savior!!! The new student in our school."

Junnie glanced at him as she replied looking a little annoyed-" Yes, while everyone standing and enjoying the show, he showed the courage to come and help me".

Brad glared at her with furious eyes as he didn't like her way of talking. She didn't break either as she stared back at him looking all confident of her accusation. It seemed like they were fighting with eyes. I broke the awkwardness by saying-" Well in that case I would like to thank him personally"

Jenny said-" Yes, we should, he helped our friend.

I nodded and looked at Priam once to see what he was doing. To my surprise, he was already looking at me. Our eyes met each other. they were hurt. It seemed we both had a lot to say to each other. I want to hug him, I want to cry on his shoulder and tell him what happened but was interrupted in my thought by John, saying-" Did you guys know, Dekker came here? "

Junnie looked at me and asked-" Really?"

I nodded in response as she said-" It's good, after what is happening you should be protected."

Priam looked a little surprised by the news and his gaze turned into dark hearing this. He looked away with his annoyed face. He said-" It's good, she got the company of someone she wanted!!!"

Before we could understand what he just said, he stood up and left the table, making John walk after him.

I frowned and asked-" What just happened?"

Junnie replied-" You can tell us better isn't it?"

I asked-" Me?"

She said-" I saw you guys running from the library in anger in the morning"

I blinked a few times as I pulled myself straight in the chair. I scoffed and tried to look away as I wanted to avoid the topic so I replied-" Oh that was nothing, We just..."

Brad suddenly burst up-" What is wrong with you guys? Is our friendship falling apart? I use to love and trust you guys, but look what is happening since we came back here. we are falling apart and everyone is at fault. If you guys think to trust someone outside of us, and treating us like nothing it's better to leave." He yelled at us making us look at him with shock. The sudden burst made us startled. He sighed as he stood up and left from there with an angry face making us dumbfounded. Jenny yelled from the back-" Brad!! Wait up for me".

She left too, after saying goodbye to us in hurry and ran after him, making me and Junnie only leave at the situation. There was an awkward silence between us when we heard a loud thud sound from inside the shelves. We look at each other and decided to find out what's wrong.

We walked the way from where the sound came from, but only to see nothing, everything was at its place. We checked once again but found nothing. We sighed in relief and turned back as we were about to leave when we noticed a stone rolled out at us. It was shining bright like the sun. I bend down to pick it up when Junnie said-" be careful"

I looked at her nodded and picked it up when Dekker came running towards us. He was breathless and panting as he looked at us before taking his breath and asking-" are you guys okay? I heard the sound and came here".

He noticed the stone in my hand and he gasped-" No way!!! The Liner Stone Of Key!!!"

I gestured to him not to tell anything further as Junnie was still there.

Junnie looked at us and asked suspiciously-" why did you sound like you guys are hiding something?"

I tried to dodge the question. But she was too stubborn to let it go. I sighed as I understood there was no way to escape now. So I told her what happened that day, and Why I am ignoring my friends and Dekker was helping me to find the truth.

She gasped while closing her mouths with her hands when she heard the truth but she calmed down and listened to us carefully as she understood me later that all I was doing was to protect them.

I said-" You can leave now Dekker and don't tell anything to anybody yet before I find out what is this okay?"

He nodded and he left. Junnie hugged me as I hugged her back. It felt so consoling and soothing of her touch. I was happy I got a friend by my side now. I promised myself no matter what I will protect her this time.

We accepted this to keep a secret between us until everything sort out.

A FEW DAYS LATER

This morning we were standing at the assembly hall waiting for professor Hyle and headmaster Dunston.

I looked at Priam who was standing in the next row and was trying to avoid my gaze. I saw how Jennifer was clingy towards him. Brad was standing behind Priam focused on the assembly when I noticed Junnie was staring at him... I know she liked him but was not sure that if she confessed or not. I chuckled internally as I thought they will look cute. I saw John was standing next to Brad discussing something and Jenny was standing in the front row. I and Junnie were standing next to each other feeling bored. When I noticed her waving a little to someone, I looked up in her direction and found a boy.

I asked as I checked out his figure from head to toe-" is that Lucifer?'

She nodded in response. I smiled and replied-" He is cute". She hit my arms playfully as we giggled.

Just then Professors entered from the hallway and stood before the aisle.

Professor Hyle spoke-" Good Morning students of Witchward Wizard School. I wish you a very good day. Before starting our day I have two very important announcements to make. The first one is that you all will be having the exam by the end of the next month. These marks will be calculated in the finals so all of you need to perform well. This will be added not only in the finals but for the main street subjects which you all are going to choose by the end of the exams, not only to define who is best in what but also to determine the classification of the post later when you passed out and will be distributed to the country's good."

As soon as the announcement was declared there was a faint whisper around the hall, to which Professor Dunston replied in his deep voice which echoed around the hall room-" Calm down students you will be explained everything in your class"

Professor Hyle continued-" Before the exams, let's start will a fresh mind with attending the 167th birthday of our dearest headmaster."

Everyone cheered up when she continued again-" Tomorrow evening all shall be here to celebrate headmaster's birthday. All shall wear the court formals and can walk in with their partners. That is it, everyone, now you shall leave.

The professors left leaving us behind. Suddenly a male voice came from my side I turned around to see Lucifer smiling at us.

Lucifer said-" Hello princess Parshawna, it is an absolute honor to meet you."He took my hands as he kissed the back of my palms.

I smiled a little when he turned around to Junnie before asking-" How are you beautiful?"

He asked with a warm smile to which she gasped a little. He walked towards her as Brad noticed from his place. He started feeling a little jealous. Lucifer stood before her as Junnie replied-" I am good. How are you?"

He smiled cheekily as he asked again looking at her directly in her eyes-" So I didn't want to take any chance to lose you... so I want to ask, Will you be my partner at the party?"

She looked at me once as I gave her a smirk. She turned away towards Brad to check him as she saw him standing with an emotionless face looking at her. She sighed as she turned towards him back and replied-" Yes, I will."

A sweet smile curved into both of their lips making Brad clench his fist in anger and grit his teeth.

Cresseda was looking at us as she took the advantage and went to brad. She asked directly-" Well Brad... will you be my partner?"

He didn't reply to anything yet as he glared at Junnie with an angry expression. He looked away as he saw them laughing at each other. He turned back and replied-" Okay."

He left while glaring at them, without any further response.

Jennifer walked towards Priam and cling her hand into his arms as he was staring at me. She whispered in his ears as she leaned towards him-" You will only be wasting your time, she will not come with you."

Priam ignored her and was about to walk towards me when I saw Dekker gesturing to me to come towards him. I looked away from Priam and Jennifer as I walked away with Dekker. Priam looked at us in an angry stare as he gritted his teeth while watching us away.