Kowalski needs my help...

Recess before the second period,

Destination, sleep…..well that's if Kowalski doesn't slam his fat palm on your desk.

"Hello…Ralpiee," his annoying voice once again. I can't say I missed this.

I lifted my head and faced him. It had been a long day, so I didn't pretty much have time for this. But last time I said something like that Kowalski almost wanted to fight. 

"Hey," I said. I looked at his hand and under it was a poster written: MAGE TOURNAMENTS 2030, COMING SOON TO MAYFAIR DON'T MISS.

Then looked back at him and said nothing.

"What is it pipsqueak are you blind?"

He wanted me to say something about the poster.

I sighed.

"What…"

"Are you joining this year's tournament?" he whispered. 

I knew about the mage tournaments. They were competitions against the top five magic schools in the two cities. The competitions featured mental and physical tasks that would be given to a group of five mages representing a school. I have never tried joining because I saw no point om them.

No…" I answered. "I see no point in participating in that crap," 

Kowalski grumbled then bent a little to face me. He looked desperate, that meant he was participating and he needed someone strong so that he wins. 

'Listen pipsqueak, I didn't do well in midterms and the participation points can help boost my grades along with the points we get if we win, he muttered.

I grinned, "Oh so you need me to be part of your team huh…"

Kowalski chuckled softly then looked around. 

'Yes, I know the fire spell you did back at the academy wasn't a normal spell. You performed Hell blaze, that's S rank level magic," he said, 

"How did you know that?"

"I was there that day," he said. "I saw you perform the spell from scratch," he whispered

"Why didn't you report that it was an S rank spell?"

"Because I  knew I may need that confession for other moments. Moments like this," he said with confidence. The look in his eyes even made it more clear that he wasn't lying. I knew Kowalski for many things, including bullying, stealing, and being stupid as hell, but lying wasn't his usual take on things. And he wasn't with his goons, this was urgent. 

"Okay, I will join. What's in it for me?'

Kowalski laughed at the top of his voice.

"I won't bully you for two months, take it or leave it," he said, 

"Make it four and am in,"

He anchored his eyes on Celeste who was seated across the classroom talking to the other hot girls in our class. "I make it four if you convince the new hottie to join our team," he said, still staring at her. 

Humph!

I wanted to say in your dreams, but I needed those four months. Celeste had just attended today and she was already the class diva. She had been praised for her beauty and cuteness by all the boys in my class. If only they knew she's a two-hundred-year-old vampire and that her red eyes aren't contact lenses but rather weapons of mass destruction. I didn't want to attract everyone's attention but she had already lied to everyone that she was a family friend of mine and that she was staying at my place. 

"Why do you want her on our team?"

"She looks powerful," he rushed to speak. 

'Lair,' I thought, 'you want to ask her out. Which she will say no at.'  

 "Sure," I smirked. "I will ask if she can join our team," I said,

"Cool, your on team Merlin and am the captain. She will be my vice," he uttered with a strong tone. 

"Team Merlin, Lame. Celeste being your vice, in your dreams." I thought 

"Yeah. So where do I register for these tournaments?" I asked, 

"Leave that to me," he said. Then straightened himself. I bet his fat body could no longer handle the long-term bending.  

He pulled up his poster, "See you later, Ralpiee." he said then walked away from my desk. 

Once I was sure he was gone. I looked at my digital wristwatch and I only had twenty minutes of recess before the second period hence I had twenty minutes of sleep, I felt sleepy and tired. 

I was about to put my head down. 

"Ralph Tally," an unfamiliar voice called me before I put my head on the desk surface.

I glanced, and this was the strangest moment of the day. I was looking at a boy who I could maybe call…Rebekah's boy version. He was beautiful just like Rebekah, with brown hair, brown eyes, and the same skin color, he also looked like he was a model for some magazine company. 

"Yes,"

He offered his hand, "I am Terry Andrews, Rebekah's twin brother," he said…

Oh…twins…that makes sense," I thought,

I shook his hand, "I am Ralph Tally, I guess you already know that since you called me that when I was…" I chuckled after noticing I was blurting out words nervously. 

I noticed Rebekah was standing behind him, more like hiding away from me. She looked one hundred percent shy and her cheeks were red as she faced the floor trying to avoid eye contact. Is this how she is when she is sober?

"My sister said you saved her life," Terry continued, "I want  to thank you on the behalf of the Andrews family."

I didn't know what to say. I said, "The pleasure is all mine,"

"My sister loves drinking. She usually does unspeakable things when she's drunk and sees things that aren't there," Terry added,

 He must have been talking about what happened in Tlavacus. Since humans can't remember the supernatural, it was only natural for him to think his sister was seeing things.   

I understand I said to Terry.

Then turned my gaze to Rebekah, "How are you, Rebekah?" I asked. 

"I...I…am fine," she answered nervously, 

"I apologize about this. She's shy when she's sober. She has social anxiety," Terry said defending his sister's actions. 

"It's okay," I said, staring at Rebekah. She was in the school uniform and what more can I say than hot. She looked amazing, with her elegant body outlined by the school uniform since it looked a bit tight on her.

Rebekah gave me a shy glance, then quickly turned away once she saw me looking at her. 

Her face turned even redder. 

"I think you've said enough brother," she mumbled, pulling Terry's coat by the sleeves.

"Okay," he said to her.

Then he turned to me. "I guess I will see you around,"

I nodded then they both left the classroom. 

Another moment of sleep ruined, I checked my watch. Only ten minutes remaining.  

Celeste dragged a desk closer to me and then sat on top cross-legged while facing me. 

"Tell the boy am in," she said,

"In what?"

"The tournaments," she muttered."I heard you and the weird boy speaking about some tournaments. I need some action, or else I may die from endless boredom."

"So you want to join the tournaments because you're bored?" 

"Exactly, I need some action in my life," she said with so much energy,

"Fine," I sighed. "That only increases our chances of winning this thing, and by the way anything on the demon lord?" I asked while whispering.

"No, but am planning on asking our good friend Charles about why the humans had the blood diamond hidden on a bracelet in the first place,"

I didn't know why that hadn't crossed my mind at any point. 

"Good point," I nodded.

"Human lives are so boring. Why cant they be more like the picture books in your room," 

"You mean comics?"

"Whatever they are…" she said, "why can't they be like that?"

"Because that's fiction, this is reality. We are not part-time superheroes," I said,

Celeste giggled. 

"Of course, we are not, but we are fighting evil for a good cause. So pretty much we are," she stated,

"I'm hungry," she said out of a sudden. "I need blood."

"Like right now?" my eyes widened, 

"Yes, right now," she answered. 

Here is the thing, vampires drink blood. It could be animal or human. But for Celeste, it can only be human since she is staying in human society. Her bloodthirst could only be controlled if she takes human blood alone. 

So I offered my blood since she only drinks three times a week. and also since I was different from other new humans so it was safe for her to drink.

I looked at my watch, five minutes to the end of recess. 

Can it wait" I  forced a smile, I didn't feel like doing this,

"If you want me  to drink the blood of a random hobo across the street, then yeah," she said,

I grabbed my bag. 

Then we both head out of the classroom and entered the girl's bathroom.

I opened my collar and showed my neck to Celeste. She smiled, then crawled up on me and dug her fangs into my neck.

I gasped the moment her fangs pierced through my skin, I felt like I was burning from the pain. 

I wanted to scream but that would bring attract attention. I simply squeezed my eyes and let the pain go on till she was done.