Mixed Emotions

[Lizas POV]

"The winner's in town, folks! Let's give it up for our tournament champ!"

I can still replay that day in my head...

Clap, clap

The arena was alive with applause as everyone hailed the silver-haired guy. He had his sword at my throat, water spears swirling around him.

"Ethan Light!"

Yep, that was Ethan Light – an ordinary commoner like me. Despite three years of training under my dad, I got defeated by him.

He even rocked the same 'Water' element as me.

Adam lowered his sword, and he helped me up.

"I'll get you next time," I promised, fueled more by rivalry than anger.

"Huh?"

Ethan seemed confused by my words.

"I mean, I'll totally beat you next time!" I made sure he caught my drift.

"Uh, sure. But, you gotta enroll in the Academy for that."

"Guess what? I'm enrolling too," I declared.

"Cool."

He walked off without giving me a second look.

"At least say bye, jeez."

.

.

.

It's been a whole year since that guy outdid me in the arena.

I've seriously upped my training since then.

"Snacks are ready, dear!"

My mom's voice floated in.

I made my way to the dining room, and there was Val, sitting and waiting.

Yeah, it's not just my sword skills that have changed – my friendship with Val has too.

Val's my main friend now, especially since I've drifted away from the other kids during all this training.

During this time, I've noticed a few things about Val...

First, he gets all weird if I even talk to another guy or mention Ethan.

Second, Val's pretty darn cute when I playfully tease him.

And lastly, here's the kicker – I know Val have a major crush on me.

.

.

"Hey, Val!" I greeted him with my usual smile when I saw him.

"Hey, L-liza," Val stuttered, and his face turned as red as a tomato.

He's just too adorable when he blushes like that. I couldn't help but want to playfully tease him.

Both Val and I settled into the living room, where my mom had prepared snacks for us.

My stomach rumbled, and I dug into the snacks. But I noticed that Val wasn't eating at all – he was just staring at his plate.

"Something bothering you, Val?" I asked, concerned.

"N-no, it's nothing," he replied, his voice shaky.

Not wanting to push him, I continued eating.

"How's your training going, Liza?" Val suddenly asked.

"Fantastic! And you, Val? Have you started training?" I inquired.

"Y-yeah," he replied hesitantly, almost avoiding the topic.

Val and I have sparred a few times since he manifested his element, but he's never managed to best me. He'd often collapse or start panting heavily after just one of my strikes.

Maybe his smaller frame has something to do with it? I'm not entirely sure.

I had hoped we'd both manifest the same element and train side by side, but when I mentioned that to my father, he insisted Val couldn't keep up with my training.

Speaking of elements, I wonder how Ethan's doing. He's got the same element as me, and he's already more skilled.

"Just you wait, Ethan! Next time, you won't be so lucky," I mentally vowed to myself.

Val interrupted my thoughts, asking, "What are you thinking, Liza?"

"Oh, nothing much, just about how I share my element with my dad and Ethan."

Val's mood seemed to darken at that, but he quickly changed the subject.

"Hey, Liza, let's go to the park."

I was puzzled. "Why?"

"Please, I've got something important to discuss."

Sighing, I agreed. My training was done for the day, and I was curious about what was on his mind.

"Thanks!" Val's face lit up with gratitude as I agreed.

My heart skipped a beat at that smile – it always has this strange effect on me. This isn't the first time. Whenever I see that smile, my heart races, and I'm left with this indescribable feeling inside me.

.

.

.

After we finished our snacks, Val and I strolled towards the park, stepping into its inviting embrace.

"Hey, why don't we take a seat on that bench?" Val suggested, pointing towards a weathered bench nestled beneath a swaying tree.

I followed his gaze, recognizing the very bench where our journey together had started, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia. "Do we really have to sit there? Just tell me what's on your mind," I said, my words tinged with a hint of impatience. However, his reaction caught me off guard.

'Ahh!..cant be helped ' I walked past Val and sat down on the bench.

"Thanks." Val thanked me

"Now, spill it. What's been bothering you?" I pressed, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Fuu~

"Liza Turner, I love you!" Val's sudden outburst echoed across the playground, the words so loud they seemed to reverberate through my very being.

Thudd

My heart raced, and I nearly toppled from the bench in my surprise.

"W-what?" I stuttered, the confession leaving me momentarily dumbfounded.

"O-oh, then let me tell you again, Liza Turner I-"

"Stop!" I interjected, blushing furiously. The thought of being confessed to so publicly was too much to bear.

"S-so, you're saying you love me and want to marry me?" I tried to wrap my head around the situation, seeking clarification. I know he loves me but suddenly being confessed like this.....

"Yes" he agreed

Val answered with a serious face but suddenly, for a second Ethans face flashed through my mind.

"Val, I'm sorry, but I can't accept your confession," I finally managed to say, my own voice feeling foreign to my ears.

"Why? Is there something wrong with me?" Val's eyes shimmered with a hint of tears.

"It's not that," I hurried to explain, feeling a pang of guilt. "I cherish our friendship, and I find it cute how you get jealous sometimes, but I just don't see you in that way. I'm sorry."

With every word I felt like I was lying to him....no It felt like i was lying to myself..

'What am I even saying?'

"Okay" Val gave me a defeated smile.

"You are fine with that?" I was shocked and a little disappointed when Val accepted my decision so easily.

"Of course not!"

"Eh?"

"Listen, now that you know my felling's, I can do something about it."

"What?" I was not getting to the point

"Remember this Liza Turned, I Vaelen Hart will make you fall in love one day" After saying that I saw Val running out of the park at full speed without looking back at me.

.

.

After seeing Val leaving the place.....

"Hehehe~" I chuckled

"Val is dumb, but he is also cute." I mumbled I was kind of sad when he was fine with my decision, I was expecting him to get angry a little, but when he said he wouldn't stop, I for some reason felt reassured in my heart.

'What would happened if I accepted it?' I felt empty inside when I thought he would give up after he was rejected.....

After that I went home.....

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

After the events at the park, my mother called me to sit down with her. There was something in her expression that hinted at disappointment, and it made me uneasy.

"Now, Liza, look at me and tell me honestly, why did you reject Val?" Her voice held a stern edge that indicated she wasn't satisfied with my initial explanation.

"I told you, it's because-" I began, but she interrupted me, her tone growing even sharper. "Liza, tell me the real reason."

I stumbled over my words, unsure of how to respond. The truth was, I couldn't quite pinpoint why I had turned Val down.

"Is it because of that silver-haired boy you lost to in the tournament?" Her sudden question caught me off guard.

Ethan's face had indeed flashed through my mind during Val's confession. A confusing mix of emotions swirled within me, making it difficult to form a coherent answer.

Nod, nod

I simply nodded in response.

"Is he more important to you than Val?" I detected a touch of sadness in her eyes as she posed the question.

"Mom, Val is a great guy, and I know that. But I need to surpass Ethan if I want to become as strong as Dad," I explained, meeting her gaze directly. Ethan had become a personal challenge, a symbol of my determination to prove myself.

"Liza, if the time came when you had to choose between Ethan and Val, who would you choose?" Her question left me speechless,

I tried to answer her, but no words came out from my mouth

"You don't even understand your own feelings. What if Val finds someone else?" Her concern was palpable.

"That won't happen." I responded with unwavering confidence.

"Why do you believe that?"

"Because Val loves me so deeply that he can't imagine a life without me," I stated, a trace of arrogance in my tone.

Val had always stuck by my side, and I had protected him from the bullies who targeted him. It was a symbiotic relationship, and I couldn't fathom a scenario where he'd leave my side. I was being arrogant because there was a reason behind my arrogancy..

And after witnessing how committed he was when he told me how he was going to make me fall in love, I was convinced that he will never leave me..

"But-"

"Enough, Lisa!" A commanding voice cut through our conversation, and I felt a surge of relief at the sound of my father's voice.

"Father!" I brightened up, immediately getting up to embrace him.

He affectionately ruffled my hair, silently acknowledging my gratitude for his timely intervention. My mother's probing questions had left me feeling overwhelmed.

"Enough of this," my father continued. "She's still young, and we don't need to burden her with hypothetical situations. Let them make their own choices as they grow."

My mother's frustration was evident, but my father's calm demeanor was a balm to the tense atmosphere. He pressed on, "And I don't want to see my daughter dependent on someone weak."

I could sense my mother's anger rising, and her voice grew sharper as she countered, "But you know the things that child is facing at home! Every time I try to talk about it, you block me. How can you-"

"Lisa, you know all about my past," my father jumped in, his voice steady and strong. "I've always respected strength because in this world only the tough survive, we can't leave our daughter's future to someone who can't protect her. Family problems? Thats all just excuses... they just won't cut it. If she's going to make it in this world, she needs to be strong. And what's the harm in her choosing Ethan over Val? Ethan is strong, good-looking, and full of confidence. I'd feel better knowing our daughter was with someone like him, who's focused on the present and the future rather than getting stuck in the past."

After that my mother went silent...

I... didn't really get what they were talking about back then. I was just a kid, after all. But as I listened to my parents, a mix of strange feelings started brewing inside me.