Lyan
I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. I got dressed and for the first time since I had entered the academy I was out of my room before breakfast even began.
Jack and Orus were lunging on the common room and the moment I entered they looked at me like I had grown two heads.
" I can wake up early sometimes" I muttered, feeling attacked.
" Who knew?" Jack smiled and walked to me.
" If you're already up I think you'd like to see this" He took my hand and dragged me out of our dorm and into the main corridors.
We went up, and up and up, leaving every part of the academy behind. We finally arrived at the topmost spire. One that overlooked the whole forest and the town down below.
Once on top of the spire Jack took out a key from his pocket and opened a tiny door.
The door went into a very small ledge. Carefully, I sat near Jack and looked ahead just as the sun began to emerge. The first rays tainted everything in a yellowish hue. The clouds, still carrying the colors of the night, began to turn lighter and lighter as the sun raised.
" It's beautiful" I breathed.
" I wanted you to see this at least once in your life. This is were I go to when everything goes wrong. Everything down there seems so small. It makes me think my problems are small too"
" Thanks for bringing me here" I leaned towards him and kissed him in the lips, but before he could say anything else I got up and walked away, as the sun finally peaked through the forest treecaps.
There were pancakes for breakfast! I almost began jumping up and down from joy the moment I realized Jack had told the truth.
As soon as I saw them I ran towards them and filled my plate with pancakes and syrups.
" Are you sure you'll be able to eat all of that?" Jack questioned me once we, Jack, Orus and me, were all seated.
" Don't ever doubt me when it comes to pancakes"
A few minutes later I had a clean plate in front of me and a very full and satisfied stomach.
" You really ate it all" Orus sounded impressed and I couldn't help the smug smile that appeared on my lips. The guys laughed and we went to class.
That same day on our last class the same teacher from yesterday went up to the podium and started naming groups to give her the plants we were supposed to collect.
" Where's Mark?" I asked the guys. Now that I thought about it I hadn't seen him all day, but since I was now avoiding him that had seen perfect, but now we needed him. He had the plants.
" He was punished by the dean" Orus whispered in my ear." They discovered the body in the forest and figured out Mark had done it. Right now he's cleaning the toilets as punishment."
" That's what you heard?" Jack asked Orus, who nodded. " I thought he was being punished because he bribed a lot of guys to attack us"
" Why would he do that? Aren't you guys friends?"
" I was hoping you knew. Did something weird happen yesterday after we got separated?"
I didn't want to admit what had happened so I decided to lie. If I kept lying as much as I was doing it these days I'd soon become a professional.
" No. Nothing weird happened, but more importantly Mark has the plants. We found some on our way back, but I don't have them. I don't suppose you have some?"
I was also becoming a master at diversion and redirecting conversations.
" No. We were too busy fighting. And Jack got seriously injured, so we had to run to the infirmary. And by we I mean I had to run while carrying this heavy guy."
" I'm not that heavy" Jack protested, but Orus's words had stuck to me. Jack had been badly injured. He could have died. My heart hurt. I was beginning to realize I had feelings for these guys. I didn't want them to get hurt, but eventually I'd have to let go. It was better not to get too attached, so I ignored my every instinct that screamed to check if Jack was alright and began paying attention again to the guy's conversation.
" ... a few dandelions on my pocket, we could try that" Jack said.
" Too obvious" Orus suddenly got up and dropped to the floor. The he began crawling towards the door." Stall a little bit, I'll be back"
" What was that about?"
" I have no idea, but if he doesn't come back on time we'll just present some dandelions"
" Couldn't you enchant them to look like the plants we were supposed to get?"
After yesterday's display of magic I was sure Jack was some of the best magic users in the whole school. He had cast spells without thinking and only the best could do that. I couldn't, but I wasn't the best, but the fact that Jack could just proved how good he really was.
" I could, but the teacher would catch us right away, so I'd rather not try"
" So we stall"
" Seems like it"
" Orus De Lay, Arun Kumar, Mark Jackson and Jack Langosst" Hearing our names I began panicking. How could we stall for time until Orus came back? But before I could think about it I realized that I had heard those surnames before, but couldn't quite place them. De Lay, Kumar, Langosst, where had I heard them before?
" Please wait until Orus comes back. He has the plants" Jack lied to the teacher and I refocused on what was happening in front of me.
" And where is Mister De Lay if I might ask?"
After barely hesitating, which I wouldn't had noticed if I hadn't been looking for it, Jack replied.
" He unfortunately had to go to the bathroom"
" And that is unfortunate because...?"
" The poor thing has diarrhea"
I almost bursted out laughing right then and there but I managed to control myself. The other students, thought, didn't have such control.
Orus was going to be pissed when he came back and discovered that Jack had told everyone he had diarrhea.
" How long will this take?" The teacher didn't look amused, more like about to burst from anger.
" You know how it is, this things take time and also.... No, I shouldn't say" Jack moved his head from side to side and made a face, as if he was debating with himself whether to say something or not.
I had to give him some points. He was a natural actor.
" Just say it already" It was clear as day that the teacher was loosing her patience. I just hoped it would last a little longer. Right now my ranking wasn't the best. I was good at theoretical subjects, but sucked at practical ones, so I really needed some good marks.
I had already witnessed what happened to those who fell below and it wasn't pretty. One day they were fine and the next they were thrown as food for the monsters down in the dungeons that the second year's used as practice. It wasn't a good way to go.
" The truth is that he's a little special and can only go to the bathroom in our dorm, so he might take a little longer"
Jack was destroying Orus and he didn't seem anywhere near done. Well, at least he was keeping his word and stalling, but I was sure this wasn't what Orus had in mind when he told Jack to buy some time.
" He also needs to be holding his favourite blanket in order to go. To be honest it's a little concerning, but as his friend I'll support him no matter what"
By now it wasn't just the students who were laughing, I was laughing too and the teacher even cracked a smile before realizing it and going back to being serious.
That was the moment when Orus decided to come back. As soon as he entered through the door the laughs multipled, myself included.
" Feeling better after going to the bathroom mister De Lay?"
" Yes, I'm feeling a lot better"
" Next time just bring your blanket to class. We can't have you going to your dorm every time you want to go to the bathroom. Understood?"
Orus just nodded, clearly confused. But then he saw Jack standing up and the class laughing and he must've put one and one together because he gave Jack a death glare while he walked to the teacher and gave her some green stuff.
When he came back he looked fairly pissed.
" How was your blanket?" I teased him.
" Don't believe Jack. That guy lies more than he speaks"
" But it's true though. You always went to the bathroom with your blanket when you were little"
" That was when I was four!"
" It's still true"
Cutting into their conversation I asked Orus what he had given to the teacher.
" Oh, that? I went to the garden on the west wing and took the plants from the greenhouse. Nobody will notice"
" And what would happen if they did?"
" Don't worry the won't catch us"