Chapter 32 - Avoidance

  The academy was alive with its usual weekday bustle – students moving between classes, instructors calling out reminders about upcoming exams, and the constant hum of conversation filling the hallways.

  The scent of parchment, ink, and teen boys filled the air, mingling with the sound of hurried footsteps and the occasional burst of laughter. The academy had always been busy, but today, it felt suffocating.

  Kaelin kept her head down, moving swiftly through the corridors, trying to blend into the sea of students. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk. More specifically, she wasn’t in the mood for Lena.

  Ever since she’d returned from the ruins, she had this gnawing feeling in her chest that wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t just the discovery of ancient symbols or the unsettling knowledge that something had kept those ruins hidden for so long, nor was it the word shattering knowledge that there could be magic types other than the 4 that the world knew of today…

  It was Lena and Zephyr. The thought of them together made something twist inside her, something she didn’t want to analyse too closely. She’d thought she’d be fine with it. She should be fine with it. But no matter how much she reasoned with herself, it still felt like something hurt inside.

  It was probably that Zephyr had basically stolen Lena away from her. They’d known each other since they were born. Their mothers had been friends since they were kids. This was a multi-generational friendship which had been taken away in a mere few months. Yea, that was it.

  She spotted them in the courtyard between morning lectures. Lena and Zephyr were sitting together on one of the stone benches, their heads bent in quiet conversation. Lena’s expression was soft, her usual enthusiasm dialled down to something gentler, something Kaelin had never seen her wear so easily. And Zephyr – Zephyr was actually smiling, something rare enough to make Kaelin’s stomach tighten.

  Kaelin quickly ducked behind a group of students before either of them could notice her.

  It wasn’t that she was mad at Lena. She wasn’t even mad at Zephyr. But something about seeing them together made her stomach churn in a way she couldn’t quite explain. It was easier to avoid it altogether.

  She spent the next few hours carefully slipping through the academy, ensuring she never crossed paths with either of them. She lingered longer in classrooms before leaving, taking different hallways than usual, avoiding communal areas she knew they liked to frequent.

  It felt ridiculous, like she was running from some kind of confrontation that wasn’t even real. But every time she almost turned a corner and saw them, every time she heard Lena’s voice mixed with Zephyr’s, she felt that same twisting in her gut.

  By the time lunchtime rolled around, she had had enough of weaving through the academy like a thief avoiding capture. She skipped the dining hall entirely, her appetite non-existent, and made her way toward one of the smaller study rooms at the edge of campus. The place was mostly empty – students preferred the main library or the open courtyards to work. Here, it was quiet. Isolated.

  She set out her notes on the runes she had copied from the ruins, forcing herself to focus. But her mind kept wandering.

  Why does this even bother me so much? If it’s all really about Me and Lena’s friendship, I should be happy for her! It’s not like I had some grand plan to date Zephyr or anything.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  She shook her head, gripping the edge of the desk. Maybe it was just the way things were changing. Maybe that was all this was. It wasn’t about Zephyr. It wasn’t about Lena, not really. It was just – before, it had always been her and Lena. Just the two of them, facing whatever the academy threw their way. And now, suddenly, there was someone else. Someone who mattered more.

  She rubbed her temple, frustrated with herself. This was stupid. Childish. She needed to get over it.

  A knock at the door startled her, and she froze. For a moment, she thought it might be Lena, but when the door cracked open, it was only another student peeking in to see if the room was free. Kaelin sighed in relief and returned to her work, ignoring the heavy feeling in her chest.

  ***

  The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and training. Kaelin spent most of it keeping to herself, answering only when spoken to, and making sure she was always just a little too far away for Lena to reach her.

  She skipped the usual sparring rounds after class, citing an injury to avoid getting paired with Zephyr. She didn’t sit in her usual spot in lecture halls, instead choosing a seat near the back where she could vanish into the background.

  By the time evening arrived, she felt drained, both from the effort of studying and from the weight of everything she was trying not to think about.

  Kaelin exhaled slowly, rubbing her temples as she shut the book in front of her. The symbols and their possible meanings swam in her vision, exhaustion making it impossible to focus. She needed more time, more research – but that would have to wait. Right now, she had more immediate problems.

  Like avoiding Lena and Zephyr.

  She had been careful all day, timing her movements so she wouldn’t run into them. The moment Lena had knocked on her door that morning, Kaelin had shoved her notes under her bed and excused herself, claiming she had urgent business to attend to.

  It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy for them. She was – or at least, she told herself she was. Lena had been so excited when she confessed her feelings, and Kaelin had even encouraged her to go through with it. But now that it had happened, now that they were together, something about it just made Kaelin’s stomach twist uncomfortably.

  She sighed, shaking her head as she paced her dorm room. It was fine. She’d adjust. She always did.

  A soft knock at her door made her freeze.

  “Kaelin?”

  Lena.

  Kaelin hesitated. She could pretend she was asleep, but Lena knew her too well for that to work. If she didn’t answer, Lena would just come back later. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile onto her face and opened the door.

  Lena stepped in, closing the door behind her. She looked hesitant, as if sensing Kaelin’s mood. “I, uh… I didn’t see you much today.”

  Kaelin shrugged, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. “Had things to do.”

  Lena studied her, then sat beside her. “Kaelin, are you okay?”

  “Yea, I’m just a bit tired.”

  “You’re a terrible liar.”

  Kaelin forced a laugh. “I’m fine, really. Just busy with–“ She gestured vaguely toward the books on her desk. “You know, studying, some stuff I found in the ruins yesterday, all that fun stuff.”

  Lena didn’t look convinced. She was quiet for a moment before she sighed and leaned back on her hands. “I wanted to talk to you about Zephyr.”

  Kaelin stiffened but nodded. “Yeah?”

  Lena smiled, though there was a nervous edge to it. “He’s… different than I expected. I mean, I knew he was confident, but I think I thought he’d be more, I don’t know… forward?” She shook her head. “He’s actually really shy when it comes to this sort of thing.”

  Kaelin raised a brow. “Zephyr? Shy?”

  “I know, right?” Lena laughed softly. “It’s kind of cute, actually. Like, he tries to act all composed, but when I held his hand earlier, he nearly tripped over his own feet.”

  Kaelin snorted despite herself. That was hard to imagine. Zephyr, the ever-unshaken, effortlessly talented mage, tripping over something as simple as hand-holding?

  Lena glanced at her, smile faltering. “Are you really okay with this?”

  Kaelin forced a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re my best friend. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

  Lena frowned. “You don’t have to fake it.”

  Kaelin hesitated, then sighed. “I guess… I just feel like things are changing too fast.”

  Lena squeezed her hand. “I’ll always be here.”

  Kaelin nodded, but as Lena left, the feeling of loss still lingered in her heart.