Pay Back Time(1)

"The fuck?" I almost yelled if not for the fact that he covered my mouth.

"Keep it down, brat! Or we won't be able to escape!" He quickly whispered.

"mmm. . . What escape are you talking about? You didn't have money to pay and yet you ordered the food?" I queried.

"But you enjoyed the food, didn't you? Are you coming or not?" He asked back while raising his brows.

At this point, I had no choice, it's not like I even had the money to pay for the meals. "You think I have a choice!" I mumbled with a hiss.

He let out a suppressed chuckle and got up with his eyes darting around the corner. "Once we start walking away, don't look back, even when they scream stop! Because if you do, we'll get caught and I wouldn't want that to happen, so better don't try anything funny!" After warning me, he looked around one more time and then signalled for us to leave immediately.

We began to walk out of the place as if nothing had happened, as we left, our ears and eyes were open just in case. Just as we stepped out of the inn, I heard footsteps approaching us and I quickened my steps.

"Stop! Thieves!" A feminine voice yelled behind us. I didn't turn around as instructed but I guessed the voice belonged to the owner of those footsteps.

"Quick! Let's run across the road!" Ruben yelled.

We quickened our steps and ran across the road into a small bush. Fortunately and unfortunately, it was the bush I used to follow to go home back then before that strange thing happened. I had vowed to not follow this bush again but right now, there were two options to choose from – it's either we follow the bush to escape or go back and get caught by the inn owners. We continued running with no plans of stopping, even if Ruben was to stop, definitely not me.

"Almost!" Ruben gasped as we finally stopped running, we were nearing his house and it was safe around here. "That was a close call!"

I glared at him, not able to find the right words to say to him at this moment.

"W-what? Why are you staring at me in that manner?" He asked the moment he noticed I was glaring at him.

"Is this the fun you were ranting about?" I queried, still glaring at him.

"Wasn't it fun?" He asked, not sure of whether to laugh or not.

"Wasn't it fun? What if we later get caught?"

"Then we hand ourselves over!" He replied with a shrug and walked into the house.

"Are you serious. . . Damn it!" Before I could finish my sentence, the door had already been slammed, I sighed and went in as well, hoping that nothing would go wrong.

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The next day after arriving at school, we walked to our new class which is class C for the weak students. Later on, Sam came into our class.

"Good morning students! You all that just awakened your elements will have to cast your basic spells today! I hope you are prepared?" He announced and everyone in the class could not help but scream in happiness. "That's right! Follow me!" He said as he walked out of the class.

We all stood up and followed him, he was taking us to our sports field. A field large enough to hold a hundred and more students.

"Now, I'll tell you guys how you can control your stars which will help you to cast a spell. Just like in your books, we have the basic, intermediate and advanced levels. The basic comprises six stars, the intermediate comprises twelve stars and the advanced comprises eighteen stars but for today, we will be dealing with the basic level as it is the first level and the easiest spell to cast. Sit on the ground, cross your legs and close your eyes!"

"Hey, are we going to join as well?" Ruben whispered next to me.

"Of course, yes! Besides, you haven't been able to control your stars, remember?" I whispered back.

"Ah, damn it!" He grumbled with a sigh. "I should have persisted yesterday so that now, I won't join them again!" He added In regrets.

I could not help but laugh at him seeing the look on his face, "I told you!" I laughed and sat down to do what the teacher said

"Tsk!" He clicked his tongue and also sat down.

I had nothing to do and I didn't plan to let them know that I was already ahead of them and so I decided to use this opportunity to take a little nap while in wait for them.

After an hour or so, I woke up to the noise around me. It was caused by the students who were happily chatting among themselves.

"Hey, did you succeed?" I turned and asked Ruben who was beside me.

"Why wouldn't I? I am the future lord so why should I let these kids be ahead of me? And guess what, I was able to reach the intermediate level," he replied with a beam.

"That's great, you did well!" I replied.

"Since everyone has successfully controlled their stars, casting basic spells now will be as easy as anything but I must tell you that for you to be powerful, you must be ready to train yourself and try to improve your skills. By the end of this term, I expect you all to at least reach the intermediate level or get ready to repeat a class! Aside from that, there is something you all will be doing now, every one of you will show us your basic spell so when you are called out, you cast your spell and then go back!"

"This is going to be fun!" Ruben, the excited one mumbled by my side.

I shook my head at him and turned to face the teacher who was about to call the first student.

"Sean Thom!" He called.

Sean walked out of the crowd to the front where he turned and faced us, seeing me, he glared at me briefly before turning to look at other students.

"Begin!" Sam said to him and he nodded and closed his eyes.

He opened his palm and after some seconds, a large ball of water formed on it. He then opened his eyes and a smirk appeared on his lips, seeing the look on his face, I had a feeling that he was up to something. I was yet to discern what it could be when the ball of water came rushing at Ruben and before I could react, he had been splashed already.

"What!" Ruben yelled furiously as he looked down at his soaked clothes. He raised his head and looked at Sean who was grinning from ear to ear. "What's the meaning of this?" He asked.

"The meaning of what?" Sean asked back and began to chuckle. "Oh! It's the mistake of my hands, I kind of lost control of my hands," he said with a shrug.

"The mistake of your hands?" Ruben asked in return. "You know what, I've had it up to my neck and this time around, I'll make you pay for everything!"