Chapter 30 - An amusing lunch

I didn't have time to stand around trying to grasp what had just happened. He hadn't kissed me out of affection or because he liked me, that much was clear. From his head to his toes, he was expressing an emotion that I didn't have time to figure out. Instead, I started sprinting to meet up with Adelphos. With aching legs that were still shaky, I ran as fast as I could to get to him on time. Upon arrival I saw that it wasn't just him, but Helios and Elina were with him too. Although I was used to this scene from the many times we would hang out as a group, I wished that just today I could be alone with him. Adelphos and I had started off on a bad note but over time we began to accept one another. It was beyond accepting each others existence, we would embrace one another's faults and weakness as we would our own. Over the years we became siblings who were inseparable.

I walked towards them apprehensively, wishing that I didn't have to show my haggard appearance to others. Perhaps today was a day where I would be continuously out of luck, as the moment they saw me, Elina began dashing towards me while on the verge of tears. If only I could become invisible just to avoid the curious gaze of onlookers.

"What happened to you?!" She immediately asks, not giving me time to even see the reactions of the others.

"I fell down and bit my lip, it's nothing big." I smile to comfort her.

She raised her hand to touch it and a faint yellow glow began to see out of her fingertips and onto my lips. If my bloody lip wasn't already attracting enough attention, this certainty would. Once she had finally finished and let go of my face, the glow disappeared into nothingness as if it hadn't existed to begin with. As I licked the inside of my lip I found that the cut had been healed. Although I already knew the answer, I asked anyway.

"What was that?"

Red rushed to her cheeks as she became bashful after her bold actions.

"Umm... in class we practiced enhancing our powers. I'm still not good enough!" She was quick to humble herself while waving her hands in front of her face as if to brush off any compliments that would come her way.

"... but I wanted to help you so I healed you a little bit with my magic."

"It's amazing that you're already able to do that, thank you for helping me."

Although I was being sincere, I could feel the slightest tinge on envy. This world was made for her to thrive. I didn't want to admit it but I was undeniably jealous of her success. The fact that she was able to do this after a single lesson left me feeling inadequate. Humbleness was important but it was a double edged sword. If she didn't see herself as being good enough, what was I who doesn't even have the ability to practice magic? Elina was someone who was able to accomplish in a single lesson, what I could never amount to in my entire life. I loved her with my whole heart but I could not stop myself from drawing a comparison between us. The further she'd go, the deeper I would sink in self-pity. It was a terrible feeling, to be jealous of someone you treasure. She was pure in every way and I couldn't help but worry that I would taint her. Before my thoughts began escalating, I needed busy myself with something.

"Umm, this is a bit embarrassing to ask... but could you maybe let me spend lunch alone with my brother?" I fiddled with my fingers while making the request, aware of how childlike I sound.

"That's fine! I'll see you in class!" she yelled happily while dragging Helios away with her.

Now that we were alone I could relax as we made our way to a bench. The second we sat down, Adelphos asked the question I saw coming.

"Do you want to tell me what actually happened?" He asked softly as he always does. He speaks to me like I'm fragile enough to break if he spoke normally, and I suppose it's true. The moment I hear yelling, I cannot stop myself from falling endlessly. I was fragile in a way I could not yet come to love.

"I was in a bad mood, but I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Hmm~ that's fine." He puts an arm around my shoulder and pulls me into a comforting hug. "You did well."

"With what?" I mumble into his chest.

He strokes my head with the hand not on my back.

"Everything. Getting into the academy, getting through most of the day and being here right now. I'm proud of you."

He always knew what to say and when to say them, he was attentive like that. When I was next to him, I felt safe. For the longest time, I searched for escape and found it in solitude. Away from the eyes of others, I felt comfort in knowing that my struggles would not be seen my others, could not be mocked by others. I would lock myself away for days at a time until I was confident enough to present myself as the 'me' that others knew, terrified of what they would think had they seen who I really was. But now I'd found a safe place in my brother, who would accept with no judgement. Regardless of whether I would show him my ugly side or not, he never treated me any differently. For that I could never thank him enough. All I could do in order to repay him, was to provide the same comfort for him. We built in each other homes, sturdy enough to withstand anything life would throw at us.

"I'm proud of you too. I know I don't say it enough but I'm grateful for everything you do. Thank you... for always being by my side." My emotions were coming back as I could feel my nose stinging from the tears I couldn't shed.

He ruffled my hair and I felt like I was young again. "You don't need to thank me for that", he laughed. "Now, tell me how your day was."

I pulled away from his hug so that I could tell him everything as we ate food we brought from the cafeteria. So far I had only had 2 lessons, both of which lasted 2 hours. There was little worthy enough to mention but he didn't care. Throughout the entire time that I was telling him about my classes and what I had done, which was hardly much, he listened carefully to every single word. I would tell him about teachers I had met and he would respond with his opinions of them, making me aware of what I should avoid doing in their presence. After I had finished, he started telling anecdotes about his past experiences in the academy. Knowing me like the back of his hand, he was aware that I would much rather listen than speak at this moment in time, and he didn't mind that.

Throughout the entirety of lunch, in between eating, he would be telling me about anything I would find amusing. One such story was made me laugh until my stomach was hurting.

"Break was over and I wanted to get to my next lesson quickly but... I had forgotten it had been raining previously and -", his embarrassment continued to rise as he recalled the incident, hiding his face behind his hands as he mumbled through them.

"As I was running, I slipped. There were so many people around me trying to get to class but everyone stopped the moment I fell. Ugh, it's so embarrassing! I - I don't know why I did this... but I felt like it would be embarrassing to get up so I just... stayed on the ground." He clenched onto his hair in shame but continued in order to make me laugh.

"But because I stayed down, Helios thought I had fainted. So everything became a bigger deal, and the people that were watching were now more interested in what was going on. He told them I had passed out and that they should call the nurse. What was I supposed to do... I just got up like nothing happened...

It's so embarrassing but everyone now knew I was just laying there for no reason, so I tried to run away to class and act cool about it, but guess what?!" He sighs as he hangs his head in shame.

"I left my bag behind and the small crowd that remained was holding on to it for me. So I had to run back and get it... and face these people who saw the entire ordeal. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was for me, especially when the people holding my bag were people in the lower year who regarded me highly?!"

Though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't help but burst with laughter the moment he had finished speaking. It's hard to imagine stone cold Adelphos Gabris, the envy of many, acting in such a way. More than any story he could have told me though, his face right now was the funniest thing. At first he began whining at me for laughing at what he would call a tragic past, but soon he too began laughing along with me. Eventually we stopped laughing but the joyfulness remained. While smiling was difficult for me just moments prior, now I couldn't stop my cheeks from rising. Adelphos had the power to change my mood in an instant, but I knew he would never once betray me.