42 Learning About the Academy (Pt 3)

In the back of the school behind the garden and building, I stood in front of Cedric wondering what he was about to say.

My hands were crossed together, I was getting a chill from the breeze of spring. Why couldn't it have been summer where everything was warmer?

'So? What do you want? Spill it.' I was not in the best of moods, though I could've spoken nicer.

In front of me was Cedric who was holding something in his hands. It looked like a scroll of some sort. There was a big symbol on the scroll which was red, but I couldn't make out what it was.

'Jeez... calm down restless Rachel.'

'No I will not calm down. I'm cold and you're taking forever.'

'Alright. I see your point. Here, I wanted to give this to you.' He handed me the scroll he was holding. 

I opened up the scroll in my hands and it was the same red exact symbol I saw that day at the beach. It was the magic spell used to create the flood.

My head whipped from the scroll to Cedric, 'Where did you get this?'

I have spent almost a year searching for it in the libraries of the Castelle home and was not able to find the exact match of that spell, but he found it and gave it to me.

This raises up the question as well, how did he know that I was looking for this spell?

Everything about this seems fishy and I wanted to get to the bottom of it. I glared at Cedric waiting for him to speak, but he was as nonchalant as ever. He even dared to yawn while I was glaring at him.

'What? Weren't you looking for this?' He raised his shoulders and hands up to the sky acting ignorant.

Yes it was a good thing that he found this for me. That means I found a new lead on the person who was trying to destroy the kingdom, but that doesn't mean that I was about to turn a blind eye to anyone connected to this matter. And that includes Cedric even though I thought of him as a friend does not mean he is not involved in this matter.

'How did you know?'

'Guess I was right.'

It bothers me that he wasn't answering my questions. I kept glaring at him.

'I have my sources.' He finally said probably not able to withstand my glare.

Who else knew that I was looking for this? It should only be the people in Castelle manor. How long has he been keeping an eye on me? The thought of it brought danger signs in my head.

'Why were you interested in me?' That didn't come out right. It sounded like I said he liked me in a romantic way.

'I heard you were searching for it day and night. I happened to have some connections and thought I could help, that's all.'

Well that can't be right. Nothing in the world is free.

'What do you want in return?'

'What do you mean?' He raised his eyebrow at me looking confused, but not in a fake way. It was like he genuinely didn't want anything in return.

'Why did you help me? Is there anything you want in return?' I grabbed the scroll in my hand securing it in my grasp. I will look at it more detailed later.

'Nothing! I just.... wanted to help you. That's all.'

Is that really the truth? He won't ask for any favor in return? I find that hard to believe, but I guess for now I'll take his word for it.

'Thanks.' I couldn't look at him in the eye for some reason, but I felt like I should thank him since he did help me out after all.

The atmosphere got a bit awkward after I said that. I was about to turn around when his hand grabbed mine stopping me from leaving. I knew he wasn't just helping me for nothing. There is something he wants from me afterall.

'I also wanted to make sure you were ok,' he said.

I was stunned for a moment wondering what he meant. So he really didn't want anything from me, but he was worried for me?

'What do you mean?' I didn't know why he would ask me such a question.

'Well what with Anastasia and Alex this morning.....'

There was a pause before I let out a big laugh.

'Hahahaha.' There were some tears in my eyes from laughing too hard. I started to grab my stomach to stabilise myself for fear of falling on the ground laughing. 

That's what he was worried about? That I was bothered by what Anastasia and Alex did this morning in front of the class? Well maybe from his perspective it bothered me since he and I was supposed to be a third wheel in Anastasia's and Alex's relationship. Does that mean that he was the one bothered by it?

I wiped some of the tears off my eyes.

'Yeah I'm ok. Are you?' He looked at me more confused than before.

'Aren't you bothered by it? Don't you like Alex?'

'No thank you. I wouldn't be with him even if he was begging on his knees for us to be together. I guess it must be hard for you huh? Seeing them together, since you like Anastasia after all.'

Cedric's eyes widened. Well of course he was surprised. No one else was supposed to know of his feelings for Anatasia but himself and except me of course since I read the book.

'H-how did you-?'

I grabbed his arm and patted him on the shoulder.

'It's pretty obvious you like her. My advice? Don't get your hopes up and go find another girl. Any girl would be lucky to be with you.' I'm telling him this because I know that Alex is the one who is meant to end up with Anastasia. This way it may save him from heartache.

'I have to go, thanks for this.' I showed him the scroll he gave me and left him with the flowers and falling leaves from the trees in the garden looking deadpanned.