Just Returning a Favour

The three walked into the school cafeteria. After Kira joined them Noah and Alice started coming here during lunch.

"Noah, Kira and I are leaving for a moment save us a seat," Alice said as they walked away.

"Sure," Noah then got a tray with a variety of food on it. He walked through the cafeteria looking for a spot to sit.

He saw someone waving at him, "Noah we have a spot here, come sit down!" It was Mike. One of the few people Noah talked to in school. Noh saw that there was only one seat left and shook his head.

"Thanks, but there isn't space for Alice and Kira." Noah then looked for an empty table.

The cafeteria was large, it had rows of tables placed orderly and large windows for light. At the moment it was crowded with people from all classes sitting around.

Spotting a table that had just been cleared Noah was walking towards it, but as he was he saw Vince walking in his direction.

Till now, he still hadn't done anything bad to him, other than mess with him a few times whenever Vince passed by. Noah made sure to only do slight things that weren't obvious that it was him. From tripping him, to having a ball bounce off a goal post onto his face. It was just that whenever he saw an opportunity he would take it.

For he was doing it because he was bored at school. He was just waiting for Vince to mess up once and he would get back at him. Since Vince wasn't directly involved, Noah kept his acts to a minimum. They were just mild annoyances and mistakes.

As he took a view of the path in front of him, he saw a table moved slightly coming in his, which he would trip from if he didn't move. He decided not to move.

His foot hit the table leg as his body bent forward and the tray of food was thrown up. He acted perfectly as if he had tripped unexpectedly. The two guys in front of him had the food go above them and fly towards Vince who was behind them.

...

Alice and Kira came back into the cafeteria, they both had to give in a form that was due in the week they were absent. They ran in the teacher halfway so they were able to get it done quickly.

"Noah's over there he found a spot, we should get our trays," Alice said looking at the food.

Kira saw Vince coming towards Noah, and could see the glint in Noah's eyes, "Wait a second." She walked in the direction of the two and then saw Noah trip. She sprinted and pulled Vince out of the way standing in front of the falling food instead.

Everyone in the cafeteria gasped.

The entire food tray with all parts filled with some type of splashable food fell on her. Whites, browns and green covered her from head to waist. The white shirt she wore was ruined. Even her maroon skirt had stains.

Alice ran towards her as well. Vince was flabbergasted by her sudden appearance. Realising he had just been protected by her. He put his tray down and looked for something to help Kira wipe of the food.

The food on her was a nuisance at most, in the Eternal Battlefield being splashed by blood or other types of body fluids was a frequent occurrence, this was nothing. She used her left had to wipe off her face and flicked it off. She then ran her hand through her hair pushing it back, stopping the food from dripping off her.

Her face revealed was cold and unbothered. She looked back, "I paid you back."

Vince took out a handkerchief to help her, "Here let me-"

Kira pushed his hand away, "No thanks." She said lightly and walked towards the exit.

Alice reached her and helped her walk out. Kira was the center of attention until she left. People had even taken photos in that amount of time she took to leave. As she left the cafeteria Alice turned back and sent a glare at Noah telling him to follow.

Feeling a bit bad he ran behind them.

As for the others, they continued on with the conversations they were having. A group of boys who had a good view of the whole thing were looking a the photos they took.

In the photo. Kira stood gallantly with her hand in her hair. The boys looking at were surprised by how good it came out.

"I recently saw a photoshoot with a concept of food being spilt on you, the photos weren't as good this." Another boy responded.

...

In the girl's restroom, Kira washed her face as Alice stood next to her with spare clothes.

Noah opened the door and entered after seeing only the two girls inside. He coughed lightly, "I apologise."

Kira taking off her outer shirt and wearing the shirt Alice was holding, "Why are you apologising?"

"I'm sure you could tell I did it on purpose, you weren't the target though," Noah answered honestly. "Why'd you get in the way?"

Kira stopped, then answered, "I owed him a favour, thanks for helping me return it." She answered casually. She had mainly helped him since she felt bad about spilling her smoothie on him and then locking him out of the lesson. This was an act to clear her conscience.

"So why did you do it in the first place? Do you have a grudge against him?" She asked both Noah and Alice. It was obvious to her if it was something to do with Noah himself he would have dealt with it cleanly. The childish acts he was doing was because he was holding himself back because he didn't have a reason to do something big.

"His existence annoys me, so I try to remove his face from my sight whenever I see it."

Alice moved next to Noah, "Noah doesn't like him because Vince was related to my bullying incident. I thought we decided we weren't doing anything?" Alice sternly said to Noah.

"This isn't me doing something, these are just coincidences... that I forced." Seeing Alice's stern look he ended up admitting to it.

Kira heard this and was surprised internally, but kept a straight expression, "I thought Noah had everyone who bullied you expelled?"

Alice hadn't told her much about the bullying incidents, instead telling her Noah had dealt with everyone. Which was why she after transferring here didn't get a chance to do anything to them. Since the two had moved on Kira didn't ask much about it either.

"He wasn't involved directly, or I would have killed him already," Noah answered. "He isn't a good person, best not to get involved with him." Noah finally said before walking out.

Kira looked at Alice to hear her opinion as the person directly involved, "I knew him for a while a long time ago, I don't know how he is as a person now. I do agree that we should just keep away from him."

"He's in the MMA club, is the student with the most potential. He also showed a high amount of diligence during the lessons. I didn't think he'd get involved with such people. I'll keep it in mind." Kira was done changing.

She had already been teaching at the MMA club for a few days and got to see how hardworking Vince was, from her first impression till now she had a good opinion of him but hearing Noah and Alice's words changed everything.

Compared to Vince, she trusted Noah and Alice a lot more. They naturally had their reasons. It seemed Alice wasn't comfortable telling her about it and she understood that. As for staying away from him, she couldn't do that, she still had to act as an instructor to the MMA club.

What she thought of him wasn't important, she would still teach him and do her job.

...

In the MMA club later the same day, Vince stood in front of Kira holding position taking small steps as they circled around.

After the first day where he was late, he would come as early as he could now. He was also training a lot harder each day, even increasing his workout routine. His goal was to be on par with Kira.

She was his training partner for the last few classes and it was humiliating. Yesterday's class was the worst, Kira had picked him up above her head, spun around and threw him to the ground. Everyone in the club had seen it, even constantly bombarded him with a secret video they had taken.

It was too much even for him, he almost skipped because of the embarrassment. If Kira hadn't complimented him saying he had taken it well, he wouldn't have come.

Vince scanned Kira who stood in front of him, he understood the person in front of him wasn't Kira rather his instructor. Kira would be completely different as an instructor, strict and disciplined. Outside she would go back to being a regular high school girl who he could casually talk to.

Today was different since Kira had come forward to protect him during lunch. He didn't know how to bring the topic up, as he trained with her.

That moment of Kira taking the food onto him had cemented in his heart. If it was just a crush before it was love now. With how she came to protect him, he was confident he had a chance.

Vince moved forward, Kira was faster catching his hand and flipping him.

"Focus," Kira said going back to position.

Vince got up rubbing his head and nodded. 'How is she so strong? She flipped my whole body with one arm.'

Soon the lesson ended, Kira walked up to the front announcing, "Well done all of you. Today's lesson is over, you may leave."

Vince ran up to her again, the lesson was over, "Thanks for helping me earlier, can I repay you in some way?"

"I was paying you back. We're even now." Kira responded a lot more coldly than normal.

'Did I do something?' Vince thought, "I still want to show my thanks. How about a meal?"

Kira looked at him top to bottom, seeing him smile shyly, "I think you're getting something wrong here, I only like guys stronger than me."

She then picked up her packed bag and walked away. Vince stood destroyed, as he felt his entire being be crushed and blown away by her words.