It had been a few months since that game, Eda and I turned sixteen.
It was.. calm. I was always in awe every time I saw her laugh.

One thing that changed however is how intimate she got since that day, she would constantly find ways to kiss my scar, murmuring 'hermosa..' to me.
And she'd almost obsessively tell me that she loved me.. it was awesome.
Today we decided staffs were useless, walking close together to Hexside. She was kicking a ball around and was joking alot, I found each one funny. She froze when Hexside's bell rung, we both took off into a run but as soon as we were on school property a few minutes later principal Bump appeared in front of us, a deep.. deep frown on his face.
"My office.. you two."

We sat stiffly in the chairs provided, nervous expressions on our faces. He sighs and lifts his hand off his face, "you have been late to school.. every day this week. I'm sadly forced to expel you." He directs his voice towards Eda, then he says quietly "both.. of you."
We both stand up in a panic, Eda beings to beg to principal Bump into not expelling us, I'm just trying to stay calm, my eyes glossing up. He looks over at me a moment before looking at Eda and saying quite firmly 'no' before immediately looking at my blank expressioned face again.

He hesitates, biting his lower lip. "Unless.. you accept my last resort." Eda pauses, looking at him as if he's accusing her of something.
"Each year.. I chose a group of gifted students to enter a weekend long training program. Called the I.F.W.O.T. or 'Instructing Future Witches Of Tomorrow.' " I look at him anxiously, my hands stuffed in my pockets. "I may accompany you.. and if you get a blue ribbon.. I can grant you immunity for the rest of the school year.. if not.. I will have to expel you."

Eda falls back into her seat, shielding her eyes with her hand. I feel myself look down, my voice shakily mumbling "I-I don't want to be expelled sir.."
Eda looks up in a panic and says immediately, "we accept- I don't want to be expelled either." She then leads me into the hallway, cupping my face to wipe away tears with her thumbs.
I grab her hands with my own and bury my face in them, her lips gently press to my forehead.
She murmurs quietly onto my skin "please don't cry.. it's alright."
Then principal Bump exits his office, I look away with a frown.

He instructs us to follow him, Eda takes my hand and leads me with a reassuring smile.
She summons up Owlbert, and hops on, I hug her waist and get on.

  
It was a simple convention center, students lined up and most sighing towards their superiors.
I look around curiously, my eyes catching a group of students who glare at me, I hug close to Eda. My hands grip my gloves that provide me magic, my below the knee zip up boots thumping against the ground due to my position.
She gives a heavy glare back to the Glandus prep students, adjusting the opened front of her letterman in a warning and threatening manner. Some back off, knowing Eda from grudgby. She hugs me close, her eyes watching every student now.

With a sigh principal Bump signs our names down, then ushers us inside.
I can hear a woman in an adjacent room, seemingly sounding like she's reading from a script. "This won't be a bed of roses.. no, too forward."
He let's us roam, I pull on my gloves and frown. Eda leads us to a few open chairs, I lean on her and close my eyes after we sit.

It was truly defeatist to try and rest, as a woman suddenly appeared on the stage. "Welcome, children.. to the-"
Hw. Snapdragon looks at the sign and seems to be disgusted by the abbreviated name, "I.F.W.O.T?- seriously??"
Snapping her fingers she holds out her hand to the appearing sign, "I'm here to 'Help Enhance Coven Know-how'! Welcome, to H.E.C.K!" Me and Eda hold our mouths tightly closed, trying to not laugh at her terrible censoring. We begin to space out after she says the exact quote I heard her practicing, rolling her R's in the most annoying way.
And hear me out, I'm spanish.. my ethnicity has rolled R's, so if I find hers annoying.. you can puzzle together easily that I don't enjoy her already.

I begin mumbling in Spanish how I dislike her power hungry ego, Eda who is putting together my whole paragraph, blushes, chuckling lovingly.
I feel my braincells dying as I look up at the 'Trust' sign, Eda scoffs a chuckle, volunteering herself. She falls straight through the slime person.. demon(??), her torso up becoming a skeleton. A lot of students scream in fear but I say in both panic and seriousness "Edalyn Clawthorne! I swear to God himself!-" in complete, unbroken Spanish. She is then behind the instructor and the student, pulling her collar out with a flustered, half-scared look.

The instructor shakes his head dissaprovingly, Eda frowns with a specific look in her eyes that says she'd hoped for a better reaction.. one more, positive.
I lead her to a box filled area after we get ourselves something to drink, she sighs and leans on me, bummed out. I look at her with a frown. Taking a sip of her drink she gags and tosses the cup, it suddenly hovers midair, revealing a kid with round glasses and messy green hair. "I don't know who you guys are, but you two are a riot!" They smile at us, I have the feeling I'd met them before but.. I can't pin where.

"Uh- no? We excel at functions such as this, and I love the horrid liquids they serve." I giggle softly as Eda takes her cup back, they lean forward and whistle into Eda's cup.
Eda looks skeptical but they quickly reassure that they did not spit in it, Eda sips it and smiles, asking how they changed the flavor. I shake my hand and chuckle, saying I was actually fine with the tart flavor. I hear Eda whisper in a complimenting manner 'wish I grew up in a spanish household..'

They sit down and complain playfully about how nobody gives bard magic a shot, I tap with a smile on the red pants of my uniform, they seem reassured by this.
They lean back, sighing deeply in boredom. Eda looks at their blue ribbons and exclaims soundlessly in shock. "You two stick with me and I'll help you get one of your own." Then hold out their hands, we take them, mine in their right and Eda's in their left. "Eda Clawthorne."   "Camilla Noceda."
They shake our hands, a smile on their face. "Raine Whispers." Then we all get struck by realization, immediately remembering each other. "you!' We call out in unison, smiling happily with very- very light blushes.

We were about to get into a conversation when an Emperors guard calls up all students, l sigh and put my gloves on.

Hw. Snapdragon was PISSED by the challenges not being challenging, so much she made a game.. one that seems.. illegal.
Me and Eda's badges turn yellow, Raine's goes red. We pull away from each other with looks of fear in our eyes, then she commences the game. Me and Eda combine ourselves, creating a spell that sends a flash of light too bright to look at everywhere, but her curse reacts terribly to the spell. She crumbles to the floor with feathers sprouted everywhere, as I'm reaching into my pocket I trip a student by kicking him off his feet. I hand Eda the potion, looking everywhere in a hurry.

With a snap of my fingers illusioned copies of me and Eda go through every entrance, I take Eda's hand and run through the opened walkway.
We yelp as a 'Wild' witch approaches us, his eyes irritated and actually dangerous.

I quickly summon a ring of magic and slam my palms together, He suddenly gets flown straight into the air as I spin a wide circle, his own yelp meeting the wall.
I begin to breathe heavily, panic ripping at my veins. Eda looks at me worriedly and actually punches a 'Coven' witch in the nose on protective instinct, he groans and looks at Eda with murderous intent. "Don't try to team up with us." She growled, he backed up with hands raised and a bloody nose.

I catch the sight of the tail of Raine's hair but they disappear, I round the corner and call out in a panic "Raine!" The mass of Raine stops, they look at my panicked eyes and frown.
But run away with a look of pain, I call out their name and try to run after them, Eda pulls me into her, she frowns.
I try to stay calm, this game beginning to drive my emotions up the metaphorical wall. Then a haze fills the field, screams of pain fill my ears. Me and Eda walk the maze, looking at students keeled over in pain covering their ears.
We see Raine, their dulled eyes turning to look at us. The thorn maze pulls into the ground, suddenly Eda and Raine summon up magic rings, actually intent on hurting each other. As they approach each other I scream out shakily, "STOP!" My voice breaks at the tail, Eda's head snaps in my direction. I give her a look that tells her to stay back, approaching Raine.
Holding out my trembling hand I say with tears pouring down my cheeks "t-truce."

They pause and look at my hand, then take it "truce."

The audience gasps, then I finally break down, my body sobbing from the panic.
Eda pulls me into a hug, making me cry harder. I was sobbing pretty bad, my body shook from the fighting. A shadow fell over us, a looked up at the owner of the shadow.. it was hw. Snapdragon..

"Impressive.. calling a halt for immediate mutual peace.." she smiled, handing me and Raine a ribbon. "Well.. done." Raine looks at the ribbon and hands it to Eda who crumbles in relief, they wave and actually walk out the door.
Principal Bump takes us by the shoulder and leads us out, his expression angry.. not us,  but at hw. Snapdragon.
We look up, he frowns deeply. "From this day on.. you don't have to go here to redeem yourselves.. I'll just make you do menial chores after school." We nod slightly, he rubs my back as he studies my puffy, red eyes. "I am going to get you a palisman.. so when you are ever separated from your girlfriend.. you have a small friend to calm you."

I smiled slightly, nodding with a soft sigh.

  
Principal Bump pulled me from class a week later, taking me to a place in the woods.
A large bat woman walks in "I am de bat qween, yi-yi. You are Camilla yi?" I nodded and smiled, she waved me forward. "Come take a look.. they might be skiddish." I smile at the palisman, they greet me but stay back cautiously. I pet a little blue chameleon and chuckle, I try to pet a red cardinal but he flies off. I look up at him on his high perch. "Speek your greatest desire and the palisman will listen.."

I sat down, letting the palisman crawl and play in my lap. "I want to prove that I have worth, to prove not only do I have a kind heart.. but I have the ability to help others."
A bird chirps or well screeches a hawks call in a tree far away, a beautiful blue stellers jay flies to me. The bat queen murmurs a delighted noise, "he has no name.. nor previous owner yi-yi. Nobody wanted him because his design was too.. out of nowhere un-ordinary."
I scratch at his little cheek, he coos quietly. "I'll call you Prince.. you are a little prince after all." I say with a smile, his dark-nearly black- blue cheeks pull up to create a little smile.
"Ay que lindo.. te amo." I murmur, Prince forms to a staff. A dark grey stained staff holding him up.
I smile at the bat queen, she nods.

Principal Bump takes me back to Hexside, Prince was 'alive' now, perched on my shoulder.
I was suddenly lifted into the air, arms hugging me from behind "Eda??" I asked in a wondering manner, she mumbles a little 'mhm..' and takes me to the roof. I ate my lunch slowly, Eda was smiling at me, enjoying the sight of me. Suddenly Prince chirped, making Eda see him for the first time. "Aww- this is your little cutie?" She asks, I nod and watch Eda pick him up "yep, I named him prince. He's a bird from the human realm, a stellers jay."

She chuckled softly, nuzzling his neck with her fingers. He coos in a purry manner, enjoying the attention.
I rest on Eda, closing my eyes. Her lips kissed my forehead, a smile forming, then her cheek set on my head. "Te amo, Camilla." She murmurs, I smiled "Te amo, Eda.."

  
The day was over, me and Eda were in her room. She layed on my body, her body in between my legs, her cheek set on my stomach.
She looked up at me, Prince formed to a staff to rest. I looked down at her and smiled, lifting up my grey tunic she kissed my scar, her hands adjusting to grab onto my waist. I mumbled a small noise as she continued to kiss my scar, then she travelled to the mole I had right beside my belly button. She thought my moles were cute, she loved kissing them so I'd sometimes randomly get a kiss on my forearm or my jaw.

She sighed against my skin, and pushed her kisses upwards, a breath hitting my face. I opened my eyes slightly, looking into hers. I wrapped my arms slowly around her neck, mumbling a small 'mh..' . She greeted me with a kiss and set herself on my front, her ear above my heart.

I chuckled softly, closing my eyes. She kissed my cheek, adjusting to hug me close to her front, I smiled and pressed against her.
I giggled as she 'angel kissed' my neck, such a soft kiss it tickled rather than made me sigh in comfort, I squirmed in her grip, giggling like an idiot.
"Eda!" I laughed, though also trying to keep quiet because it was bedtime. She looked up a moment before chuckling, her lips widening to a smile on my skin "you're too fricking adorable when you're giggly." She lifts up her head to give me the most devilish, handed-on-a-silver-platter kiss I'd ever felt, making me go practically braindead.

"Where.. where did you learn to kiss like that?" She nibbles on her lip in a guilty manner, "my pillow.. when you're in.. your room." she admits slowly.
I choke on a snort, letting my face smile. She buried her face into the pillows, groaning in embarrassment. I press my face into her shoulder, chuckling quietly. "Te amo Eda.." she lifts up her hair, a smile playing on her lips "I love you too Camilla."
 
  
I groan deeply when I wake up the next morning, my eyes slightly opened and my muscles pretty tense from staying in one position for too long.
Eda looked up at me, she runs her fingertips down my arm and smiles tiredly. "You look like you could use some coffee.." I sit up and finger comb my hair, tying it into a ponytail. I look over at her, contemplating the need for coffee, her shirt collar sags over her shoulder in the adjustment to prop herself up. I look at my shorts and yawn, she chuckles.
I stand up and head downstairs after hugging Eda for a minute, I was halfway through getting the coffee ready when I felt Eda hug me. Dell chuckled and shook his head when he saw Eda fall asleep against my back, somehow she stood up straight.

I set a couple coffee cups out and waited, Eda still clinging to me like a koala. I watched Gwen walk in, she looked at Eda then me and said with a smile "it's nice to see you've become good friends." Dell looks at her a moment, unsure if he should say anything. He decides not to.
I nudge Eda and hand her a cup, she mumble something in Spanish I couldn't hear "lo siento que? no comprende, Eda."

Dell and Gwen look at us like we're speaking gibberish, Eda sighs and speaks up "te amo Camilla."
I chuckle, now understanding Eda. I repeat the phrase before drinking my coffee. It was smooth, rich and.. fruity.. it didn't need sugar at all.
I sighed softly, looking out the window.
I was swirling my coffee around in my cup as I look around the now empty kitchen, Eda shifts, jumping on the counter. Burning my lip with the coffee I wince, Eda's hand rests on my cheek, fingers running down my jaw to my chin. I look up at her just as she kisses me, I sigh against her lips. "Be careful.." she whispers, staring into my eyes. I mumble a quiet 'mhm..' and try to keep my eyes open.

She then pulled away and smiled, telling me we had to go to school. I get my uniform on, sighing deeply. Heading outside I get on my staff and look at Eda, she has a.. jealous glint in her eyes. But smiles.. odd.

The ride was quiet, calm.. a bit cold but.. that was normal. Eda dragged me onto her staff midair to hold me close, she was grumbling.
Oh dios mio- she's jealous of Prince. I giggled before leaning back into her, she kisses the back of my head.

  
About two weeks passed, I was getting awesome grades and loved being in Hexside, Eda.. however.. was distant. She often scoffed as I tried sitting beside her in lunch, and ignored me during practice. I tried even failing just one assignment to see if that was the problem... it was.
So now, I was hiding under the bleachers while trying to read, practice was going on and I didn't care to show my face.
Raine had entered Hexside but that didn't matter.. they were on the grudgby team so I couldn't hang out with them even if I wanted.

I stood up and walked out from under the bleachers, hopping on Prince before flying home. I went into my room and layed face down on the bed, sighing deeply.
Dell opened the door, asking if I was okay before getting a reasonable answer from me and exiting. I shut the blinds and littered the pitch black room in light spells, I looked into the abyss of a corner before flipping onto my back. The door opened a second time, this time it's Gwen I quickly tell her I'm fine before laying on my back again, I took a long while following one specific light spell, it was soothing.
I caught the spell and began studying it, the spell.. it felt liquidic like slime, but radiated magic. It had as I studied it with my hands, a fragile core of magic that was static-y. Almost like it was it's own sentient being, the light spell panicked and wavered as I nearly put it out. I gently shoved it up into the air where it cautiously wobbled before flying steadily around.

For the third time my door opens, I sit up quickly, irritation in my expression. It was Eda looking rather shocked to my irritation, "um-" she began, setting a mug of apple blood on the dresser near the door. "If it's about homework.. no. You and I are not on the same string right now, I barely recognize the girl I-.. nevermind."
She bit her lip before exiting and shutting the door behind herself, something clatters in her room just on the other side of the wall. I listen for sounds of disress, hearing none I close my eyes.

   
I couldn't sleep that night.. I felt anxious.. I felt.. alone. Exhausted.
I ignored my door opening every now and again, I didn't want to look up at all knowing it's Eda.
I toyed tiredly with my pillow, trying to stimulate my mind enough that it actually wanted to sleep, it didn't work. I sat up and opened my window, looking at the sky as I sat on the frame. My body was still, tired but awake. I couldn't understand why Eda would be distant over something as simple as grades, my door opened, I ignored it to the best of my ability. Footsteps approached me, I turned my head to see mamá.
My eyes glossed up before I hugged her, crying silently into her shoulder. I gripped her shirt tight, trying to understand why I was so emotional... I couldn't find the answer.

Until I jerked awake.. the answer so blatantly obvious..

Something I couldn't.. wouldn't.. DIDN'T want to think about.

.
.
.

I... was heartbroken.

Heart beating unevenly because Eda.. the girl I had fallen so incredibly in love with, had done exactly what I was worried she'd do.

.

.

.

Get a grudge over something trivial.