"Do you have a boyfriend?" West asked casually.
Her face flushed a deep crimson almost instantly.
Her thoughts spiraled.
'Isn't this fast?'
'Did I misunderstand something?'
'Did I give off the wrong impression?'
"I—I don't," she said finally with a jittery tone. "Why?"
West's expression changed immediately, turning disinterested.
"Oh," he said flatly. "Meh. Pointless."
He stood, picked up his lunch and walked away.
Just like that.
Mira stood frozen with her mouth opened.
"Eh?" she whispered.
Then louder. "Eh? Eh? EH?"
She watched his back retreat up the steps and his long coat swaying slightly with each step. His posture was relaxed like he hadn't just dropped a conversational grenade and left.
Her brain struggled to catch up.
'Pointless…?'
'What does that mean?'
'Did he only ask because—?'
The rest of the day, she barely heard a word in class.
Her mind replayed the scene again and again.
His calm question.
His flat reaction.
The way he'd walked off like she didn't exist anymore.
'Does he only like girls with boyfriends?' Her heart thudded strangely as she wondered.
She hated the thought and yet—
She couldn't stop thinking about him.
---
After school, students streamed out of classrooms as laughter and chatter filled the halls. West slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the exit, unhurried.
A presence suddenly blocked his path.
"Finally found you!"
Caleb's voice cut through the noise like a blade.
West stopped, looked to the side and stepped towards the left before walking past him.
Caleb's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What—hey—!"
He reached out, grabbing West by the collar, digging in with force meant to drag him back.
The contact lasted less than a second.
West's hand snapped up, slapping Caleb's wrist aside with enough force that knocked the grip loose without even turning around.
Caleb stumbled half a step back.
"What the—?!"
West kept walking.
That was when Caleb snapped. How dare an unawakened act so brazen towards him? Especially one that he had repeatedly put in his place.
"You think you're slick now?" Caleb snarled.
West didn't respond.
Caleb felt something ugly coil in his chest.
'He slapped my hand away.
Slapped.
Like it was nothing.'
Like Caleb was nothing.
The eyes watching them multiplied.
Caleb's pride ignited.
"You think you can ignore me?" he growled.
West finally stopped.
Slowly turned his head.
Just enough to look at him.
Caleb flinched... just slightly.
West's gaze was calm and unbothered.
"You were blocking the exit," West said.
That was it... the final straw that broke the camel's back.
Caleb roared and stepped forward.
The air around him warped subtly as he activated his branch.
Power flowed through his body as his awakened ability came to life causing his veins to glow as pressure rolled outward.
Students nearby gasped and scattered.
Caleb's lips curled into a savage grin.
"You should've stayed on the floor," he voiced while greenish markings appeared all over his body.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly as his eyes glowed up and a red line extended from the left to right.