Chapter 11: Another Reunion

The start of all things trouble was in the end of semester of my second year and witnessing an extortion. I felt a deep compulsion seeing a pathetic fifth graders ganging up on one girl. It was after school and I got lost—long story—only to find those four behind the school building.

 If its few girls ganging up on a girl is one thing, but three guys ganging up on girl is shameless! I was on the verge on cutting off all sense and had them be my guinea pig on the new spell I’ve been working on.

 However, there’s no way I can use magic here and without magic. I’m basically powerless, beside’s other than emergency or class session. It goes both way with them since if one uses their ability to a certain capacity, the bracelet will record the brain wave and let the board know, which could get you suspension.

 My mind was thinking of a way to get her away when one of the bullies yelled at her, “You’re just a second year brat, don’t you think we could put up with your snob attitude Hustlesky!”

 When they called out her name, my eyes darted on the girl. Short blond hair, pale skin, hazel eyes, without a doubt it was Loranne Hutslesky. Other than me, the only other person from my preschool who was an esper was Loranne, not only that, she was rumored to be a prodigy among prodigy.

 From that one sentence and her personality, I could guess she was being silent as usual causing misunderstanding that she was looking down on her senior in the same ability class, resulting to this situation. Loranne kept looking at the three, looking disinterest. There were no emotion in her eyes and she kept silent as usual.

 Wait, now that I think about it, have I heard her talk? I know she can talk and I’ve seen her talk before, but why can’t I remember her voice? Just when I was stuck in my own mind, I heard her voice just as I was hoping for, but rather than a voice, it was a moan.

 One of the bullies grabbed her by the arm and pulling her in a rough way. There was a snap sound in my head and I screamed. The three bullies was stunned and look my way, but by the time they did I had already passed them and pulled Loranne away. They’re head must be processing what just happened.

  Bad news was, one of them was quick to catch and was gaining on us. No choice, without looking away I utter a chant softly.[Wind, gather, scatter, thwart my enemy and aid my ally]

           Wind started gathering around us and at the end swept the many leaves from the ground and obstructing the bullies from following. Once we reached the gate where there were people even if they caught up, they wouldn’t cause a riot here. I turned toward Loranne who was heaving heavily, she always looked pale so I had the idea she wasn’t good at sport and the like so I guess I was right.

Thankfully, there was a vending machine near the gate so I bought a bottle of lemon tea and gave it to her, “Here, drink.” She didn’t say anything, hesitating, she took it and gulp it down while making a weird sound.  “Thank you” she finally voiced out her mind.

   I blinked several times after hearing her sincere tone. Her eyes soon looked away but glances at me from time to time. Could it be, she’s just shy and not good at words? Thinking that, I smiled at her saying it’s not a problem. It was only for a moment but she slightly smiled.

  “It’s about time my father picked me up, what about you?”

  “Hmm…I…go home…alone…” her voice was small that it was hard to pick up. “How do you get home?” I asked. “I walked….house is close.”

    Knowing her house is close by seemed fine, but I’m still worried for a child to walked home alone, I might trouble my father but I think he wouldn’t mind much. “Let me take you home then,” this time, Loranne blinked a few times at me with a gaping look, “if it’s close like you said, I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind, and I’m worried after what happened to you back then.”

Loranne looked like a lost girl, her eyes darted everywhere without knowing what to say. I looked out from the gate and saw a dark blue SUV with a familiar plate number. “My father’s car is about to arrive, let’s go.” Since she was hesitating so much, I grabbed her hand and drag her with me.

As expected, my father said it was okay and it took only 10 minutes by car. Her house was a two story apartment, it was the first time I saw a worn out building, and the weed was about to reach one meter in height. Loranne thanks us for the ride and my father even offer to bring her back any time since it’s not far and it’s on the way.

  She tried to deny but since I thought it was a good idea, I insisted on her that we should. We went on leaving her outside her home, without realizing the smile she had on her face after she felt warm feeling in her after a long time.

#

The weird thing afterwards, Loranne became attached to me.

            Before and after school she would come looking for me like a puppy finding its owner, whenever it’s lunch time she would come eat with me—sometimes with Eric as well—and insisted on having me taste her lunch. It seemed she prepared her own lunch and wanted my opinion. She still rarely talks but I could somehow guess from her actions.

            Then one day-as I had anticipate-the three seniors confronted me. Taking a good look on them, one has a spiky black hair, pointed chin, flat nose. The other had bald hair, droopy eyes, and a plump face. The last person has scar across his eyebrows, large built for a kid, short brown hair, and thick eyebrows.

  I twitched further that they choose to ‘talk’ with me while I was alone. These guys are seriously annoying. “You guys are annoying.” Ah, I said it aloud.

            They were in the middle of talking with me after they ‘led’ me at the back of the school building, but they stopped and began to glare at me. “As expected as that girl's friend, you’re both brats who couldn’t learn to respect their senior.”

            A strange emotion was stirring among my annoyance from them the more they talked and I sneered. “Ha! Respect? Respect isn’t something you ask, it’s something you earn idiots, but it’s not like a bunch of brats could understand when you ask for respect after ganging up on one girl, do you even know shame?”

            The look of those boys as their jaw drop was quite hilarious, but their expression washed over with rage. They held me by the collar and started shouting to not get ahead over myself just because I had no powers and yet studied with ability users. Their words didn’t reach through me and instead the memories of my past started floating instead.

            The image of people circling around me, laughing and yelling vulgar words at me as I put up with them bashing and kicking. What have I ever did to you! Is what I always shouted but none ever reached them. I felt the most despair when I witness the people around me tortured because of me, and I couldn’t do anything.

            He began to loosen his grip on me and shuddered. Escaping my notice were black tendrils began to enveloping me, but it disappears the moment one of the bullies was kicked aside, pushing along the other two boys. “What the hell you people being noisy!” My attention went side way toward an open window.

            Without looking at myself, I knew my eyes were wide open and my body was froze from surprise. I had intend to find him in this world knowing he might have reincarnated as well, but my heart wasn’t prepare to see him again so soon. With the same sharp nocturne eyes, the same red hair, the same arrogant tone, he appeared.

            One of the bullies—who got nosebleed by the way—got up and wanted to rebuke, but seeing the red lily pin on his collar showed he was a first year from the middle school branch. As expected, they wouldn’t want to anger a senior. His words went stutter and without saying anything proper he drag his two friends away.

            Jeez, how weak willed were they.

            I was left standing without doing anything; I turned toward the boy from before who was yawning and slip out from the window. He turned to look at me and I couldn’t help but jolted seeing him. “Are you all right?” rather than a caring tone, he asked with curious tone instead, he didn’t seem he had any intention on saving me as well.

            However, hearing his voice, water began to break from my eyes. The boy cool expression turned dumbfounded and confused, not knowing what to do. I didn’t want things to become awkward so I held back my tears as much as I could while voicing out thank you to him but sadly it didn't work out so well. 

            I'm so glad to see you again, Master....

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