Kai

Finally, Ash raised his chin, as if deciding that his next words were valid and justifiable. I almost convinced myself that despite the determined look on his face, he had clenched his jaw as he spoke, as if almost hesitant to admit what he was about to say. His voice was also softer than I expected it to be, but that was probably because of the small space rather than my delusions that he was at all embarrassed about what he was saying.

“You took my place as top student.”

It took a moment for his words to completely register in my mind. Then I just stared in utter astonishment. He was mad at me because I had surpassed him academically? I blinked a couple times, trying to see if I was imagining things. Surely someone with such a perfect life couldn’t possibly be this petty. Or could he? He suddenly slumped down in his chair, surprising me with how much he looked like a pouting five-year-old glaring at the floor.

“You hate me because I already know the material?”

“Yes!” He shot back out of the chair, startling me. Luckily, he seemed to have missed the involuntary flinch as I stepped backwards, closer to the door. I shouldn’t have closed it. I knew that. Never, ever close a door, especially when it is the only way out. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be able to graduate as Valedictorian. With that kind of standing, I could get a job anywhere and get away from my grandmother’s expectations!”

His words stilled me. He was seething, upset and irritated and suddenly vulnerable. That was probably what had driven him over the edge. He had finally lost his cool and shared something extremely personal – with his rival, his opponent. But he was under a lot of stress, a lot of pressure. All he wanted to do was escape, something I understood very well. His hatred wasn’t really geared towards me, but at the opportunity I stood in the way of.

I swallowed. Hard. My frustration with him vanished rather quickly with the new information, leaving me exhausted yet understanding. I could feel several of my walls attempting to crumble in an effort to relate to him. It was human nature to try to relate, after all. I wouldn’t let him in, thought, I couldn’t. If I did… Actually, it wouldn’t change anything, so there was no point. I’d have to leave soon enough anyway. I wouldn’t be his rival for long.

“I am sorry,” I raised my hands in surrender, stepping backwards. My back hit the wall behind me, but I didn’t dare move forward. He was vulnerable right now, whether he realized it or not. In fact, he probably didn’t realize it. Yet. He would not be happy once he did begin to process what was happening. For now, I didn’t want him thinking I was a threat or anything like that. I dropped my eyes, already knowing that I would submit to whatever he decided to do. “Do you still want to take lessons from me?”

I hoped that changing the subject so suddenly would shock him back into his right mind. I really didn’t want to know what kind of person he was when truly angry. I kept my face away, hoping to appease any backlash there could be. I had learned the hard way that some people did not like it when I tried to get away from their anger. I could only hope that he wouldn’t get physical.

My voice had shaken slightly, but as the silence dragged on, I felt my entire body begin to shake worse and worse with every waiting moment. I wouldn’t pretend to be less then him, that was too much of a hassle. The professors already understood that I knew the material already. They’d figure it out quickly enough and then we’d both get in trouble. I did not want to deal with that.

He finally let out a sigh and plopped down into the chair he had nearly knocked over earlier. The no-longer vacated chair squeaked slightly, it’s age apparent. I took that as a sign of him calming down. Carefully, I sat in the other seat, staying as far from him and as close to the door as possible. If I needed to run, I didn’t have much of a chance, but I would be a fool to give up before anything even began.

Through my eyelashes, I could see that his glowing eyes had been doused. They still burned, but they reminded me more of the embers of a campfire than the actual flames. It terrified me, as I knew that embers are far more dangerous than flame, but there wasn’t anything I could do. His eyes may have been beautiful, but they were too much. If I wasn’t careful, he and his sky blue eyes would burn me whole.

I took his silent presence as a “yes” to my last question, so, keeping my voice as quiet as I could while still loud enough he could hear, I began to help him through assembling his trumpet. He almost looked like he wanted to skewer me with the instrument. If anyone could manage such a feat, I felt that it would be Ash. He seemed to be the kind of person to figure out how best to impale someone with whatever he just so happened to have in his hand.

Despite my attempts at staying calm and letting him relax, he still appeared rather upset as he left. I had no idea if he had actually paid attention to anything that I had explained, though I was pretty sure he didn’t care in the slightest. I could only hope that he’d remember enough to practice before our next lesson. If there would be a next lesson.

Thankfully, Ash was the last thing on my list for today. I was exhausted, tired, and cramped. I stood, stretching my limbs as I did so. Sitting was not a wise idea after the weekend I’d had, though the cool area that hit my skin as I walked back to my dorm felt nice. It helped me to relax, maybe too much as I nearly fell asleep while walking a couple times.

Getting back to the room, I took as quick a shower as I could, knowing that my watery eyes and drooping head would greatly appreciate some sleep. If I hadn’t been so exhausted, I may have given a small cheer that Clyde apparently decided to stay out tonight, probably with one of his many “girlfriends”.

The relative silence was nice as I crawled into my bed, curling up under my scratchy covers. Relief took over as my bed relaxed into the bed, unconsciousness taking me almost immediately.