Chapter 3 | Drinks

Walking back into the library, the two quickly took their seats, opening their books and studying as Thora pulled out her grimoire, a white tablet the size of her hand with a little diamond crystal at the top, tapping the screen she scrolled until finding photos and drawings of these red fiery herbs, sketching them in her book with the name Spindle Fire. 

It was an herb known for its unique fire essence, it was rather old and most drawings of it were used in mythology and folktales, yet she didn’t care, because she knew it was real, somewhere out there such a beautiful herb existed, and one day she’d see it. 

On the opposite end of the table, Irving had his grimoire propped against his stack of books as he scrolled through, soon finding diagrams and research notes on a particular poisonous flower, while its petals were commonly used in poisons, the stem which was filled with human-like veins tended to be diced up, and used in antidotes, a flower that could both cure and harm. 

The flower petals were a shade of frost blue and the center was an eye similar to that of a feline, a yellow iris, it was useless other than the fact that it could be crystallized and sold to collectors of the sorts. 

A small smile tugged at his cheeks, if he could grow it himself, there’d absolutely be a way to create his masterpiece, a grand poison to end all others, the legendary Calacaudria, only spoken about in whispers and talks of myth, he’d be the one to bring it to life, he’d create the single deadliest toxin known to this land, or any other, and then, then they’d see…..

I’ll make them all regret EVER having laughed in the first place! THEY'LL ALL SEE THE GLORY OF THE GREAT IRVING KETHSWORTH!!! A small, sinister-sounding giggle rose from his chest as he wrote in his notebook, and just as quickly it was hushed, and all was silent again. CRAAAAAP DID SHE HEAR ME?! OH MAN THAT WAS CLOSE! Gotta keep it quiet next time, keep it cool.

WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?! Hiding her face behind the mountain of books, she tucked her head into the crevice of her arms and tried not to slam her hand into the table, repeatedly. 

HE WAS GIGGLING AND SMILING, HE’S THE COOLEST AND CUTEST THING TO EVER EXIST! Even when soaked with summer sweat, he’s dashing! And his hair is slicked back more than usual and AHHHHHHHH! My heart needs to stop! Calm down! I need to breathe! Be cool! Taking a breath, she moved the books and tucked her grimoire into her bag as she leaned back against the chair for a breather. 

Glancing up as she leaned back, he didn’t linger as he continued working on his own things, albeit with a newfound difficulty. OH NO IS SHE OVERHEATING?!? IS THE HEAT GETTING TOO MUCH FOR HER?! WHAT CAN I DO?! WOULD SHE EVEN LET ME DO ANYTHING?! SAY SOMETHING YOU IDIOT!!!

“Difficulty studying?” Cocking an eyebrow, he looked up as he put his own pencil down, switching his attention from the grimoire to her.

“Yeah….my back was starting to hurt.” Lacing her fingers, she holds her hands high into the air as she stretches, a soft moan leaving her lips as she takes a deep breath. NO THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SOUND SO WEIRD! How do I even fix this?! 

“Ah, that’s unfortunate…..” Slightly nodding, he brought his attention back to his notebook, subtly crossing his legs as he shifted in his chair, and reading back over what he'd already written. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IM THE LUCKIEST MAN ALIIIIIIIIVVVVVVEEEEEEEE!!!!

With her cheeks turning pink she fanned herself off with her hand before quickly standing from the chair, the chair almost falling when she stood. “I’ll be going now.”

With her hands on the table, her posture was slightly bent, her arms held most of her weight, and as much as she wanted to jump out the window, that wasn’t an option. I’m going to die from embarrassment if I stay here! 

“Are you finished with your studies already?” Slowly lifting his gaze, he looked up at her as his face had tinted a slight pink, his brow twitched a bit as he fought to maintain eye contact. Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t loOK DOWN, DON’T YOU LOOK DOWN! SHE IS RIGHT THERE IN ALL HER SOFT PILLOWY SPLENDOR BUT DON’T YOU DARE LOOK DOWN RIGHT NOW!!!

“Well…no, it’s just rather hot in here.” Looking to the side, her cheeks got redder with embarrassment and she leaned up, crossing her arms as one hand rubbed below her shoulder. SHOULD I STAY?! WILL IT LOOK LIKE I'M NOT TAKING MY STUDIES SERIOUSLY?! I promise I do! I’m just dying! 

“That makes sense……..” Looking back down, his eyes frantically scanned over everything that was on his desk the second his head had tilted far enough and she had looked away. OKAY SO SHE LEANED UP AND YOU LOOKED AT THEM ANYWAY THAT'S FINE SHE DIDN'T NOTICE I THINK?!?! OKAY, Okay, okay, it’s fine, it’s fiii- WAIT! She’s still hot! Look around, what’s cold around here in this stupid heat?! Oh yeah! I haven’t finished my drink yet! Does she like the flavor? Here goes nothing and everything!

Reaching over, he grabbed the half-finished glass bottle, and found it still pleasantly cool, before extending his hand towards her without lifting his gaze from his notebook. “Would this help?”

IF I DRANK THAT- IT- IT- IT WOULD BE AN INDIRECT KISS! Deep breaths, stay calm DEEEEEEP BREATHS JUST BREATH. Piling her notebooks, she stacks them in a pile before putting them away in her bag. “That’s yours, as a thank you for the pudding.” 

With that, she nodded to him and turned to her side, walking towards the door to the library, her ponytail swaying back and forth behind her.

For a moment, nothing was said, until a soft voice called out after her, merely two words were all he could manage as he stared at the bottle in his hands. “Thank you……”

Walking out the door, she began running down the hallway, her face as red as her hair. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT! AHHHHHHH! But it was just too embarrassing. 

Skidding to a stop, now properly drenched in sweat, she finds Abira, her dear friend, before running up to her and into her arms. “Abira I didn’t take the bottleeeeeeeee!

Confusion settles upon the blonde girl's face as she pats Thora's head, her gaze curious as she holds her sweat-soaked friend. 

Meanwhile, a somewhat loud thudding reverberates through the room she left as Irving repeatedly slams his head into the table, clutching tightly onto the bottle with his other hand. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! It’s a gift! Why would she want it back?!? You idioooot!”

The book in his bag shuffles as it begins to float, its pages turning as it speaks on behalf of the others. “They don’t appreciate you causing them to jumble on the table, stop it.” 

“They can deal with it! I messed up and now she’s gonna get heatstroke because of meeeeee!” Stopping his slamming into the table, he simply laid his sweaty face on its surface, his face holding an expression that could only be described as dismay.

Rolling his pages, he sat on the table. “If you're in so much dismay, why not find a book to answer your questions, an ice book, a relationship novel, or at this point a way to off yourself.”

“A book…..? THATS IT! I know how to make her not hate me!!” Perking up, his moment was soon interrupted by the many shushing students, and he quickly dialed it back and softly whispered to the book. “Are you familiar with a fiery-looking red herb? I saw her sketching it in her journal.”

“Why would I know?! Find an herb book you imbecile.” The book responded in a rather rude tone. 

“Tch. Archaic old man, I was hoping you’d be more help than that….” Scowling at the book, he picked up his grimoire and started read watching for anything that matched the drawing Thora had made.

When he found it his eyes lit up, the last thing he wanted to see was the heading. 

Spindle Fire, Extinct or Never Existed? 

For a moment, all he did was stare, before his scowl grew, and he began aggressively scrolling, searching for more information, any information on where or how to find one himself.

The deeper he dove into the gossip the more he learned, yet none of it was what he wanted, some would call it the breath of a phoenix, a beautiful herb that shines like flames. 

One that only exists in legends and folklore, how only children believe it exists, or dreamers of the sorts. 

“……it can’t be………is there really nothing about Spindle Fire….?” Continuing to scroll for a bit, he only got more and more frustrated, and soon, he quickly shoved his grimoire back into his bag, along with the other books, and decided to head off, the heat was causing even greater annoyance than before as he made his way towards the Botany classroom.

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