Chapter 114.

Chapter 114.
114\. The Brown Diary IV. (Nancy Quincy.)

Derek and I had gotten closer, we even went to the cafeteria together from time to time. I learned that his appearance just deceived a lot of people, but he was a kind person at heart.

"So what is your story?" I asked one time. It took a long time for Derek to answer. He was always staring into the distance like someone was talking to him.

"I'm an orphan, it is as simple as that." His reply was short. I noticed he started combing his hair recently, and the cuts and bruises on his body had reduced.

"Why do you get into fights?" I asked, shifting closer to him on the bench. The garden was almost empty by this time, the fading light of day casting long shadows across the walkways. It was just the two of us now, surrounded by the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.

Derek shrugged, his shoulders barely rising off the bench. "I don't know," he said, his voice low and introspective. "People always assume I'm looking for a fight. Some other groups hate me because I am an orphan who managed to get into the academy." He folded his arms across his chest, a defensive gesture that seemed to shield him from the world. "I guess it's just easier to fight than to try to explain myself all the time."

I listened to his words, my eyes locked on his face. I could see the frustration and anger simmering beneath the surface, the sense of injustice that drove him to react in certain ways. "Well, I don't fight you," I said, leaning back against the bench and watching him with a curious expression.

Derek's eyes met mine, and a small smile played on his lips. "I find you interesting," he said, his voice taking on a slightly teasing tone. "It's like playing with fire, especially when your father is a very important figure in this land." His words were laced with a hint of amusement, but I could sense a deeper meaning behind them.

As I looked at Derek, I felt a sense of intrigue. There was something about him that drew me in, a complexity that I couldn't quite unravel. He was tough and prickly on the outside, but I sensed a vulnerability beneath the surface, a deep-seated need for connection and understanding. And I found myself wanting to know more about him.

"Exactly, that's why you should stay away from her." Lyanna appeared, bringing a bag of food with her.

"Lyanna, my favourite person, it's nice to see you," Derek smirked. Somehow, they managed to start talking, but their conversation was frequently marked by jabs and insults.

"It's not nice to see you at all." Lyanna sat between us. "Excuse us. Best friend coming through," she scoffed and turned to me. "Your father would tear his hair out if he learned you were hanging out with a truant like Derek over here."

Derek scoffed, his expression dismissive. "There's nothing new in school," he said, his voice laced with boredom. "They keep recycling everything, I think they have stalled in their intellect." His words hung in the air, a challenge to the status quo, and Lyanna's eyes narrowed as she turned to him.

"And why should I take your words seriously?" she asked, her tone sharp with annoyance. "You barely attend, you don't care about turning in your assignments. I bet you don't even know what the syllabus is!" Her words were a jab, aimed at Derek's notorious reputation for being absent and disinterested in his schoolwork.

But Derek just laughed, a low, amused sound. He pointed at Lyanna, his finger wagging in her direction. "That's why you shouldn't judge people by their appearance," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "The syllabus on the magic system is flawed, it only talks about Flekken's law and ley lines but it leaves out the fundamentals, like how it interacts with matter and how magic particles are essential."

His words were a surprise, and Lyanna's expression faltered for a moment. She hadn't expected Derek to be so knowledgeable about the subject, or to have such a deep understanding of the underlying principles. "You can't just spout off fancy terms and expect us to believe you're suddenly interested in learning," she said, trying to keep her tone even.

But Derek just shrugged, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm not trying to impress anyone," he said. "I'm just telling you what's obvious. The syllabus is incomplete, and if you actually paid attention, you'd see that too." His words were a challenge, and Lyanna's eyes flashed with annoyance but Derek just smiled.

Lyanna was shocked. "How do you know Flekken's law?"

I laughed at Lyanna. "Well, Derek, here is probably the smartest person in the class. I've seen some of the practitioners call him for an opinion on something in secret."

Lyanna could believe her ears. She became silent and glanced at Derek. "It seems like we will have to bury the hatchets for a while."

"I never had any hatchet—"

"It's a figure of speech, jeez." Lyanna slapped her forehead.

"I know, I'm just messing with you." Derek teased.

"Ah, there you are." Sirius appeared. As usual, he had a long train of individuals behind him, adoring wherever he went. "Well, it's a strange phenomenon to find Lyanna and Rachael sitting together with an outsider like Derek."

Derek fell silent and looked to the ground. I sensed that they knew each other from before. "What—what do you mean?" I stuttered.

"Give me a moment," Sirius whispered to his entourage to stay back as he handled matters. "I don't like that you are associating yourself with Derek. He is an outsider, a disease in our society." He eyes Derek. "I'm even surprised that he can adjust and behave like a human being with you girls around."

I felt annoyed at how he spoke so condescendingly of Derek. Derek remained silent and looked away.

"Hey, you can't say that—"

Lyanna got to her feet. "Okay, I get what you are saying and I might not like Derek much—" she glanced at Derek. "But you can't talk like that about him!"

"Excuse me?"

"Yes. He is a person just like us. And I know might be making an enemy of you, but you aren't any better. You get worshipped by people who are only there for your worth in society, after that, you don't have anything good to offer. I'm sorry, but that's the truth!"

"How dare you?!" Sirius raged. "I will see to it that you are punished—"

"On what?" I got up. Sirius suddenly became mild, as if he wasn't expecting that from me too. Derek just watched, surprised that we were standing up for him.

"But—a lady like you deserved to be by my side—" Sirius stuttered.

"Oh, that's how it is?" Lyanna folded her arms. She turned to Derek and me. "Come on, let's get out of here."