Chapter 107 107- Do Not Let Him Copy Your Notes
LEXI
Blake and I hang out for a while after class, and it’s… Easy. Comfortable in a way that feels familiar again. I curl up with a book, actually trying to focus on what I’m reading for once, while Blake sits nearby with one of his notebooks open. He claims he’s studying, but every time I glance over, he’s sketching instead, quick, precise lines filling the margins like he can’t help himself. At one point I catch a glimpse of long, flowing hair and what looks suspiciously like a horn before he casually shifts the page away. I don’t call him out on it. I kind of like that he does that. Eventually, though, it’s time for dinner, and my excitement bubbles right back up again. I try not to get my hopes up too much, but I can’t help it. There’s a very real possibility that Ellorie might actually come. Blake, on the other hand, is clearly less optimistic.
“Don’t be too disappointed if she doesn’t show.” He tells me as we walk.
“I won’t.” I say automatically, even though we both know that’s not entirely true. When we get to our usual table, I stop short. There’s a third chair. It’s positioned neatly beside ours like it’s always been there, even though I know for a fact it hasn’t.
“Did you put that there?” I ask the Academy. My usual chair pulls itself out for me in response, smooth and deliberate. I grin.
“Thanks!” I say, slipping into my seat. The small gesture feels… supportive. Like the Academy is quietly encouraging me. Blake glances between me and the extra chair, then back at me.
“I’ll get the food. Just stay here where I can see you.” He says. His tone is firm, leaving very little room for argument. I nod easily.
“Sure.” I agree. I don’t even think about pushing back anymore. Not about things like this. Not when I know where it’s coming from. Blake heads off toward the food, completely ignoring the line like usual. A few people glance at him, but no one says anything. No one challenges him. And honestly… I don’t feel that conflicted about it anymore. Before, it used to bother me. The unfairness of it. The way he just took what he wanted while everyone else had to follow the rules. But now…mThings feel different. After everything that happened with Aaron, after actually talking to Blake and telling him how I felt instead of bottling it up, something has shifted. I don’t feel that constant, simmering resentment anymore. Not even towards most of the other students. There are still a few I don’t like. Obviously. But a lot of them… didn’t actually do anything. They just stayed out of it. Like Ellorie. Like a lot of others I’ve started noticing now that I’m not so wrapped up in my own situation. Sure, it would have been nice if someone stood up for me. But… I didn’t stand up for myself either. And for all I know, if they had tried, it might have just made things worse. The thought settles strangely in my chest. Not exactly comforting. But… Grounding. Either way, being able to actually say how I felt, instead of carrying it around, has made a huge difference. Everything feels lighter. Less sharp. So that’s something. I’m still thinking about that when I hear a soft clearing of a throat. I look up. Ellorie is standing beside the table, shifting slightly from foot to foot like she’s not entirely sure she should be here. Her eyes flick briefly toward where Blake is, then back to me.
“Can I sit?” She asks quietly. I nod immediately, probably a little too eagerly.
“Of course!” I say, the words coming out faster than I intend. Her chair pulls itself out smoothly, just like mine did. She blinks, startled.
“Did you see that?” She asks, glancing between the chair and me. I smile.
“You get used to it after a while.” I tell her.
“Just say thanks and take a seat.” I add. She hesitates for a second, raising an eyebrow like she’s not entirely convinced, but then she murmurs a soft, ‘Thank you,’ and sits down carefully, placing her food on the table in front of her. I grin. She came. She actually came!
“So, Ellorie, I know we have potions and medicinal magic together, but what other classes do you have?” I start brightly, leaning forward a little. Ellorie seems a little more comfortable here than she did in class. Her shoulders are still slightly tense, but she’s not rocking anymore, and her voice comes a little easier when she answers.
“I have intermediate spellcasting and botanical studies.” She says, giving me a small smile. That immediately catches my attention.
“Botanical studies? Is that interesting? What kind of things do you do?” I ask, already curious.
“And intermediate spellcasting? Isn’t that a second-year class?” I add. She shifts slightly in her seat, clearly not used to being the focus of so many questions, but she answers anyway.
“In botanical studies we focus on identifying and growing a lot of the plants and herbs used in potions. And we learn how to imbue them with magic and use their properties correctly.” She pauses briefly, then continues, a little more awkwardly,
“And… Yeah, I guess the spellcasting class is usually for second years. The Academy doesn’t really force people into a strict order. You just… End up where you’re best suited. And I suppose someone decided I belonged there.” She reasons. I grin immediately.
“I knew it!” I say, probably a little too enthusiastically.
“I knew you were being modest. You’re a first year in a second-year class. You must be really good.” I point out. Ellorie shrugs, ducking her head slightly like she’s trying to hide the compliment.
“I’ve just had more practice. We use a lot of magic at home.” She says quietly. That sparks about ten different questions in my head all at once, and I can practically feel myself about to launch into a full interrogation about her home life, her family, what kind of magic they use, how often they practice… But then I see Blake returning. I immediately look up at him, unable to hide my smile. I’m fairly sure my expression is very clearly saying ‘see, I told you she would come.’ His expression, in contrast, is completely neutral. Not cold. Not unfriendly. Just… Controlled. He sets my food down in front of me with his usual quiet efficiency.
“Thanks, Blake.” I say warmly. He nods once and sits down beside me. I turn back to Ellorie, ready to keep the conversation going, but the moment I do, I notice the shift. She’s changed. Where she was open a second ago, she’s now stiff, her posture straight and tight. She’s suddenly very focused on her food, taking quick bites like it gives her something to do, though her eyes keep flicking sideways toward Blake. She looks nervous again. Really nervous. I glance at Blake. He’s better at hiding it, but I can tell. He’s uncomfortable too. Not in the same way, he’s not scared, but there’s a tension in him now, a stillness that wasn’t there before. Like he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself in this situation, so he’s defaulting to doing nothing at all. Neither of them are speaking. Neither of them are even looking at each other. They’re both looking at me. Right. So this is entirely my responsibility. Got it. I take a breath and jump back in.
“So, Ellorie, what’s your favourite class then?” I ask, keeping my tone light and conversational.
“Mine is medicinal magic. I just really enjoy it. Plus I was studying nursing before I came here, so I guess it kind of fits.” I explain.mEllorie swallows quickly, then nods.
“Uhm… Probably intermediate spellcasting… I like the challenge.” She says. Her voice is still soft, but at least she answered. Progress.
“And flying is your favourite, right Blake?” I add, turning slightly toward him to pull him into the conversation. He nods.
“Yes. Although it’s not really the class I like,. I just like flying.” He says. I smile.
“That makes sense.” I agree. And then I keep going. Question after question, small prompts, easy topics, anything to keep the conversation moving. They both respond when I speak to them, but they never really speak to each other. It’s like I’m the bridge between two separate conversations, translating back and forth without either of them crossing over. It’s… A little awkward. A little stilted. But it’s working. And honestly? For a first attempt… I think it’s going pretty well.