Chapter 16 Sage vs Cara
The Fifth Element 🔥 🌊 ⛰️ 🌪️ 🌀
~Cassie’s POV~
Cara smirked and wiped her face where the whip’s wind had touched it.
She charged at Sage, swinging her sword toward her, and Sage did her best dodging all the swings while moving backwards, feet quick in the grass, kicking up dirt.
Sage, in turn, swung her whip in circles before launching it toward Cara.
But Cara jumped over the coming whip, flame trailing from her boots as she landed, scorching the grass black.
Cara once again charged toward Sage with her sword. She came so close to Sage and successfully pushed her down with a hard hit to her shoulders. Sage hit the ground with a grunt, dust puffing up around her.
“Sorry… Do you need some help getting up?” Cara asked Sage sarcastically and smirked at her.
Cara turned her back to Sage, and Sage used the opportunity to fling her whip at Cara’s neck. The whip caught her neck tightly and she started struggling for air, clawing at the water-rope as it tightened.
Cara used her fire powers to heat up the handle of Sage’s whip, and Sage dropped her whip because of the burn, hissing.
“Ow! You burned me!” Sage exclaimed, shaking her hand. A red mark was already forming.
“Yeah, I did,” Cara said when she was free from the hold and quickly moved toward Sage and put her sword to the side of her neck before she could do anything else. The heat made Sage’s skin steam. Close enough to blister.
“Now. Surrender, or I might just slice you up right now,” Cara said to Sage and smirked.
“You cheated,” Sage said to her calmly. Too calm. Eyes like ice chips.
“Did I?” Cara asked and smirked.
“We’re not supposed to use our powers to hurt each other. We’re supposed to use it only to help ourselves win. Without harming the opponent,” Sage said to her, and Cara smiled.
“I don’t remember the teacher here making that rule. Besides, I did use my powers to help me win. I’m the one with a sword hanging by your neck, aren’t I?” Cara said to Sage.
“Okay, girls, that’s enough. I think we’ve seen enough for today, everyone. It’s time you all go to your next classes. Cara, dispose of the sword at once,” the teacher said.
Cara smirked at Sage before making her sword burn out into thin air, embers floating up and dying before they hit the ground.
The crowd suddenly scattered as everyone started returning inside the school building.
I looked over to see Sage still standing in the field. Not making an attempt to move from where she was standing. Her fists were clenched. Staring at nothing. Breathing hard.
“Hey Madeline, isn’t Sage coming inside? Why is she still standing there?” I asked Madeline.
“How should I know? Look, don’t try to bother yourself about her. Sage can take care of herself. You should bother more about mastering your powers. So that you’ll have a sense of belonging here… Okay?” Madeline said to me, voice sharp.
“Okay,” I replied and gave her a small smile before we both got inside the building.
~
When we got back inside the school building, most of us went to the cafeteria to get something to eat.
As usual, Madeline and her friends and I sat at their usual table. Same corner, near the windows. Sunlight made the trays look less gray.
“Today was so entertaining,” David said, already halfway through his sandwich.
“Yeah. It’s been a while since we witnessed a Sage and Cara fight in this school. It brought back so many good memories,” Stacy said, grinning.
“Yeah, whatever. I don’t like the fact that Cara won though. It’ll just make her head swell even more,” Madeline said, stabbing her salad.
“Wish I got to witness a you and Cara fight instead. This would have been a whole new different topic,” Stacy said to Madeline.
“Yeah. We would have been talking about how I buried her alive with shame,” Madeline said and chuckled.
Everyone was quiet. Nobody wanted to second her. Madeline gave her friends weird looks, fork paused midair.
“Wait, do you guys think I can’t beat her or something?” Madeline asked her friends, voice going tight.
“Sureeee, of course you can. Right, David?” Stacy said and looked over to David for help, eyes wide.
“Yes. Yes. Of course you can beat her, hands down. Not even a competition,” David said while nodding his head too fast.
“Good to know you guys know that,” Madeline said to them and continued with her food, but she wasn’t really eating.
“Why do they hate each other? Sage and Cara?” I decided to say something. The silence was getting thick.
“You don’t need to bother yourself about that, Cassie. Okay?” Madeline said to me, not looking up.
“Right. Wouldn’t hurt to know though,” I said to her.
“It’s not important. Don’t burden yourself with that information,” Madeline said to me, final.
I simply nodded. It seemed she didn’t want me to be involved with neither Sage nor Cara. Message received.
“You know what, I should go. The teacher is expecting me soon. And I’m taking these with me. Bye guys, see you later,” I said to them and carried my tray of food with me out of the cafeteria.
I felt like being alone for the moment, so I went up to the building where I met Jake the other day.
Some part of me was hoping he wasn’t there and the other part was hoping he was.
~
I got to the building and it was empty.
I didn’t know why I suddenly felt disappointed. My stomach did that stupid little drop thing.
I sat on the floor, which looked pretty neat and comfortable to me, and also dropped my tray of food beside me.
They served good food here. Mostly all very delicious. I chowed down way too fast, probably because no one else was here.
There’s this comfort that comes with eating alone with no prying eyes around to judge how you eat. No one to see you lick sauce off your thumb.
I finished up my food and opened up the pack of juice I was with.
I drank it without pausing until it was empty and threw the pack into the garbage bin that was across where I was sitting. It banked off the rim and went in. Swish.
I should play basketball sometime. I’m a really good thrower.
“You look like you need more,” I heard someone say.
I almost jumped because I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here. My heart slammed against my ribs.
~~