The next day, I noticed Beth's attitude towards me changed greatly, she would offer to help with everything from cleaning my sword, insight on moves she already learned from Andrew to even adjusting my armor, honestly I didn't understand how holding hands once changes a girl that much to be honest, girls are truly unknown creatures that we will never understand. The worst part came two days later when the invisibility potion wore off, I started to notice her sneaking glances at me whenever she thought I wasn't looking, and whenever I caught her she'd look away blushing furiously and make up some utterly unbelievable excuse but do it again, I caught every glance.
But unfortunately, I was apparently cursed in my past three lives because Andrew didn't miss them either, nope not one escaped his watchful gaze, and whenever he caught them he'd come up to me and under the pretense of either stamina or strength training he'd make me undergo some hellish torture disguised as training. He'd either increase the number of laps I was doing that day or create some special hellish training; I would have told her to stop looking a while ago, but here's the thing, Andrew once made me run a hundred laps, walk through fire with only some crappy protection spell that would flicker and wane whenever my concentration failed and also gave me the privilege (punishment) of sparring with (getting beat up by) him for smiling back at Beth when I caught her staring, only if I told her to quit it… then…
Situation 1: "Hey Beth, stop looking at me like me like that I'm not into you." I say rudely. "Oh, uhm sorry I'll stop" Beth said dejected, and walks away almost in tears, Beth goes in the house and Andrew appears behind me like a malevolent phantom with a sickeningly sugary smile that made my insides burn, "Hey Cassius I think we should train your resistance to death, let me show you." he said in a kind voice taking out his sword and severing my head with one fell swoop, as my neck sprays blood like a crimson fountain. Situation end.
I gripped my neck in fear of the thought, it might have been over-exaggerated but I wouldn't put it past that old blonde psycho, don't get me wrong Andrew's an amazing teacher, and I don't really hate the guy but to be honest, a woman's heart is a delicate thing and as such I do not want Andrew as a looming threat of death at a slight mistake. Even if I were to accept Beth's feelings… then…
Situation 2: "Hey Beth I wanted to tell you that I love you and I want us to be a couple" I said expectantly though lying through my teeth, "Oh really, I love you too Cass" Beth said hugging me tightly, Beth would spend the entire day hugging me until I left for home and she would give me a goodbye kiss on the cheek giggling to herself like a school girl, I walked home with the feeling of being watched, Andrew suddenly appeared in front of me and stabbed my chest silently and kicked me in multiple places as I bled to death. A week later, my mother, sister Beth and Andrew gathered in front of my grave my mother and Beth were crying while my sister and Andrew consoled them, Andrew stood up fiercely and proclaimed "I'll find the bastard who did this myself and beat them to death" he said heroically lying through his deceptive, devious, false bastardious teeth.
To be honest, the first part made me cringe so hard the second part almost felt soothing, I mean I don't hate Beth but like I said I like her as a friend and absolutely nothing more. I gripped my inky black in frustration which Beth noticed she walked towards me putting a hand on my back saying "Is everything alright Cassius?" she said in a kind, caring tone that to me sounded like a nuke to my spirit, she smiled kindly as Andrew came towards us with the signature torment followed smile, "Maybe a few more laps will help to clear your head" he said ruthlessly, "Andy!" Beth scolded "Actually I'm pretty tired" I said in hopeless protest, "Don't worry it'll help build up your stamina" he said devilishly. "I think my stamina is already built to the max" I said hopelessly "That exhaustion says otherwise, kid." He said annoyedly "Actually, I feel pretty great" I said faking energy, "Good now burn off some of that energy with a few laps" he said deviously.
'That damned snake, I fell right into his twisted little trap' I thought furiously. I trudged my feet begrudgingly and began my laps praying silent for the exams to arrive sooner than expected.
The next day, I chose today as my weekly day off, to be honest I needed a break from those two, Andrew especially. I wandered around town looking for excitement or a robbery, either one would do to be honest I walked to the town square and took a seat on a nearby bench, I looked around for anything to cure my cataclysmic boredom anything would do really. I saw a young paperboy selling newspapers and I walked over and bought one, it was cheap to be honest only costing half a Drago, this world's currency which was a very shiny gold coin, because unlike my old world here gold was very common, not common as in 'walking on the road and pick up a 24-karat pebble' common but far more common than back in my old world.
I keep trying to remember who I was in my old world and to be honest I keep failing, all my efforts just jeep ending in more confusion and leave me with more questions than I have answers, honestly it's weird having knowledge and not knowing how, why, where you learned it from eventually, I chose to leave old memories alone and forget about my past completely and somehow it brought me a kind of peace, I took a deep breath and opened the newspaper and flipped through the pages nothing catching my eye until, a certain page with the smiling image of someone I knew. The page read 'Minister white's daughter expresses gratitude to anonymous hero' the picture was a smiling Isabella with a small wave.
The article was mainly an interview with Isabella narrating the incident that happened that day with one key difference of when the inter viewer asked of the hero's name. the interviewer asked "Would you mind telling us the name of your savior?," Isabella replied "I don't know his name but I'm grateful anyway." I clearly remember telling her my name was Cassius so she either forgot it… or she has some brains under all that beauty. I smiled happily as I read the article which included a small section on her biography, turns out her father the current minister of finance James White, married her mother during his time at the capital, he eventually came back home and ran for the position of minister of finance. She usually stays in the capital but came back for a sort of bi-annual visit and would be leaving today… TODAY!!!
I ran out of the square frantically on my way to the main gate I had to see her off, why simple, I saved her life meaning she owes me a debt that I can cash in on, her father is the freaking minister of finance, I can only imagine the cash benefit from that, I turned and ran in the direction of the gate I braked suddenly appearing at the line for pedestrians, I was stopped by Aaron who asked me "Cassius?, long time no see, where are you going in such a hurry" he asked puzzled "I have to do something really important, I'll talk later" I said pleading for him to let me through he stepped aside and let me pass and I walked a bit and ran after reaching a good distance I quickly climbed a tree branch visible from the road and hid a bit.
I waited… and waited… and waited starting to realize the childishness of the situation and my own greed, even contemplating whether or not I had already missed the carriage until I heard the familiar galloping of horses, a carriage similar to the one Isabella was first kidnapped in came into view. I activated my skill feeling the familiar rise in my body heat and I ignited my hands and shot a fireball into the sky. The carriage stopped suddenly and a familiar purple haired girl poked her head out until her head turned in my direction. She brought out a hand and waved at me smiling "Thank you, for everything!" she shouted cheerfully after recognizing it was me. I waved back but didn't say anything letting her know I got the message. I turned back jumping from tree branch to tree branch with my magic enhanced abilities. I might not have cashed in on the whole life debt thing but I have a feeling we'll meet again and when we do I'll cash it in without mercy.
I stopped in a clearing dissipating my flames as I landed I took a few steps until my instincts told me to dodge left, I did and rolled forward feeling a gust of wind graze my shoulders cutting through the jacket I was wearing but not me. I turned to see my attacker and it was Andrew surprisingly enough. "Andrew? What's going on are you trying to kill me" I asked bewildered, "When were you going to tell me kid?" he asked coldly, "Tell you what?" I asked furious yet confused. "That you ain't human kid?" he said with oozing bloodlust.
CHAPTER END