Just as Allen was about to walk over to Rose, she looked at him again, which resulted in them both looking away from each other again.
Why can't I just walk over there?, Allen thought to himself. Why does this have to be so hard?
But, he knew that he would have to make up with Rose, now being the best time. He would just have to push away his feelings of nervousness and just walk up and talk to her. He finally took one last deep breath, and finally walked over to where Rose was sitting.
As he made his way over, she turned and noticed him. She looked away for a brief moment, her face flushed, but didn't say anything.
"Can I- can I take a seat here?," Allen asked nervously.
"Go ahead," she answered him, her eyes down at the floor.
"Thanks," he nervously responded as he sat down next to her, just like how she did during the trip.
For a few minutes, the both of them didn't say anything to each other. They both looked away from each other, or watched the others train together. It wasn't like they didn't want to talk to each other, but both of them were too nervous.
After what felt like a long pause of silence, Allen finally spoke up. "So, how are you doing Rose?"
"I'm- I'm doing alright, how are you?," she asked him, still not looking up at him.
"I've been good," he scratched the back of his head.
Allen could almost feel the annoyed look Stephen was giving them, probably because he was watching them from a distance.
I'm trying Stephen, but this is too hard!, he thought to himself, as if Stephen could read his thoughts.
"So, I just wanted to apologize… for the club trip, I mean," Allen began to speak again after another pause of silence.
"You don't need to apologize! I should be the one apologizing!," she suddenly looked up at him, surprising Allen. "Oh, didn't mean to speak as loud as I did"
"No, it's fine," Allen awkwardly smiled at her. "But why would you need to apologize?"
"For… putting you on the spot like I did during the club trip…," she looked down at the floor again.
"You didn't do any of that sort," Allen looked at her, confused. Why would she feel like she had to apologize?
"I confessed my feelings to you at a bad time, I should have waited for a better time to do so, or at least considered your feelings on the matter, is all," she said as she looked down again.
"No, you're fine. I could have been a bit nicer about things the last time we spoke. You don't need to apologize, I do," Allen assured her.
"I don't think you did anything wrong, and I'm sorry if you felt that way. I- I avoided you because I just needed time to myself, is all," she admitted.
Did we really both think that the other wasn't in the wrong?, Allen thought to himself. If only he was better at things like this. What would William do?
"And I didn't think you did anything wrong either. I just felt bad after the whole incident," Allen admitted.
"I see," Rose said, thinking to herself. "But I do want you to know that I have nothing against you or your feelings, I just needed some time to get myself back together. It was difficult…"
"Sorry," Allen scratched the back of his head again.
"Nono, don't apologize!," she pleaded.
"Then, let's just both agree to not apologize since we both don't think the other is at fault for anything," Allen suggested with a nervous smile.
"Sure, I like that idea," she laughed a little.
They began to talk a bit longer, mostly catching up. Allen talked about the stuff going on in his class, and Rose talked about her student council work and her own classes.
"Geez, I don't understand how you can maintain such good work on your assignments and also be the student council president at the same time," Allen responded, after Rose was talking about one assignment she had in class.
"It's difficult, but I manage. It just requires a lot of hard work and dedication," she smiled with confidence.
"Wow. I forgot how lucky it is to be friends with the Blue Rose," Allen laughed.
"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but laugh.
"No, but really. You work so hard not just as a regular student, but also as the student council president. You should feel more proud of yourself more often," Allen smiled at her.
"Thanks," she looked away as her face turned red again.
Allen once again got nervous all of a sudden as Rose began shifting in her seat.
"So, are we back to being friends again, like before?," Allen asked, after a moment of silence.
"Of course we're friends, idiot," Rose rolled her eyes again, but smiled. "I just needed time, is all"
"Good to hear," Allen grinned. "Looks like the Training Club is back, and it seems like we are getting a new member"
"August, hm?," Rose said as the both of them looked over to August and Thomas still training, with August correcting Thomas about something.
"It seems like our club just keeps getting bigger and bigger, with all sorts of interesting people joining," Allen laughed. Rose looked down at the floor again while he spoke.
"Is there something wrong, Rose?," Allen asked, concerned.
"It's just, I need to tell you one thing…"
"And? What's that?," Allen asked, leaning in a little bit closer.
"I wanted you to know… that despite what all happened, that I still hold feelings for you," she admitted, and once again not being able to look at him.
"I see…," Allen responded, a little caught off guard. While he was confused at what she had just said, it sort of made sense to him. Feelings probably don't go all away at once. "Well thanks, I suppose"
"You suppose?," she asked, eyeing him curiously with her face still a little flushed.
"I don't really know how to respond to that, honestly. But even if I can't return those feelings, it still makes me feel happy, regardless." Allen responded, scratching the back of his head nervously once again.
"I see…," she looked away again. "But despite that, are you still okay with being friends with me?"
"Why would you even ask that? Of course we're friends, alongside everyone else in the Training Club!," Allen exclaimed, catching Rose off guard.
"Glad to know you feel that way," Rose smiled as she shifted in her seat again.
"Hey, you two done having your little talk?," Stephen asked bluntly as he and the rest of them walked over.
"A little talk?," Thomas asked. "I was wondering what they were talking about when we were busy training"
"Yeah, we were just talking about some stuff, is all," Allen awkwardly responded.
"A talk....," Alice said out loud, looking at both of them.
"Something wrong, Alice?," Allen asked.
"Hmm…," she blankly responded before turning her attention back to everyone else.
"I see. I take it that it went well then," Stephen eyed them curiously.
"Don't say anything you will regret, Stephen," Rose glared at him.
"Oh, so the Blue Rose is losing her thorns? Wonder how long it will take for her and Allen to-"
"You moron!," she yelled as she punched him in the gut, sending him to the floor. Everyone proceeded to laugh.
"Well, it seems we all need to head back to our dorm rooms as it is getting late. Guess we will meet here tomorrow, as usual?," Stephen asked everyone, after he had finally gotten back up.
Everyone agreed, and they all began to make their way for the exit.
"By the way Allen, I do hope that I can continue training with you all," August said to him as everyone was walking out and talking to each other.
"Sure, I wouldn't mind having you here, and I am sure everyone else wouldn't either," Allen smiled at him.
"You have a lot of great friends. Don't forget that, alright?," he smiled at him.
"Yeah, I won't!," he replied, but was curious at why August had suddenly said that.
"I'll see you all hopefully tomorrow!," August waved everyone goodbye as he and Stephen walked off.
Once the two of them had already walked off, everyone else said their goodbyes and made their way to their dorm rooms.
Allen, Thomas, and Cecily of course walked back to their own dorm rooms as they usually did. First dropping off Cecily at hers, and then Allen and Thomas walking to theirs.
After class the following day, they once again met back into the training room, where they were awaiting everyone to arrive.
"How long is it going to take that moron to arrive?," Rose asked, pacing around and getting impatient.
"Stephen's probably in some hallway, flirting with some girls," Allen laughed.
"Aww. He should've invited me- ow Lily!"
"Shut it Tom," Cecily glared at him.
"What did I do?!"
"Did you guys miss me?," Stephen grinned as he and August walked into the training room.
"No, but you're welcome to fall into the next trash can you see," Rose grinned at him.
"Wow, that's pretty harsh, but I admire your quick wit," August gave her a look of approval.
"You get used to her after a while. Just give it a month or two, and her comments will go through one ear and out the other," Stephen casually shrugged.
"Oh? Do you want to be thrown off a cliff?," Rose mischievously grinned.
Stephen just shrugged at her as he and August began walking towards the group once again.
"So, what's the news?," Thomas asked.
"It's official as of this morning. August is finally a member of the training club!," Stephen announced.
Everyone clapped as August smiled at them.
"Glad to finally be a member," he nodded.
Once everyone had once again been introduced to August, they finally formed groups to start training, like they usually did.
Stephen paired up with Thomas and Cecily paired up with Alice. That left Allen, Rose, and August, which the three of them partnered up.
It made the most sense to pair the three of them up, as they all used magic alongside a sword.
"So, mind telling me a bit more about your sword, Rose?," August asked after Rose had drawn her rapier. "It looks like a rapier if I am not mistaken"
"You are correct, it is a rapier," Rose said with confidence, as well as a hint of happiness, due to August knowing exactly what she used. "It's my family's sword, passed down. Its name is Riptide"
"Oh, what a nice name to go with a stunning rapier," August admired her rapier as Rose showed it to him.
"Why thank you," Rose smiled.
"I like the design. A light blue blade to go along with a shiny silver hilt," he commented as he continued to look it over.
"It looks nicer every time I see it," Allen said as he looked at her rapier.
"Okay, you both can stop ogling my rapier now," she rolled her eyes as she moved her sword to her side. "So, how are we going to train in a group of three?"
"Good idea. A bit more difficult after the fact, isn't it," August responded, as he thought to himself.
"I suppose we could just take turns," Allen suggested. "The two of you can go first, since I have had the pleasure of dueling both of you already"
"You say that as if it's negative," August looked at him curiously.
"I said what I said," Allen shrugged.
"Well, I suppose let's get started then. I am rather curious how the Blue Rose duels," August eyed her as he drew his second sword.
"Seriously, what's with you guys and using that nickname?," Rose sighed while getting into position.
"Everyone calls you that Rose. Also good luck," Allen responded as he sat down.
"Let's begin, Rose," August smiled at her as he cast magic on his sword, creating the earthly blade.
"I'm not holding back," she looked at him as she readied her rapier.
As their practice duel began, Rose rushed in and August prepared for her first attack. She began to swiftly use her rapier to strike him, but August either dodged or blocked each attack.
When August went in to strike, Rose began having a harder time defending against him.
She's finally realizing the difficulty I had with him, Allen thought as he couldn't help but smile watching Rose constantly looking for an opening.
Not long after their duel had begun, August already had moved in and put Rose in a position of defeat.
"Well, that was an intense duel," Rose said as she stretched a little shortly after their duel ended.
"You did well, it was hard for me to keep up," August admitted.
"Yeah, but you still won. Looks like I still have a long way to go before I best you in sword skills," Rose said as she swung her rapier around.
The three of them talked for a little bit longer before Allen got up to take his turn. He dueled against August once more, but just for a little bit. Allen managed to win since August used his second sword, but he knows he would've lost if he had used his first sword.
"Well, looks like it's time for all of us to head out to our dorm rooms again," August noted as everyone else reconvened to the center of the room.
"Well, we can always train more tomorrow!," Thomas said excitedly.
"True, I do hope I can train with all of you plenty for the remainder of the year," August nodded. Everyone else agreed.
Everyone began to talk as they made their way out of the room before August suddenly stopped and got their attention.
"Oh and by the way everyone, I won't be available this weekend in case you all had something planned"
"And why is that?," Thomas asked.
"My family is planning an event this weekend. So all the 'important' people can get together and mingle, or something like that. It's not the first time, and it won't be the last time," he explained.
"Are you not looking forward to it?," Stephen asked.
"Not particularly. I don't necessarily hate it, it's just a slight annoyance at times, you see," he elaborated.
"Well, good luck with that," Allen added.
"Thanks, but you get used to it after awhile"
They finally all exited the room, with Allen locking the door behind them. Stephen and August already began to walk away, but before they could continue, August looked back and eyed everyone curiously.
What's he doing that for?, Allen thought to himself as he watched August look at everyone.
August's attention landed on Allen for a moment, and it looked like he grinned for a moment, but it was hard to tell as he did it for only a moment. He turned back around and kept walking with Stephen as everyone kept walking and talking to each other.