Fyren found himself staring out his window, not lost in thought, but in that mood where you're absorbed in the atmosphere and before you know it half an hour has passed.
From his window, he had a clear view of the courtyard and all the students taking advantage of the warm almost summer day outside. Some students were meditating, some ate lunch together, others were just chatting, and some gathered in groups around the tables to study.
Looking at all the friend groups gathered outside made Fyren miss his home a little bit. I wish I was part of a clique.
He sighed and smiled slightly. I say that but it's not like I gave any effort to make friends here, well there is Melfis, but she's different.
Fyren spun around in his office chair, Maybe I should go outside. He waited to see if he felt compelled to do that, finding he had no motivation he continued spinning. I guess it's just one of those lazy days.
He left his window and fetched another Fizzy from his magic-powered cooler. Within seconds, the empty can joined its brethren in the recycling bin.
Fyren let out a loud belch.
Maybe I feel like studying.
He went over to the left drawer underneath his bed where his Magic History book, along with all his other textbooks was stored. Upon opening it, a little toy dragon caught his eye. He picked it up and looked it over.
Why did I bring this from home again?
He tried to remember how he even got it in the first place.
I was with my sister, my older sister that is… and someone else? Another girl I think.
Try as he might, Fyren couldn't remember all the details. All he could remember was shining golden hair, exaggerated by time no doubt.
That reminds me of when I met Guy Random. He asked what kind of girls I was into. Then he went "blondes I bet," and then I went, "sure, I guess but brunettes are cool too and black-haired girls." That was before I met Melfis.
For some reason, a lot of people thought he and Melfis were a couple. It was exceedingly difficult for Fyren to think of her in that way though.
Romance is crazy, huh? He thought sarcastically.
Speaking of Melfis, I wonder what she's doing right now.
He forced himself out of his chair and to the door.
Leaving his room, he knocked on the door to the Janitor's closet.
No response.
He knocked again and this time whispered, "Hey, Melfis, are you there? If you don't answer I'm coming in."
It was a while before he heard footsteps coming toward the door from the other side. When it opened a chuckle escaped Fyren as he beheld the creature that stood before him.
He was greeted by what he assumed was Melfis, however, he didn't think he would ever see her in this state unless she got into a bar fight or became a criminal and this was her mug shot, or both.
Her hair was unkempt and looked like a tumbleweed, sticking up all over the place. She had dark circles under her eyes, which were half shut and no longer gleaming with their usual mischief, Fyren could barely see her pupils. She wore a baggy, disheveled t-shirt with some corny saying on the front that Fyren couldn't read because of its unfortunate state, and equally baggy and wrinkled pants, both sporting some kind of stain which Fyren assumed to be mustard.
"Well, you look fit for a candlelit dinner," Fyren said, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey Fy-guy," she barely managed to get out, "I thinks it's either food poisoning or one of those dumb anxiety medicines that you can't take on an empty stomach."
Immediately after saying that, she rushed over (more like collapsed over) to a bucket and revisited her lunch.
Welp, definitely not an empty stomach, that rules out one possibility.
At that moment an announcement came on the loudspeaker.
"Will all second and third-year students planning to take the Magic Exam Preliminaries report to the auditorium in uniform for an informational meeting in twenty minutes, thank you."
"You better go clean up… all of this," Fyren said gesturing at Melfis' entire being.
"I'll be fine, I just need a shower or something," Melfis replied stumbling toward her room, "I-it's nothing, I'll be fine!"
Fyren turned around to exit and heard a thud as Melfis collapsed in her room.
He sighed.
I hope she's going to be okay for the exam.
Fyren returned to his room to get dressed for the meeting in the auditorium. He assumed it was an informational meeting about the preliminaries. Opening the right drawer under his bed, he withdrew his school clothes and proceeded to get ready.
The boys' dorm area was clear of any other person.
They must all be in their rooms, I guess I am a little early since I was already here. He waited for a moment outside his door to make sure then he knocked on the Janitor's closet. The door opened and Fyren was met by a less horrifying sight than earlier.
Melfis was dressed neatly at least. She was dressed in the regular Order of Lance School uniform, a white button-up shirt, a gold tie, and a navy blue blazer and skirt. Her hair was back to normal but her face hadn't changed from earlier. Thank goodness there were no mustard stains on these clothes.
"Well, let's get going," he told her. She just nodded in response.
They arrived at the Arena about five minutes before three o'clock. They chose a spot at the highest level of the seats which was empty at the moment. At the front of the auditorium was a group of three people, they looked maybe one or two years older than Fyren.
"My guess is that those three are gonna be talking to us," Melfis said.
"Yeah."
As the next five minutes passed, more and more students flooded into the seats until finally the clock struck three, and it was time to start.
The tallest of the three stepped forward, he was a male student with short, neatly combed light brown hair, and a thin beard of the same color. He wore the Order of Lance uniform as uniform as possible. He addressed the crowd with a booming: "Greetings students! My name is Goz, and I'm here to tell you about the upcoming exam preliminaries!"
I didn't think he was one to grow a beard since last year.
Everyone's attention was immediately fixated on Goz who stood there, basking in the attention with a smile on his face.