"Just make sure you don't end up like when I had to rescue you from Ethan," Stella quipped, a playful smile on her face.
"What do you mean 'beaten up'? I had everything under control. You just couldn't see the wounds on Ethan and the others because it was too dark," Seth retorted.
Stella raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Oh, right. It was pitch black, and I could have sworn I saw you trying to limp your way back."
Seth pretended to be deep in thought. "Limping? That must have been my cool, spy walk."
"Right, because spies are known for tripping over their own feet after just a few steps," Stella chuckled, playfully rolling her eyes. "Such a good spy impersonation that I basically had to carry you back home," she said with a grin.
"Eeermm…" Seth struggled to find a way to respond.
Stella chuckled and assured him, "Anyway, you don't have to worry. If you're ever in danger, I'll save you."
She grinned mischievously and added, "Again."
"Guess you'll never let me forget that. But okay, I accept the offer. I'll be counting on you," Seth sighed.
They continued chatting and laughing until the school bell rang and both of them parted ways, heading to their respective classes.
The rest of the day passed without any noteworthy incidents. Seth couldn't help but notice Jake's unusually cheerful demeanor. He quickly realized the reason and, naturally, he took the opportunity to tease Jake a bit, causing him to turn bright red. Lea, who observed the whole exchange from her seat, giggled.
Time flew by, and soon it was the last class of the day. The classroom was silent as the students focused on solving the exercises given by the teacher.
Miss Madden, Seth's math teacher and homeroom teacher, approached him.
"Seth, stay after class. The rest of the teachers want to talk to you," she quietly said before turning around and going back to her desk.
'This can't be good,' he thought with an internal sigh. These discussions with his teachers were beginning to get on his nerves.
Once the class ended, Seth waited for the other teachers to arrive while everyone else left. Miss Madden approached him again.
"Hey, Seth, how have you been?" she asked with a soft smile, trying to make small talk while they waited.
Internally, Seth sighed again before answering, "Very good, Miss Madden, thanks for asking."
"How have your aunt and uncle been?"
"They're fine," Seth simply replied, trying as hard as he could to keep smiling.
"That's good to hear. Are you having any problems in your classes? I heard you've been looking a bit drowsy lately," Miss Madden asked with concern.
"Yes, I'm very sorry about that. I just haven't been getting enough sleep lately," Seth apologized.
"I understand it's tough. Don't forget, getting a good night's sleep is essential for having good health."
'Tough? What's she talking about?' Seth thought, confused by her comment.
"Getting a night of good sleep is extremely important. It would be a shame that you missed the content of a class because you weren't paying attention."
"I'm very sorry Ms. Madden, you are right, I'll try to sleep more."
"Remember, these theoretical classes, often seen as unimportant by most espers, are crucial for building a successful career in scientific research. And here at Sunrise City, you have limitless opportunities since we are one of the top world-leading cities in scientific research," Ms. Madden said with a soft smile.
This statement confused Seth even more, he didn't understand why Ms. Madden was suddenly talking about this.
After an awkward silence, Mr. Parker entered the classroom, saying, "Good evening, Miss Madden, Seth."
The rest of the teachers gradually arrived, and when they were all present, they took their seats.
Miss Madden started the conversation: "Seth, we wanted to discuss the upcoming tournament with you."
"As you know, we believed you should withdraw from the tournament due to the high risk of injury," Mr. Voight said, his tone serious.
"You would have been up against espers several times stronger than you, not to mention you haven't even awakened your ability," Mrs. Cunningham pointed out.
"You already know this and we are happy that you are finally acknowledging risk. We understand this isn't easy for you, and we're here to help if you ever need advice or support," she continued.
'Wait, is this because I let Mr Parker believe I gave up on awakening my ability? This is taking a bad turn,' Seth thought, finally realizing what was happening.
Mr. Whitlock, Seth's English teacher, spoke next: "However, that's not the main reason why we wanted to talk to you today. We know this is a difficult time for you and that you must have a lot on your mind."
"We've been lenient regarding your absence from the awakening class as well as your sleepiness for the same reason," Mr. Parker said.
Mrs. Whitlock added, "We also realize you didn't want to think about the tournament. But as long as you were registered, you'd be obligated to participate or face a fine."
Ms. Madden concluded, "What we're trying to say is you don't have to worry about it anymore. We've withdrawn your participation from the tournament for you."
Seth's world shattered before his eyes.