"Did I see a girl sneaking out of your room this morning? " Eliot asked as they walked the line for breakfast the next morning.
He knew that Jacob rarely ever slept in their room so he guessed the girl must have been there for Levi. Weeks ago, that would have never made sense but now it did.
Levi had good looks before but they were overshadowed by his height and skinny physique. Now that he was getting more and more muscular every day and getting taller--gaining that body every girl wanted-- it gave him some points with the ladies.
His recent beef with the school's most sought-after powerful magician was making him look badass and fearless. That was what every girl wanted.
"Yeah and? " Levi asked off-handedly as he served himself breakfast. Eliot was beginning to see the change in his former friend. He was arrogant and more confident than before.
"Be careful. One of those girls can set you up to be beaten by Roman. "
Levi found Eliot's concern funny. He knew how to defend himself and he didn't need some big brother figure to help him. He hadn't forgotten that Eliot had abandoned him when times got tough.
Eliot was still following Levi in hopes of having a meaningful conversation with him and injecting some sense into him. With that attitude, he was positive Levi wouldn't last long without dying.
"Why are you still behind me?" Levi asked. He was getting annoyed with Eliot following him like a shadow. He had gotten used to his solitude and he didn't want his former friend intruding.
"You need to apologize or find a way to make it up to Roman so that he—"
"Hold up. Apologize? Why the fuck do I have to apologize to some insecure guy who thinks every guy is out to have his girlfriend. What he needs is therapy and not my apology. "
Levi went to the table he usually sat at and Eliot followed. Levi had expected Eliot to go to his powerful friends but he was determined to annoy him. He didn't like that very much.
"Eliot—"
He got cut off when a guy tripped near him and poured his breakfast all over Levi. His wrist tattoo grew red as he stood and grabbed the boy by the shirt.
"What the fuck did you just do? " He asked as he gave the boy a deadly look. He was so scared he almost pissed his pants. There was hate and anger in Levi's eyes. The boy had never seen so much animosity in someone's eyes.
"I-I'm sorry—"
"Levi, just let him go. It was an accident. "
Levi lifted his fist to beat the boy and the boy closed his eyes expecting the blow to come. When Levi saw the ability level on the boy's watch, he put down his fist and let the boy go. He didn't understand why he had gotten so angry over a small matter.
The vulnerability the boy had because of his low magic level. He was once in a position where he was weak and helpless. He didn't want that for anyone.
"Just go. "
The boy scrambled to get away as Levi wiped the food from his pants and sat back down. Eliot was giving him a disappointed look but he ignored it. The last thing he wanted was to be judged.
"Why did you react like that? You have changed a lot. If there is something you need to tell me you can say it. "
Before Levi could insult Eliot and ask him to go back to his little friends, they came to the table where the pair were sitting and made themselves comfortable.
"My name is Elvis, that is Josh, Marie, and Kate. " One of them introduced themselves. Levi knew the reason they were talking to him was because of his recent reputation and not because they felt sorry for him or wanted to make new friends.
He hated people like that with a passion. He had expected that behavior from Marie or Kate but not the guys.
Bottom feeders and social ladder climbers were traits he expected from girls and not guys like those. They were not real friends and they never would be. They would betray him for the next big thing once his popularity ran out.
"Do you really want to be seen with me? Roman is not a forgiving guy and I am sure you have heard what he plans to do to me. "
The group looked at one another and smiled. It seemed like it was something they had extensively discussed. He wondered if Eliot had been part of the conversation. Judging by the confused look on his face, he guessed the answer was no.
"We will protect you and support you no matter what. "
Levi didn't know what they were hoping to gain from him by being nice but he was not having it. There was always a catch when people showed you generosity for no reason.
The group, on the other hand, was hoping to use Levi's loneliness to lure him to be friends with them. Without the knowledge of Eliot, they had gone and struck a deal with Roman.
They had expressed their confidence to corner Levi and deliver him directly to Roman for punishment for his actions. In exchange, he was going to pay them double what he promised the other students.
"I don't need your protection. I don't need Eliot or all of you. I can defend and protect myself. That is why I am standing in one piece after two days since Roman gave the bounty. "
He then stood up and glared at all of them. He didn't believe that any of them wanted to help him. There was some hidden agenda. No 1st year wanted to go against Roman and befriend him.
"Anyone who wants to try and take me on has the permission to do so. Let's see how it ends for any of them. I dare you all. " He said and turned to leave.
Before he could leave the cafeteria, a second-year stepped in his way and pushed him back.
"Where are my friends? "
In no mood to fight with anyone, he tried to bypass the second year but his way was blocked.
"I don't know what you're talking about. "
"My friends were coming after you yesterday after class and then later meet back in my dorm but they never showed up. They are nowhere to be seen. "
Levi started getting scared. He thought the students who attacked him would be dead and that would be the end of it.
"I don't know who your friends are but nobody attacked me yesterday. Maybe they went somewhere else. Either way that is not my problem."
"They went to see you. You know what happened to my friends and I will make sure everybody else does too. "
After his speech, he left Levi standing there wondering what he did to deserve all that bad luck.