want to read ahead or want to support you can join my patr-eon and u will be able to read ahead by 15 chapters
patreon.com/Elsapataky
-----------
"We're just training…"
"You do it every day."
"Yeah, it's training, you're supposed to do it every day."
"You volunteer to be punched in the face by her."
"It's called sparring, Irina."
"Sure it is…" Irina pulled her rosary out from under her shirt collar, winking at Vin, "You know masochism is a sin, right?"
"I'm surprised that you even know what masochism means…"
"You aren't denying the possibility," Irina stared blankly at Vin.
Vin blush intensified, "...S-Shut up, isn't this like, a forbidden topic for you or something?"
Irina shrugged, "I dunno, I'll pray for forgiveness in a bit. First, I want to know how you're going to go about asking her out."
"Why are you so stuck on this idea of me asking her out today? I don't know if she even wants a boyfriend… Hell, I don't even know if she likes boys!"
"She does," Irina quickly amended, "I meant the liking boys part, I managed to coax that out of her when we dragged her to a girl's night a year or two ago."
"Okay, but still, why today? Shouldn't I wait; see if she's actually interested in dating before shooting my shot?"
"No, no, no," Irina grabbed Vin by the sides of his face, bringing their faces close together, "You don't understand, this is the perfect day. The stars are aligned, the lord's light is shining upon you, your chances today are at their best!"
Vin shyed backward awkwardly, "...What do you mean, the 'perfect day'?"
Irina stared straight into Vin's eyes, "It's also Xenovia's birthday today."
Oh.
Oh shit.
Vin began to sweat in Irina's grip, "...A-Are you joking?"
"No."
"SHIT!" Vin leapt up out of his seat, "I gotta get a present!"
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Vin glanced at the time, 11:45. He could make it into town by city bus, but he would definitely not make it back in time. But then again… He knew everything being taught, and even if he skipped classes, who the hell were they going to call?
His parents?
Vin scoffed, grabbing his band-patch covered jean jacket and backpack, before heading to the door of the classroom.
"I'm going out to buy something," Vin called back to Irina.
"Wait, you're skipping class?" Irina gawked.
Vin turned around, fixing Irina with a look as if she was stupid from across the room.
"Well yeah, when else would I do it, when Griselda is kicking my ass later? It's now or never."
Irina sighed, "Fine, make sure to get some heart chocolates to go along with her gift. And text me if you need help thinking of romantic poem ideas to write inside the card!"
"Go to hell, Irina."
Irina smiled widely, as she held up her rosary, "Nope! I'm a good girl, sorry to disappoint."
Vin just grumbled as he left his classroom.
All that was left was to get out of the school, so with a plan in his mind, and fire in his heart, Vin pressed onward…
Before reaching the school stairwell, heading to the bottom, walking outside, and then just continuing to walk until he was off school property.
Huh. Somehow that was both easier and much more anticlimactic than he'd thought.
Still, he was on a tight schedule. School ended at three o' clock sharp, so if he was going to go out by bus into town, find a gift, and then get a lift back to school before a church worker arrived to pick them up, he was going to have to be fast.
It took Vin about ten minutes of walking to reach the bus stop, his phone out and already sifting through dozens of stores and gift ideas.
Makeup? No, obviously not.
Food? While Vin had seen Xenovia pack a lot of food down her gullet before, he didn't really think that would resonate very well with her as a gift. Plus, there could be a problem because the food potentially being ruined in transit or spoil over time.
Eventually, the bus pulled up, and Vin pocketed his phone while he paid his bus fare and hopped aboard, plopping down in a seat right as the bus began to pull off.
That only left him with only more permanent presents. Things that Xenovia could keep for a long time. But what exactly?
What did Xenovia want?
Did she have hobbies?
Vin gulped, he hoped she had hobbies.
Trying his luck, Vin pulled out his phone once again, opening his messenger app, and quickly finding Irina's contact.
[Does Xenovia have any hobbies?]
[I need gift ideas]
Irina's reply came near instantaneously.
[idk, i have like no clue]
[i trst u can do it tho :D]
[rooting 4 u!]
Vin physically cringed at the atrocious dialogue on his phone. Christ, why couldn't she just type messages like a normal person?
Either way, that was a dead end. Pocketing his phone, Vin gazed out the window, watching the world pass by him.
Minutes passed, as his brain failed to come up with any substantial ideas for a present. He only managed to determine that whatever he was going to get Xenovia was strictly going to be a birthday present. She deserved something, after all she did for him over the last several months, but he wasn't emotionally prepared enough for any sort of confession yet.
Maybe he was just scared of ruining what he had already?
Eh, food for thought.
Soon, the telltale chime of the bus's alert system roused Vin from his thoughts, as he tugged on the cord to tell the driver to stop. The bus slowly rolled to a halt, and Vin stepped out into the midday market.
Streets and streets lined with stores, most restaurants or boutiques; the usual tourist trap fair, meant to entice foreigners to grab an expensive novelty shirt or mug. Yet you could still find some quality stores here, due to the sheer amount of foot traffic that came through these streets.
-----------
want to read ahead or want to support you can join my patr-eon and u will be able to read ahead by 15 chapters
patreon.com/Elsapataky