The next day, Samantha couldn't sleep very well, her hair was disheveled and she had dark circles under her eyes, while she was walking she could see Ria in the distance and automatically felt awake, her heart started beating faster and her face was on fire, her emotions were in a mess.
Embarrassment, happiness, confusion
All these emotions swirled in her mind the instant she saw Ria, but still, as if moving on her own, her legs moved forward getting closer and closer to her.
The closer she got, the faster her heart was beating and she felt more and more nervous
"H-hello Ria~!"
But he still greeted her,
"Hey, wow, what happened to you? You look terrible.
"What? ah! I-it's nothing!"
Samantha blushed and started tidying her hair, she wasn't someone who cared about other people's opinion, but when Ria stressed it she felt very embarrassed.
"I just didn't sleep well last night."
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yep! Perfectly!"
After that they walked to class together, but this time they didn't talk much and Samantha was blushing all the way, when they got to class they sat in their places but Samantha kept looking at Ria.
When it was time to eat Samantha ordered more food than usual, she believed that just by eating her worries would dissipate.
"I don't think you'll be able to eat all that."
"Hmp! What do you take me for?"
10 minutes later
"Ugh..."
Samantha was completely defeated but there was still some food left on her tray.
"I told you so."
"Ugh..."
"Well I'm going to help you a little."
"What-?"
When Samantha took her face away from the table she could see Ria taking some meat from her tray with her fork and shoving it in her mouth.
"Mmm, not bad what meat is it?"
"..."
At this moment, Samantha's hard drive stopped working.
The classes were over, Ria and Samantha were walking together but neither of them were talking
'Come on say something!'
Samantha was internally in chaos, her mind was on overload all day and she couldn't think straight.
'I know! we can talk about the typical things that friends talk about, things like what genre of music we like, favorite food or what video game is your favorite' 'Yeah! that's a great idea!'
When Samantha thought of that it was like a great idea, but she realized something.
'Come to think of it...I don't know anything about her!'
In the time they had been together they never talked about those kinds of subjects, all the talks were about training or fighting techniques
'It's okay...I just have to ask'.
"Hey Ria"
"Yeah."
"Well um..."
"What?"
"Which one, um"
Samantha couldn't ask, when she wanted to speak her throat would block, it was just a simple question, but when she was about to ask it her heart would start beating uncontrollably.
"Forget it..."
After a few more attempts he couldn't do it and gave up helplessly.
When they arrived at the residence Samantha said.
"Hey, I don't feel so good today to train, I think I'll pass today."
Samantha's mind was overloaded and she didn't feel fit to train, besides, if she saw Ria now in her gym clothes....
Pam
She slapped herself to stop thinking about it and Ria asked.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry."
She said with a smile and her cheek swollen.
"All right, rest up."
"Yeah."
Samanta went into her room, refreshed herself with a cold bath and lay down on her bed hugging a pillow
"What's wrong with me?"
She didn't know what was happening to her, whenever she looked at Ria her heart would race, she would sweat a lot when she was near her and she couldn't ask her a simple question like what's your favorite color?
"Am I going to be sick?"
At first she thought that but quickly dismissed it, she wasn't someone who got sick easily and her body didn't really feel bad, well, except for the feeling of having butterflies in her stomach.
Samantha lay quietly hugging her pillow as she thought about today.
She woke up tired but when she saw Ria she woke up completely and felt energized, in class she couldn't take her eyes off her, when Ria ate from her tray her heart felt elated and confused and when she couldn't ask her about simple things.
As he thought about this, a sudden thought crossed his mind.
"I want to know more about her..."
Her eyes had a gleam of longing and her face flushed, she buried her head in the pillow and fell asleep.
The next day when Samantha was walking next to Ria she tried to ask her what her favorite color was, but she couldn't manage it and when they reached the classroom she sat down thinking of a plan.
'Since I'm not able to ask her, maybe I can ask someone who knows.'
Her gaze landed on Noah who was surrounded by spirits as usual and her eyes lit up.
Of course! Noah was always with Ria, I'm sure he knows'.
When the class was over she quickly walked over to Noah.
"Hey Noah."
"What's up Samantha?"
"Well, um..."
She hesitated a bit to ask, even though it's not Ria she was asking she was still a bit nervous.
"Maybe you know...Ria's favorite color?"
After she asked Noah was silent for some time which made Samantha more nervous.
"Do you know it or not!"
"No, I don't know what her favorite color is."
These words shook Samanta's mind.
"What?! but you were always hanging out with her! how do you not know!?"
"Well, I never asked her...but why do you want to know?"
"What do you care!"
After saying that Samantha ran off, she had to think of another way to ask him.
Noah stood there watching Samantha run away and thought to himself.
'What's wrong with her, she's acting really weird, in the novel the only time she acted like that was when-'
"..."
"..."
"It can't be right?"
"..."
"..."
"Ugh whatever, as long as it doesn't directly affect the plot they can do whatever they want, I don't think Lucas would mind having one less woman in his harem."
"Noah what's wrong?"
Silfy walked over to Noah who looked a little tired.
"Never mind, let's eat, then go to the garden and skip Professor Nobu's class."
"But won't we get in trouble?"
"We'll be fine, just this once, today I want to take a nap and besides..."
Noah looked at Silfy before finishing his sentence.
"I need a pillow."
"??"
Silfy was a little confused by that last sentence but Noah didn't say anything else.
Samantha and Ria were sitting eating, Samantha was thinking of some way to ask her favorite color in a natural way, but she couldn't come up with anything.
When class was over and they arrived at the dorm Samantha told Ria that she wasn't going to train tempo today and went to her room.
Lying on her bed hugging her pillow she thought of some way to ask Ria about her favorite color
The next day when they walked to school together she tried to ask her as in the scenario she had imagined, but her words didn't come out and in the end she gave up, the same thing happened at lunch time and when they walked to the dorm.
In the end Samantha told Ria that she would not train today either and went to her room to think of another way to ask her.
Days went by, Samantha came up with different ways to ask him, like bringing up the topic by chance, leading the conversation to that topic or just asking him directly, but she wasn't very skilled with words and when she tried to ask him directly her words didn't come out and she ended up giving up.
Samantha and Ria were walking towards the residence, after a failed attempt Samantha said to Ria.
"Hey, I guess I won't be able to train today either, so-"
"No."
"Huh?"
Before Samantha could finish speaking Ria interrupted her.
"You've been saying the same thing for several days now, tell me what's wrong."
"Huh? No. Nothing's wrong, I just don't feel very-"
"You're lying."
Step
Ria started walking towards Samantha.
"You're an awakened one but you still get sick for so many days?"
Step
"Well, that's because..."
At the same time Samantha started backing away.
"Besides you seem to be pretty healthy, eating the same amount of food every day."
Step
"If you're really sick what are the symptoms?"
Step
"Why didn't you ever go to the infirmary?"
"Th-that's..."
Step
"It also seems like you've been wanting to tell me something every day."
Step
Samantha tried to back up further but her back hit the wall.
Pam
Ria slammed her hand into the side of Samantha's face, pushing her completely into a corner.
"What is it you want to tell me?"
Samantha panicked at this point, looked to the side and tried to escape the situation.
"R-really it's nothing! I've just been feeling sick these days so-!
Before she could finish her sentence Ria took her chin and made her look into her eyes.
"Tell me."
Samantha's heart was beating so fast it felt like it was about to burst, her breathing was ragged and choppy and her body was trembling.
Ria's smell suffocated her, the touch of his hand gave her chills and his scarlet eyes hypnotized her, all these emotions mixed in her mind driving her crazy and she could only say the first thing that came to her mind.
"L-let's have a duel!"
"A duel?"
"Yes! a duel! just the two of us in private, if I win you'll have to do as I say!"
After saying that she pushed Ria and ran to her room closing the door tightly.
Ria just stood stunned looking at the door.
Samantha who was inside the room leaned against the door while breathing heavily, when she thought about the image from a moment ago her body was shaking, to calm down she went into the shower and took a cold bath, then she lay down on her bed and could think clearly.
"Damn idiot!"
After thinking about what she said, she couldn't help but curse.