"I guess we should be going, I doubt Khodri is going to make it," Lilith said while checking the time on her General Purpose bracelet, or GP bracelet for short.
"Finally! That's what I've been saying for the past thirty minutes." Theo said in a relieved tone.
He was slightly pissed that Khodri had decided to bail on them after making vows of him escorting them till they reach Azurewind Academy.
Ignoring Theo's existence, Lilith turned to look at Alistar and asked with a smile. "What do you think Alistar?"
"I think we should wait a little bit more, he might show up soon," Alistar said, having an easygoing smile on his face.
'I doubt he would be coming.' Alistar thought, staring at the cloudless sky with his smile still on his face.
"Tsk..." Irritated but mostly jealous after seeing Lilith ignore him, Theo clicked his tongue in irritation before turning to look the other way.
'F*cking sissy.' Alistar cursed, finding Theo's reaction annoying.
With all of them being aware that Alistar was more knowledgeable than Theo, they all decided to wait for Khodri to show up since it wouldn't hurt them in the slightest.
As for the jealous Theo, he clicked his tongue in irritation again before turning to stare at the sky like he was trying to decipher the Universe's secrets.
****
After waiting for about thirty minutes and seeing no signs of Khodri, Theo had a frown on his face as he said. "See you all should've listened to me. We have wasted a whole thirty minutes and nothing has changed!"
Paying no heed to Theo's rant, Hazel walked to where Alistar was before sitting beside him and asking. "Did you and Khodri fight perhaps?"
Alistar spared her a glance before turning to look at the clouds and bluntly saying. "No."
"Okay." She replied after seeing Alistar wasn't in the mode to talk.
Still seated beside him, Hazel wondered what had happened to Alistar for him to behave like how he did now.
But she wasn't left to think for too long as Lilith had gotten her attention by saying. "Since Khodri isn't here let's get going."
Standing up from where they were seated, the group made their way toward the bus stop while ignoring Theo's constant whines and rants.
In about ten minutes, the group arrived at the bus stop that was filled with humans from all walks of life.
Immediately going to buy a ticket for them, Alistar stared at Lilith's retreating figure while letting out a sigh. He had a feeling that the moment she left, trouble would befall him.
And with his hunch being spot on, Theo stood in front of him and said with a frown on his average face. "I challenge you Alistar. Prove you're better than me and I'll back off."
"This isn't the time for your nonsense Theo," Hazel said, looking at Theo with knitted eyebrows.
"I think you should wait till we enter the academy." The other boy added, showing his support for Hazel's words.
Aware that Theo was jealous and holding a grudge against him, Alistar ignored Theo's existence.
Letting out an inaudible sigh, Alistar turned to look at the other boy with them and asked with an honest smile on his face. "Do you hear something?"
Shocked by Alistar's clear disregard for Theo, the boy could only stare at Alistar, who had an honest smile with an agape jaw.
Alistar soon ignored the shocked boy after the latter failed to give him a reaction.
He closed his eyelids before letting out an inaudible sigh. 'The things I have to do just to keep a facade.'
Ashamed, Theo had an angry look on his face as he yelled. "Hey! Bastard, I'm talking to you!"
"If you're calling me that what're you?" Alistar said, opening his eyes after Theo cursed him.
"I... I... Well f*ck you! You have no right to call me that!" Theo stuttered, clearly livid at Alistar's retort.
"Ha... It's true, you're worse than that." Alistar said, letting out a mocking laugh as he continued. "Since you're mum f*cked around so much you don't know your father neither does she."
"So I guess bastard could come off as an understatement," Alistar said, staring at Theo akin to a piece of shit.
"That's enough Alistar." Hazel chimed in after seeing Alistar's words were getting too harsh.
Completely ignoring Hazel's existence, Alistar looked at Theo and said with a smile. "Would you please have your seat?"
"Uh-" Unable to retort, Theo could only stare at Alistar with slightly reddened eyes and anger that was slowly being replaced by sadness.
As for Hazel, the only thing she could do was clench her fist in frustration after Alistar treated her akin to air.
Dazed, Theo walked towards a bench akin to a tamed beast with a look that expressed his shock written clearly on his face.
"Being an ass isn't so bad," Alistar muttered, feeling more inclined to be an ass than straight out cold.
"Well, that's another mask for me to put on." He mumbled, deciding to use the attitude of an ass as one of his other facades.
Whether his real personality was cold and distant, jovial and nice, toxic, or a fragment of all combined, only the future and his creator could tell.
****
"Sorry am late," Lilith said, making her way toward the group of children that had been waiting for her for more than thirty minutes.
"No problem Sister Lilith," Alistar spoke first, flashing her his usual easygoing smile he added. "As long as we aren't late for the exam there's no problem with being a little late."
"Thanks." Smiling at Alistar, she turned her head towards the rest and asked. "What's wrong with them?"
Having a puzzled look grace his face, Alistar said with innocent eyes. "I'm not too sure but I guess they're thinking about their lives or something."
And that wasn't too far from the truth as Alistar's cold treatment plus harsh words were more than enough to make the innocent kids around him think about their lives.
"I see." She said, looking at Alistar for some time before saying. "Let's get going shall we?"
Akin to lifeless bots, Hazel and Theo stood up from where they sat before walking into the bus with the other boy in tow.
Taking their seat along with other people on the bus, Alistar stared out the window as he muttered. "Maybe I'll stick with being an ass."
Immediately closing his eyes after he spoke, Alistar planned to get some rest while the bus moved.
****
At about fifteen, the figure of Azurewind Academy could be seen from the bus window as it had parked right in front of it.
Getting off the bus, Alistar ran his eyes through the magnificent building and muttered. "My journey begins here."