The four of us had just finished eating and were stacking our trays when Chris spotted us from across the bustling cafeteria. Her face lit up as she waved, weaving her way through tables with Lana, Lucia, and a particularly stern-looking girl named Crestia trailing behind her.
"Will! Are all of you done eating now?" Chris called out, her voice just loud enough to rise above the murmur of voices.
I noticed her quick glances around; it was packed, and no other tables were open. Realizing she needed a spot, I gestured to our table.
"Yeah, we just finished," I replied, nodding toward the emptying seats around me. "There's no vacant table right now; just use ours. We're about to leave anyway."
Her face softened in relief, and she gave me a grateful smile. "Really? Thank you, Will!"
Lana and Lucia echoed her gratitude, visibly relaxing as they realized they wouldn't have to wait or squeeze into a cramped spot at another table. Crestia, however, stood by silently, her expression as unyielding as ever. Her sharp gaze scanned us, giving nothing away.
Raiden, Tyiyn, and Tork were already gathering their things to leave, and as I pushed back my chair, the girls quickly slid into the vacated seats, settling in one by one.
"Then we're leaving now," I said, glancing around at each of them before meeting Chris's gaze. She was still smiling, eyes warm with gratitude.
"Okay, thank you for the table!" Chris said earnestly, her voice almost too polite.
Lana flashed me a quick smile as well. "Yeah, thank you so much, Will."
"And thank you too, Will!" Lucia chimed in, her tone bright and cheerful.
Feeling a bit embarrassed by all the appreciation, I scratched the back of my head and shrugged. "It's really nothing. No need to thank me so much."
Chris, seemingly noticing my mild discomfort, turned to the others. "Ah! Tork, thank you too. And you guys as well," she said with a grateful smile.
Wait, Chris knew Tork? I looked over at Tork, raising an eyebrow. He caught my questioning expression and, before I could even ask, gave a nonchalant shrug.
"Chris and I are in the same class," he explained, his tone casual but with a hint of pride.
That was a relief to hear. I hadn't realized Tork and Chris knew each other, but knowing she had a familiar face around was reassuring. It was nice to have someone I trusted who could look out for her, especially when I wasn't around.
Seemingly reading my mind, Tork added with a smirk, "Don't worry, Will; I don't plan on stealing your girlfriend."
His words hung in the air, and I noticed Lana's eyes widen as she looked at us in surprise. "Eh? You two are going out?" she asked, sounding genuinely astonished.
Lucia nudged Chris with an excited grin. "Why didn't you tell us, Chris?"
Before Chris could respond, I raised my hands, waving them dismissively. "We're not going out! It's just a misunderstanding that this guy here," I said, gesturing to Raiden, "decided to spread around. We're really just childhood friends, right, Chris?"
I glanced over to Chris, expecting her to laugh it off with me. But instead, her expression shifted, and she pouted, crossing her arms as she turned slightly away from me.
"Idiot Will, do you really have to deny it that much?" she muttered, her voice laced with annoyance.
Her reaction caught me completely off guard. I felt my face flush, and my mind raced as I wondered if I had said something wrong. Why was she sulking all of a sudden? I was just clarifying things, wasn't I? Weren't we just childhood friends?
Questions swirled in my head as I watched her frown, looking away from me. Did I miss something here? Could she… possibly feel something more? No, that couldn't be it. She probably just didn't understand the real meaning of "going out." Maybe she still thought Raiden's teasing about us dating was some sort of truth.
A sharp voice suddenly cut through the silence that had fallen over us. "So? Aren't you guys leaving now? I can't eat properly because you're so noisy," Crestia said, her tone as cold and unyielding as her expression. She barely looked up from her food, but her irritation was clear.
The atmosphere shifted uncomfortably. I felt a pang of guilt, realizing we might have overstayed our welcome. Before I could apologize, Lucia spoke up, her voice calm but firm.
"You don't have to be that harsh, Crestia," she said, giving her friend a slight frown.
Lana added, "That's right. They were nice enough to give us their table."
Crestia let out a dismissive "Tsk!" and returned to her meal, clearly unfazed. I couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or just truly uninterested, but she seemed done with the conversation.
Clearing my throat, I decided to put an end to the awkwardness. "No, she's right. I'm really sorry for disturbing your time for eating." I gave a slight bow, feeling the weight of her unspoken reprimand settle in my chest. "Then we're going to take our leave now. I'm really sorry for the interruption."
Without another word, I turned, and the four of us left the cafeteria. Behind us, I could still feel Chris's eyes lingering on me, her expression a mix of emotions I couldn't quite read. My mind was swirling with her reaction, trying to decipher her sudden shift in mood.
As we walked away, Tork elbowed me, a mischievous grin on his face. "Looks like someone's got himself in a bit of trouble, huh?"
Raiden chuckled, and even Tyiyn had a knowing smile. But as I glanced back once more, my thoughts were still tangled around Chris's words.
After ten minutes of just wandering aimlessly, the bell finally rang, its sharp sound snapping us back to reality. Tork gave us a quick wave, signaling that he'd see us later, before he veered off in the opposite direction. The three of us—Raiden, Tyiyn, and I—turned towards the training field, our footsteps mingling in an unspoken rhythm as we walked.
When we reached the training field, an expanse of lush grass welcomed us, it became clear we were the first to arrive. The sun cast a bright glow across the empty grounds, and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves overhead. We had gotten here only a minute or two after the bell rang, so it wasn't surprising that no one else had shown up yet. The silence stretched around us, thick with anticipation.
Twenty minutes later, the field was buzzing with energy as all of the students finally gathered, some chatting nervously, others bouncing on their heels to stay loose. Instructor Gord, a no-nonsense figure with a stern face and a voice that could probably silence a thunderstorm, stood at the front, waiting for us to settle down. His gaze swept over us like he was assessing each of our limits. Finally, he stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back, and spoke.
"Today," he announced, his voice echoing across the field, "we'll be focusing on building your stamina." There was a pause, and for a moment, I let myself hope that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be too intense. But his next words dashed any lingering optimism. "I want each of you to run fifty laps around the training field."
Fifty laps? My heart sank, and I saw the shock ripple through the other students. This field was massive; running fifty laps felt like asking us to sprint to the moon and back. Before I could even gather my thoughts, he added, "If you don't finish today, you'll have to run sixty laps tomorrow. But if you complete the task, you'll only have to do forty laps tomorrow."
A collective groan rose from the group, but Gord's stony expression didn't waver. "And no, I'm not joking," he added, almost as if he'd read my mind. His rule was ruthless, a challenge meant to separate the determined from the defeated. Every muscle in my body tensed, but I was determined not to face an even harder day tomorrow. I steeled myself; I'd just have to push through this.
With a final nod from Gord, the order came. "Now," he barked, "start running!"
All sixteen of us took off, our footsteps pounding rhythmically on the dirt path around the field. For the first few laps, the pace felt manageable, and I tried to fall into a steady rhythm, focusing on my breathing to conserve energy. But as the laps ticked by, the fatigue began to set in, a creeping burn that settled into my muscles and refused to leave. The sun beat down on us, turning the air heavy and thick, and I felt the sweat trickling down my back.
By the time I reached my 32nd lap, my legs were protesting with every step. My lungs felt like they were being wrung out, but stopping wasn't an option. The thought of sixty laps tomorrow was enough to keep me going, and I could see that determination reflected in a few others around me. Out of the original sixteen, seven of us were still running at the same pace, our movements slower but our spirits unbroken. Tyiyn, Raiden, Beric, Nyrinn, Famir, and a red-haired boy named Cirris were keeping pace beside me, each of them visibly exhausted but pressing on.
Our breaths came in sharp gasps, and the field felt like it was stretching out farther with every lap, as if mocking our efforts. Still, no one wanted to give up, not when we were more than halfway there.
Another fifteen laps passed. The field had mostly cleared out, with many of the other students slumped on the sidelines, defeated, their heads hanging in frustration. Only three of us remained now: Tyiyn, Cirris, and me. Each lap felt like a small victory, bringing us closer to the end, and yet every step was harder than the last. My muscles felt like they were made of lead, and my vision blurred with exhaustion. But then I saw it—the finish line. Just one more lap.
Side by side, Tyiyn, Cirris, and I picked up our pace, the sight of the finish line giving us a final surge of strength. We staggered forward, each step carrying us closer to relief. My lungs screamed, my legs were on the brink of collapse, but we couldn't stop now. We crossed the line almost at the same time, and as soon as my feet hit the grass on the other side, my body gave in. I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, my chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow breaths. Tyiyn and Cirris dropped beside me, equally drained but grinning with satisfaction.
The rest of the field was quiet, with only the three of us sprawled out, victorious yet utterly spent. A few of the other students looked on, some with admiration, others with a hint of jealousy. I could hardly move, every inch of my body throbbing with fatigue, but a sense of accomplishment washed over me.
Instructor Gord walked over, his face as expressionless as ever. He seemed almost impressed, though he wouldn't show it. "Well done," he muttered, jotting down notes on his clipboard.
As we lay there catching our breath, I let my gaze wander to the board where Gord had recorded our times and laps. The results were displayed for all to see:
Will, Tyiyn, and Cirris: 50 laps (passed)
Nyrinn: 43 laps
Raiden, Beric: 42 laps
Famir: 37 laps
Other students: 25 laps or fewer
The accomplishment gave me a quiet sense of pride, even if my body felt like it had been through a war. The rest of the students began to disperse, whispering about the harsh training and comparing their own results. But despite the grueling test, I felt an odd sense of satisfaction.