Fierce Red

So much for a first day

When Lucian stepped outside the infirmary, the late afternoon sun was already beginning to dip beneath the horizon, casting long, golden shadows across the grounds. A soft breeze rustled the trees lining the path, but he barely noticed. His hands raked through his hair with frustration and weariness as he made his way to the nearest balcony overlooking the courtyard.

He gripped the metal railing tightly, knuckles turning white. His jaw was clenched, his breath heavy. The image of Almora in pain, the sound of her screams, it all kept replaying in his mind like a broken record. The fury that had bubbled inside him still hadn’t fully settled.

“You don’t need to bother going after Brittany,” a calm but firm voice said behind him.

Lucian turned slightly, his eyes narrowing.

“She’s already facing the disciplinary committee,” Ms. Ashley continued, crossing her arms as she stood a few steps behind him. “The moment she used her powers with malicious intent, her fate was sealed. That sort of behavior won’t be tolerated in this school.”

Hearing those words lessened the storm inside Lucian, if only slightly. His dark aura, which had begun to thrum visibly around his shoulders, started to fade. He gave a small nod, not saying anything, and returned his gaze to the view below.

Ms. Ashley gave him one last look of acknowledgment before turning and walking away, her footsteps disappearing down the stone corridor.

Just as the quiet began to settle, a new presence disrupted it.

“Babe,” Melanie’s voice rang out as she walked up beside him, immediately slipping her arm through his.

Lucian didn’t even flinch.

Melanie leaned her head against his shoulder in a practiced, almost rehearsed way. “Where were you?” she asked with an exaggerated pout. “You didn’t come to my cheerleading practice, and you didn’t even tell me why.”

Still, Lucian said nothing.

She pulled back a little and stared at him. “Why did you take her to the infirmary? Couldn’t someone else have done that? You’re my boyfriend. You belong to me, Lucian. To me alone.”

Lucian shut his eyes for a long moment.

And then, he’d had enough.

With a sharp inhale, he removed her arm from his and stepped a few paces away. He turned around slowly, his eyes cold and steady. “I’m not yours,” he said calmly, but there was venom beneath the words. “And I never will be.”

Melanie’s mouth fell open. She blinked, completely caught off guard.

Lucian chuckled dryly and added, “I actually did love you. At first, I thought what we had was something real... until I found out you were cheating on me with a senior.”

Her face paled.

“You think I didn’t know?” he continued, his eyes boring into hers. “I knew from the start. And from that moment, I began to pull away, but you didn’t even notice. You were too busy with your games to care. I let you pretend. I let you think I was still yours but I’m done, no more of your nonsense, no more pretending.”

He turned and walked away.

Melanie just stood there, stunned and silent. Her lips trembled, but no sound came out. Her mind spun in circles, still trying to process what she had just heard.

Meanwhile, Brian and Oliver were sitting on a stone bench beneath a large tree.

“Do you think Lucian likes that Red girl?” Brian asked, lifting a brow.

“You’re seriously asking that?” Oliver replied with a smirk. “Didn’t you see how he ran to her like his life depended on it? The guy didn’t even hesitate.”

“Yeah, true,” Brian admitted, leaning back with his hands behind his head. “I guess he really does need someone new after what Melanie did to him. And Almora... well, she’s different.”

“Different in a good way,” Oliver said. “She’s strong. She doesn’t fawn over people. And she definitely doesn’t need rescuing though it seems Lucian doesn’t mind doing it anyway.”

Brian turned to him, eyes gleaming with mischief. “By the way, that friend of Almora... Stacy. She’s kinda cute, don’t you think?”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Don’t start again, Brian. We all know you never make a move.”

Brian laughed. “Just watch me, Oliver. Just watch me.”

Almora slept peacefully through the night. The infirmary room was quiet, with soft light filtering in through the high windows. The air smelled faintly of lavender and healing herbs.

By morning, as golden rays crept across her blanket, she slowly blinked her eyes open. For a moment, confusion filled her face. She glanced around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, the pale blue walls, the neatly arranged shelves of potions, and the soft humming sound of magical wards in the air.

She attempted to sit up but was quickly stopped by a gentle voice.

“Miss, please don’t try to get up yet,” the nurse said kindly as she walked over. “You’re in the infirmary due to an injury from yesterday. I’d advise you to rest a bit longer. Your body is still healing.”

Almora frowned slightly. “Who brought me here?”

The nurse opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by the sound of the door bursting open.

“Almora!!” a group of voices called out in unison.

The nurse sighed and shook her head. “Please no shouting in the infirmary,” she said firmly before walking off.

Almora’s eyes widened as she saw Stacy, Amy, and the rest of her volleyball teammates rushing over, all wearing excited expressions.

“What are you guys doing here?” Almora asked, propping herself up slightly with the help of a pillow.

“We came to check on you, dummy,” Stacy said with a mock scolding tone. “And also... we have a surprise.”

“A surprise?” Almora tilted her head curiously.

“Our team got selected!” Amy announced, raising both hands in excitement.

“Wait—what? Really?” Almora’s eyes sparkled. “Oh my God! That’s amazing!”

Stacy grinned. “That’s not all. We named our team ‘Scarlett’... in honor of the one who made us believe we could play like a real team. That’s you.”

Almora’s mouth fell open slightly. She didn’t know what to say. Her heart swelled at the gesture.

“You didn’t have to do that…” she murmured, eyes beginning to mist. “Thank you... really.”

She wiped her eyes quickly and cleared her throat. “Don’t you guys have class? You’re going to be late if you don’t go now.”

“True,” Stacy said, glancing at the clock. “Okay, we’ll go. But rest well, okay?”

They all leaned in for a group hug before filing out, one by one, each giving Almora a small wave on the way.

As the room quieted again, Almora lay back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling, smiling softly. “So much for a first day…”

A voice spoke suddenly from beside her bed. “You do realize you’ve now got a reputation for getting injured on your very first day, right?”

Almora whipped her head to the side and found Lucian lounging casually in the chair beside her bed, a slight smirk on his lips.

Her eyes widened. “When did you get here? And what are you even doing here?”

Lucian tilted his head. “Is that how you thank someone who literally carried you here and got you healed?”

Almora frowned. “You… you brought me here? You were the one who made me fall asleep, right?”

Lucian gave a slight nod. “Guilty as charged.”

She huffed, folding her arms then wincing as her side ached. “Well, I didn’t ask for your help, so I don’t need to thank you.”

Lucian laughed under his breath. “You’re welcome anyway.”

Almora eyed him suspiciously. “Don’t you have a girlfriend to be with? Why are you even here?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she internally facepalmed. Why did I say that?

Lucian raised a brow. “Interesting question. And the answer is no. I don’t have a girlfriend anymore.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Almora muttered, looking away.

“Unless…” he teased, leaning slightly forward, “you’re jealous.”

Her eyes flew open wide. “I am not!”

In a blink, Lucian reached forward and gently wrapped an arm around her waist. She let out a small gasp.

“What do you think you’re doing? Take your hand off me right now!”

“Arch your body,” he said softly, ignoring her protest.

“What?”

“Trust me. Just do it.”

Something in his voice made her pause. Confused but compelled, she slowly did as he asked.

A soft blue glow began to emit from Lucian’s hand. The warmth was comforting, like a soft breeze on a summer evening. The moment the energy touched her, every trace of lingering pain vanished from her body.

Almora’s eyes fluttered shut for a second, stunned by how peaceful it felt.

Lucian withdrew his hand and leaned back. “All better?”

She blinked a few times. “What… was that?”

“A little something I picked up,” he said with a grin.

Almora stared at him for a moment, unsure whether to be annoyed or grateful or maybe both.

“Well,” she muttered, sinking deeper into the pillow. “Thanks, I guess.”

Lucian chuckled. “You’re welcome… again.”

And for the first time since arriving at Greenland College, Almora didn’t feel quite so alone.