The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Sixteen - Encounter

Crystal Raine Meadows

It wasn't long until I caught my breath and was breathing fine, the training today felt like I was going to die. Is that how they really train every single day? He also said that it was still basic!

That cold expressionless guy didn't hold back and really let me over-exert my body today, I just hope I'll be fine for tomorrow. I haven't moved my body this much for years now, I don't know if I'll be alright.

I glanced at the main door and noticed that he's really gone. I know that he closed the door, but I just wanted to make sure that he really left, plus he looks like he was in a hurry, he must really want to leave me alone here.

But, he sounded like he was a nice person a while ago, he may just look like he doesn't care but he does. He corrects what I was doing wrong a while ago which is good, but he's strict when it comes to drinking water. What the hell is wrong with drinking when you feel like you're dehydrated?

And also, it's weird that he keeps on asking questions that don't make sense, I wonder what's running inside of his mind? 

Weirdly, he asked about my biting, and Liam, he's not the type to pay attention to that kind of thing.

I tried to stand up and grunted when I felt like my body aches like hell, why does it hurt this much?

Shaking my head, as I tried so hard to push myself up and leave for school today. Jenny must be looking for me, I don't want to worry her.

I still haven't informed her about this tutoring thing, she's probably roaming around the school just looking for me because the last bell rang.

When I realized that my feet could finally carry me on the way out of the school, I stood up and paced towards my lockers to change my clothes.

I wet a towel and wiped it all around my sweaty body, it took me a while to finish fixing myself until I had decided to leave that training room and went to the middle of campus.

Luckily, there are no people around anymore, so I'm not lowering my head down for the people I'm crossing paths with.

"Crystal! Crystal! Crys! I finally found you!" I heard that familiar voice, so I flinched before turning around just to see her presence.

I smiled when I noticed that she was running towards me with a worried look on her face, "W-What happened?! You were gone the whole day!" she exclaimed, so I lowered my head because she was worried about me again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't tell you about my issues on that subject, I was just also informed a while ago," I sincerely apologized, but she just shook her head at me.

She noticed that I looked tired and before she could even say a word, the boys called us from behind.

"J-Jen, please don't run that fast, you may trip over or something," Rowen scolded with Liam halting on his back.

Those two boys were trying to catch their breaths while I laughed because when it comes to running, Jenny highly excels on that. She's even faster than the animal that's trying to hide from its predators.

"Sorry, I just have to look for her, the last bell rang for today and she hasn't revealed herself at the training grounds," Jenny apologized, so we waited for them to catch their breaths before we decided to go home.

It was quiet when we're pacing downstairs, those two boys were just talking behind our backs as we set our distance between them.

"So are you going to tell me what happened a while ago that you were gone?" Jenny asked, so I flinched.

"You also looked tired and almost on the verge of fainting, did you train?" she added, so I just sighed before nodding at her.

I gripped the handle of my bag before leaning into her ears, "I was given a tutor about training and physical abilities," I whispered, so her eyes widened after I said those words.

"T-Tutor? B-But you don't like a tutor and clearly, you told her last night that you don't want it, right?" she claimed, so I immediately agreed with her. She's right because I really don't like tutors.

"I-I know and as I've told you on the letter last night, Ate Kathy heard what happened to me and insisted for me to have a tutor and pulled some strings, you would be surprised if you heard who my tutor was," I sighed while scratching the back of my head.

"Who? Oh please don't tell me it's one of our classmates," she sounded more depressed than usual, so I bit my lower lip before looking at her.

"A-Alright, I won't tell you then," I replied, so she placed her palms on her forehead before looking at me intently.

"Is it Calyx? Aside from you two a while ago, everyone was present," she claimed, so I slowly nodded at her.

"O-Oh no, did he do something to you? Did he give you a hard time?" she worriedly asked and she looks like she's ready to attack someone.

I shook my head at her, "Surprisingly, no, I actually thought that he was going to leave me alone until Mr. Light informed us about the tutoring thing, but he taught me to train my stamina and core a while ago," I shared, so she looked surprised as I am.

"T-That's surprising, I also thought that he was going to leave you, why was he chosen about this issue of yours?" Jenny looks curious about a lot of things, so I just smiled.

"I think he was being punished by his twin, Mrs. Hailey, I think they had an argument that forced Mrs. Hailey to punish him like this, and Ate Kathy probably informed Mrs. Hailey about my state and they decided to make him my tutor," I informed, so she bit her cheeks before nodding.

"Oh, I heard he has a sister complex, so he probably cares about his sister a lot," Jenny stated, so I wondered for a moment before exiting the main gates of the school.

"I want to take you home myself, but this time, we have to go and meet his parents tonight, I'm really nervous, Crys," Jenny looks like she's about to puke, so I hugged her to calm her down.

"Hey, it's alright, just be yourself and everything will be fine, who won't like you?" I complimented her, so she just giggled before hugging me back.

"I'm so lucky to have you, we should have that sleepover soon!" she insisted, so I just laughed before nodding at her.

"Hey, are you two finished? We have to go," Rowen sounded like he was complaining and jealous, so I stuck out my tongue to him.

"You better take her home without a scratch!" I ordered, so he frowned at me while taking his mate away from me.

"I'll do a good job for that, I'll protect her with my life," Rowen smiled, so I just patted his back and waited for them to leave the main gates.

A tap from my shoulders surprised me before turning on my side, "Don't tell me you forgot about me?" Liam asked, so I smiled before nodding at him.

"Well almost, sorry! I'll see you tomorrow? I'll ride that red dragon over there," I pointed at the familiar dragon on our front, it even looked like it was waiting for me. Wait a minute, is that dragon really waiting for me?

"Alright see you, but are you alright, Crystal? You look extremely tired," Liam sounded like he was worried about me.

I tilted my head at him before nodding, "I-I feel alright for now, but I sure do need some rest, so I'll be going now!" I beamed before running towards that dragon, but I was stopped when Liam grabbed my wrists.

"Liam? Is there something wrong?" I curiously asked before looking at how tightly he grips my hand, he looks like he wants to say something but he couldn't.

"Liam? Hey, I really need to go, do you have something to say?" I asked one last time and it looks like I pulled him back to his senses when he lost the grip on my hands.

"I-I'm sorry, it was nothing, I'll see you tomorrow," he gave me a small smile, so I furrowed my eyebrows for a moment before deciding to pace towards that small red dragon.

"Hey little dragon, it's you again, I'll be going at--" I forgot that this red dragon was rude as he flew up into the sky without a warning, I panicked while reaching out towards the saddle and held onto it.

"Ahh! Will you slow down? My body is too weak for me to hold onto your saddle!" I complained, but that small dragon didn't mind me and my sufferings.

This small red dragon reminds me of someone, I just shook my head and waited for that dragon to take me home.

I didn't realize that I fell asleep until someone violently shook my shoulders, "S-Stop, I still need five more minutes," I complained while shoving their hands away from me, so I heard that person was sighing on my side.

"Crystal, you have to wake up, you have to eat dinner to regain your strength," I heard Ate Kathy's voice, so I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that a small family was looking at me from above.

"Raine! Raine! Awake! Raine!" I heard little Trevy was jumping in joy on my bed, he sounded really happy to see me awake.

"Looks like someone survived another day, Kath there are ointments there," I heard Kuya Draven say.

My mind was starting to recall what happened to me a while ago and was shocked upon remembering that I was on a dragon ride.

I immediately stood up and cried in pain after my whole body felt like it was sore, "A-Ahh! W-Why does it hurt this much? It feels like someone was squeezing me," I teared up and was given a glass of water by Ate Kathy.

"Your Kuya Draven carried you up here when we heard that small dragon was calling for help outside, it must've thought that you fainted or died," Ate Kathy explained, so I just bit my lip before drinking the water.

Why would the small dragon think of that? It could've heard my deep breathings, that silly rude dragon.

"So your training started a while ago huh? Your body must be so surprised, it's been years since you ran," Ate Kathy sighed, "It will hurt more, so you better brace yourself, but I'm proud of you, you'll do fine," she smiled at me while patting my head.

I pouted at her, "It hurts so much, how am I able to survive tomorrow?" I frowned, so she lifted my chin while shaking her head.

"Don't think about that, I'll give you medicine, but as much as possible, I want you to feel the pain, pain will teach you a lot of things and it will make you stronger," Ate Kathy advised.

"All mortals and warriors have been through that and I know for sure that like me and the rest of us mortals and warriors, you'll do fine," she added, so I just smiled even though I feel like I'm dying right now.

"T-Thank you guys, I'm just gonna go get some dinner before resting," I gave them a small smile before leaning on the headdress of my bed.

"You did a great job today, Crystal, you'll be fine in the next few days if you continue doing this," Kuya Draven added while patting my head, so I just smiled before nodding at them.

Ate Kathy left and immediately came back with a tray in her hands, I felt bad for allowing them to take care of me like this.

I ate dinner as they continued to ask questions about what happened today. They laughed when I told them that I thought I was in trouble when Mr. Light called me after class.

And also they reacted when I mentioned who my tutor was, "W-Wait, so Hailey really received my message last night and gave Calyx to tutor you to serve him a punishment?" she asked, so I nodded at her.

She laughed while slapping her thighs, "Those two never change, I actually thought that you're going to get your tutor next week after she received that message, but this is interesting also," she smirked at me, so I got nervous for a moment.

"Crystal, you're almost 18 in the next few months, have you seen your mate yet?" she asked, so I flinched while slowly shaking my head.

"Unfortunately, I think I haven't found him yet," I sighed while finishing the rest of my food.

"Really? But I thought she already met her mate at the night of the wedding of--" Kuya Draven was stopped by Ate Kathy by cupping his mouth.

"Well, you still have a lot of time to look for him/her," Ate Kathy smiled at me, so I just nodded.

"Ate Kathy, our University is a big school, how will I be able to know if that person is my mate?" I curiously asked, so Ate Kathy looked at Draven before glancing at me again with a bright smile on her face.

"You have to open your eyes and always use these two appropriately," Ate Kathy pointed at my mind and heart, "With that, you can tell if he/she is the one for you," she stated, so I wondered for a moment.

To be continued...