Ace of Minds

The Doom

Nobody talked about Irene and Logan after several days. Almost two weeks, to be precise. Main reason? Probably because there weren't seen any interaction between the two in that range of time, no suspicious quirks worth gossiping. They seemed to be confused about the situation, they wanted to create even more gossips, and perhaps made Z-Magz when they had time.

They were not alone, as Irene was just as confused. First, Logan ditched the tutoring class. Second, she hadn't talked to Logan ever since. He didn't disappear from her life, of course, because that would be super weird, but he was just … there. He didn't talk to her. He didn't help her on Floras (she really sucked on that subject). He didn't help her on Combat, which was the only subject she sucked more than Floras. (Sir Fred made it clear that their class would be forever be combined, much to her displease because it meant she had to deal with Harkin). Although she was not really rooting for his help, at times she just felt like he was avoiding her.

That was why she collected her guts on talking to him in Floras class on one, windy day.

“Are you, say, ignoring me?” she asked, given the opportunity to examine a rare flower with Logan as her partner. And she was not only talking about the past week, she was talking about the very moment where Logan did actually ignore her questions about how to examine the sparkling, bloody red flower. Which irritated her.

His answer was not what she expected. Too honest. “Yes.”

“And did you ditch me on tutoring lesson days ago?”

“Yes.”

With raised brows, she asked, “Alright … why?”

“Which one?” Logan raised his brow.

“Tutoring.”

He looked up and crossed his arms as if looking for a reason. “Well, first, I've told you that I don't tutor anyone. Unless it's that important, anyway. Second, why are you so eager to be tutored by me?” he rolled his tongue on the last word, mocking her.

“It's … it's not that! That day, who is she again? Ferdinand or something tried to get me to be invisible!”

“Isn't that interesting?”

“No!”

Logan shrugged, “Pretty interesting, I say. Maybe we share a different taste.” He was looking out the windows as if the scenery was good (which was not really).

“Now why are you ignoring me?”

For the first time since Floras began, Logan turned to look at Irene. “Because I like my previous reputation as an unapproachable guy. Since that gossips about us, some girls wouldn't leave me alone. They actually think that they have a chance with me because, oh well, the new girl actually managed to get my sympathy. Therefore, my quiet, peaceful life at Z is terminated.” He continued sharply, “I. Want. It. Back.”

Before Irene could respond, he added, “And I know you're just as uncomfortable as I am hearing those people whispering about us. Especially when your little groupie asked you about me.”

Groupie? “How do you even know my circle of friend?” Irene whispered-shrieked with eyes squinted.

To add more on his chiseled face, he spread his lips, creating some sort of soft dimples below his eyes, and then he winked. “I know plenty of things.”

“Whatever.” said Irene and she turned back to the flower. “They don't like you, you know?”

“I doubt that.”

She remembered the facial expression Denzel made every time Fleur brought up Logan as their topic, also the way Brian chose to become silent for a (little) while when it happened. Irene shook her head, turning to look at Logan again, “No, really. They dislike you just as much as Harkin dislikes me, and I dislike this class.”

Logan didn't say anything for a brief five seconds. He was looking at Irene, but at the same time not at her. He came back to his senses shortly. “Let's just say I humiliated one of them last year. Like, really humiliating.”

“And why would you do that?” Irene guessed it was Denzel.

Logan crossed his arms over his chest, “Do you know what my talent is, Elswood?” he asked.

Irene shook her head. She had her guesses, though. One time she thought it might be something to do with the herbs, because clearly, he aced Floras. Another time she thought it was super strength like Fleur because he was one of the best students in her Combat class (well, after Egor).

“You'll find out at the Tournament, I guess. And I heard today's they will put up the schedules.” She was about to open her mouth, wanting to ask about Denzel, but Logan cut her off, “Come on, Sir White's going to be back in a sec.”

---

Sir Alec was talking to the board again, not minding what his students were doing behind him. Especially the ones sitting at the back of the class: a pair of sleeping students, a guy who was playing Rubik's cube, a student who apparently had a teleportation talent so he was nowhere inside the class, and two students who were too engrossed in their conversation to care what Sir Alec was saying.

“Really? Don't you miss them?” asked the brunette girl.

The boy shook his head; his light, ashy brown hair followed the motion. “Not really. I mean, we haven't been together that long, you know? They're probably still doing their gigs, and maybe performing at some school events.”

The girl nodded, “I miss my mom. Well, I don't miss her that much since she's never really there for real. Mostly, I spent my time alone, or with some dolls and other stuff she bought. But, I miss her, since, however I look at it, she's still my mom.”

“You'll meet her in summer, don't worry.”

She could only hope. But when she did meet her, what would she say? Didn't Madam Corneille already mess with her memory?

“Hey, Denzel,” she called out the boy after a little while.

“Hmm?”

“Someone told me the Tournament's schedules would be up today.” The boy didn't look surprised. “You already know?”

Denzel leaned back in his seat, putting his arms underneath his head. “Well, news travel fast in Z if you haven't figured it out, Miss Elswood.”

The thing was, she had figured it out the hard way. News traveled like wildfire, and hot gossips traveled even faster. In the last few days she was determined to find out who could have spread the news (um, gossips) that fast. There must be someone, right? “Tell me about the Tournament?” being never been up for the Tournament, she hesitated whether to be excited or petrified. She was, after all, only an unknown: an Ace whose talent was not determined yet. In other words, she basically could only stand in the arena waiting for her opponent to kill her.

“Well, I suppose it's a kind of dreadful. Especially if you know that your fellow contestant is a killer whale or simply better than you. Brian told me that he actually tried to fake sick on his first Tournament. But apparently, there was no excuse to flee Tournament. Maybe unless you were dying already, but seriously, I have never seen anyone absent on Tournament day.”

What a happy news.

“How about you?” Irene asked carefully. For all she knew, Denzel was the guy Logan had humiliated.

Denzel frowned, creating lines on his temple. “Well, I-”

“I would hate to give the two of you another detention. Actually, four of you,” Sir Alec's voice was louder than when he was lecturing. He turned to his model student, Jamie McCall. “Mister McCall, would you gladly wake up your friends Miss West and Miss Feline, please?” His sharp eyes turned back to Irene and Denzel. “This will be your last straw. Once again I saw you two having your own world in my class, I'm calling your parents.”

But of course, both Irene and Denzel knew he would soon forget his threats since they always got their 'last straws' in his class. But their conversation ended anyway.

---

In the middle of Z building was a large field, an arena where the Tournament was held. It had a lot of bleachers, just like Colosseum arena. The field was usually empty since students rarely practice there. They prefer to practice on Combat field, or in one of the classes on the south wing. But since news spread that the Tournament schedule would be up later that day, the field was packed with students, ditching their tutoring class.

“Excuse me, excuse me,” her voice seemed not to affect anything. No one moved, and she couldn't see who was going to smack her into pulp. Some students used their talent to prevent massacres. Some also asked a friend to see their list. Some threaten other students to do so. Just where was Fleur when she needed her the most?

“Coming through, coming through!” Wright Egor pushed students aside, making a way for his enormous, overly strong self. His face was scrunched up as he tried to read the small letters on the board from the far. With that face, he looked like the medium and not-green version of Hulk.

Irene took the opportunity to slide just behind Egor before the other students could do so. Although she was closer to the board, she was already sandwiched with all students within a few seconds. Her tiny space smelled very badly with sweats around her. And she had just showered. Great, she thought. Egor might have trouble on reading because he sure stood before her for a long time, which obviously blocked her sight. Just when she was about to say 'excuse me' to Egor (which, he probably couldn't hear) she was yanked rather harshly, or maybe just because she had to squeeze her way out of the crowd.

“Ouch!” she yelped once she was out. She felt like she had just crawled up from hell.

Not that she had experienced it.

Panting, she tried to catch her breath. Once it was fine, she looked up to see who dared to yank her and lose her opportunity to see the board. She wasn't sure whether she was surprised or annoyed.

It was Logan Kassel.

“What?” she snapped, glaring at the guy. Last time she checked, he wanted nothing to do with her.

“I've already seen who's your opponent.”

Irene raised her brow, curiosity growing inside. “Who?” Inside her head, she was praying that it would be some other unknown; not Harkin, not Egor, and definitely not Kassel.

“I don't think you’d want to know,” taunted him.

“And why wouldn't I?” she rolled her eyes afterward. Irene didn't know if any smile could be as devilish as Logan's now. “Who is it, tell me.”

“I hope you're well prepared because I don't want to see you out after few seconds. Where's the fun on that?”

Squinting her eyes, she asked, “You mean …”

“Yes, Elswood, it's me.”

She was doomed. For sure.