Ace of Minds

The One Who Controls

“Who were you talking to?” Logan eyed her. He was wearing his Z sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans. It was normal to see him with tousled hair. Irene thought that maybe his hair couldn’t be combed or something.

As he came closer, she supposed he was inspecting her and her surrounding. His eyes flew to the red stone and she bit her lips. He grabbed the stone and flashed it to her. “How did you get a Lumin?” he frowned, but just as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. “Ah, I see. You were calling Elswood?”

She snatched the stone from him and nodded, then she crossed her arms. “Yeah, and you kind of disrupted our touching moments.”

“He probably thought it was someone else coming,” commented Logan, shrugging.

Irene made a face, “Are you showing off how close you are to my dad now?” She had never known saying ‘my dad’ could feel so weird. Since he was her father.

Logan arched his brow, “He didn’t tell you anything?”

“What anything?”

“About—” he shut his mouth, “Nevermind. Why are you wandering out this late? You went through the back door?”

He knew about the backdoor would either because he was a sneaking-out regular or everyone actually knew about it. Again, Irene nodded. “I just have to … say things to um, him.”

Logan tugged his lips to one side, eyes looking up for quite some time that Irene thought he might be thinking about the end of the world. He kept on being mute, and Irene wasn’t one with curiosity endurance. “What is it?”

The guy turned his senses to her, “You asked him about my talent?”

Irene shook her head, stating the truth.

“You told him about our Tournament?”

She didn’t really like the way he said our, but nodded anyway. Then he stayed silent again. Feeling uncomfortable—and awkward, just standing as chilly air came and went through the door, no one made the slightest move—she tried to divert the conversation. “Aren’t you cold? I think we should go back—” Logan stopped her from trying to walk past him. The situation turned extremely awkward now that Logan was holding her upper arm.

“Why are you feeling awkward? It’s just me,” he said so smoothly.

Irene turned on defensive mode. “If you’re implying that I’m nervous around you, well, you are super wrong. And what about the ignoring me thing? I reckon you want to have your peaceful life back,” she mimicked him. “Why don’t you let go of my hand—”

“Are you hungry?” Logan asked out of the blue, stopping her mini rage episode.

She had eaten more than enough throughout her time in Z. She totally abandoned the diet her mother had set for her. She might have gained some pounds. Z served mouth-watering foods and students could eat how much they wanted with no limitation. Well, unless they ran out of foods. So, no, she was not hungry at all. “No,” she answered him.

“Well, I am. And since I found you, you’re going to accompany me eating.”

“And why should I?” Not that she had anything against accompanying him eating. In fact, maybe she could get information about his talent or his relationship with Elswood.

“You can stay and sneak back inside if you want.” He waited and as she didn’t say anything, his hand went to her wrist. He turned around and started walking, dragging her along with him.

The sky didn’t change much from when she sneaked out. It was still dark. Although the lights were dim, she could tell they headed to the eatery.

No one was around. It—again—made her question about the security. Seriously, weren’t they being too cocky? She had heard about guards, but really she saw none of them. Z must be relying on the magical gate, she thought. “There wouldn’t be any food left,” she said to Logan, who walked ahead of her.

They didn’t stop as he retorted, “I don’t sleep much. I usually hang around the eatery or the south wing at night ever since I was a kid. Madam Lou always left some foods for me back at the kitchen.”

So he was a regular.

“They’ve never caught you?”

This time, Logan spun around, coming face to face with Irene. His lips formed a smirk, “And what would they do if they catch me?” He continued to head toward the eatery.

Once they were at the eatery, Logan told her to sit while he grabbed his food. Irene had no choice but sat alone with chilly, night wind as her friend. She rested her elbow on the long table, and her chin on one palm. No doubt, Z looked scary at night. There were so many big trees surrounding the area and let’s not forget the woods. Just add some fog and it would turn into a horror movie set.

As she looked around (for the nth time) while waiting, she noticed the front door slowly opened. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look. Maroon suit, black hat, and in his hand was an alarm: the night guard. Irene had never seen them before, as they only appeared at night (and surely, they didn’t roam around that much), but she had heard stories; mostly from Brian and Denzel. She instantly ducked herself behind the table.

When she thought it was long enough for the guard to go somewhere else, a voice was heard, startling her that her head collided with the table. “Ouch!” she didn’t even make out what the voice was saying. She could only hope it wasn’t the guard. She didn’t want to taint her reputation in the teachers’ eyes. Sir Alec already hated her. Sir Fred had lost hope for her development in Combat class.

As she got her way up to the chair, she saw Logan’s face. He was holding a tray of foods. “What are you doing?” he asked, looking at her, funny.

“Uh? Oh, nothing.” She dusted her clothes.

Logan took a seat across from her. He narrowed his eyes, “Is it the guard?” Seeing her nodded, he bit the inside of his cheek (he actually looked like he was about to scoff) and started eating.

“I’ve never seen one before, so I freaked out,” she stated quickly, getting defensive. She just had a feeling that the guy, although eating quietly, was judging her. Looking up at him, she saw him looking at something behind her for a split second, then he sighed and continued eating. Curious, she turned her head around.

The guard was standing behind her.

Different from before, now she could see what he really looked like. He stood and behaved like a stone. He had jaws that were sharp enough to cut papers. His thick brows would make any girls went jealous. He was pale, very pale Irene was convinced all colors had been drained out of his life.

“I would like to know what you two are doing at this late. And therefore, this action would be reported to Sir Duncan immediately,” the guard said stoically.

Irene had never met Sir Duncan in person before. He was the head of Z. A busy man, said some of Irene classmates when they were gossiping (and Irene was eavesdropping). Seemed like a lot of students hadn’t met him either.

“I … I …” Irene couldn’t find the right word.

Then the guards just suddenly switched his interest from Irene to Logan. They had an intense staring battle, leaving Irene in confusion (and panic). When Logan went back to eat, the guards seemed to be out of it for a few seconds, like he was unconscious but with eyes opened. Irene poked him in the arm because the guard just stood like before (read: like a statue) without saying anything and his gaze was staring into far nothingness.

Logan coughed. And somehow that made the guard made a move and walked toward the front door.

“What the hell did you—”

The guy shrugged. “Nothing, I just … told him to leave us alone,” he said as he chewed on his food.

What, he hypnotized him or something? Was he a magician, like in the shows? “Did you—”

Logan cut her off by sighing loudly. “No, it’s not hypnotizing.”

“What the—”

“And while I don’t know what’s your interpretation of a magician, I can assure you I’m not that either.”

Irene just sat with mouth agape.

Logan put down his fork and swallowed the steak. “It’s called mind controlling, okay? Now just let me eat. You can either talk about something else or leave.”

That shut her mouth.

“Sorry,” muttered the man across from her. “You want some?”

He was eating tenderloin and fries. From the smoke coming from his tray, Irene supposed the food was heated. She shook her head. “I’ve told you I’m not hungry,” she muttered back.

“Whatever suits you.”

And she just watched him eat. She wondered many things. Mostly about the unspoken talent he just revealed, another about why did he have a fit body if he always ate supper? He munched again, and again, and again until she finally lost herself and fell into deep slumber.

---

Irene’s eyes hurt, and her arm ached. Someone was tapping on her shoulder, saying something she couldn’t comprehend. She mumbled some non-existent words before her senses knocked her in the head. Still with her eyes closed, she tried to remember what she was doing last night.

She remembered feeling anxious over the Tournament match, then she sneaked out to talk to Elswood, then she met Logan, then they went to eatery because Logan was hungry, then a guard caught them, then Logan did his hypnotizing-mind-whatever thingy, then … then she fell asleep on the eatery table.

Almost jumping, she sat up straight. Students were already filling the eatery for breakfast. Across from her was two male students, looking at her as if she was nuts. She looked behind and found another guy. She assumed it was the one who kept on tapping her shoulder. Her shoulder felt a little heavy; there was a maroon sweater lying on her back. “Uh … sorry,” she scurried herself out of the scene, pulling the sweater off her.

She could hear the guys from behind her muttering something like, “Hey, isn’t that Kassel’s girl?” and things along that line. Choosing to just ignore them, she inspected the sweater. It was bigger than the one she owned, so she supposed it was Logan’s. Part of her wanted to thank him for lending her his jacket, but another part wanted to yell at him for leaving her alone in the middle of a cold night.

Just when she was hurrying herself to her bunk, she bumped into someone. Someone she least wanted to meet, Harkin.

“Well, well, look where the little lamb is going,” from her tone, Irene could tell the big girl was pleased to see her, while she, on the other side felt the opposite. “So, tell me a reason not to report you for wandering out at night.” Harkin crossed her arms, an evil smirk was playing on her lips. “You really think I wouldn’t know?”

Irene stared at her wide eyed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

Harkin chuckled, twirling her non-existence curls. “Any last sentence before you get expelled?”

Sneaking out can expel me? Irene wondered.

She had three choices and only one would work.

First, she couldn’t threaten Harkin to shut her mouth, that was just plain impossible. Second, Harkin seemed to dislike Elswood, so saying she was calling Elswood wouldn’t make her change her mind. Third, her possible answer had something with bringing up Logan into he conversation. She chose the latter. “I’m … uh, with Logan, “ she tried not to sound nervous, “you know, just getting to know my opponent.” Seeing Harkin raised a brow, she quickly added, “Since I’m going to lose miserably and embarrassingly.” She fake-slumped her shoulder, just so Harkin could see how gloomy she was.

As expected, the latter laughed. “Damn right, Elswood. Seeing his professionalism, he wouldn’t spare you even after your little … affair.”

“I didn’t have an affair with him.”

“What else could it be?”

Irene raised her voice, “I did not—” and she was cut off by the presence of a tall guy, none other than the guy she and Harkin were arguing about.

“Did not what?” he asked, stopping beside Irene. He looked from Irene to Harkin back and forth. “Sorry for last night. You were in deep sleep so I just let you be,” he was talking to Irene, “I believe this is mine, so I’ll take this with me.” He snatched his sweater from Irene and strolled off from the two girls.

Irene couldn’t believe what he said could sound so wrong; given the situation she was in. She lifted her gaze to Harkin, whose smirk was getting wider.

“I knew it,” stated Harkin.

“We were talking last night. Clear off your dirty mind, Harkin,” scolded Irene with a scowl on her face.

“Sure thing, Elswood.” Harkin walked away from Irene, heading toward the eatery while Irene went for the opposite. She needed to bath.

Her bath went faster than usual because (1) she was hurrying, (2) she was hungry, (3) if she took too long she would have to skip breakfast.

When she went back to the eatery, Denzel had kept the seat beside him empty: her seat. “Hey,” she greeted her three friends as she sat down.

Fleur stopped munching and quickly gulped down the food. She leaned toward Irene, her eyes squinted. “The big girl from last night is spreading gossip about you and Kassel,” she whispered.

Harkin, she thought. “That’s fast,” Irene sighed.

This time, it was Denzel who spoke up, “So you had like, a date with Kassel last night?” His eyes were judging. He spelled ‘Kassel’ with such distaste.

“No!” She didn’t know what had Harkin tell to everyone, but it must have something to do with their little encounter with Logan previously. “Look, last night, I sneaked out from the back door, which Brian told me about—”

“It’s open, right? Damn, I’m proud for teaching you to sneak out. If you need to know any other things about this school, don’t be shy to come to me.” Brian interrupted her with a big, proud grin on his face, gaining a glare from Fleur.

“Go on,” said Fleur.

“Okay … so, I sneaked out to contacted Elswood. You know, father-daughter bonding time whatsoever,” her smile was bitter. “Then Logan popped out of nowhere and he asked me to accompany him ate some supper. I did as he asked. Then I woke up here at the eatery earlier today. Logan left his sweater with me. And he just had to pick the right timing to get it back when I was talking to Harkin!” Irene jabbed her meat with a fork, shoving it into her mouth furiously.

“What were you doing with him while he ate?” Denzel asked again.

Irene swallowed before speaking, “I found out his talent.” She could tell Denzel tensed beside her. “I thought it’s hypnotizing or something, but he told me it’s mind controlling.”

“Yes!” shouted Fleur, loud enough to make all heads turned to her. “It’s the worst kind of talent. I mean, how can you beat someone who basically control you? I don’t even know what kind of tutoring you should have to, at least, stay long in the arena. It’s like … ugh, he’s just invincible. He can attack you from far. He can attack you in a short distance. Whichever way, you lose. Denzel knew it in a very hard way.”

That made Irene turned to Denzel, who averted his eyes elsewhere. “Can you tell me … what happened?”

Denzel sighed, “I guess I’ll tell you in class.”