Chapter 109 - Elise (1)

Also earlier during that day.

The morning was still cold as ever but the snow was already melting and fading away as winter passed by. Harrison walked along the corridors of the academy, heading towards his class. He had a usual boring look plastered on his face as he walked quietly, he wasn't rushing as he wasn't late for class. Being late for the class would be troublesome as he would gain everyone's attention, he might not look like it, but he doesn't like being late. He would arrive at the right time, he's actually a punctual person.

Once he arrived in front of the door of the class he is in, he casually opened it and went inside. There were only a few people and two of those were Luke and Jerich, they were talking with each other. Jerich was sitting on his seat while Luke was sitting on top of his desk. They were just sitting near each other, in fact, Luke is sitting in front of Jerich. It seems like they still haven't noticed Harrison's presence and he didn't mind it as he continued to walk to his desk, 3 desks behind them. He was sitting on the last row beside the window and also beside him was Elise. She still hasn't arrived yet. There are already 12 students inside the classroom including himself and his friends, Luke and Jerich.

He sat down on his seat and placed down the bag he was carrying filled with a few things inside, it was all essential things like paper and ball pen, then paper and eraser. As if on cue, he heard someone called out to his name. "Oh, Harrison! You're finally here!" That voice belongs to Luke. With an annoyed expression as if he doesn't want him to go near or talk to him, he lifted his head and looked at Luke who was grinning widely at him as he walked towards his direction followed by Jerich who was walking silently behind him and just gave him a smile which Harrison responded to with a nod. Somehow, Harrison was completely different when talking to other people as if his personality would depend on who he is talking to. Like he would always be annoyed or irritated when he is someone like Luke. He is somehow nonchalant or it looks like he doesn't care about anything when talking to his admirers (and such), to Elise, and to his friend, Luke.

He is completely different when he is with Alexandra and he doesn't even know why, as if his instinct was telling him to just act like himself or be completely normal around her. He was comfortable and relaxed when he is with her like his guard was down and he trusts her completely. Alexandra felt so familiar and really close to him even though they just met or talked with each other 2 years ago, was it probably because she was also like that to him? She also looked like she was comfortable and free when she is around him or when they are alone together, like all of her manners and sophisticated were just washed away by a tsunami or something and she transforms into a different person. Not totally different but she acts freely and such.

They might not show it but they really do get along with each other, in many different ways. "What?" He finally responded to Luke as he arrived in front of him, looking down as he leaned back against the wall. "Guess what, you have some sort of look-alike. Like the present and somehow the appearance was similar to yours that we thought that it was you," Luke started, still grinning widely at him. He must be referring to the meeting at the café and thankfully, they weren't able to recognize me. If they looked more closely and if I spoke, problems would arise and that would stress me out, he thought to himself as he faked interest.

"Really, who is it?" He asked as if he was really curious about that person. Well, they also met once again at the carnival but it was just rather quick and they immediately left afterward, it was when Alexandra got lost because he was pulled by someone thinking that she was their little sister. Looking for her everywhere was pretty much tiring as he couldn't easily identify her mana and presence, she was also rather small, not really small, but she was hard to see amidst that crowd of people.

"I don't know what his name is but we met like two times, however, it was only quick. He was with a little girl, she was a few inches smaller than Elise and she looked quite cute. I wonder if that is her sister, they looked alike because of the color of their hair," Luke said as if he was fantasizing about that girl and he was looking for her, thinking when they will meet again.

Luke was talking about Alexandra. Oh my, if only they knew that she was already marked by him and who that person is, they might really be shock and speechless, he thought to himself. He just nodded repeatedly before he looked at the small tattoo-like mark on his wrist, the same one as Alexandra's. That was the proof of their bond and if it would be broken, the mark would disappear. "Well, he was pretty much similar to you but we know that you don't like to go at those type of places since you declined our offer before to go with us at the café and at the carnival," Jerich finally spoke. His voice was gentle and pleasant as always as he spoke. He recalled that memory where Harrison flatly denied them without letting him finish the question, that was so like him, to be honest.

"I see," Was what Harrison only said before he laid his head down on his desk, resting it on top of his arms which were crossed and placed on top of the desk. He looked at his side and imagined Alexandra just beside her, she probably must be narrowing his eyes down at her for staring at her for too long without saying anything. Ah, why am I thinking about that idiot?

If he would communicate with her right now, she might be busy or probably asleep knowing that there is still an hour or two left before she wakes up. He recalled her brothers. Right, I forgot that they are also going at this academy and I fought one of them but I immediately backed down knowing what the results would be, he thought to himself. "Are you sleepy? Did you get enough sleep last night? Did you stay up late once again?" Jerich started to attack him with questions, his voice laced with worry as he spoke in his usual gentle and warm tone. He reminds him of someone he knows but he can't recall who it was. He just nodded as a response he turned his head at the other side and looked outside the window.

The sun was shining down on him and warmth quickly enveloped his whole body making him comfortable and relaxed. It was breezy as the wind gently blew and passed through the window, gently caressing his skin as it blew on him. It was gentle and he yawned, feeling sleepy. Jerich and Luke noticing this, they immediately went back to their previous location and just let Harrison be alone in his desk. As minutes passed by, students started to enter the classroom and it gradually became noisy, their chatterings became louder than before and he would like to shout at them, and tell them to shut up but he was just restraining himself from doing so.

Then not even an hour later, someone arrived and entered inside the room. It caught everyone's attention, her beauty grabbed everyone's attention and they stared at her. She looked dazzling, beautiful, gentle, and warm. It made everyone want to protect her from any harm, she looked innocent and weak everybody wondered why she got inside the academy and some hated her because of it. They think it wasn't fair since she was able to enter easily while they have to go through many exams and such just to enter.

Her peach-colored hair bounced slightly as she walked towards her seat beside Harrison, a gentle smile across her lips and a bright expression plastered on her face as she walked. Her aura and presence were gentle and overwhelming, it immediately replaced the dead atmosphere of the room into a rather lively one. That's the impact of Elise Clarissa Greenwood, only herself alone. She wasn't even speaking and just smiling faintly without meeting a single gaze or making eye contact with someone. Harrison was only the one looking away from her and just staring out of the window. That's what always greeted her every time she entered the room and she would always look for Harrison thinking that he was also looking at her direction when she knows that it would be impossible especially when she witnessed those scenes before.

She placed down all of her things before she sat down on her seat and looked at Harrison. A smile crept up her lips, "Good morning, Harrison!" She said cheerfully. "Yeah, good morning," He said without looking at her direction, not even giving her a small and quick glance. He doesn't care if she already arrived, it is not like it is required to greet her or look at her when she enters the room. He was planning on ignoring her for days despite his curiosity and confusion on what happened while they were dancing and why can't he use his spells against her. She was more than a mysterious person and that ticked him off. Elise just remained silent afterward when suddenly she recalled about it, making her smirk. She got something to use against Harrison.

She cleared her throat before she spoke in a rather gentle voice filled with warmth and joy as she spoke, "I got something to ask you, is it fine?" She asked, still smiling hoping that he will turn his head around in her direction. But he still responded without looking at her even for just a few seconds or while he responded. "Yeah, what is it?" He said nonchalantly. He knows that it is rather impolite but he is rather comfortable in his position right now that he doesn't want to turn his head around. The disappointment was written all over her face but then she remembered what she was going to ask him. I'm sure he'll turn his head around if he heard my question, she thought to herself. Honestly, her thoughts looked rather evil and it seems like she is planning something bad.

"The girl that you are with at the café and the carnival, who is she?"

Not even light can't catch up to him when he immediately sat up and whipped his head in her direction, a confused and shocked look plastered on his face as if he was asking her, "How did you know that it was me?" But he was trying so hard not to make it look like that to show that he got the wrong person, however, she didn't falter. The same expression plastered on her face. It annoyed him.

"Pardon?"

"I said, who is the girl you were with at the café and during the carnival?" She repeated.