3.17 – Formalized

3.17 – Formalized

Strangely, Liz and Ana joined them for lunch. Normally Natalie, Sofia, and Jordan sat off in a corner of the cafeteria, alone. Sometimes Liz would join them in class to chat or hang out, but not usually to eat, as she did now.

She slid her tray onto their table with a big smile, and Ana followed a second later.

“So!” Liz started the conversation with. “Me and Ana have been talking. You three wanna make it official?”

Which, of course, came as a surprise. Natalie had been planning to broach the subject to Liz sometime today, but she had expected it to take some convincing—not for Liz to come asking.

“The team, right?” Best to make sure she wasn’t misinterpreting anything.

“Yep! What else?”

“It’s clear we work well together,” Ana said. “Most of the students worth forming a group with had their teams planned years in advance. This five,” she waved around the table, “is one of the best that can be made of ‘free agents’. So, it’s obvious we should work together.” Ana pursed her lips. “My other trials proved that.”

Natalie agreed. The other members she, Jordan, and Sofia had trialed had been uninspiring.

Though, one puzzle piece still needed to be slotted.

Natalie, Jordan, and Sofia looked at Liz as one, all having the same thought. Maybe Ana and the three of them didn’t have better options, but her? Elizabeth Beaumon?

Liz fidgeted under their attention. “So,” she said. “It’s official, then? What should our team name be?”

“Why not group with Johanna?” Natalie asked. Best to be direct. Though it was good for them, getting one of the best free-agent healers in their year, she wanted to know why. “Or anyone else your family put together?”

“I have been curious as well,” Ana said.

Liz sighed, shoulders slumping. “Well, first, because I like you all. Friends make good delving partners—you need to trust each other with your life.”

Natalie was flattered by that, especially the earnestness Liz said it with, but she knew there was something more. “And?”

“And ... I’m tired of relying on my name,” Liz said. “I want to succeed on my own merit. Obviously Johanna’s group is going to be one of the best of the year. But so can we be!”

“The nobodies,” Sofia said.

Liz turned a distraught look her way. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m not offended,” Sofia said. “But it’s literally how you meant it.”Fôll0w current novÊls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

Everyone turned to her.

“The semester’s first dueling tournament is happening in three days,” she said. “Start of next week. Can’t do a nightly delve then. And I know everyone’s busy ... but if you want to come watch?”

Natalie stared at Sofia, or more specifically, the nervous looks the white-haired girl shot around the table. Was she being bashful?

“Of course we’ll be there,” Jordan said.

“I’ll try my best,” Liz replied brightly. “And don’t worry about not being able to delve. We don’t have to head out every day. Also, I didn’t know you were in the dueling club. If healers weren’t so useless, I might’ve joined too, but ...” she laughed. “Well. You know.”

Sofia’s tense posture relaxed, and she smiled. Natalie continued to be baffled at the insecurity that had been in her voice a moment earlier.

“I wouldn’t say useless,” Sofia said. “Though maybe a full healer, like you ...”

“What would I do?” Liz said. “Buff them to death? Wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Sofia covered a smile with her hand, and Natalie’s irritation spiked. Why was this girl so cute? It drove her insane.

Blue eyes turned to Natalie, a silent question.

“Obviously I’m coming,” Natalie said. “Don’t be stupid.”

Sofia blushed, then looked away. “Right.”

Blushed??

“Just checking,” Sofia added.

Jordan smiled at Natalie, and Natalie found herself immensely confused by the sequence of events.

“And you, Ana?” Sofia asked. “I realize everyone has better things to be doing, but I’d like if you joined us, too.”

“There’s value in analyzing the competition,” Ana said. “And I can study in the downtime.”

It was a rather clinical acceptance, but Sofia smiled at that response, too.

“It’s a plan, then.”