The Path of an Elite

Arlet woke up to Ever sitting on the edge of her bed with Bren and Anora on theirs. They were chatting lightly with a spread of food on the floor. Arlet tried to sit up but her back muscles constricted and she flopped back down. Ever moved over mid-sentence and massaged her lower back.
“Yeah I saw that last night too! I couldn’t believe she would kiss someone like that! Like that guy is just a complete jerk!” Ever gossiped.
“Oh I know! He isn’t even that handsome either. She could do so much better.” Bren said reaching for an oatmeal cookie.
“Well maybe he’s only a jerk on the outside. Maybe he’s actually really sweet.” Anora said trying to defend him.
“Who are we even talking about?” Arlet asked while Ever worked out a knot.
“Indiana Diomum” They said in unison.
Arlet had no idea who that was. She couldn’t remember a guy by that name in any of her classes. She sat up and thanked Ever before they both scooted back down to the bottom of the bed. “It’s just this dick that we see around campus.” Ever explained. “Oh by the way girls don’t know if you saw it last night but did you see Qwuarin and his girlfriend?” She grinned devilishly.
“Was she hot?” Bren asked.
“Majorly! How did that country bumpkin get someone like her?” Ever pondered aloud to the group. Ever grabbed some food and brought it onto the bed. Arlet cleared the plate off and Ever grabbed some more. She wasn’t about to ask how they snuck food into the dorms when there was a strict no food policy, she was simply thankful for it.
Anora watched Ever with keen eyes. She knew something about her that Arlet didn’t, “What are you thinking about Anora?” Arlet asked.
Anora shot her a startled look. She was unaware that Arlet had noticed her. “Ahh nothing much.”
“Spill the beans Klemith!” Ever smiled.
“I was just thinking that you seem quite interested in Qwuarin recently.” She grabbed a biscuit.
Ever paused for an unsure moment, she had no idea how to deflect the eyes watching her now. “He simply interests’ me. That’s all.” She turned to Arlet instead, she was always ready for some juicy gossip on her and Roman. “So how’d things go after all that drama last night?”
Arlet blushed a red as deep as the lipstick that was on her last night. “I sort of, um…I sort of kissed him.”
Ever whistled hotly, Bren leaned forward wanting more details. “But didn’t you guys do that in front of the whole student body and Zircons?” Anora pointed out.
Arlet fell back onto her bed groaning. “Ahhh I wanted to forget that one! It was so embarrassing!” She covered her face with both hands and groaned more loudly. “I can’t believe he did that to me!” She shot back up incredulous.
“Did he use tongue?” Ever asked. She always got to the dirty parts fast.
“And for which ones?” Bren asked.
“For the campfire one he did, but the one I initiated we didn’t.” She slumped her shoulders slightly. Talking about it now she didn’t realize how deep her feelings where and the fact that they were mutual was more surprising. She was happy Roman liked her back but, where do they go from here? Do they take it a step further or keep the tone even and carry out the rest of their school days without getting to close? If the relationship started getting in the way of her sword and shield she was going to have to let him go. She fought off her brothers for this, she was getting her knighthood.
Ever passed her a carrot cake slice, one of Arlet’s favorites, and patted her shoulder. “I know I pushed it hard and all, but if things are going to quick you can always tell him. I’m sure he would take it slow.”

Arlet leaned her head onto Ever’s back. There she contemplated her relationship with Roman and where she wanted it to go while the others talked about various things. The day drifted on in a calm and lazy fashion. The weekends are paradise in a school like Saint Darius’s.
When Monday rolled around they switched back into reality and cracked open their books. Midterms were coming up and they were extremely under prepared. Arlet was out every day at the gym practicing with Roman and after words she would help him with mathematics. Roman attempted at some points to place an arm around her shoulder, Arlet never backed away but she never attempted any of her own. As the weeks passed their little love attempt fell into the background and instead they started to become friends. They grew closer and closer. Midterms passed and then finals. Their summer break was upon them were they would return home for a time before the new school year began. Arlet stayed on campus with a few other students so that she could practice with the equipment, and also so that she could avoid her brothers. She wasn’t ready to retell the events of her training classes. She called up her parents to explain why she was staying and to give them lots of love. When her mother picked up the phone she hadn’t realized just how much she had missed her mother’s voice.
“You’re staying?” She asked.
“Yes. I want to practice with some friends and use the practice pads here.”
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Yes, mother. I am.”
She could hear that affectionate sigh over the line, the one her mother always gave. “I wish you luck and I love you. I’ll explain things to your father when he returns.”
“I love you too mom.” She tried staying strong but gave up and cried as she hung up the phone. Her mother had been so against her being a knight and now she was in full support. She felt proud. Arlet felt proud.
The break passed swiftly, even if the days had grown longer, and uneventfully. Roman, Ever, Bren, and Anora had all gone home over the break. Qwuarins home was too far to travel to over the small break so he had stayed with Arlet to help train. Her nickname of flamingo had passed on to him as well.
“Flamingo they’re coming back today right?” Qwuarin asked as he entered the training hall.
Arlet nodded excitedly. It had been forever since she had seen Everleigh, she was dying to catch up with her old friend. The students started arriving one by one over the next few days. Arlet continued to train. She stumbled and fell and hurt herself plenty of times still but she no longer drew blood every time, or gave herself massive bruises. She was improving little by little every day