The Path of an Elite

A week passed without so much as a glimpse of Roman for Arlet, she didn’t see him rushing to any of his classes, or spot him at breakfast or lunch. She made more friends every day in her classes but Everleigh was now the one she sought out for any problem, big or small, as she was doing now.

“Ever I can’t find Roman anywhere! What if he dropped out?” She gasped, “What if he died?”

“Whoa, whoa there, calm yourself woman. You are talking about the hottest guy in all four years. I think people would know if he died. Besides I haven’t introduced myself to him yet so he can’t be dead.” She brushed her hair back over her shoulder, confident in her conclusion.

"Well then he isn't dead...but what if he dropped out?" Arlet was still not calm.

"He didn't drop out, that I know of." She smiled trying to reassure Arlet.

A few days passed since Arlet’s initial spaz attack about Roman. Bren was now always out of the dorms doing whatever with the guy she has been seeing, Anora was most likely near either Ever or Arlet. It seems that she doesn't want to broaden out to make more friends but that was okay with both Ever and Arlet since she was basically like a little sister to them, even though she was the same age as them. At the moment Ever and Arlet were alone in the dorm. Anora was catching up on her school work in a classroom.

"He needs his jacket back, right? I mean he wouldn't just go throughout the school year without something that we need." Arlet was tugging at her lip with her teeth.

"Arlet...calm down. Geez girl. He is fine...and remember we don't need our jackets until special events." Ever sighed but understood the distressed girl. It was hard being in love and for Arlet who was utterly clueless it must have been even harder.

"Sorry, I'm just worried." Arlet placed her notebook that she was doodling in down onto her bed.

"Aren't you supposed to be doing homework or something?" Ever peeked down to the bottom bunk.

She made a face at Arlet’s poorly drawn doodles. “So much for homework.”

"I finished that hours ago...you?" Arlet was still thinking about where Roman was.

"Ugh. This math is killing me. But I finished it finally...you are so smart I can't even catch up to you." She smirks and flips down onto Arlet's bed. "You are still thinking about him."

"How can I not? He is the first guy that has really talked to me..." Arlet felt slightly uncomfortable telling Ever this. "Without my brothers scaring them off that is."

"Oh you have big brothers, huh?"

"Yeah...some say they are ‘overprotective’." Arlet pulled her lanky legs into her chest.

"Well while the cats are away the mice will surely play." She winks which causes Arlet to go into a fit of laughter.

Just then the door opens up quietly and it could only be one person. The small beauty slides in holding her training uniform and a couple of non-school books. She had a slight smile on her face which who know what that meant.

"What happened?" Ever beat Arlet to it.

"Nothing much...my English teacher, Zircon Chalek. She told me that I would be placed in the Advanced class tomorrow. She said that I could read these books to get ready." Anora smiled bigger than I had ever seen before.

"You must really like reading." Arlet raised an eyebrow.

"Ah yes...I do." She blushed and went over to her bed.

The night went on with the girls just talking about different things in their lives but Arlet was still thinking about one thing only; Roman. Where could he have possibly gone?

Another week went by and Arlet still hadn't seen Roman anywhere. She had asked Bren, Ever and Anora to keep a look out for him but they hadn't seen him either. That was until Arlet was just heading out of her Algebra class and the mop of blonde hair was coming straight towards her. She was about to say something to him but he completely dodged her heading straight into the classroom she was just in.

He was sporting a couple of bruises on the backs of his arms and also some on his cheek. It made absolutely no sense to Arlet who was about to go crazy with anxiety about the whole thing. That day she was preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't even notice where she was going until she got there.

The gym wasn't a place Arlet went to often only when she had class but today for some reason her body just led her there. To her surprise she started hearing large clanging noises that fell after what sounded like was Zircon Bell yelling.

"One...two, that's it. Once more..NO! Roman I swear if you mess this up one more time I'll make you run again. It has to be perfect!" The clanging of metal broad swords began again.

Arlet glanced around the corner to see if she could catch a glimpse of Roman without getting caught by Zircon Bell. When she did look around the corner all she saw was Roman and Bell sparring along the side of the gym holding broad swords, that only 4th years were supposed to handle. Roman had an angry look on his face that could break glass if he was close enough, but he was determined to counter attack his so call teacher.

"Why are they sparring?" Arlet whispered only to herself.

Finally Roman caught Bell’s sword sending it flying across the floor near Arlet. With a gasp Arlet tried hiding but Roman was already right beside her, bending down to get his teacher's sword. Arlet was crouched down on her hands and knees in the most awkward position she could get herself into, and here was Roman smirking over to her with that contagious grin. As he lifted up the sword he brought his index finger up to his mouth telling her quietly not to make a noise; which she complied respectively.

"And again. Roman you will be perfect...no goofing off like you did at that...that.." Roman cut him off.
"Festival? I was only taking a break from your medieval training...sir." The seriousness on his face was rebellious even to his teacher this was not going to end well.

"Go...twenty laps...now!" Bell yelled angrily.

"Yes sir." Roman said before taking off towards Arlet, who was now on her feet.

As Roman passed her he took a hold of her hand pulling her along with him. After about a few minutes of running and Arlet tripping over her own feet a couple of times they stopped.

"What do you think you are doing?" She says half out of breath.

"You don't want to get caught, do you?" He says, stretching out his arms over his head.

"I suppose not, thank you." She couldn't look at him straight so she decided to stare off into the night sky.

"You have nothing else to say to me?" She could hear the smirk in his voice which irritated her more than it should.

"Yes...Yes I do! Where were you in these past three weeks? And you didn't even say anything to me when I was walking down the hall...." She said but couldn't believe she actually blurted all that out. "...I was trying to give you back your jacket, I’m not a stalker or anything." She slapped her forehead.

"Right." He chuckles as if to mock her playfully. "You can keep it, I have another one."

"But I can't..." He stopped her.

"I have to get going before I have to run more laps...see you later Miss Arlet." He smirked down at the flabbergasted girl.

But before he started running again he reached out to her, swiping a piece of hair off her cheek. Arlet's breath caught and she closed her eyes as he ran his hand across her cheek. She heard his slight laugh as his hand lifted off. When she opened her eyes back up he was gone out of her sight and she let out the breath she forgot she was holding. Not to mention her heart was racing out of her chest.

"What was that?" She said gripping her chest.

She managed to stumble her way back to the dorms; for once it was vacant of its occupants. Arlet drew up a steaming hot bath and soak till she heard a knock on the door. She didn’t know how she was going to deal with anyone. Her heart was still pounding. Her mind was still racing. Did he like her? He obviously knew her name, which showed some interest. Arlet left the bath when there was another knock on the door; it wasn’t one of the girls so it was probably the dorm supervisor checking in that everyone was present. Arlet wasn’t sure on how she could cover up for the girls but she was bound to try. She threw on some sweats and a tank top. Her cropped hair was slicked back by her hands, the hair behind her ears and on the back of her head was shaved close giving her a guyish look. Her bangs hung forward framing her face still dripping wet.

“Ahh the other girls just went to visit their friends.” Arlet said while opening the door.

“Oh well luckily I came for you.” A baritone voice said. Arlet looked up from the chest that greeted her and saw Roman.

“Oh! I thought you were running laps.” She opened the door to invite him in.

He raised an eyebrow at her but went in regardless. “Zircon Bell let me off, saying I needed to study on my algebra and that there was a smart young girl in the class before mine.” He gave her the dazzling smile again.

“And you thought it was me?”

“Yeah, I mean he’s mentioned your name more than once, that’s high praise coming from him.”

“How did you know my name though?”

“I heard your friend calling your name the first night of the festival.”

Arlet blushed, she remembered getting caught staring at him and she hoped he didn’t remember that part. She brushed her hair behind her ears and offered him her desk seat as she sat on her bed.
“In all honesty I do need help with my algebra though.” He pulled out a thick book from his shoulder bag.

They spent the next half hour working through a series of short easy problems, or at least they were easy for Arlet. She explained in detail how to solve the problems making it easy for Roman to understand. By the end of their little session Roman could solve all of his homework problems with ease. He shut the book and turned to her in the seat next to him.

“Bell was right to praise you. You’re a genius with algebra!” He praised.

Arlet laughed at his efforts, “I’m most definitely not a genius but I love the compliment.”

He stared at her as she stared at him letting the silence swallow the room. She shifted in her seat uncomfortable with his gaze. Roman chuckled at her shuffling, “I need to go back to my room and shower so I’ll see you around?” He grabbed his books and stood. His hand lingered on the seat backing, almost reluctant to go.

Arlet stood up hurriedly, “Yes! I mean, yeah we’ll see each other around.” She leaned back against the chair in an attempt to seem nonchalant.

Roman walked to the door and with a final glance back left Arlet alone in the room. A few moments later the door opened again, Arlet jumped up from her slump hoping it was Roman but when Anora and Ever walked in she slumped back on her chair again.

Ever grinned knowing full well what that meant. “Mr. Roman was here, wasn’t he?” she sidled up beside Arlet on the back of the chair.

Arlet dropped her head onto Ever’s shoulder, “How do you know if a guy likes you Ever?”

“Oh girl you are hooked on this one aren’t you!” Ever said.

Arnoa chuckled in the background but went into the bathroom without a comment. Ever bumped herself off the chair and faced Arlet. She spread her arms out for a hug and Arlet jumped into them. “It’s hard to tell when a guy likes you but I do want you to know that not all romances end in happily ever afters.” She pulled away and smiled, “But I will make this clear. If that boy hurts you so help me he will rue the day he ever hurt you.”

Arlet smiled at her best friend, “I love you Ever.”

With a pat on her head Ever smiled back, “I love you too sweetie.”

Anora came back out from the bathroom, “I couldn’t help but over hear your conversation and I want you to know that I’m here for you as well Arlet.”

Arlet walked over to the small pixie girl and embraced her as well. For people she has only known for a few short weeks Arlet felt like she has known them for forever.