CHAPTER 3: MOTIVATED

"Laptop, check."

"Notebooks?"

"All here. Uhm... Cellphone, check."

"Aisha, calm down."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down!"

Aisha paced back and forth in her bedroom. It was entirely in shambles. Boxes littered the ground. Books where everywhere. There were pieces of paper on the floor that required stacking.

This was a total nightmare. She didn't want to go to Velder High unprepared.

Elsword let out an exasperated huff as he watched Aisha walk around the room. "Aisha, you're overthinking. Just relax."

"That's the problem - I can't even relax with you watching me!"

"Hey, you needed help-"

"Correction: Rena told you that I needed help!" Aisha snapped matter-of-factly as she knelt down unloaded a bundle of books from inside a cardboard box.

"Well miss smarty-pants, did it ever occur to you that you couldn't carry all of these on your own?"

Aisha paused for a moment. "I could ask someone else to help-"

"Newsflash Aisha! This is Velder. Lots of bad things have happened here - especially to you. You really think some random stranger would help you with your baggage?"

Aisha sighed. He was right. "You have a point. Sorry."

"Now we're talking," Elsword bent over and started unloading another stack of books from the cardboard box. "What do you need these for anyway? You know that google exists, right?"

Aisha looked up for a moment. "Oh... Those are just novels."

"All of these?"

"Yep. A girl's gotta read."

"Wow. Have you ever thought about heading outside and meeting real people instead of the ones that just live in your head?" Elsword dropped the stack of books on an empty dresser. "I mean, that seems more convenient."

"Everyone needs a hobby Elsword. You have your stinking video games. I have my books."

Elsword laughed. "I think I'll let you borrow The Fall of Reach. Maybe it'll change your mind about my 'stinking video games'."

"This isn't exactly one of those high-end gaming devices you fanboys drool over on Facebook, Elsword," Aisha said, pointing at her still-unboxed laptop.

"The Fall of Reach is a book-"

"Oh."

"-About a Video Game."

Aisha thought for a moment before allowing her lips to curve up into a small smile. "Fine then. It might suffice."

"You should do that more often. Y'know... smile," Elsword said as he started arranging the books on Aisha's shelf based on their size. Since they were novels and none of them seemed to be related to one another, he figured she wouldn't care how he fixed them. "You're always frowning around me. Am I really that unlikeable?"

"Well no... You just..." Aisha scanned her brain for the proper word to use, but there was none. "To be honest, I don't know either. Sometimes you're a good guy. Other times, you're the opposite."

Elsword chuckled. "And here I was thinking that you had nothing but negative thoughts about me. You know... You're pretty cool, Ai. I'm really glad you became my friend."

"Uh-huh, you seem to enjoy pissing me off," Aisha said.

"You're cute when you're all pissed."

Aisha could feel her cheeks heat up. "D-D-Don't say that so casually!" She threw a book in his direction, which he gleefully dodged. "If you were talking to another girl, she'd get the wrong idea!"

Elsword laughed. "I'm not a kid anymore, Aisha. I know what I'm saying."

"You're only 16 so for the time being, you should listen to my advice!"

"Whatever, boss."

Aisha then dug into the contents of a small paper bag. "Before I forget... Take this..." She presented a small, metal keychain bearing the shape of a greatsword.

Elsword flashed a smirk. "So what does this mean? I'm your knight in shining armor now?"

Aisha shook her head. "No, you doofus! It's a thank you gift... for earlier!"

Elsword took the keychain from Aisha's grasp and eyed it thoroughly. "When did you get this anyway? I was with you the whole time."

Aisha blushed. "I bought it when you made a beeline for the restroom. I got one for Rena and Raven too. Mine's a staff."

"Let me guess... Rena's keychain is a bow and arrow?"

"Just a bow. She kind of reminds me of an elf so I thought it would be perfect for her. And I didn't know what else to pick so I grabbed this thing that was shaped like a claw for Raven."

"Huh," Elsword paused. "So what were you thinking when you picked this keychain for me?"

Aisha rolled her eyes at him. "Nothing special. I took it the moment I saw it."

Great. That's another dollar for the lie jar. His keychain was the first one she chose and she gave it a lot of thought before she took it to the counter with the others. Aisha had this strange notion that Elsword looked like a soldier from those Japanese video games she avoided like a plague. Elsword happened to remind her of the guys who would hold huge swords over their shoulders, wearing strong yet playful expressions on their faces. Although gaming did not appeal to her, she definitely loved the visuals.

"I really like it. Maybe you have a penchant for knowing what people like without asking them," Elsword said as he gave the object a once over. He then tucked the keychain into the pocket of his jeans. "Thanks, Ai."

"Yeah, yeah. Stop being a sap. My mind is more attuned to the jerk Elsword. Would you mind changing your personality now?" Aisha lifted two books from the box and placed them on the dresser.

Elsword sighed. "You're still a control freak."

Aisha never takes kindly to responses like that. "Says the guy who doesn't have a brain."

"At least I have a heart. Unlike you. I could see why you have no boyfriend."

"Like you have a girlfriend?"

Elsword smirked. "As a matter of fact, I do Aisha."

Aisha's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

...

Rule number one: never ever underestimate the enemy. Elsword stood exactly on the border line between friends and enemies, therefore he counted as one of the latter. Aisha nibbled on some lettuce as she thought about this over and over again. She had joined Rena for breakfast that day. The said girl would also be accompanying her to Velder high - not that either of them had any idea how to navigate the school. As far as Aisha could tell from the map she reviewed online, that place was huge and brimming with people. She might even run into the idiotic one who allowed herself to be seduced by that demon of a boy.

"I still can't believe he has a girlfriend," Aisha stated as she stuffed her face with more lettuce.

Rena smiled. "It's normal to be jealous, Aisha."

"I'm not jealous! I'm... sympathetic. I totally feel sorry for the girl!"

"Did he tell you her name?"

"He didn't mention anything," Aisha sighed in frustration. "But that's probably because I kicked him out of my room before he could utter a single word."

Rena chuckled. "My, my. You're too obvious, Ai..."

"Obvious about what?"

Rena maintained her smile. "Oh nothing..."

"I'm not jealous, Rena!"

"You shouldn't be denying it. It's only going to make matters worse," Rena said in a playful tone.

"Ugh," Aisha ruffled her hair and let her hands fold across her chest. "God, why am I even talking about this with you?"

Rena shrugged. "Would you rather talk about this with Elsword?"

"No."

"How about Raven?"

"He's too mean-looking."

"Aisha, you have to understand that it's okay to share your problems with other people. You've been on your own for far too long. Maybe you should learn to be a bit more dependent," Rena said, suddenly concerned. She looked down at her now-empty plate before her eyes drifted back to Aisha's lithe form. "I know that I'm still a stranger to you. But I really want to be your friend, Ai. I won't push you about this and that... All I'm saying is that you should be a bit more open, especially when it comes to things you don't quite understand..."

Aisha averted her gaze. "I just don't like what's going on, Rena. I've only been here for two days and yet I'm finding it hard to sort myself out." She inhaled sharply. "I guess this is what it feels like to be the new kid on the old block."

"Have you tried revisiting your other friends?" Rena asked.

"They don't live here anymore," Aisha said. "They're all experiencing better lives somewhere on the other side of the continent while I'm back here with Eldork."

"Don't you think you're making assumptions-?"

"I've been contacting them, Rena. I'm not that heartless. I don't leave people behind on a whim without regretting it. Elsword rejected all my calls back then. He probably hated me the most. He could still be hating me now," Aisha's voice strained.

Rena stood up and occupied the chair closest to Aisha. "Listen Aisha, I've known Elsword long enough. He doesn't hate you. Inside, he's probably happy that you came back. Sure, your reunion was rather unexpected but if he was mad at you, he would have made a huge fuss and left. He's got this fiery attitude that's a bit tough to handle."

"Yeah... He hasn't changed much, has he?" Aisha asked.

"Elsword has grown up a little bit since the first time I met him. He used to be a lot fiercer."

"What was he like back then?"

"Mostly sad... and angry. He was really protective of his friends," Rena said. "I could remember when he met Raven in the park. Back then, Raven had a lot of issues and Elsword confronted him about it. They had a huge fight and Elsword ended up winning even if he was much smaller. It was kind of unexpected, actually. A while after that, they had a long talk and suddenly, they're friends. Really close ones too."

Aisha bit the insides of her cheek. "Did he mention anything about me before?"

Rena shook her head. "If he did, I might have had the slightest idea as to who you were when we first met."

"I see." He definitely hates me.

Rena noticed the frown on Aisha's face and allowed her lips to curve up into a small smile. "Aisha, lighten up... You're a positive person and I know for a fact that you're a good friend. Now is not the time to be pessimistic about your life. You're in Velder. This place might not have treated you nicely before... You might as well give it a second chance."

Aisha lowered her head. "I'm not sure if it's worth it... I'll only be here for a moment and then... then I'll be gone again."

"For crap's sake, make that moment count, Aisha," Rena's voice was brimming with passion. "There's a fire in you that no matter how many times you use it, it will never burn out! I see that flicker whenever you fight with Elsword. Be the strong person you are when you're in front of him!"

"You're right... Thanks for cheering me on," Aisha grinned. Regaining her composure and motivation, she threw a fist into the air. "I can totally do this!"

...

"I can't do this," Aisha drawled as she hid behind a tree close to Velder Academy. Looking at the front gate already made her shiver.

Calling it a palace would be an understatement. It was almost like a modern castle, with its surveillance cameras pointing in nearly every direction. The main building was a gargantuan structure that loomed over the entire area, its pinnacle pointing towards the sky. The walls were made of glass and stretched on for so long. Trees spanned the main gate up to the entrances of all the buildings. Navigating the entire school wouldn't be a breeze after all. Fortunately, there were security guards everywhere. Aisha probed for the proper questions to ask.

"I'm so excited! I wonder what's inside." Rena was getting giddy about the visitation.

"It's... just a school... An abnormally huge school for ridiculously rich people," Aisha stated whilst remaining wide-eyed.

"And ridiculously smart ones too, that's for sure," Rena said. "I can't imagine attending classes here."

"Which high school did you go to anyway?"

"Altera Academy," Rena voice had a hint of pride in it. "It's not as popular as Velder High but I'm proud of my achievements there."

"You're pretty smart too, Rena."

"Oh hush. Enough chit-chat. Shouldn't you be going inside?"

Aisha shook her head. "I think my stomach is turning to mush. Maybe I couldn't do this after all."

"Ugh," Rena grunted. "What happened to your motivation?"

"I probably drained it up when I realized what I've gotten myself into," Aisha fretted.

And suddenly they caught sight of a familiar shade of red walking towards the school ground without a care in the world. Right, Aisha almost forgot that Elsword was a kid with enough money and talent to actually attend Velder High.

"ELSWORD!" Rena bellowed.

The boy immediately turned his head toward the source. Aisha could only bang her head against the tree at the absurdity of her situation. She began muttering curses when he walked towards them.

"Huh. Chickening out, grapehead?" Elsword taunted. "I could have lent you a hard copy of the map of the school grounds but then again, you love to kick people out of your room before they could actually start helping you out."

"If you were so willing, you could have let me borrow it even if I kicked you out."

"Point taken. But I'm not obligated to lend stuff to you especially after you literally shoved my ass out of your house like I was some sort of garbage bag!"

"Stop it you two! You bicker and fight like kids on a Monday morning!"

They pointed at each other and simultaneously declared, "He/She started it!"

Rena placed a hand on her forehead. "Ugh… such a handful."

Aisha folded her hands across her chest and turned her head the other way with a grumble.

"Come on, Aisha! Now is not exactly the time to be like this! You need his help!" Rena begged.

"I thought you would be entering the school with me?!"

"Yes but you were being a fraidy-cat!" Rena asserted.

"So you were chickening out!" Elsword exploded into laughter.

Aisha tried to whack the boy on the head with her hand. "I wasn't scared. I was nervous. Big difference, egghead!"

"Aisha, it's just a school!" Elsword patted her on the shoulder. "If you could act all tough in front of me, you could walk the halls of Velder High like a pro."

"Yeah, it's totally easy to avoid the judgmental gazes of the rich and the popular," Aisha flexed her hand back and forth in a sarcastic gesture.

"Friendly reminder: You're not the only scholar in there," Elsword looked toward the school ground. "As a matter of fact, you should be a bit more confident. You didn't get into the school out of pure luck. They knew what you were capable of." He paused for a moment and fixed his gaze on Aisha. "So are you going in or not?"

The girl stared at the ground and made lines on the soil with the tip of her sneaker. "Do you really think I'd fit in?"

"You've got me," Elsword pointed his thumb towards his chest. "Unless you want to treat me like a garbage bag again."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Aisha rubbed the nape of her neck sheepishly. "Let's head inside and find the principal's office."

"Lead the way Els!" Rena pointed towards their destination, wherever it may be. Aisha couldn't help but look on with a bit of pride. Things are only about to begin.

...

Hi guys! Apologies for the super late upload. This chapter was a bit rushed, hence the dialogues. Anyway, to my reviewers (KumihoKaien and AmariYae) :

Yes! I am guilty of making Aisha a tsundere! Because she's more adorable that way :D

Thank you all for reading 3