Chapter 10:

The next day was quite weird. Jasmine and Mindy had just finished the last bits of their assignments and were in relief when they handed theirs in – only to get more homework over the weekend. I couldn't help but laugh at the look on their faces when they got handed more homework.

"Hey, Alexis," I said to the girl who always sat beside me in class.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Remember, you have to shout us lunch today!"

Alexis looked away. "Damn, how could I forget?"

I laughed. "You can't get out of it that easily."

"Remember, you're getting the drinks!" She smugly stated.

"Damn, I was hoping you'd forget!" I said truthfully.

She laughed. "Lucky Zane – he got an edible sandwich and gets free lunch today!"

We met up with Zane at lunchtime. He looked pretty laid back today.

"Hi Zane," I said as he approached. "How was your class?"

"Okay," he confessed. "It was pretty easy today. What about you two?"

"We got another assignment," Alexis told him. "But Erika, being the nerd she is, finished hers in class after she finished the class work!"

"HEY!" I yelled. "I'm not a nerd. I just want to achieve my goal!"

"And that is?" She asked.

"Being better than Zane," I confessed as I looked over at Zane. "Plus I want to have some spare time as well."

Zane gazed at me. "Do you still want to be better than me?" I gave him a nod.

"I'll go and get us lunch," Alexis said. "Place your orders now."

"Ditto with drinks," I said.

We decided to sit out beside the lighthouse to have our lunch. It was peaceful, compared to the lunchroom which was noisy.

I gazed out to the ocean. "Wow, the view is so beautiful here."

"Yeah, I come here to think," Zane confessed.

"I don't blame you," I told him. "It's nice."

A lot of thank you's went around as we all handed lunch around. I couldn't eat. The view was just too beautiful to do anything but gaze.

"Hey are you okay Erika?" Alexis asked.

I nodded. "I just can't help but look at the view. I've always loved the sea."

I then decided to eat lunch. The three of us then began to talk about home. Both Zane and Alexis were from very wealthy families. I couldn't help but feel out sided a little. Sure our family was wealthy but we didn't live it large like they did. We mainly talked about memories and how we got into duelling.

By the time we had finished talking, it had reached sunset. We were very lucky that there were no classes after lunch. I gazed out at sea, staring at the fire in the sky.

"Erika, I think we should go," Alexis told me.

"Can we leave after sunset?" I asked. "Please?"

Alexis sighed. "Okay but it's your fault if we get in trouble."

"I don't think we'd get in trouble for being out at this time," Zane told Alexis. "It's when it's after dark when the teachers get mad."

I just sighed and continued to stare out at sea. "Oh sunsets are so romantic! One day I'm gonna watch one with my true love."

Alexis looked surprised. "Are you a romantic or something Erika?"

I nodded. "I always have been ever since I was little. I'm not like Jasmine and Mindy who are caught up in paring people up. I'm the romantic that dreams of romantic views and sharing them with my true love."

I got a little surprised about what I had said and who I realised I had told. "Uh, sorry guys," I said. "That was a bit too deep huh."

Alexis giggled. "Just remind me to find your true love for you so you can tell him all this."

I laughed and looked over at Zane. He seemed to be gazing out at the setting sun, lost in thought.

I smiled. "Are you having fun there Zane?"

He looked at me surprised. He just smiled at me.

I couldn't help but blush. I hadn't ever seen Zane smile like that before. He looked more handsome than he did normally, if that was possible. I shouldn't say that about my friend, but it was true. The sun was mixed in with his eyes, making them look golden instead of blue.

I heard Alexis giggle. She pulled me up. "Let's get going. Jasmine and Mindy are probably waiting for us."

"Okay then," I said. "See you later, Zane!"

"Bye Zane!" Alexis said kindly.

"Bye you two," he said calmly.

"Is that true?" Jasmine said with her eyes focused on me.

"Or is Alexis lying?" Mindy said.

I felt rather awkward. Both Jasmine and Mindy were staring at me. I blushed. "No, I was just... Uh looking in that direction..."

"You were staring at him weren't you!?" Mindy said surprised.

"You like Zane!" Jasmine chimed. "Erika likes Zane! Erika likes Zane!"

I folded my arms and pouted. "He's my best friend and that's all. He was just smiling. He looks so different when he smiles."

"You looked like you were in love with him or something," Alexis joked. "It was so cute!"

"Oh don't you start Alexis!" I told her. "I only like him as a friend and nothing else okay?"

"You'll say that now but I bet you'll start to change your opinion on him," Mindy told me. "Remember, the cards!"

I rolled my eyes. "You made that up – it's not real."

"Whatever you say, Erika," she said. "The cards don't lie."

I couldn't help but laugh at what they were saying. But I wondered most about what Alexis thought. Did she like him?

I looked at Alexis. "Do you like Zane? Is that why you pulled me up?"

"I'm in love with duelling," she told me. "Plus Zane is like another brother to me. I pulled you up as I didn't want to watch you fall in love with him."

"I was not falling in love with him!" I said in defence.

Gosh these girls are annoying now. Then again, I was the one looking at him. I was just struck by how cute he was when he smiled. I couldn't tell them that otherwise I wouldn't hear the end of it.

I woke up to Alexis giggling the next morning.

"Good morning!" She said happily. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yeah I did," I told her. "What about you?"

"Yeah," she said, trying not to giggle. "I could tell you had a good sleep."

"Uh why?" I asked.

She giggled. "You mentioned Zane's name a lot."

I blushed. It was true though. I dreamed about Zane last night. The thing was we were duelling and he was beating me! It was so evil! In the end I won so it was a great dream.

"Yeah, you kept saying things like 'Zane!' or "be nice Zane'."

Alexis had a giggling fit. I bet she thought I was having very...um... 'Inappropriate' dreams about him.

"If you must know, I dreamt about duelling him. He was beating me hard core but then I turned it around and won. That's when I woke up," I told her. "One part was weird because I wanted him to let me win."

She thought about it for a while. "It does make sense. You could be frustrated with him in not going easy on you. I've heard you say that in duels with Mindy and Jasmine."

I laughed a little. "I only say it as a joke usually."

"I believe that you don't like him Erika," Alexis confessed. "I just love teasing you with Jasmine and Mindy!"

"Oh you're such a nice friend Alexis!" I said sarcastically.

"Thanks lots!" She said as a joke.