"And the victor of the Duel Academy Tournament is Azure Roarke!" I hear the commentator's voice in disbelief and my eyes widen. I smile shyly as the crowd roar in enthusiasm, and I walk nervously over to Jaden.
"Azure, amazing duel! I can't wait for a rematch!" He says with a grin, and I smile.
"You too Jaden, I haven't had someone destroy my strategy like that. You certainly have heart." I say, and he hugs me.
"Congratulations Miss Roarke!" Chancellor Shepard is walking up to us on the duel stage, flanked by Professor Hutton, Professor Battle and Professor Hallie. At the back I see Zane following mutely, with a small tug on his lips, and his eyes sparkling slightly. I never thought I'd see that.
"Thank you Chancellor Shepard, it was a tough duel." I say, bowing my head slightly.
"Indeed! Well, you've won the tournament for East Academy, so may I present Zane Truesdale, last year's victor and top duellist at Duel Academy with your magnificent trophy!" Chancellor Shepard continues with a closed-eyes smile.
Zane comes forward, a large silver trophy in hand. He stops before me, and smiles.
"Congratulations. You deserve this." He says, and hands me the trophy. I take it shyly, blushing slightly at his words. I hold the trophy above my head and the crowd roars. I step down from the stage, shaking slightly, and Bastian, Sy and Alexis come up to me.
"Congratulations Azure! I knew you'd win." Alexis says sweetly, hugging me lightly.
"Yes, indeed, it seemed like you had the upper hand from the beginning, and knew exactly how to beat him. Well done Azure." Bastian agrees thoughtfully.
"You were great Azure! Jaden you were amazing too!" Sy says, in a closed eye smile. I smile shyly at their comments.
"Thank you, all of you. I-" I try to think of words to say, but I stop short.
"Azure." I hear Zane's voice behind me, and he nods appreciately at me. He stalks of, and I know to see him tonight. But then I look at Sy who was trembling slightly.
"Azure Roarke, please report to the Chancellor's office at 2 pm." The voice comes strong from the PA system, and I decide I should find Thomas.
"I'm going to go and find Thomas." I say lightly, bowing my head slightly and turning away from my friends to go to the medical wing.
"Nurse Fontaine?" I ask into the white medical wing.
"She went to see the Chancellor I think." I hear a familiar voice and look to Thomas' bed. I'm stuck speechless. I just don't know what to say.
"I heard you just won against Jaden Yuki, the lucky first-year. Congratulations new victor." He says, and I manage to croak out some words.
"I won't be able to stand up to the last one, but… How are you?" I ask hesitantly, whilst moving closer to his bed.
"Not too bad, considering I was sent flying into a wall and god knows what speed. Only a very bruised back, headache's now and then. I should be out quite soon." Thomas says, thought the bitterness obvious in his voice.
"I'm sorry Tommy. I didn't manage to control it." I say anxiously.
"You obviously managed to control it with the other opponents… I am the only in here." He says, looking away from me.
"Tommy, I was… I was angry Tommy. You destroyed her. You broke her heart more than he ever could've. We didn't even know where you were, what you were doing, how you were. I didn't know you even went here." I said, more with a sad, disappointed tone than an angry one.
"I didn't mean to. Life seemed easier going with Dad… he let me do what I wanted, have parties, duel all day and night, when I got bad grades, he didn't mind. Though it's not like he exactly cared." He replies, again the bitterness showing in his voice. The clean, whiteness of the medical wing seemed like an unusual place to have this conversation.
"Just a letter. That's all we needed." I say sadly. "Hunter said I should give you a chance. I wasn't so sure."
"Are you…?" He asks, sounding like a wounded puppy. My heart softens.
"If you want it." I answer hesitantly, and he turns to look at me. "But you have to write to Mum. Soon."
"I will Az. Come here." He says appreciately, and I hug him, squeezing his shoulders.
"I missed you Tommy."
I'm walking down the corridor, to see the Chancellor. I'm not sure what to expect. My quiet footsteps seem to be the only thing I can think about as they get muffled by the floor.
"Ah, Azure! Please come in." The Chancellor and Dr Crowler are in the office, the Chancellor behind his desk, and Dr Crowler standing straight by his side. I walk in nervously.
"You wanted to see me Chancellor?" I ask timidly.
"Yes, I have been in conversation with Professor Hutton recently, and she tells me despite your duelling skills, you never managed to fit in right at East Academy, which astounds me since it appears you've already befriended Alexis Rhodes and Jaden Yuki in your time here, especially after your duels together." The Chancellor says, a smile on his face.
"Jaden and Alexis have made it easier to talk to them here I guess." I say nervously.
"So you have been duelling for how long?" Dr Crowler asks, me, coming forward slightly.
"Since I was… I'm not sure, ever since I understood it. My brothers kind of got me into it." I answer truthfully.
"Well of course, I hear your eldest brother is working for Exodus International!" Chancellor Shepard says with a broad smile.
"Yes, he's in Shang Hai at the moment." I answer.
"Hm, well after conversing with Professor Hutton, and after your magnificent win in the tournament, I would like to offer you a place at duel academy. You'd be placed in the Obelisk blue girl's dorm after your impressive win, as all girls are, and I'd expect you'd settle in well here!" The Chancellor looks at me with a questioning look, and I try to reply but I can't find many words.
"Thank you so much… I, um I-" I stumble easily.
"I have already sent your mother a letter, and she has already approved you're staying here if you wish it." The Chancellor continues.
"Thank you, Yes! I would love to become a student here." I answer, a smile creeping onto my face.
"Well, then it's all in order. The paperwork will be filed, and everything else can be sorted out easily. Your room in the obelisk blue girl's dorm has already been placed, but you'll need to stay in your present dorm room till all the competitors from the tournament have left."
"Of course. Thank you so much for this opportunity." I say thankfully, bowing respectfully.
"You deserve it." The Chancellor finishes as I turn to leave his office. Once I'm outside, a broad grin slides onto my face and I start walking to find Alexis.
"Azure." I hear my name and spin on one foot, and find Zane coming up to me.
"You really should stop doing that, you'll scare the daylights out of someone." I say, a smile still on my face.
"Why so happy?" He asks, ignoring my first comment.
"I'm coming to school here. Chancellor Shepard just gave me the offer." I say nervously, slightly afraid of what he might think. He still smiles though, in the deserted corridor.
"I'm looking forward to you staying here then." He replies. I blush at his words.
"You should probably stop smiling as much… Alexis will think something's up…" I mutter, and he pulls me into an embrace. I hug him back, and he's kissed my cheek.
"Again, congratulations on your win. Sometime we'll have to duel." My eyes widen.
"What?" I say instinctively, saying the first word that comes into my head. "I can't- what, no, you'll win so easily and-" I splutter.
"It will be a completely fair duel. But that's for later. Alexis is in the library if you want to talk to her." He says, slowly turning away. I walk in the opposite direction to the library, half-horrified at the prospect of duelling him. I'd heard of him before I'd even come here. Respectful, cyber-style duellist, really as good as his reputation. And his reputation was no loses in his 2nd or 3rd year so far, and only one loss in his first year against a visiting pro. And I have no doubt he's as good as he seems.
"Alexis!" I say, waving to her with her friends Jasmine and Mindy.
"Hey Azure, what's up?" Alexis says, her two friends looking at me suspiciously.
"Well, I just got invited to go to school here so…" I say, a smile forming on my face as she hugs me.
"Azure, that's so great! Do you want to join us to get ready for the Triumph gala?" I look at her in alarm.
"Oh… I have to go to that don't I…" I say in realisation.
"Weren't you always going to go?" Jasmine asks confused.
"I didn't expect to win… no…" I almost groan, but stay up front.
"Why wouldn't you want to go? It's like a ball! Like the opening dinner, but everyone has to dress up, and we get to look beautiful…" Mindy says dreamily.
"Though no guys will ever ask you to dance." Jasmine adds moodily, and Mindy snaps out of it.
"Anyway, do you want to come? We'll be in my room, number 27." Alexis says, ignoring her two friends.
"I guess so…" I say nervously. "I'll meet you there…" I say hesitantly. I wave, going back to the dorm room.
"Well, look who it turned out great for." I open the door and Lisa is staring back at me. Camilla's nowhere to be seen but still…
"Come to get ready for your Triumph ball… hmph, you don't deserve to win, you were a complete fluke. Luck. It was luck that got Jaden Yuki to the final, and it was Luck that made him your opponent. You don't deserve…" Lisa snarls but I bravely walk into the room to my bag, and quickly get my dress for tonight.
"What, so you're just going to pretend I don't exist? Well I do! I'm top duellist at East Academy, not you! I am!" I here her shouts getting louder and her footsteps bringing her towards me. Her words blur together and I turn into the bathroom to get my cosmetics bag. I don't even know what she's yelling at me now, I'm just focussing on packing the cosmetics bag up. There's my mascara, my eyeliner… then a white hot pain surfaces on my lower back. My jaw clenches at the pain but as soon as I turn around I see her swiping at me once more. My instincts react more than anything else. My hand whips up and I catch her wrist, before pushing past her to get out the door.
I've pushed myself out, closing the door behind me, and I'm so glad the halls are empty. Sound resurfaces in my ears as I hear something being pushed onto the floor in the dorm room, and quiet voices coming from a couple hallways away. I reach down to the small of my back, where the ringing pain is centres. I feel the scratch marks in my skin, and realise she must have scratched me hard and fast with both hands, just at the space between my crop top and my jeans. I turn a few more corners, sneaking invisibly to the boys part of the dorm, going to what I hope is the most secluded corridor in the dorm. I sink down onto my knees, hanging my head in defeat, examining the red stain on my fingers.
I beat her, but I still can't defend myself from her.
"Why can't I stop this…" My voice murmurs into the thick air without my knowing, and I don't even look up when I hear footsteps coming towards me. A warm embrace holds me up, moving me into the nearest room at the end of the corridor, my feet moving without a command. It's when I finally hear a voice that I snap out of it, and look around.
"Azure, what happened?" Zane is looking right at me, and I'm in a clean, neat and tidy room, books stacked neatly on a desk, the bed I'm sitting on well-made, and further away there is a couch with a large tv.
"I stopped her…" I mutter, my words slurring.
"Azure, was this Lisa?" Zane asks concerned, and I nod timidly.
"But… I stopped her." I repeat to myself, while Zane moves around me to look at my back.
"We should do something about that." He says, moving away, coming back with a wipe and a large plaster. I let him wipe away the blood, the slight sting of the anti-septic not bothering me, then he moves to sit next to me.
"You have no idea how glad I am you won't be going to school with her anymore." Zane says protectively, and I blush.
"I don't even know what happened. I just went in, and she was there and… it's all a bit blurry." I explain, and he nods. "What's it like here? I sit like how it is now all the time?"
"Yes. Though of course there's classes." Zane replies. "Are you worried?"
"I don't know how I couldn't be." I say, staring at the floor. "What if I don't fit in? What if I start failing classes? What if something like Lisa comes up? What would I do about it? What if everyone expects me to be a better person, what if-" The words blather out of my mouth just as they appear.
"Azure." Zane moves closer to me and puts an arm round me, his cheeks obviously flushing as he cups my cheek. "You have no need to worry. You'll fit in. You're as clever as Bastian, and Lisa's one of a kind." He says, his voice calming me. My breathing slows, and I stop shaking, but my heart's still beating in my ears.
We both lean in, just like the first time, our lips meeting easily in the middle. I shift uneasily to try and gain more height on him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands settle perfectly on my waist, and I start to run my fingers through his hair. His lips are just as soft as before, and I wonder how unbelievable this is. We both break away breathless, and I suddenly notice the empty space in my mouth.
"Thank You." I say, before kissing him on the cheek nervously and hurrying out, with my bag ready for the gala.
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