"So when are your parents supposed to return?" Trevor asked after yawning loudly.
Vald shrugged. He was staring down at the paper Professor Halvir had assigned and his mind was completely blank. He couldn't think of anything to write, which made it worse when he remembered the Professor Marse had also assigned them a paper due in a week.
"I think they're supposed to be back in September," Oliver said while typing on his computer. "Henry was supposed to return first, though."
"Why is it that you're the only one that remembers?" Trevor asked.
"Cause I always remember for you guys," Oliver said smugly. "Who else would remember when you two are so forgetful?"
Trevor grunted in acknowledgement and stared at Vald. The room was quiet until he groaned loudly and cried out, "It's too quiet!"
"You can always go home," Oliver reminded him.
"But my mom wanted me to clean the house," Trevor complained.
"What time is it?" Vald asked suddenly.
Oliver glanced at the clock and answered, "Seven. Why…?"
He trailed off as Vald jumped up from the couch, spilling the paper assignments all over the floor, and hastily yanked open his laptop. His friends just looked at him blankly as he tapped his fingers impatiently, getting into the internet and Crimson Spell.
"What's up?" Trevor asked.
Vald chuckled. "I'm meeting someone on Crimson Spell tonight."
Oliver closed his laptop and moved to see over Vald's shoulder. "Who? That guy in your class?"
"No," Vald said as the site loaded and he started logging in, "Abraham had too much stuff to do. No, my professor is into the game and agreed to meet me!"
"That teacher everyone says is psycho?" Trevor clarified. "The same professor who agreed to meet you before but bailed?"
"I guess."
"Want us to meet you in game?" Oliver asked. "If he's high enough you could get him to help us with a mission I just picked up."
Trevor moved to the desktop computer Vald's parents had and turned it on. Vald glanced at the loaded game and said, "It looks like you're already online, Oliver."
Oliver groaned as Vald opened his friend list to show him that he was definitely logged on, and running around the next kingdom over. "Why doesn't she just get her own character!"
"Because she's good enough with yours," Trevor smirked.
"You have to admit, Liz is better than you at the game," Vald put in.
Oliver didn't say anything. He crossed his arms and sat down on the couch next to Vald. He watched while Vald transported into the beginning kingdom and returned to the ruins he had waited before. Someone was already there, sitting on the ground and setting up a pretty complicated spell. This was clearly no beginner.
"Professor?" Vald typed into a private chat he opened with the player.