... .:chapter 7:...
"You really should focus better." Colin said and sighed. Caitlyn grumbled.
"I do not like to do this." she said, nibbling on her pen. Rarely the job schools gave them homework, but because they thought she seemed 'uninterested' so they gave her even more. It still was snowing outside, but it was so much that the monsters had gone into hibernation and there was no use in training outside. The only options would be the dungeons, where it was stone cold. Only very strong people managed to stay on their feet in cold like that. And she had a lot of training to go before she could be strong like that.
Also, it was Christmas today, which ment that no one even wanted to train. A small smile crept up her face when she thought of the big Christmas Tree they had set up downstairs. All of them had helped to make it beautiful, and it looked amazing.
'I wonder if we overdid it though...' she thought. The tree might not be able to take the decorations. Oh well. Her mind didn't stop drifting off, though. She suddenly stood up, stretching her arms. Colin gave her a questioning look. "I'm heading out!" she said cheerfully, already on her way downstairs.
"It's freezing!" he yelled after her sleepily from not moving the whole day. She just smiled more and put on her jacket. And indeed, when she opened the door she just saw a wall of snow. She groaned. Then she went back inside, closed the door behind her and left the house via the balcony, with her board of course. And outside, she could barely believe what she saw.
It was deserted outside. No one, I repeat no one was outside, so everything was covered in a thick layer of white snow. It also was silent outside, and she sighed.
"It's pretty..." she whispered. She speeded up her board, feeling the icy wind in her face and lungs. But it felt refreshing somehow, and she kept flying.
"No mothbees in the sky either, huh..." she mumbled, a smile on her face. Then she landed on her favorite place, a small island floating in the sky. A lone tree stood on the white mass, and she heard snow shift and crunch when she landed. Careful not to cause some kind of avalanche, moved forward until she could find the bark of the tree. Then she slid down the trunk and leaned her back against it. She sighed, her breath making little clouds in the sky. Her dark pants turned white where they weren't under the tree. All the sounds were dulled somehow, maybe because of the snow... And it made her sleepy.
"Don't fall asleep here..." she heard a voice nearby mumble suddenly. Jerking up, she turned around. Just as she expected, the tall Elementor was standing in the snow, a few meters from her. He was clad in a dark brown jacket, and jeans, and had a brown cap on his raven hair. His eyes shone icy blue in the white world. She smiled sheepishly.
"Hi~" she said. He walked over, seemingly with difficulty, and dropped himself in the snow next to her without a sound. He sighed as well. She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes, a bit awkward.
"Um... Nice fight, a few days ago..." she mumbled, playing with a lock of her blond hair. Again, his presence made her shy, and it was annoying...
"I was surprised to see you there..." he mused. She looked at his face, but he was still smiling.
"A friend brought me along." she said, smiling slightly. The skies turned a darker gray and it started to snow more. The snowflakes became thicker. Nathan turned his eyes to the sky for a few seconds.
"It was because of you that I won, I think..." he mumbled, barely audible. She looked at him, barely processing what he was saying. 'Really? Is that serious?' she thought, actually wanting to ask those questions. But she didn't, she just smiled. He smiled at her awkwardly, obviously expecting her to say something. She shrugged.
"I'm glad." she simply said. He looked at her and stayed silent for a while. They both stared at the snow for a bit. She could feel a tingling feeling in her body as he shifted so they could both sit next to each other properly under the tree. She could feel the feeling stronger where his shoulder touched hers, and she scolded herself.
"Say... How is it to be a Guild Leader?" she asked, hesitating a bit. He shrugged.
"It's very busy, but also very rewarding. I don't mind it." he said and smiled.
"Don't you have people targeting you for the leadership or something?" she asked sheepishly. He chuckled. "Nah. I think you read too many novels. My guild members are friendly, at least the side of them that I know.". "Sorry for thinking that they're evil." Caitlyn mumbled under her breath. He laughed again; it resounded in the thick air. Caitlyn pulled her scarf up higher and looked at him with her dark blue eyes.
"Do they know this side of you, then?" she asked quietly. A blush crept up her face, and she tried to hide it with her scarf again. He looked at her for a second, his face expressionless.
'I didn't ask something bad, did I...' she thought, actually panicking. Then he smiled and leaned over as if to whisper something in her ear.
"Nah. This side is reserved for you.' he said quietly. He smirked, and smirked even more when her face turned beet red. Then he spun on his heel and vanished in the gust of wind she usually felt when he would disappear.
"That guy thinks and acts in clichés..." she whispered. 'It's still...' she thought though.
"Ahh, this is so messed up!" she said, grabbing her board. Even his footsteps had vanished. All the awkwardness from before turned into some kind of annoyance. While flying back, her mind was still yelling at her.
'You know yourself that that was obviously flirting! I can't expect a guild leader to do things like that? What is he thinking? What should I do? Why am I thinking in questions? AHH, this is so messed up!'
She blinked her eyes a few times when she made her way through the wall of snow in front of the house. She hadn't even gotten to see the town yet. 'Didn't think of it, and it's his fault..'
She groaned, dropping herself on the couch. And suddenly she noticed that it was silent. Checking her watch, she saw that it was five o'clock already. And it was becoming darker slowly but steadily.
"Anyone around?" she yelled, wondering where everyone vanished to. She could hear people moving upstairs.
"I'm sleeping!" Colin yelled. Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "Anyone else around?" she asked.
"Nope, everyone's headed to town!" he yelled. "There's a festival of some kind tonight at midnight! Let's go later, okay?" he yelled/asked. "Sure!" she yelled back. Then she dropped herself in the chair. Flicking her fingers with a bit of magic, the lights went off and the tree glowed red and gold in the candlelight. She stared at the tree.
'It feels strange to not have everyone here...' she thought quietly.
Suddenly she wanted him to be there as well. Though she wouldn't admit that to herself... She groaned, burying her face in the pillow.