Deathchill - 7 Is It Over?

“Goodmorning, Lexus!” Vanir Veit yells out to me. “Ready for practice today?”

“What do you want?” I ask, like I’m the best in the world when I’m clearly not.

“Look, I’m just gonna get straight to the point,” Vanir says to me, dropping the nice guy act. “I was assigned to come up with a training routine for you.”

“Nice to know not everyone treats me like a goddess,” I smirk.

“Because you’re clearly not,” Vanir says, pointing at me. “You’re just a student like the rest of us and just because you saved that neighbourhood doesn’t mean you’re some goddess. In fact I don’t even understand why everyone treats you like such a big deal.”

“Neither do I,” I say, avoiding eye contact. “I’m nothing.”

“You must be a professional fisherwoman,” Vanir says, rolling his eyes. “Come on let’s go train for a bit.” I roll my eyes and start to follow him.

We enter the center of the training field, “Alright, stand in the center of the circle that I have set up for you,” Vanir says to me. He has a spirit battling circle on a part of the field, I go and stand on it. “Alright, tell me your powers.”

I roll my eyes, “Fire, death and cold.”

“Mine are necromancer, arch of time, I also control plants, invisibility and I can summon spirits,” Vanir responds to me.

“That explains the circle,” I roll my eyes.

“Think fast!” Vanir sends a ghost after me. Death doesn’t work on ghosts, so I blast it with a fireball and set myself on fire. “Nice start.”

Next thing I know I’m surrounded by phantoms, they can’t hurt me because they would just burn up from the flames but I might as well try. I freeze every single one around me, they stop in their tracks and fall to the ground. I have gotten so much stronger, before I could only slow stuff down, this must be because of the blessing. What is a goddess blessing anyway?

“Hey, Vanir,” I say as I burn some more phantoms.

“What’s up?” He asks as he triples the amount.

“What’s a goddess blessing?” I ask, sending out a wave of flames.

“It’s when a goddess lends you their powers and gives you some of their soul,” Vanir explained. “If you are respected and well known by enough gods or demons you have the chance to become one yourself.”

“Alright,” I send out a blast of fire. “Good to know.”

“Wait, did you get a goddess blessing?” Vanir asks me, amazed.

“Maybe,” I say, extinguishing myself since he stopped spawning the phantoms. “Jowangsin.”

“The goddess of fire, hearths and the kitchen?” He asks, confused. “At least it’s a blessing and she has a lot of connections too. Clearly the level of training we can provide isn’t good enough.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I mean, you now have to train with Jowangsin in order to master your new powers,” Vanir explained. “I’ll have you excused from all practices except for the ones two weeks before competitions.”

“When is our first game?” I ask, as I exit the circle.

“Wednesday,” Vanir answered. “So in two days.”

“Sounds good,” I nod and start to walk away. “Well see you later!”

“This doesn’t mean we’re friends!” He yells at me. “I just respect you a little more, that’s it!” Why can’t people just not treat me like a big deal?

I go to my locker to open it and get ready for non magic class, but right as I open it the bell rings. I have five minutes to get to class, put on my tiki and teleport, wait, I have my own tiki now, where did I leave it? I reach into the back of my locker, I feel a skull but I don’t think it’s my brooch. I check the bottom of my bag, just a bunch of scrunched up papers. I check my team uniform, not there. I better get to class to borrow one.

I’m about halfway there when I feel it already on my shirt, “How did I not notice?”

“Better hurry up!” Bryan yells to me from the other end of the hall.

“I already got mine!” I yell back as I begin to teleport and point at him without any tiki. “Better worry about yourself.”

I teleport, I’m outside of a Tim Hortons, I would get a drink but I would end up being late, so I better run.

“Lexus,” Shi says, coming out of nowhere. “Let’s go.”

“Shi, you scared me,” I say, gasping for breath. “Let’s go.”

Shi teleports me to the girls bathroom, he’s not here, obviously. He’s most likely inside of the boys washroom. I exit the washroom and enter my classroom, it seems we have a sub today. Hakai, Samuel, Anne and Lukas see me and gesture to me to come over, Shi walks closely behind me and I don’t notice him until he sits next to me.

“Good morning, everyone,” the substitute teacher says, clearly putting on a nice guy act. “I’m your substitute teacher, Ms. Wowzers.”

“I already want to punch her,” Shi whispers to me.

“Why?” Lukas asks. “She seems so nice and polite.”

Shi rolls his eyes, “Noob.”

Samuel is completely mesmerized by her, “What’s up, Samuel?” Hakai asks him.

Samuel doesn’t even respond to her question, he just stands up and starts shooting her with compliments, “I love your hair, I love your outfit, I love your makeup, you look so young, do you get your outfits tailored made? I so, who makes them, I love your nails, you have such an amazing figure, what’s your secret? Do you workout? Are you vegan or something like that?”

It takes a second for the teacher to process what just happened, she stops smiling, she looks like she’s gonna smack him, “Sit down! Now!” She yells. I knew it was a fake act.

“Noob,” Shi says to Lukas. Lukas completely ignores him.

Samuel takes his seat and turns to whisper to Anne, “I told you I could break her.”

“Fifty bucks she’ll write a whole essay to Mr. Snider about how terrible you are,” Anne whispers back.

“No talking!” Ms. Wowzers yells at us.

Anne turns and starts to stare at me, I have the feeling that she forgot that we can’t do that while wearing our tikis.

“Hey, Lexus?” Anne asks me.

“Yeah?” I ask.

“Does Julian hate you now or something?” She asks me and points to Julian who has just walked through the door and is currently giving Shi a death stare.

“He’s looking at Shi,” I say turning back around. “Not me.”

“I’d fight him,” Shi says looking at him and turning back. “Teach him a lesson.”

“Shi,” I shake my head at him. “Don’t.”

“I’m just saying,” Shi shrugs. “He’s not good enough for you.”

“How do you know what’s good for her?” Anne snaps at him.

“Give him a break,” Hakai defends him. “He isn’t in a good mood.”

“Wanna get kicked out?” Ms. Wowzers asks us, mainly focusing on Samuel, who wasn’t talking.

“No mam,” Samuel says to her, confused.

Ms. Wowzers goes over to her desk to begin the class, “Today I will be putting on a movie, no talking.”

“What movie?” Samuel asks her.

“I said no talking!” Ms. Wowzers snaps at him. “You speak when I tell you to speak!”

“Yes mam,” Samuel says, looking down. I wish I wasn’t wearing my tiki, she’s the one that needs to be taught a lesson.

Ms. Wowzers puts on The Bee Movie, how old does she think we are? We are in high school!

Lukas turns and whispers to Samuel, “I think she might be racist.”

“Never assume things,” Samuel whispers back. “But I think I may have to agree with you.”

Ms. Wowzers pauses the movie and slams her desk, “Get out!”

“Who?” Shi asks.

“That kid right there!” Ms. Wowzer yells, pointing at Samuel. “Never come back!”

“Let’s go,” Hakai says, as we all stand up and walk towards the door.

“No, no, no,” Ms. Wowzers shakes her fingers. “Only him!”

“Go fuck yourself!” I yell back at her. Treat how you want to be treated, since he won’t treat her like shit, we will.

“Excuse me?” Ms. Wowzers gasps. That seemed to have made Julian laugh.

“Oh sorry, granny,” I start to vocally attack her. “It seems that your ears are starting to be too filled up with hair and wax that you can’t hear properly. You may want to get yourself some hearing aids and even retire, since you’re so old fashioned that you think it’s okay to be racist.”

“Suspended!” Ms. Wowzers yells. “A month for that boy and a week for the rest of you!”

“Called it,” Lukas said as we exit the classroom. “Should’ve made it a bet.”

“Your teacher will be hearing about this!” Ms. Wowzers yelled.

“Our teacher is full of shit!” I yell back. Julian is balling his eyes out laughing, at least I made someone happy.

We enter the hallway and start to walk to the office. Something seems wrong with Samuel, I think it would be best for me to keep my mouth shut.

“Everything okay, Samuel?” Hakai asks the second she notices something wrong with him. Am I a bad friend? I should’ve said something. I’m the worst.

“Yeah, just,” Samuel cuts himself off.

“Come on,” Anne says, butting in. “You can talk to us.”

“I just don’t feel like calling anyone a racist, even if it is true,” Samuel looks so sad. I never actually thought someone would be uncomfortable calling someone else a racist. I guess it makes sense, but I’m not really qualified to say anything about anything. “I just don’t feel like it’s a civil thing to do.”

“That lady was yelling at you for no reason,” Lukas says, turning around and pointing at our classroom door. “Do you really think civil was the right way to go?”

“It’s always best to go civil first,” Samuel shrugged.

“Oh please, I’ve seen you fight with random people about what shade of pink looks best on them,” I laugh. Samuel looks at me with a really mad look, what did I say wrong? Everyone hates me now! I should just go home and disappear, nobody would miss me anyways.

We enter the office and Janice immediately greets us, despite us always being sent to the office she never thinks badly of us.

“What happened this time?” Janice asks us with a sweet and comforting smile.

“Ms. Wowzers is a racist,” Lukas immediately says. Samuel gives him a ‘shut up’ look.

“Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised,” Janice said as she stood up and tossed us all an apple. Janice is amazing, I should talk to some of the gods and make sure that she lives her best life.

“What do you mean?” Samuel looks up at her with amazed eyes.

“I have the feeling that whoever is hiring these teachers is racist,” Janice says as she takes a bite of her apple. “I know that sounds like a large accusation but I can’t help but think it.”

Hakai turns and whispers to Shi, “Report the school using your tiki.”

“Just finished,” He whispers back.

“So why do you stay?” Anne asks.

“I stick around to make sure that nothing ever goes out of hand,” Janice shrugs.

“Have I ever mentioned that you are the best adult in the school?” I say. She really is. Samuel rolls his eyes at me, what did I do?

“Go enjoy the rest of your guys’ days,” Janice says as she waves us goodbye.

“You too,” I say as I wave back. Samuel seems so mad at me, he hates me. Everyone hates me. “Hey guys I’m just gonna go home.”

“Is everything okay?” Anne asks me. It seems that Shi has just noticed everything that has been happening and now he looks like he wants to kill Samuel. What is wrong with everyone lately? I’m nothing, why is everyone always defending me?

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, hesitantly. “I think.”

“Want me to walk you home?” Lukas asks me.

“No thanks,” I say, looking at Samuel who is currently avoiding eye contact with me. “I think I should just be alone right now.”

“I feel like being alone too,” Anne adds.

“Yeah I’m just gonna go home,” Shi continues.

“What about gym?” Lukas asks.

“What about it?” Shi asks him.

“What’s gym?” I ask. They really do know how to cheer me up, but I should still be without anyone, for Samuels sake.

“Yeah I never heard of that word before,” Anne laughs.

“See you guys tomorrow,” Lukas says as we start to teleport away. “If you don’t end up ditching again.”

I go home, jump into my bed, I’m such a terrible person, I’m such a terrible friend. Wait, why am I being alone because Samuel is upset? He doesn’t decide my life! I should call up Anne and invite her to hangout.

I run to grab my kinit and call Anne but I hesitate, maybe I should be alone? Common courtesy, afterall Samuel is my friend. I should just go back to bed, I should just stay there forever. It would be the best for everyone.

“Why aren’t you at school, Sweety?” My mother asks as she enters my room after hearing me stomping around.

“I just had a bad day,” I say, only turning my head to talk. “I think everybody hates me.”

“Oh, Sweety,” My mom sits next to me on my bed and starts to rub my back. I don’t know why people think that that’s consoling, I just find it uncomfortable. “Trust me, nobody hates you, if only you could see what everyone else sees.”

“Last time I checked I do,” I say, turning onto my back. “I guess that I actually have standards.”

“How do you check to see if you see what everyone else sees?” My mother asks, clearly trying to make a joke to lighten up the situation. I throw my pillow at her. “Hey! I’m serious!”

“Mom, is something wrong with me?” I ask, hugging my pillow. “Like, I’m always sad and yet no one else seems to be sad, ever.”

“Always sad you say?” My mom asks, raising an eyebrow. “Well if you’re always sad then that means that you’re always putting on a happy face. So how do you know that no one else is doing the same?”

“Because they don’t have a reason to be sad,” I say, finally looking at my mother. She has a scar on her face, shows those monsters right, never mess with my parents. “They are amazing, they deserve the world and more. Especially since they put up with me all the time.”

“You know, Lexus, people don’t put up with you,” my mother says with a sadish smile. Why is she sad? “They enjoy your company.”

“Whatever,” I say, turning my back to her. “I want to be alone right now.”

“Alright, I’ll make you a snack and then I’ll bring dinner up for you,” my mom says as she leaves my room.

“Why do you treat me so well?” I ask. “I mean it’s not like I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

She just closes and her eyes, smiles and says, “Because I’m your mother and I will always love you.”

‘I will always love you,’ if I can’t love myself then how come everyone else can? I better sleep on it, hopefully, I’ll stay asleep until I’m worth something.

I can’t sleep.