(Amaia)
She asks with such gentle expectation that I can't say no.
"Who doesn't love a good diary?" My answer makes her smile widen.
"See, a girl with a taste." She winks, making me smile. Unaware and oblivious to the truth I conceal in my heart, that makes me bleed, behind this fake smile.
"Also I have a Phoenix quill for the boys. It came from a real phoenix." She shows us a long reddish-orange quill and waves it in her hand.
We all know phoenixes don't exist. They are mythical birds. So boys just snicker.
We get to work, focusing on creating the potion. Cristo is lazy but intelligent, and he seems to have worked with solutions before.
On the other hand, this is all new to me. I usually handle situations with a sword, this chemical warfare is new to me.
Since mankind exhausted most of its chemical weapons, bombs and ammunition during the apocalypse. It was the supernatural forces that finally won them the war against the mutilated creatures.
The production of weapons has dwindled and remains under strict rules due to limited resources.
Only the elites can afford and keep them; the rest of us have to rely on training and medieval-style weapons. And the magic has also been limited in use. Only Enforcers are allowed to freely use magic.
"Here, dice the heart into small pieces, try to keep them the same size so consistency while dissolving is maintained." Cristo guides me thoroughly, handing me the scalpel and I follow his instructions.
Sometimes Jamina comes over. The sweet scent of the perfume she wears lingers around her.
With kindness, she guides me like the rest of her pupils; there is no discrimination she keeps between males and females or between her guild and others.
Suddenly, a small *Boom* rocks our room.
My heart jumps into my mouth when I hear Alnitak curse.
It's Alnitak and his partner who had run into trouble with their experiment. Both of them jump out of their seats.
Equipment goes flying, liquid spills and before anyone is hit Jamina swiftly clicks her fingers, making a small portal open underneath the table, like a black whirlpool. It swallows it along with all the broken equipment and swirling gases.
It closed as quickly as it had opened, leaving me stunned.
That's a rare kind of magic she possesses. Either one of her parents or ancestors is a witch or a Fae.
Only witches and Fae have magic in our world. Since the Fae have been killed only people with Fae ancestry remain. I am the last of pure-bred Fae, although I have never met my father, I know he was a Fae.
"Phew! That was a disaster." Alnitak stands there and just rubs the white powder off his uniform.
"You think?" Mintaka chuckles from his seat.
"Everyone alright?" Jamina asks with concern. Quickly walking over and checking Alnitak and his partner for any injuries.
"We are fine." He beams, rubbing the back of his head. My grip on the scalpel finally loosens, hearing he hasn't been injured.
"Take the other desk and be careful," Jamina instructs them. They nod and move towards the spare table to work again.
The rest of our class goes without any more accidents, and thanks to Jamina and Cristo's guidance, we obtain the required colour.
"Now this is what I call the perfect colour for the Aphi Potion. Good job Cristo and Amaia." She shows the whole class our potion. A few others have familiar colours too.
"Today's winners are Amaia and Cristo. Good job guys." She beams, handing us the diary and the quill.
While Alnitak gives me two thumbs up, Kacir a nod of acknowledgement, Mintaka and Rahria refuse to glance in my direction.
"Bottle up your potions and use them for your battle against the Antrodias tomorrow. Good luck." Jamina wraps up the class while we help her put away the equipment.
"Excellent job, Amaia," Cristo lazily praises me while he swirls the soft quill in his hand. "It's a fake but I like it."
I hold the diary she has given me, all girlish with rainbows, unicorns and glitter. Somehow it makes my heart happy because I usually forget I am a girl.
Most of the class has emptied out when someone grabs the diary from my hands.
Startled, I turn around and it's the girl from the Serpens, one who has been paired with Rahria.
"What's so special about you that Professor Astride had to award you this? I thought a lot of other potions were better than yours." She stands with her other hand on her hip. Nose and lip rings stand out while her neon blue hair has been pushed to the left side, leaving the right side shaved.
Her foot taps the ground while she twirls the diary in her hand and snickers. Rahria stands beside her with a scowl.
"Go away, Caria. Why do you always have to stir up trouble? Return the diary to Amaia," Cristo speaks from beside me.
"Shut up! I know you made the potion, this dumb wench from a small pack can't make such an elaborate potion on her first try. So she doesn't deserve it."
"She is also trying to steal Kacir from me," Rahria adds and I just want to facepalm myself.
"Dumb wench from a small pack? You don't even have the manners to speak with people and somehow think you deserve it," I say with a snort, crossing my arms over my chest.
Caria's smile falls flat and before she can lunge at me, Alnitak grabs the diary from her hands and comes to stand between us. Shielding me with his body.
"That's enough drama from both of you. Get going before I make you."
His domineering presence and threatening voice have them throwing one contemptuous look my way, before scooting.
"Why is your sister not more like you, Cristo?" Alnitak slowly turns to face us and hands me the diary.
Cristo just gathers his stuff and shrugs.
"Who knows, man. I am just tired of her and, in general, of people. See you around."
He leaves, shaking his head with streaks of blue hair prominent in them.
"So they are siblings?" I ask Alnitak, hugging the diary to my chest and he nods, filling me with his delicious scent and letting my eyes feast.
"Yeah, twins like Mintaka and me. But they are so very different from each other. Anyways, let's head out for lunch and the training session after."
I don't mind at all and let him lead the way. I might enjoy the time I have with him before someone poisons him, too, and he becomes indifferent like my other mates.