Chapter 5

I looked behind us and saw a familiar figure coming towards us - Aliya; She was scowling…

"Oof I would love to continue this conversation, but I've lost a lot of brain cells listening to you and someone's coming, and she looks angry" I said as I walked away to Starla.

*All this is just too weird for me to take in. I wonder if my parents even did a background check on this Academy before enrolling me into the academy. Because their plan was for me to get my mental health back, but it seems this Academy is going to make me lose it for real*

I didn't even know when I walked past Starla, but she pulled me back and that was when I came back to reality.

"Morgan, what was that?" She asked concerned.

"Um… Nothing I was just thinking about something" I said.

"Ok, wow what just happened? I mean, pairing you up with Jason… That's sick" Starla said, visibly excited.

"I honestly don't know how I'm going to survive at all with him as my partner. He's too arrogant and proud, " I said with a scoff.

"Yeah, but you both were talking just now" She said

"Yeah because we couldn't kill ourselves right now" I said, rolling my eyes.

*Aisha that boy always gets me annoyed. Should I ask Starla about his magic abilities?*

"Um Starla, does Jason have any magical powers or something?"

"Yeah he does." She answered as we were walking back to our room.

"Um like what specific power?" I asked.

"Actually he has a lot of powers, you know he's the strongest student in the academy when it comes to magic. The only other person that could challenge him is Xavier, but it's in combat" She explained.

"Oh… But do you know if he can make time stop"

"Wait how did you know?" She asked confused.

"Um I witnessed it"

"Wait, you what? Nobody has ever witnessed it before, not even the principal. Like once, he does it, nobody ever knows because you won't feel anything different, at a point people thought it was not a real power, so I'm really surprised you witnessed it." She said as she looked at me.

I shrugged and said, "I don't know"

*I know I'm not supposed to overthink, but this is getting more weird, I can't seriously deal with this. But then if nobody has ever seen Jason pull that time freezing stunt, how was I able to see it?*

While we were walking, Starla talked excitedly about this new school year and how she feels it's going to be "different and fun" for her…

~~~~~~~~

𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘃

I sighed as I stepped down from the car. The driver motions for me to go inside the academy, that he would drop my bags in my room.

It's always the story every year, luckily Miss Paddington was not here to receive me or else she'll be talking non-stop about how the year would be different, but every time it turns out to be the same.

It's always us practicing, Aliyah clinging to me like her life depended on it, no new face, no new competitor. It's just so exhausting, I would rather not come back here, but my father forced me, saying it's my "responsibility".

As I stepped foot inside the hall, I felt something different, like a different, stronger power. I thought the academy was on a magic lockdown until after the orientation, how come I am feeling like this?

Maybe it's the new protection spell…

I could already hear the chaos coming from the dinning hall, I rolled my eyes as I kept walking towards the principal's office.

As I was about to go to the opposite hall from the library, I bumped into someone; a girl. My first thought was that she did it purposely just to get my attention because countless girls do it every time.

"Can't you watch where you're going to?" I said in the most condescending tone I had.

"Are you kidding me? You literally bumped into me, and you're getting crappy" She said in an equally condescending tone.

I didn't believe anyone could talk to me like that, and she wasn't even looking at me in the face.

"Do you even know who I am?" I asked because I was surprised.

"A simple apology would have sufficed, but never mind I've got more important things to worry about" with that she just left and didn't even look back.

Wow, I was speechless. Who the hell did that girl think she was? Suddenly, I felt hot, and my hands became itchy, I put my hands inside my pockets and walked to the principal's office.

~~~~~~~~

I knocked on the principal's office door, and he said, "Come in"

I walked in and greeted him…

"Jason! You are back. Your father did not notify me. Have a seat" the principal said excitedly.

"Thank you sir, my father probably forgot to notify you, you know he's very busy" I said with a polite smile.

"No no it's alright that you are back. We can hold the orientation now and also remove the magic ban spell" He said as he began gathering his books.

"Mr Lawrence, I have already said that the academy doesn't need to wait for me to return before holding the orientation. I already know all the rules by heart" I said.

"Yeah you've said it, but this year is different from the other years, so it's important for you to be present when the orientation is done" he said, already on his feet.

He continued, "Jason let's go to the dinning hall, so I can get the orientation done with"

I nodded and said, "I'll get going then, Mr. Lawrence" and left.

I rolled my eyes mentally every year it's like an anthem, "this year is different". Well, in a way, this year is different because nobody ever had the guts to talk back at me with a condescending tone and someone performed that task. I can't wait to see her face when I put her in her place.

~~~~~~~~

Inside the hall, immediately I stepped in, the hall went silent as everyone was staring at me. Then I started hearing "Jason you're back!"

"Jason how have you been?"

"Jason how did you spend your holiday?"

They were coming to greet me, I just glanced at them and nodded, I could see through their pleasant greetings, they all wanted to be friends with me because of my status, but regardless of it I smiled at them.

I was looking for Aliya, she already knew I was back with the commotion going on in the hall, but she probably wanted me to come and look for her, just so she can brag about it to her friends.

But deep down I was also looking for that girl I bumped into earlier, but for some reason I couldn't see her.

I saw Xavier sitting down and speaking with some of his friends. Xavier is the only person that I genuinely trust in this Academy. He's my only friend, the only person who did not become friends with me because of my status.

"Xavier" I said

He turned and said, "Jason! You're finally back"

"Yes, did you miss me cub" I smirked. Xavier hated it when someone called him a cub, but I derived joy calling him a cub.

"Call me that one more time, and I'll break this your pretty face" he said, grinning.

"Oh so you do admit I have a pretty face" I said, equally grinning.

"Oh please don't blow your trumpets. Get going before Aliyah drowns you, " He said laughing.

"Yeah yeah" I said, rolling my eyes and left.

~~~~~~~~

I saw Aliya sitting with her group of weird friends. Every so often I wonder why she's even friends with them. I've forgotten what tribe they are from, but they are always decked up in many layers of makeup. Not that Aliya is different, but Aliya doesn't apply too much and still looks beautiful, unlike her minions.

When she saw me, she stood up and hugged me, I hugged her back, Well, I've missed her nagging self.

"Jason, oh my gosh I've missed you" she pouted

"I missed you too" I said with my hands on her shoulder.

She was about to say something when Mr. Lawrence and other teachers came to the dinning hall and set up a podium.

Aliya was so excited about the orientation because that would be when they remove the magic lockdown spell. She loved bullying people with her powers…

I guess the orientation is starting…

I didn't pay attention to anything that Mr. Lawrence was saying because there was nothing new…

But then I paused what I was doing and looked up when Mr. Lawrence said something about a new student and how the person was mandated to be in both Magic and Combat group. I was interested in the speech now.

Who could this new student be?

As if hearing my thoughts, Mr. Lawrence said, "Miss Morgan, please come on stage"

So, it's a female, but why would they want her to participate in both groups? Most students in the hall were looking for the new student, me included. Whoever it was shown reluctance in coming up stage.

Then suddenly a female stood up from the back and walked straight up to Mr. Lawrence. I widened my eyes slowly on recognizing her, even if I couldn't see her face clearly, but I can recognize her side profile.

It's that girl from earlier, that rude girl. But what, who exactly is she?

She got to the podium and stood facing the entire Academy, and my breath hitched. She was absolutely breathtaking. I noticed her face was emotionless, but I could feel the nervousness coming from her. She was doing a good job hiding her emotions.

She was stunning, and her eyes I wonder if it's natural it's bright green and beautiful. And her dressing was different compared to the rest of the females in the hall.

Mr. Lawrence got my attention once more when he said something about pairing her up with me. What the actual hell is going on?

I looked at Aliya's face and saw a huge frown come on her face. I immediately felt sorry for this new student Morgan because Aliya is going to make her a prey, and I know nobody ever stands against Aliya.

After the speech, Mr. Lawrence said we should enjoy the school year and that we should select which group we wanted to join and stuff. The hall became rowdy, and I saw Morgan walk away.

I didn't even know when I stood up and left Aliya, and started walking towards Morgan.

"Morgan" I heard myself say.

She hesitated before turning to face me. But when she turned, my breath hitched for the second time. Her eyes were even more beautiful up close. I wondered if she was born with that eye color.

I had to stop myself from admiring her and said, "we meet again"

I saw visible surprise on her face as she rolled her eyes and said, "and you are?"

Are you kidding me? "So you really don't know me?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes and said, "If I did, I wouldn't have asked for your name, now would I?"

Well, she was right…

"I'm Jason, we met earlier when you bumped into me" I said

She slightly relaxed and said, "Oh, so you're that arrogant fella from earlier"

I chuckled, did she just call me arrogant? She's arrogance herself. "I could say the same for you" I said.

I stepped closer to her on an instinct, and then that itchy feeling from earlier was back. Was she the reason behind it ?

"Why did you stop me?" She asked.

"Who are you?" I asked. Urghh that came out wrong.

"You just called me" she said

"Not that, what's your element?" I asked.

"Why should I tell you?" She asked with her arms crossed.

"Because you somehow got the principal's attention and got them to pair us up" I said out of frustration.

"You seem like a teacher's pet here, go and ask them" she said with a slight frown like I was wasting her time.

"You're sassy, I don't even understand why I'm stuck with you" I said.

"Well don't be thinking I enjoy being in a team with you" she said.

At this point, I used my time stopping power to make everyone freeze. I wanted to use this time to actually observe Morgan, but to my shock, she was not affected at all by it. She turned her head and discovered that everyone was at a place. She was surprised and looked at me…

"Are you surprised?" I said, to play cool.

"Do you have a hand in this?" She asked…

"Yes it's one of my powers" I said with a smirk.

"How's this even possible?" She asked…

But something I didn't expect was that an unknown force pulled me from within and sudden everyone went back to normal. What was that? I saw her turn, and I immediately masked the confusion on my face with a smirk.

She looked behind me and said, "I would love to continue this conversation, but I've lost a lot of brain cells listening to you and someone's coming, and she's angry" with that she left.

I turned and saw Aliya and she was fuming… She came over and started her nagging…