11: A Star

As I watch Raven effortlessly interact with both the customers and the cats, I can't help but feel a mixture of awe and envy. She seems completely comfortable and at ease, while I'm still trying not to trip over my own feet.When Raven notices me watching, she gives me a reassuring smile before heading back to the counter to prepare the orders.I take a deep breath and summon all my courage. "You've got this." I mutter to myself before approaching the next table of customers.However as time flew by, broken plates would be heard here and there and I would even mess up the wrong order and apologize repeatedly.The sounds of broken plates and apologies fill the cafe as I struggle to keep up. Frustration builds within me, both at myself for my mistakes and at the lack of memories I need to handle the job with ease.Sinking into an unoccupied chair in the changing room, I bury my face in my hands, feeling the weight of my failures slowly crushing me.I cover my face with my hands in shame as I think over my mistakes. 'This was to be expected when having no memory as Estelle on how to work.''How will I survive this? Sometimes memories would flash, but this time it didn't.. what made it trigger in the first place? Is it random?' I sigh to myself as I stay seated in the changing room's unoccupied chairs."Hey.." Raven knocks gently on the door that's open as she checks on me.I look up to see Raven standing there, a concerned expression on her face. I sigh deeply, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and resignation."Hey.." I mutter in response, my voice laced with defeat."Manager said the broken plates will probably be compensated for your income. But so far, he doesn't seem to be that mad at you. Just worried that you chose to work today when you aren't in your tip top shape." Raven says as she sits next to me on the chair.'I can't be in tip top shape when I'm not Estelle herself.' I think to myself as I sigh."... You're really having it rough, huh?" Raven says as she smiles at me gently. "How about this? You can come over to my place and we can train each other?" She suggests as I slowly look back up to meet her gaze."T-training each other?" I repeat, my voice barely more than whisper. I can hardly believe what she's suggesting, and the thought of spending more time with her sends a nervous flutter through me."You'd do that for me?" I manage to speak up, still in disbelief."Why not? You said so yourself. We're best friends, right?" Raven says softly as she reminds me of my own words that I said to her before.My heart flutters as she uses my own words against me, her soft voice reminding me of our development within just the past two days."Yeah... we are." I murmur, my voice still slightly shaky. The thought of being trained by Raven is both thrilling and terrifying at the same time."But..." I hesitate, biting my lip. "Won't you be busy with your own things?""Like what? I think you're the more busy one. You got your club president even telling you to handle the club exhibition alone." Raven tells me as she crosses her arms.I wince slightly as she reminds me of the stress I'm currently under thanks to Axel himself."I...yeah, I guess that's true." I admit, sighing in defeat.I look at her, the thought of spending more time with her both exciting and making my stomach flutter with nerves."Alright," I finally say. "We can train together at your place. Just... go easy on me, okay?"Raven chuckles softly as she leans to the side with a smile."Nah. You're a tough girl, Estelle. You can handle it, right?" She teases.I feel myself flush slightly at her comment, my heart beating just a little faster as I meet her gaze."Right. I can handle it." I respond, trying to sound confident despite the nerves buzzing through me.'Just don't embarrass yourself even more in front of her.' I mentally berate myself.Time skips and when me and Raven are waiting in the train station together, she and I would stand next to each other in silence.I find myself standing next to Raven at the train station, the silence between us making me feel a little awkward. I glance at her from the corner of my eye, feeling a strange mix of nerves and excitement.The train pulls into the station, and we climb aboard, finding seats next to each other. I can feel the subtle movement of the train as it starts to move, the click-clack of the tracks echoing through the quiet cabin.I steal a glance at Raven again, who remains stoic and silent. I can feel my heart beating a bit faster."You know.. you've really been much more bold yet.. clumsy since yesterday." Raven says softly as we are the only ones in the train together, side by side.I freeze momentarily as Raven breaks the silence, taken off guard by her comment. I try to keep my expression neutral, but I can feel my heart pounding a bit faster."Bold.. yet clumsy, huh?" I repeat, swallowing hard.'Well, I can't really tell her that I'm a guy that transmigrated into Estelle Zeller.' I think to myself as I try to rack my brain for an appropriate response, but I can't exactly tell her the truth.I lean to shrug nonchalantly, as if it doesn't bother me."Yeah, I guess I have been." I manage to say after a pause. "Just trying new things, you know?""Trying new things.. huh?" Raven mutters to herself as she repeats my own words gently, as it she's in deep thought herself.I feel a twinge of curiosity mixed with anxiety as I sense that there's something going on in Raven's mind.The way she repeated my words back to me, so quietly, makes me wonder what she's thinking about. She's been so casual and laid-back this whole time, yet there's something behind her eyes that seems a little guarded.I try to keep my own thoughts from spiralling as the train continues its journey along the tracks.A few minutes pass in silence as the train glides through the city, the scenery outside the window passing by in a blur.I can feel the tension between us palpably, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. I steal another glance at Raven, but her gaze is fixed out the window, her expression unreadable.The train car sways slightly as we continue on the tracks, the noise of the wheels on the rails almost hypnotizing.'Going home after school.' I think to my original life before I became Estelle.'All I ever remember is exhaustion and nothing more, but somehow today felt fulfilling. Even though I screwed up at the cafe today, it doesn't feel all too bad.' I smile to myself, unaware of Raven who looks at me.'Alright, in order to get back to my world, I need to pair Raven with someone! Though Rogue is close to being a safe bet right now. I need another plan to get the heroine the happy ending she needs.'I stop and look down.'Though, I'm not sure if giving her a happy ending will automatically send me back home. I feel restless if I don't plan and do anything.'I lean my back in a relaxed manner as I try to think further for more plan or ideas, but as I am in the middle of processing my thoughts.My eyes that feel heavy soon made me fall asleep.Without knowing what it is, all I felt was a soft hand guiding my head to rest to where I feel something soft against my cheek.I rest without knowing what it is, and with that level of comfort I feel.'I wish I can just stay like this forever.' I wish deep down in my heart as I rest my tired body and tired mind.Raven's POVAs I was looking at the buildings that continues on forever with each passing second, I felt their head lay on my shoulder gently."..!" It surprised me.I look down at them, their tired expression visible as I chuckle to myself."How intriguing." I mutter to myself as I sit properly and let them rest on my shoulder.'Even though there's finally something different going on, it had to be you. ''The person who's role I had stolen.'With a bitter reminder, I didn't dare smile as I watch over them."If you were aware of everything until now, you would probably despise me.." I mutter under my breath as the train continues to move.I waited and waited.Letting the time pass on.The afternoon sky slowly turning darker as I see that we are close to our stop.I look back to the person next to me, sleeping peacefully."Another hour wouldn't hurt." I mutter to myself, hearing the announcement of the usual stop but casually ignoring it as I too close my eyes and let my body rest.Time went on.And slowly the sound of the train running starts to subside.I open my eyes gently, but with a familiar scene before me.A rundown apartment, small and gloomy, and my bedroom filled with grey and dull colored surroundings."KRIIINGG!" The heinous alarm ringing as I cover my ears irritatedly with my both of my hands.'Another day.. another pain in the ass.' I think to myself.It didn't take long to get to my destination, the school. It was my second day and I kept my gaze down as I walk, but the moment I entered the gate, I start to hear the usual comments about me."Oh, look it's that gloomy girl in Class 3-A.""Wahh.. so edgy.""I heard she lives alone in a shabby apartment.""Haha, how sad."'Just ignore them.. they'll get bored of it eventually.' I think to myself as I continue to march on.Since I first came to this school, I somehow started living a life that feels somewhat fitting for an invisible person, because of my petite frame and unsightly appearance.No one dared to try and approach me unless it's about my skills as an artist.'Just head to the clubroom.. just head to the clubroom.' I think to myself, closing my eyes for a moment to avoid eye contact."THUD!" I accidentally bumped onto someone, a elegant looking girl with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue headband as she turns to me with an annoyed expression."Ugh! Watch where you're going!" It one of the most beautiful students in the campus.'Maxine Silverlake.''For the last three years of my life, she only came here this year because of one reason.''To be able to spend time with the principal's son named Nomase who was also recently transferred.'"Ugh, Maxine she's that girl in Class 3-A that's staining the Art Club." The girl next to Maxine mutters."Her? Hah, she looks so much pathetic and unfashionable than I imagined." Maxine says, not hiding her disdain as she looks at me from head to toe with a smug look on her face."Um.. I'm sorry." I lowered my head as I looked down.'My school life wasn't this bad before, I was just casually ignored and I had friends, but somehow.. this year was a complete hellish start of my life.'"What? Axel Slyvius is in the Art Club! You should introduce him to us Raven! You're our friend right?" Those were what my friends wished as we were all eating lunch together."Eh? But.. he.. and I aren't really close.." I said in return as I start to feel pressured from their gazes."Eh?! What the heck! Come on, don't be stingy.. are you just trying to keep him to yourself?" She says in response."What?! N-no.. I'm not even-" I tried to defend myself but before I knew it.That was the first crack of our friendship, because later on, they started to join a fanclub revolving him and all I could do was watch my so-called friends talk behind my back."HEY." Maxine speaks up in annoyance, fully snapping me back to reality where I stand in front of her."Huh?" I looked back at her as I got nervous."Listen to me when I'm talking to you!" She yells out at me as she aims to slap me by the cheek.I saw the hand about to land on my face, making me shut my eyes quickly."..."Yet, nothing happened.I opened my eyes and there I see another person in front of me, holding Maxine's hand tightly."W-what the..!?" Maxine pulls her hand away immediately as her and her friends are taken back by the person who protected me."..." As I look at their dazzling blonde hair, more dazzling than Maxine's, I couldn't help but be in awe for the next following words that comes out their mouth.'She looks really pretty.'"You must be new here, right? Then, I'll tell you right now." The girl before me smiles at Maxine as she adds her speech. "Violence isn't tolerated here.""Ugh-- who are you to butt in, huh?" Maxine argues with her."Me? I'm just another student here. My name's Estelle Zeller." She says with a smile, like a dazzling star.'That's right. That was how I first met Estelle Zeller. The heroine.'TO BE CONTINUED