“tYvAnnn,” said Shay in a panicked whisper. “What about the sleep thing?? Is that convenient?”

The last time she saw that magic, Tyvan turned a giant, angry Chinese man into a peacefully sleeping... giant Chinese man.

“Generally, yes,” he replied.

He didn’t say anything more, but they both moved automatically. Tyvan ducked by one side of the door and Shay took her position opposite, a little bit away.

The door swung in. Tyvan placed his hand on Andy’s collar.

Shay pushed a roller-chair forward. The locker-jerker slumped over, lying on the chair (almost) perfectly.

Teamwork!

It was beautiful!

After Shay breathed a deeeeep sigh of relief, she smiled over at her team partner.

“And how does that magic work? Does it work on just anyone?”

Tyvan glanced away, “It only works on persons suffering sleep deprivation.”

He looked at his palm, frowning, “Yet the spell’s never failed even once.”

“Sleep is for the weak,” Shay countered.

“Sleep is a privilege of a comfortable life. And, far too often, it’s needlessly neglected.”

He looked down at the sleeping Andy.

“Didn’t this child take injury recently?”

“Yeah,” Shay nodded. “But he got better. Come on, we’re not safe yet.”

She peeked her head out of the faculty room, scanning the hallways.

The stairs to the roof? No, that door was usually locked unless Aquila felt like going up there.

Ah, she couldn’t leave Tyvan in the staff room to wait-- not with Andy mysteriously knocked out beside him. (There would be SO many questions.)

Depositing him in the principal’s office? That was an option.

Ooh. But she thought of something better!

She gestured for Tyvan to follow her as she walked out.

“Let’s hide in the janitor’s closet until school’s over,” she said.

It was the most cliche place to hide-- and she and Tyvan would be uncomfortably close throughout. And maybe something would happen that would elevate their relationship to the next level, but--

“I’d really rather not,” Tyvan said.

Shay got mad-- but only for a second. It wasn’t the greatest plan.

And then there were footsteps. And voices! Oh, no~

Multiple potential witnesses were approaching! She grabbed Tyvan’s sleeve again and led him into the girl’s bathroom. (It was the closest bathroom! And she only realized what she was doing as she was doing it!)

She tried her best, managing to shove him into one of the stalls. She put the toilet lid down. She sat on it.

Oh, no. But her feet?

She crouch-sat on the toilet lid.

Oh, no! But Tyvan’s feet!

Thankfully, he seemed to understand. He lifted her up, sat on the toilet cross-legged, and sat her on his lap.

It was an incredibly intimate position, but Shay was too terrified to enjoy it. (Or... maybe she did enjoy it, but only a little! --only as much as she was allowed!)

The bathroom door opened.

”Ugh, that class is such a bore,” a girl said.

Shay recognized that voice-- one of her classmates. But there were two sets of footsteps?

“Yeah, going to classes is the worst part about school,” said her bathroom-buddy.

--that voice belonged to AQUILA!!

Shay put her hands together, praying as hard as she could that Aquila wouldn’t find her.

Water started to run from one of the sinks.

“Did you really need to go?” the first girl asked. “Or was that just an excuse to get outta there?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right out,” Aquila replied. “Then let’s take a quick walk in the courtyard before we go back.”

Footsteps. Coming closer.

Shay prayed even harder.

And then...

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

--the stall door opened.

Shay’s jaw dropped as she stared Aquila in the face.

She’d forgotten to lock her stall.

Aquila Davey. Still dressed in her full ninja outfit. Red muffler on her face. Ninja hood covering her hair.

Her gaze locked onto Shay’s.

Her eyes drifted past, looking at Tyvan.

She closed the door.

“What’s wrong?” the first girl asked, “Are you a shy pee-er?”

“N-nah,” Aquila said, her voice twice as deep as usual, “I didn’t need to go after all.”

The other girl laughed at her. “So you do voice impressions now? You’re so quirky, Aki~”

The two girls walked out, the door shutting behind them... and finally, Shay collapsed into Tyvan’s arms.

“Was that shadow warrior an acquaintance of yours?” he asked.

“That’s... a friend... with a lot of secrets,” Shay sighed.

That... was such a weird moment, though. Why didn’t Aquila say anything when she saw them?

“Tyvan, did you use any magic just now? Something to make us invisible?”

“...No?” Tyvan said. “That would not be in the spirit of your game.”

Shay sighed again. She felt her anxiety gnawing a hole in her stomach.

How many more months of school were left? The rest of it... was going to be a lot more interesting.

Or maybe she could drop out and work for Tyvan full-time? Oh, no-- but then the rumors would get worse...

“Is there an issue?” Tyvan asked. “If that young lady was your friend, she can further hide your presence from your instructors.”

Shay shook her head.

Did Tyvan really not know how suspicious he was being?

Shay clenched her eyes shut. It was her fault for their current situation-- and for running from Miss Ansari in the first place.

Getting caught in the bathroom by Aquila was ten times worse than--

Gah...

No.

Both were bad.

Horrifically bad.

----------------------------------------

From there, Shay brought Tyvan back to the school entrance without any more issues. Classes were still fully in session... and they managed to avoid running into any other people. Somehow.

“Can I give you the money now?” Tyvan asked.

“Later-- at work?” Shay said, “Not here. It’s... just-- and the amount... just don’t.”

“Hm, very well,” Tyvan nodded. “I enjoyed today. Shall I visit more--”

“Nope,” Shay said. “Just... not at school, Boss. Your presence is...”

“Unwelcome?” Tyvan suggested.

“It’s... too much,” she sighed. “Employers don’t usually make school visits.”

“Ahh,” Tyvan nodded. “My mistake. I was not aware.”

Shay stared at him almost in disbelief.

What... oh. Did he want to see her that badly?

--but he was definitely in the wrong!

And... he did apologize. She couldn’t really stay mad after that.

Something beeped. Tyvan grabbed a small black electronic device on his belt, looking at it without any particular expression.

“It seems I need to return to the office,” he said. “Will you be joining me?”

Shay looked back at her school.

No... she couldn’t go back-- not for the rest of the day.

She followed Tyvan off the school grounds. She waved to a security officer. They waved back.

That’s what she should have done earlier: acted like nothing was wrong.

Shay felt terrible overall, but she quickened her pace to walk by Tyvan’s side. As crazy as the day had been, the end result wasn’t so bad.

She was walking home with her crush. Oh-- that realization was... oh.

“Ehe... ehehehe... ihihihi!!”

Tyvan was staring at her. He tilted his head almost imperceptibly and his right brow went up by about half-an-inch.

Shay composed herself.

But anyway, her current life was awesome, (as a certain sunglasses-wearing person would say.) She was basically living the way she wanted to live instead of blindly following everyone’s expectations.

“It seems that classes are still in session,” Tyvan said, “Did I interrupt something?”

And Mister Valorum, maybe because of his rich-person, didn’t-attend-a-regular-school upbringing still didn’t understand how much of a problem he was being.

“Pff, yeah,” Shay said. “But it’s more important that I keep you out of trouble instead of going back.”

Tyvan raised his chin. “Hm. I appreciate the company.”

Shay smiled back. All of her stupid school drama worries... it didn’t matter overall.

She took a deep breath. Meeting Tyvan was the best thing that ever happened to her. Because of him, she met Heidi and Yeonha and Bishop... (and Raia; she was okay.)

She got away from her aunt and uncle.

She learned that magic was real, (even though dragons were not.)

And there were so many more things she wanted to learn... about Tyvan... about his mysterious powers... and everything he had hidden behind his hazel, sometimes golden, eyes.

Magic...

Could she learn to do something like that?

To close her eyes and walk around without being seen? To fly effortlessly into a second-story window? --to have the power to instantly fall asleep with a touch?

She felt a strange tingle in her mouth. She brushed her fingers along her lips.

“Tyvan,” she said... “I feel like... I’m so close to remembering something. But just when I think I do, it’s gone.”

She turned to face him, “Have you ever felt like that?”

Tyvan shook his head, “Let it go, Yan Xue. Sometimes it’s best not to remember.”

Shay smiled at that, remembering their conversation a few nights before.

“I can’t let the past hold me back, I guess.”

“Better to live in the moment,” Tyvan said with a smirk.

In the moment? Maybe. Yeah. She could give that a chance.