I have never had anyone nor anything. Once, when I was a little kid, I gave a drawing of a flower to the little girl I had a little crush on—and who I thought of as my only friend—because I was so poor that I couldn't even afford roses. And I remember being so proud of myself, too, for finally confessing the feelings I had yet to fully understand - love. But the next day, together with her group of friends, they made fun of my drawing right in front of me. I could feel so many tears roll down my bright red face as I covered my bright red ears with my hands while on the floor, doing nothing but begging for them to leave me alone.

I kept thinking to myself, My heart… it hurts… it really, really hurts.

Because of people like them, I lost all hope in ever finding love. I never experienced the warmth, comfort, nor attention that everyone around me received. I never awakened the magic inside of me—the magic that’s inside all of us.

As everyone else advanced in their training to become full fledged knights, I fell behind. I always went to sleep crying; I always dreaded the next day of school; and I always wished to be strong. Strong—like my childhood bully, Joshua. The guy who all the girls wanted to date, including the girl I had a crush on. But I couldn’t be as strong as Joshua. I didn’t have magic like him. I wasn’t as smart as him. And I wasn’t as charismatic as him. All I was ever good at, was being a good-for-nothing, crybaby loser.

“Geez~! Belly, so what?” Cassandra asks me impatiently as she stretches out her athletic body.

“... Huh?” I say like the clueless idiot I am.

The two of us were hanging out at a nearby cafe after school. Celebrating Cassandra’s official status as the salutatorian of my middle school year.

Cassandra slowly stands up with a plate of cake in her hand. “Ugh. Shut up already, you buzzkill.”

“But-But I’m not even saying anythi—!” And Cassandra interrupts me by throwing a twelve dollar roman chocolate cake at my face.

“Shh~. Don’t say anything right now, Belly. I can tell by just looking at your face. You’re still worried about Arpie High’s entrance exams, aren’t you?” Covered in cake, I slowly nod, “I knew it.” Cassandra gives off a big sigh, “You think you won’t pass because your boost still hasn’t awakened, huh?”

“Mmm… It-It’s not just that.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

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“Well, since I was a little kid, I’ve dreamt about becoming a knight one day because for sure it’s the key to getting a girlfriend, right…?”

Cassandra’s eye twitches, and she thinks to herself, You-You’ve gotta be shitting me.

“And, you see, me graduating from Arpie High—the most prestigious knight academy in town—would ensure that dream to come true someday… But-But if I’m not even accepted… It-It’d just prove, that I really am worthless,” my voice begins to crack, “B-Because no other dream of mine…”

And for some reason, I remember Joshua and the girl I had a crush on, “No other dream of mine… has ever come true… I’m all alone, Cassandra, and I don’t know what to do.”

And to this desperate cry for help, Cassandra, my one and only friend who I don't deserve, of course tries to cheer me up by throwing another expensive cake at my face.

“Mmf—! Cassandra?” I ask as I wipe cake off my eyes, “Seriously? Again? Hmm.”

“Geez, Belly, do you ever stop bitchin’?"

“Huh?”

She slams her hands on the table and aggressively grabs my shirt collar and tells me to my face, "Don’t you know that I’m here for you dammit! Don’t you know that, even if the whole world thinks of you as a failure, I will always believe in you! And don’t you know that it hurts me a little? Seeing you be all negative like that…”

I never knew she cared so much,

“... And guess another ‘what.’ The reason why a jerk like Joshua is so strong and popular, is because he’s worked hard getting to that point! While all you’ve done is nothing but mope around!...”

My eyes widen,

“You see…? Where's that sparkle in your eyes?” Cassandra picks up a napkin and reaches out towards me, “I want to see a different you. Show me a Cynthia Abella who believes in himself and never gives up. With or without magic. Will you, please? If not for yourself, then at least do it… for me?”

As Cassandra helps clean my face, I can’t help but notice how warm her smile and hands are against my cold self.

I begin to think to myself, She’s right… She’s totally right…!

Then, all of a sudden, a burst of sky-blue light enlightens the entire cafe, “Wha-What the hell’s going on?” The people ask in a panic.

Cassandra, flinching, yells out my name, “B-Belly? What’s going on?”

But I continue to think to myself, It’s about time that I show her… The only person who believes in me… It’s about damn time that I show her a peasant… a peasant, who she can call her knight in shining armor!

The powerful flash of light vanishes without a trace, and everyone turns their head to its source - me.

Concerned, but a little amused, Cassandra asks me with a light giggle, “Belly? Haha-Are you okay?”

Exhausted, I look up and respond, “Ugh, hah… No~! What-What in the world was that? Hah, hah, huh~” and I fall face-first into even more cake.

I didn’t realize it then, but that glimpse of hope would be just enough for me to mark the promise I made to myself. Or more appropriately, the silent promise I made for Cassandra. My one and only friend, and the only person who believes in me. I won't let her down.